Developmental Milestones – Month Eleven

From WikiParenting

[edit] Development

Your baby is heading toward the one year mark; it is amazing to note how far your little one has come in so short a period of time! By the end of this month, your baby will probably be able to:

• Understand what you mean when you say “no”
• Hide things and find objects that are hidden
• Play simple games like patty cake
• Wave bye- bye
• Say simple words like mama, dada

If your child is not yet walking, they will most likely be spending all their time perfecting the skill of standing. Your baby may want to stand all the time, even when bathing or while you are getting him dressed. With the standing comes the falling, so be prepared to give a lot of hugs for the boo-boos – but don’t make such a big deal out of the fall that your child is afraid to try again.

[edit] Communication

Your baby will know the meaning of the word “no” now, mostly because you have to use it so often. Keep in mind that your baby is just exploring his surroundings and is not deliberately trying to make you mad. If you have not done so already, remove all breakable items out of your baby’s reach and prepare a baby proof area where your child can explore in safety. Your baby may even begin to use the word “no” himself now, in an attempt to try out his newly found independence. Don’t take it personally – you will need to develop skills of your own to get your child to cooperate!

[edit] Sleep

Your child will eventually need to move out of the crib and into either a transitional toddler bed or into a regular bed, especially if you are expecting another child soon. Make the transition well before the new baby is expected, so that your child does not associate the change with the new baby’s arrival. As long as your child is under the age of 2 and less than 36 inches in height, they can stay in the crib for awhile longer – unless they begin climbing out of the crib. If you think your child might be ready to switch to a new bed now, here are some tips to make the switch easier:

• Try using a toddler bed as a transition piece. Its smaller size is less daunting for a wary child.
• Put the new bed in the same place where the crib was before
• Use well fitting sheets on the bed to prevent entanglement, but it is okay to let your child use their old crib blanket to help with the transition.
• Let your child help pick out new sheets and blankets for the new bed
• Speak about the Big Kid Bed excitedly, and have your child show off the new bed to interested friends and family.
• If your child is resistant at first, keep trying
• Remember to have your child’s room fully child proofed before you allow your child to sleep in the new bed
• Install a gate at your child’s door to prevent wandering in the middle of the night and to keep your child safe
• Consider installing a guardrail on the side of your child’s bed if they are prone to falling out of bed when they sleep

[edit] Mealtime

Around half of your child’s nutrition should be from solid foods at this age. Your child is getting teeth and is better able to chew his food. Give your child toddler safe utensils to try, and he might begin using them. As your child’s chewing skills improve it follows that you should introduce foods that are coarser in texture. Try giving your child larger pieces of the soft foods they are already eating. If you wait too long to introduce coarser food, your child is likely to resist eating them later. You should also begin introducing a wider variety of foods to help your child develop healthy eating patterns. Remember to introduce new foods one at a time and to wait a few days after the introduction so that you will be aware of any food allergies that your child may have.

[edit] Reaching Milestones

Remember that all babies are different, and your baby may move through the developmental milestones at a different rate. Talk with your child’s pediatrician if you have any concerns about your baby’s development.