70 Week Old Baby: Your Baby's Development and Your Recovery This Week

Some toddler habits look odd but are often just self-soothing, others are worth asking about.

Some toddlers rock or bump their head against the cot rails before sleep, or when upset. As a self-soothe before nap or bed, this is usually harmless and typically stops by age 3. Mention it at the next visit if:

• The head-banging causes visible bruising or injury
• It happens throughout the day, not just around sleep or big upsets
• It comes with other concerns: poor eye contact, very little back-and-forth social play, loss of words

• Thumb-sucking, hair-twirling, cuddling a pillow or soft toy, rocking. Most of these are normal and fade on their own by 3–4 years.

• Toddlers often hate haircuts, the sound, the cape, the strangers. What helps: an early morning slot when they're fresh, a kids' specialist salon, a familiar snack, sitting on your lap, and a show on your phone. It's one time screens earn their keep.

• Most 16-month-olds eat small portions, a couple of bites of each thing at a meal is normal. As long as weight is trending along their own curve, small is fine. Don't force. Offer the same foods again tomorrow; familiarity builds acceptance.

• Vomiting, unusual sleepiness, a swelling that keeps growing, or pupils that look uneven, head to the emergency room. Most bumps just need a cuddle and a cold cloth.

So many odd little habits are simply a small person finding their own way to feel safe. Knowing when to watch calmly and when to ask is a skill you have grown into beautifully. That steady attention of yours is the quiet strength behind healthy baby development.

Around 16.5 months. Stress at this stage looks different from the early months, chronic, low-level, draining.

Year-2 stress triggers

• Toddler tantrums
• Sleep that's better but not great
• Work demands ramping back up
• Relationship strain
• Less family help than in year 1
• Pressure about "second baby" timing

Things that genuinely help

• 5 minutes of pranayama (deep breathing) twice a day
• A 30-minute walk most days
• One social commitment a week
• A weekly "you" hour
• Less phone scrolling, more music or silence

Indian-tradition stress relievers

• Yoga (any traditional school)
• Pranayama, specifically anulom-vilom and bhramari for calming
• A daily oil massage on the head, even 5 minutes
• A faith practice if it fits, temple visit, gurbani, namaaz, prayer

For chronic stress that doesn't lift

• Therapy works. Indian therapists are increasingly accessible, online therapy platforms often have lower costs than in-person sessions.

Eating well

• Three meals + two snacks. Stable blood sugar = stable mood. The Indian thali rotation works. Add adaptogens (ashwagandha, brahmi) only after talking to a doctor, they aren't always safe with breastfeeding.

Worth flagging

• Stress that has flipped into panic attacks (racing heart, can't breathe, sense of doom) is treatable, often within 6–8 sessions of CBT or with short-term medication. A trained therapist can help.

A small Indian-tradition reminder

• Faith practices, temple visit, namaaz, gurbani, prayer, are an underrated mental-health tool. They are not a replacement for therapy when needed, but they are real anchors. Whatever fits your beliefs, do it weekly if not daily.

Five slow breaths on the balcony, a short walk, a song instead of a scroll: small anchors hold big ships. Stress loosens its grip when mother self care becomes daily rather than occasional. You are allowed to be a work in progress and a safe harbour at the same time.