Baby Development Guide for Baby’s Eleventh Month (weeks 44-47)

Month eleven has come around and can you believe that your baby is almost one year old! You might want to start thinking now what you want to do on his first birthday. Be sure to have a plan for taking tons of photos and video to capture the memories.

This might be the age at which your child starts to love water. Always practice safe water habits and never leave his side. If you have a pool or hot tub, make 100% sure it is baby proof so your little one does not accidentally fall in.

Your son or daughter will also love to stand and might be very preoccupied with it. Again, make sure your house is 100% child proof. Guard stair cases with gates because he will probably love to explore the steps. A standard walking age is anywhere from nine to eighteen months.

She might take interest in clothing (and unclothing!) herself. To prevent this, try putting her clothes on inside out or backwards so the zipper or buttons are on the back and out of reach for her.

Socially, he will gain interest in pets at this age. He will think pets are toys, so use common sense to keep him safe and do not let pets sleep with him. Your child might seem to be “testy” as he tries to coax you into saying “no.” He isn’t necessarily doing it to test you…he probably does it simply to get your attention.

If you haven’t already considered using a caretaker, you might be thinking about it now. A caretaker is okay (as long as they pass your criterion!) and will even help your baby learn. Although baby might not perform tasks on demand for others, a caretaker will probably become a special friend to your baby.

A big step has happened intellectually this month- he has learned about object permanence. In other words, he knows that a toy he left nearby will still be there when he turns around to find it again.

She understands more and more every day and will respond non-verbally. For example, if she is thirsty and you hold a sippy cup in front of her, she will reach out to grab it. Or, when it is time to eat and he is sitting in his high chair, he might bounce up and down repeatedly in anticipation of the food.

To help your baby develop during this time, try playing hide and seek with objects. (This will help sharpen his understanding of object permanence.) Keep offering her a running narrative of your day so that she can hear you speak and use new words.

Another great way to promote bonding between you and your little one is to spend unhurried time with her. A creative way to do that would be to play instruments with safe kitchen items. Gather pots, pans and wooden spoons together on the floor and enjoy banging them together with your son or daughter. You will both treasure the bonding and it will be a learning experience at the same time.

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