What Should 11-Month-Old Babies Be Doing?

Eleven-month-old babies are often on the move.

Eleven-month-old babies may start to form their unique personalities and master more of their motor (movement) skills. At 11 months, children are motivated to share their interests with others. They learn to hold up and show objects to get others to look and notice what they find interesting. Children are also motivated by the social experience of greeting familiar people who are coming and going. They learn to wiggle their hand to wave with a mature wave developing later. Most babies will achieve the following milestones by this age:

• The baby may stand alone.
• The baby may use their index finger and thumb to pick up objects.
• They may copy simple sounds and may say their first word.
• The baby may start to develop a concept of self. This means they will start to develop social identity and an understanding of who they are.
• The baby may uncover a toy hidden beneath a blanket or cup.
• They stand by themselves for a moment or two. Once they get good at standing, they may love it so much that they will refuse to sit down.
• They may hold a toy in one hand while doing something else with the other hand.
• They may even wave and turn their body around while standing, without falling.
• They may walk if someone holds only one of their hands.
• They may easily squat down, stoop, bend over, and then get up.
• They may hold a pencil or crayon and love to make marks.
• They may take a spoon and put it in their mouth.
• They now know that words are used to identify things.
• They may use one word to mean a whole thought.
• They may babble and mumble gibberish a lot.
• They want to do everything that their parents do, but they want to do it in their own way.
• They try to get their parents' approval. They try to hide when they know that their parents are not pleased with what they have done.
• They crave enough attention to feel secure (sometimes sucking their thumb is one way to show that they need attention).
• They try to copy their parent's expressions.
• They try to bark and meow when they see a dog or a cat.
• They start to look at pictures in books and magazines.
• They will identify some tools that may help them. For example, they may push a chair in front of them to steadily walk.
• They may cry, scream, and have tantrums if they don't get their way.

Feeding in 11-month-old babies

• Breast milk and infant formula are still the baby's main source of nutrition.
• Since solids have also become a big part of the baby's daily menu, they may seem less inclined toward nursing or bottle-feeding.
• Considering solids as well, parents should be giving the baby something to eat or drink about every 2-3 hours (five or six times per day). That comes out to three meals and two to three snacks.

Sleep schedule in 11-month-old babies

• At 11 months of age, most babies sleep through the night.
• The National Sleep Foundation says that infants at this age still need 12-15 hours of sleep per day.
• Daytime sleep hours include naps that are 30 minutes to several hours long each day.

Babies at 11 months explore and have so many games to play. Some favorites will include throwing toys on the floor to see who picks them up, chasing the cat and removing all the tissues from the tissue box. The best things for the baby are often the most basic. Loving, holding, changing diapers, talking to, and feeding the baby are the first things to focus on. A parent may help an 11-month-old baby by doing the following:

• Responding to the baby's cries.
• Helping the baby learn. Talking, reading and playing are all important ways to help the baby's mind grow.
• Placing the baby on their abdomen and playing together.
• Also, giving the baby plenty of time to explore safely.
• Helping the baby gain the confidence to try new skills, such as crawling and walking, and grow into a healthy toddler.
• Keeping the baby safe. Always put the baby to sleep on their back. Use a car seat every time the baby rides in a car.
• Knowing that the baby is curious, but setting limits. For example, if your baby tries to pull the dog's tail, find a toy to redirect your baby's attention and then move the dog to another area.