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YOUR 23-MONTH-OLD BABY'S DEVELOPMENT

23 month old babys development
Dr Simon Carvell
Written by
19th Dec 2023

What a couple of years it has been! As your tot approaches their second birthday, you probably feel like the time has flown by! Here’s what to expect as your little one turns 23 months old.

Baby’s Growth and Overall Health at 23 Months

Your 23-month-old is probably very confident on their feet now. They may be able to walk upstairs holding onto your hand and may now be able to kick a football. 

In terms of their physical growth, at 23 months, baby boys usually measure between 79cm and 95cm and weigh between 9kg and 16kg. 23-month-old girls usually measure between 77cm and 94cm and weigh between 8kg and 16kg. 

If you have any questions or concerns about your baby’s growth, it is best to discuss these with your health visitor or GP.

Baby’s Sleep at 23 Months

At 23 months, your baby will still need around 13 hours of sleep each day. You will probably find they sleep for around 11 hours at night and that naps make up the rest of their sleeping time.

At this age, your tot may start teething again as their second molars can come through at any time from now up to around 30 months. This can have an impact on their sleeping patterns. If your little one is experiencing teething pain at night, you could give them pain relief that’s suitable for their age, for example, Calpol, which contains paracetamol.

Baby’s Food and Feeding Schedule at 23 Months

Continue to feed your baby three healthy meals and two snacks each day. Official guidance advises that as children approach two years old, they should be aiming to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. Don’t worry if this sounds like an impossible feat. A portion for a child this age is very small, roughly the size of the palm of their hand, so they won’t need to eat large quantities to achieve this aim.

It is advised that children under five years old are given daily vitamin A, C, and D supplement drops unless they are drinking at least 500ml of milk each day. If you are unsure whether your child needs to have supplements, you can discuss this with your health visitor or GP.

Baby’s Personality at 23 Months

You may now have a little chatterbox on your hands. At 23 months, your baby may know around 50 words and may be able to put simple sentences together.

As your little one heads toward their second birthday, you may find that their behaviour becomes a little more challenging at times. This is because they are developing many new emotions. 

If you have a new baby around this time, your child may act with jealousy, and things can become a bit stressful at home. Encouraging your tot to help out with the new baby can be beneficial. If they try to hit the baby or act aggressively towards it, try not to give them attention for their actions. Instead, attend to the baby. Giving attention when your toddler acts aggressively like this will give them what they want and encourage them to do it again.

Try to spend time alone with your toddler so that they still get quality one-on-one time with you.

Baby’s milestones at 23 months

  • At 23 months, your little one will be able to name things they see regularly, including objects, people, and animals.
  • Your toddler will enjoy playing simple games with you, such as tag and chase.
  • They will be able to answer simple questions, such as “what’s that animal.”

Games and Activities for Babies at 23 Months

If you would like to support your baby’s development even further, you could try these games and activities:

Matching games

Matching games are a great way to teach concepts such as shape and number recognition. Cut out some shapes and encourage them to pair together the ones that look the same, such as matching the triangle to another triangle.

Getting dressed

You can encourage your little one’s growing independence by getting them involved with getting dressed and undressed. For example, asking them to take off their socks at bedtime.

How mum's feeling at 23 months postpartum

 

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Mum's View

"The feeling of love you have for these little humans is so overwhelming I’m not surprised we feel guilty or doubt ourselves. We are our own biggest critics!

Be kind to yourself - you are doing an amazing job and just know you are not alone with your feelings!"

 

Mum of 3, Hebe

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emmas diary tips

Mum's View

"One thing I would like to make clear however is that motherhood is a beautifully unique experience and so there should be no expectations upon how you are supposed to think and feel. While going through a change as big as this, kindness to yourself and recognising when you need some additional support is an important factor to keep in mind."

 

Mum of 1, Maya

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emmas diary tips

Mum's View

"By making time for regular self-care, we are able to recharge, feel refreshed, and prevent burnout.

Especially as parents, we are prone to regularly being pushed to our limits!

Parents often feel touched out, overwhelmed, exhausted and under pressure, which is totally understandable! You are not alone, and you are never a failure for feeling the effect of these strains."

 

Mum of 4, Harriet

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