You will no doubt be barraged with free advice from family and friends about what to feed and what not to feed your toddler. Don't let this advice affect you too much, especially when someone tells you that one particular food [e.g. Fish or a particular fruit] is very good/absolutely essential. Many mothers panic when someone says this and their toddler doesn't like that particular food. As long as your toddler is having a well balanced mixed diet and growing normally don't let this bother you.

•	Every child has its likes and dislikes. Don't force your child to eat something that he does not want to.
•	It is safe to give your child home cook food but with less salt. Even now your child's daily requirement of salt for the next 12 months is about 2g/ day which is less than half of what an adult requires.
•	The only time you should avoid a food is when your child has food intolerance or a food allergy.
•	As long as your child is eating a wide variety of food and growing well, he most probably will be getting all the nutrients he needs.
•	If you feel he does have problems with eating, always discuss the issue with your pediatrician at your monthly check up and growth evaluation.

There is a growing trend in India of using baby walkers for children in the age of 9-12 months who have learnt to stand, in the mistaken notion that this is safe and will help the baby learn to walk quicker. This is true and experts caution against the indiscriminate use of baby walkers.

• A baby first learns to roll, crawl, stand up, then walk with support and finally by himself.
• These activities are very important as it helps develop and build his muscles so that he can start walking when he is ready. This is the natural process and it is best that you try to let it happen this way.
• Baby's who are put in baby walkers right away end up having accidents quite often as they end up moving much faster than they normally can. Their muscles have not yet developed well enough to control their bodies at that speed.
• Contrary to popular belief a baby needs more supervision when he is a walker than when he is outside it.
• A baby walker enhances a baby's mobility to such a degree that the level of danger a baby is exposed to also increases. A baby can reach farther and is exposed to dangers like hot liquids [coffee/tea], or reaches stairs faster than you expect.

Growth evaluation of a toddler is not just restricted to weight gain alone, but includes other measures. Your pediatrician evaluates your child's growth based on these parameters. There is no definite single figure for each of these parameters but only a range. Each parameter is considered alone and your child's growth is assigned a 'percentile'. Your pediatrician will measure these every month ,plot your toddler's growth chart and let you know if this is in the normal range.

• The three parameters are height, weight and head circumference.
• Each child will have different growth rates of growth.
• Don't worry if your baby is smaller as long as your pediatrician says she is growing normally.
• Factors other than just nutrition, like heredity and genetic factors also play a role in how big or small a child is.
• It is important to have your child's growth monitored regularly as you can then pick up any growth problems at the earliest.

A lot of people are confused when it comes to keeping pets around their kids. It is even more confusing for people who love their pets a lot and have had them for years before they had children. There are a few things to keep in mind when the issue is pets and your child.

• Always make sure your pet and child do not share their toys/ food. If your pet's food is lying around your baby is likely to put it in her mouth.
• Ensure your pet is vaccinated to date and de-wormed adequately. Always double check with your veterinarian.
• Always make sure someone supervises your pet and child. Do not leave your child unattended.
• If you are planning to get a dog after you had your child, it is better to wait till your child is a little older.
• Ensure your pet's medicines or supplements/food is kept safely out of your child's reach.

Playing in mud or sand is a part of growing up for any toddler. It is also an issue of concern for mothers. In a country like ours there are a few causes of concern and a few special precautions that need to be taken.

• The most common danger for children who play in sand/mud is getting worm infestation.
• They may be in danger of contracting other communicable diseases from any animal fecal matter in the area.

• As far as possible make sure your child plays in sand/mud in an area that is unlikely to be contaminated by animal fecal matter.
• Make sure you supervise your child when he plays in such areas so that he does not put things into his mouth.
• Make sure your child's hands are washed thoroughly after playing with mud/sand.
• If you let your child play in a sand pit, always keep their nails clipped short.