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

Your toddler is getting better at matching, naming and asking for what they want.

At around 18 months, your toddler can match up similar objects, point to basic body parts when named, recognise objects and actions in a picture book, and ask for a cup, spoon or book by name (or by pointing).

• If your toddler isn't comfortable with the potty, there is no need to push or embarrass. Forcing it often makes training take longer. Leave the potty around, talk casually about it, and start when your toddler shows real signs of readiness: staying dry 1–2 hours, telling you they're about to go, pulling at a wet nappy, interest in the toilet.

• Most 18-month-olds sleep 10–12 hours at night plus one daytime nap of 1–2 hours. Night waking is common around now, often because of molars or a developmental leap. Keep the bedtime routine boring and the same.

• Point at pictures in a book and name them. Then ask your toddler to find them.
• Play "where's your nose?" at bath time.
• Offer choices: "Red cup or blue cup?" Two choices, not ten.

Your toddler is listening even when it doesn't look like it.

• Loud snoring, gasping, or pauses in breathing during sleep are not normal at this age, flag at the next pediatrician visit.

Every round of 'where's your nose?' and every offered choice is quietly wiring a growing mind. This everyday back-and-forth is the heart of baby development, and nobody does it more lovingly than you. Even when they seem busy, your voice is the thread they follow.

Around 18 months. Pets and toddlers, a mixed blessing for many families.

If you have a pet

A dog or cat in the home with a toddler:

• Watch interactions closely until toddler is older, even gentle pets nip when startled
• Teach toddler the right way to approach: slow, gentle, soft voice
• Your toddler can carry diseases between school/daycare and pets too, wash hands often

Indian-home note

• Many Indian flats and houses have community cats, dogs, or strays nearby. Toddlers should not feed or pet street animals, risk of bites, scratches, infections, or rabies exposure. Pets in strict homes only.

For mum

• Pet care is another invisible job. If you have a pet plus a toddler, divide pet duties with whoever else is home, feeding, walks, cleaning. You should not be doing it all.

Eating well

• Three meals + two snacks. The Indian thali rotation.

Indian-mum tradition

• Many Indian grandmothers will have specific advice on toddler-pet boundaries. Often it's worth listening, strays, monkeys (in some areas), and even neighbour's dogs deserve healthy caution.

Worth flagging, bites and scratches

Any animal bite that breaks the skin (even your own well-vaccinated pet)

• wash with soap and water for 15 minutes, then see a doctor. Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis is straightforward but needs to start within 24 hours. Don't wait. Stray animal bites or scratches, same protocol, urgent doctor visit.

An Indian-home tip

• If your toddler is going outside often, gardens, parks, community spaces, wash hands carefully on returning. Many infections in toddler-mum pairs come from outdoor play and shared surfaces. A small bottle of soap by the entry door makes the habit easier.

Between watching little hands and four-legged friends, your attention stretches in every direction. Parenting a toddler sharpens instincts you never knew you had, and yours are serving your family well. Give yourself credit for the small dangers you quietly steer around each day.