emmas logo
Emma's Diary

The Pregnancy App

star rating

FREE - On the app store

Close this popup  

YOUR 15-MONTH-OLD BABY’S DEVELOPMENT

Baby's development at 15 Month
 
Dr Simon Carvell
Medically reviewed by
19th Dec 2023

Your little one is now 15 months old! It may already seem like their first birthday was a long time ago, as they have changed so much in the last three months. 

Here’s what you can expect from your increasingly independent toddler:

Baby’s Growth and Overall Health at 15 Months

Your 15-month-old may now be developing their walking skills but still be a little wobbly when moving around. You may notice that when they want to get somewhere quickly, they revert back to crawling, as they can move super-fast in this position. Try not to worry if your baby has not taken their first steps yet and is still happily shuffling around on their bottom or crawling. 

In terms of physical growth, a 15-month-old baby boy usually measures between 72 cm and 86 cm in length and weighs between 7.5 kg and 14 kg. At 15 months old, baby girls usually measure between 70 cm and 85 cm in length. Baby girls usually weigh between 7 kg and 13.5 kg. 

Don’t forget that these measurements are estimates, and every baby is different. If you have concerns about your baby’s size, it is always best to discuss these with a medical professional.

Baby’s Sleep at 15 Months

At 15 months, most babies need around 14 hours of sleep each day. This is usually broken down into 11 to 12 hours of nighttime sleep and one or two naps during the day.

If you have noticed that your tot seems to be more difficult to settle at night lately, don’t worry, you are not alone. Even little ones that have always slept really well can sometimes be harder to settle at this age. You can help to make bedtimes easier by always sticking with the same routine.

Baby’s Food and Feeding Schedule at 15 Months

Your little one will probably now be in the habit of eating three meals each day and will have discovered lots of new textures and flavours already. At this age, children should have around 400ml of milk each day, along with their three meals and a couple of healthy snacks. It is essential that your little one does not have any salt or sugar added to their food.

Unless your child is drinking more than 500ml of milk each day, it is recommended that they take daily vitamin A, C, and D supplement drops. If you are unsure which vitamin drops to use, your health visitor should be able to advise you.

Baby’s Personality at 15 Months

Your little one is probably very chatty now, although you may not be able to understand everything they say! At 15 months, your baby may be able to say a few words clearly, but there will be many more that are quite difficult to understand. 

If your child is an early talker, they may already be able to say up to ten words, but not all of these will be clear. If your child hasn’t spoken any recognisable words yet, don’t worry, this is normal too.

Many children of this age start to show separation anxiety. Signs of separation anxiety include your little one becoming clingy towards you and becoming shy towards people they don’t see very often. This is a perfectly normal stage of your child’s development, and they will grow out of separation anxiety, but it does usually peak around this age.

Baby’s milestones at 15 months

  • Your baby may now be able to walk independently.
  • At 15 months old, tots can usually kneel down without assistance.
  • Your 15-month-old may play alongside other babies and toddlers.
  • Your little one may now be able to build a tower of two blocks (this demonstrates their ‘mature hand release’).

Games and Activities for Babies at 15 Months

You can help to support your 15-month-old’s development by trying these games and activities with them:

Play give and take games

Try passing objects between you, saying please and thank you as you take it in turns.

Build together

Try building a tower together by placing bricks one on top of the other. Your little one will love knocking them over!

Look at books together

Looking at books is always a great activity to do together. You could put your little one in charge of turning the pages while you talk to them about the pictures in the story.

 

How mum's feeling at 15 months postpartum

 

emmas diary tips

Mum's View

"Parenting is amazing but it's also relentless. The responsibilities, the constant demands, the endless to-do lists...

I used to feel so guilty when I felt like I needed some time apart from my babies (good old mum guilt!) But eventually I came to realise that it wasn't a bad thing."

 

Mum of twins, Hannah

emmas diary tips
emmas diary tips

Mum's View

"Making new mum friends is essential.

You create a new tribe where you can bounce ideas and worries off on each other. They are the ones that can make you laugh and feel better when you feel down. I am very fortunate to have such a solid group of mum friends that I’m in touch with daily and see regularly."

 

Mum of 2, Rachel

emmas diary tips
emmas diary tips

Mum's View

"Since Jack turned 1, I’ve had an influx of questions and cheeky quips about baby number 2. It seems that the first one turned one and it was fair game for people to comment."

 

Mum of 1, Rosie

emmas diary tips

 

Parents' tips this month!

 

baby wishlist
How to enjoy a meal out with a toddler...

Mum, Charlotte shares 14 ways to enjoy meals out with your little one...

 

What to expect from your child at month 16

 

 

Approved by healthcare team

Select your baby's month

Exception occured while executing the controller. Check error logs for details.
Dr Simon Carvell
Medically reviewed by
19th Dec 2023

THE LATEST HOT TOPICS

JUST FOR YOU

Register here
Emmas Diary APP
Emmas Diary APP
Login here