So, you're baby is now 11 months old, and you're pretty excited about their 1st birthday! However, just because their 1st year is a milestone, doesn't mean that there's nothing to look forward to when they're 11 months old!
Here are some of the important things that you should know about your baby's development:
Physical Development
By this time, your baby should already be moving around the house, albeit, still holding on to you, or the furniture to keep them steady while they try to move around and explore the world around them.
This is the time when you need to be really careful and keep a close eye on your little one, since they'll try to check out everything that they can see, and some would even start climbing over their cribs! It's important to keep your home safe, as your 11-month-old will start to open drawers, try to open doors and cabinets, etc. Anything that they can see is something new and interesting for them, so keep any dangerous chemicals, as well as any sharp or dangerous objects well away from them. Make sure to cover electrical sockets, as they might play with them and get electrocuted.
Your kid will be more independent, so this is a good time to let them explore things on their own, but make sure to teach them the proper boundaries, and which places are off-limits to them.
Cognitive Development
At this age, your little one will start to have their own personality. They know what they like, and dislike, and they can also experience a whole range of emotions that they didn't experience before.
They might start throwing tantrums if you take away their favorite toy, or if they don't particularly like the food that you're giving them. They'll learn to use crying as a way to get what they want at this stage, so it's important to know how to discipline and handle your little one at this stage in their development.
Speech and Language
Chances are, you've already discovered the 'big word' that your kid learns at this stage. It's 'no'. You'll start hearing it a lot, especially since at this time, your 11-month-old will start getting picky when it comes to food, and they'll have tantrums, especially if they still want to play but it's already nap time.
Your child will also be able to say a few very simple words, so it's good to start reading to them in order to get their brains ready for learning more words as they grow older. You can start teaching them different words for objects, and how to use them. Your child's memory will also start to improve at this stage, so they'll understand more words as the months go by.
Social and Emotional Development
At 11 months, your baby will start to become aware of what's happening in their surroundings, and they'll be observing what the people around them are doing, and sometimes even try to imitate them. They'll also start to play with other kids around their age, but some kids still prefer to play alone instead of with other children.
Discipline is important during this time, as they'll now be able to understand simple instructions and commands, so it's a great time to start teaching your child various social skills, as well as setting some simple rules for them.
Health and Nutrition
Your baby should now be able to drink on their own, or with a little assistance. When it comes to food, this is when they start to become more picky on what they want to eat, so it's important to be patient, and try out different types of food for your child.
Of course, providing them proper nutrition is very important, so make sure to feed your kids healthy fruits and vegetables as well as not too much sweets, as they might start to develop a sweet tooth at a young age. Breastfeeding is still highly recommended at this age if possible.
Go to the next page to learn more about taking care of your 11-month-old!
What does your 11-month-old need?
Help boost your child's development at this stage by exposing them to new things. You can let them touch different textures, objects, and teach them the basic shapes of things so that they can start to understand these concepts.
Reading is also recommended at this stage since your baby will now be able to relate words with various experiences. Make sure to teach new words and reinforce those words by using them often and letting your baby hear the words.
Your baby will be prone to tantrums and misbehavior at this age, so be firm when saying no, and reinforce your authority as a parent. Of course, you don't need to harshly discipline your child, a simple no and a stern voice will usually suffice.
Independence is developed at this stage, so embrace your child's newfound independence by encouraging them to walk around and explore the world around them. Of course, you should always supervise your child to make sure that they're always safe and out of harm's way.
While you might be tempted to give your child shoes since they'll start to walk at this stage, it's still best for them to walk barefoot so that they can get used to walking by themselves. Shoes or sandals might make it difficult for them to find their balance.
Source: webmd.com, babycentre.co.uk, emmasdiary.co.uk
READ: Baby Development: Your 10-month-old
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