This appointment will usually take place within your home when your child reaches 9-12 months. We will send you an appointment letter in the post.
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The appointment tends to last about an hour and is an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
We will review any previous and current health concerns and provide support, guidance and information on relevant services available to you and your child. We will also start to think about the preparations needed before your child starts nursery or school.
Your baby will be weighed to monitor growth, and their developmental progress will be reviewed.
We understand children will develop at their own pace. It is important to highlight this review is an opportunity for you to talk about your child’s progress, learn more about what you can do to help their development and make sure you have the support you need.
Feeding
We will discuss infant feeding such as eating family foods. Your baby should be building up their dietary intake of a variety of foods with water to drink. Around age 1 they will need 3 meals a day – breakfast, lunch and tea, with snacks in between and a supper.
Allow your baby to explore different textures and flavours. It is a good idea to offer your baby foods that are easy to pick-up. Don’t worry if they make a mess, this is part of the learning process and can be cleaned at the end of mealtime.
Milk intake should reduce to around 1 pint (568 ml) per day. From age 1 most children can stop formula milk and have full fat cow’s milk. Breastfeeding can continue for as long as you wish. You may wish to discuss continued breastfeeding or what to do on your return to work. We can support you with this.
We promote introducing a multivitamin supplement around this stage if your baby is drinking less than 500mls formula a day. Breastfeeding babies should continue with vitamin D supplements until they start multivitamins.
On the move
Your baby may soon be on the move and exploring the world! It is especially important at this stage to think of their safety. You may be starting to think about stair gates, baby locks and moving dangerous objects out of reach. During your visit we will discuss ways to keep your child safe.
Sleep
Your baby may be sleeping all through the night. However, some babies may still be waking through the night. There are many reasons why they do this including wanting comfort, teething, habit, hunger and the developmental leap they are experiencing. If broken sleep is affecting you, you may wish to discuss ways of improving this on the visit.
As with all developmental milestones caring for your child can be challenging and the health professional will sensitively review your emotional well-being, providing support and guidance where necessary to yourself and the family.
As with previous visits we will discuss general health information including:
- Transition to parenthood
- Safe sleeping
- Immunisations
- Dental care
- Smoking cessation
- Diet and exercise
- Routines
- School readiness
