10-11 month old baby

Hearing your baby’s first words and watching their first steps are very special milestones. As their strength and co-ordination improves, lots of games, encouragement and things like being able to feed themselves will help them grow in confidence. This may mean that they want to try what the family are eating, but their needs are still very  different to an adult’s. If you have any questions about your baby's development or what you should be feeding them, you can always ask.

Feeding your baby

Now your baby is becoming even more mobile and curious, their nutritional needs are changing as they need the extra goodness to keep them going throughout the day. However, as they have a smaller tummy than you, they need to eat little meals that are full of energy and nutrients, more often.
Although it can be quite messy, continue to encourage your baby to get stuck in during mealtimes! Drinking from a beaker, getting to grips with finger food, or having a go at spoon feeding are all great ways of developing your baby's co-ordination skills as well as their independent streak. And, as your baby starts to take pride in what they do, encouraging their efforts during feeding will help build self-confidence.

First steps and first words

Your baby will soon say their first real words and take their first unsteady steps - with a little support from you! The transformation from crawling baby to walking, talking toddler is amazing to watch and hear! Our advice is always to have a camera nearby – first steps can happen when you least expect them.

Standing on their own two feet!

All your baby's crawling efforts over the past few months have strengthened their leg muscles considerably. Now they may be starting to pull themselves up to a standing position with a little support.
They may even take their first steps while holding onto your hand, furniture or walls. But don't worry if walking comes later – every baby develops in their own way and at their own pace.
Although you can expect quite a few wobbles, it won't stop your little explorer from 'cruising' - tottering around the house, while getting support from whatever or whoever happens to be around.

Did you know?

It is very important that you offer your baby a variety of foods right from the start, helping to create healthy habits for life.

Greater control and co-ordination

Your baby now has much more control over their hands and fingers. It’s amazing how they can entertain themselves for ages simply by putting objects into containers and then dumping them out again… and again… and again!
Your baby is becoming more fascinated by 'cause-and-effect' actions too, like the turning of wheels that make toys move. Their hand-eye co-ordination is also continuing to improve.
They may be holding a spoon fairly well and enjoying being able to feed themselves, although this will probably be quite messy for some months to come. So keep the wipes handy!

Saying their first words!

One of the most exciting things you’ll experience around this time is the sound of your baby’s first “real” words! They may not always be what you expect, nor what you’ve ‘trained’ them to deliver…
You’ll probably have heard these words already. But now your baby starts to make the connection between the word and the object or person and says them with real meaning. Words you can expect to hear are names like ‘mumma’ and ‘dadda’, ‘ju-ju’ for juice and ‘wu-wu’ for dog!

Learning

Your baby just loves the freedom of being able to get around on two feet. But as they still rely on furniture and other objects for support, they can often lack the confidence to take a big step into wide-open spaces.
Once your baby is stable on both feet, encourage them to take small steps by standing a little distance away and holding out your arms so they'll walk towards you. Make sure you praise every effort - especially if they make it into your arms without falling!

baby years:

• My baby’s development stage by stage
• Feeding and nutrition
• My baby’s health
• My baby’s routine

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