As your little one marks their 10th month, you'll be amazed at just how independent they are starting to become. They also begin to be adorably chatty, babbling and stringing syllables together, as they try to communicate with everyone around them.
At this age, you'll also get a feel of your baby's personality. Is she a bit shy or is she adventurous? They also begin to pick out certain books, music, and movies they enjoy.
Physical Development
Because they are becoming so curious, they naturally want to explore their surroundings. It's a good thing their motor skills are keeping up with them at this age! Not only can they crawl, they can also stand on their own from a seated position. They can sit down on their own and squat with support. Plus, they learn to move objects from one hand to the other with ease.
Taking their first steps is just around the corner at this stage, usually just a few months away!
It's also important for you to be extra wary of choking hazards, as 10-month-olds are fond of picking up small objects, thanks to the development of their pincer grasp! This is the stage when baby-proofing your house becomes so important.
Cognitive Development
10-month-olds are curious and observant, so it's important to nurture their curiosity by allowing them to explore the world, take them outdoors or simply allow them to play with household objects to encourage their intellectual development.
They're also fond of playing peek-a-boo, as they begin to feel the urge to look for things that are hidden from them. They also begin to be observant to falling objects.
Speech and Language
Your baby's fast developing brain allows her to comprehend more words. For instance, words like mama, dada, dog, cat become staples in their daily vocabulary because they are exposed to these words daily.
Don't be alarmed if your baby tends to be a little quiet. It's natural for them to have different moods at this age.
Social and Emotional Development
10-month-olds are cute little copycats! Use your face as your best teaching tool. Make funny faces and exaggerate words; this is a great way to stimulate your baby's senses. At this age, your baby may start being wary of strangers and clingy towards certain "favorite" people.
Health and Nutrition
By now, more of your little one's "milk teeth" have erupted, so they're ready to chow down on yummy food that are thicker in consistency, like lugaw! Cut-up solid foods are also a good idea, not only are they enjoyable, they also help develop your baby's pincer grasp and coordination if they have to pick up food and put it in their mouth. At this age, it's also a good time to widen your baby's appreciation for more types of fruit, vegetables, grains, and meat.
But be careful of food that are possible choking hazards, like raisins, candy, grapes, and cut-up hotdogs.
Take an easy grip spoon and allow your little one to feed herself! Be sure to place a mat on the table or under her chair for a stress-free clean-up, as it'll be messy at first! But allowing your child to become more independent is an important part of this stage of parenting.
More tips on parenting your 10-month-old on the next page!
Parents of 1o-month-olds should nurture their development by knowing the important milestones.
Encourage babbling
They may not be communicating in complete sentences just yet, but this doesn't mean you shouldn't engage them in constant conversation. Responding to their coos and babbles with actual words will help their language and cognitive development.
Have dance parties!
Turn up the music and encourage your baby to bop and shake to the tunes! This will be great for their auditory development as well as their motor skills and coordination.
Play hide-and-seek to boost their intellect!
At this age, babies learn the concept of object permanence, or knowing an object exists even when it is not seen. Encourage this by hiding toys or books and helping them look for them.
They may be ready to wean
As we said in a previous article, it's up to moms (and babies) to decide when to wean.
They can exhibit odd behavior
This includes head banging, rolling around, grinding teeth or pulling hair as a way to deal with stressful changes in their environment. Be extra attentive, too, as they begin to form fears they never had like at this age, like when they hear thunder or the thud when a large object falls nearby.
Be observant
As with all stages of your child's development, looking forward to the important milestones will also help you determine when your little one is lagging behind.
For instance, at 10 months, babies should be responsive to words and actions, babbling and making eye contact with ease. If you find that your baby is constantly listless and unresponsive to stimuli, then it might be time to consult your pediatrician. Other things to watch out for are:
- Your baby is unable to bear weight on legs, even with support
- Unable to sit with support
- Unable to babble (“mama”, “baba”, “dada”)
- Unable to recognize people they are familiar with
- Unable to follow with their eyes when you are pointing to something
- Or, if your baby is unable to smoothly move objects from one hand to another
sources: Bounty, webMD, WhattoExpect, MayoClinic
READ: Baby talk: The importance of babbling for baby’s language development
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