Your Eleven-Month-Old Baby’s Growth

Your eleven-month-old baby is developing his skills and it seems from his movements that he is telling us that he is no longer a small infant. Your baby has come a long way to be a toddler.

 You are probably asking yourself, what should your child do at this age? Remember, dear mother, every child has their own journey, so try not to worry if they don’t act and look like other kids their age. However, an eleven-month-old baby is expected to stand, walk a few steps, and explore everything!

At this age, your baby’s pearly white teeth continue to appear. He is also gaining more weight and length, as the average length of the baby in the eleventh month ranges from 69 to 76 cm, while its weight ranges between 8 to 11 kg. Of course, these statistics remain averages, and the growth of one baby differs from another according to nutrition and genetic factors as well as according to the amount of effort expended.

The eleven-month-old baby’s development is not only limited to developing gross motor skills such as standing and walking but also finding a way to communicate with those around him by saying a word or two and pointing with his hands. He is also good at holding things tightly and throwing them as well. It doesn’t stop there; your baby is still developing and discovering his likes and dislikes, busy learning, observing, testing, and figuring out how to deal with the things around him. At this stage, he develops a variety of temperaments, such as shyness and independence, joy, happiness, and anger.

 Eleven-month-old baby’s activities

1. Crawling: This is the main way of movement for your baby at this age until he discovers that walking is faster and better and later becomes able to walk with confidence. You don’t have to worry if your baby won’t crawl, just keep in mind that there are babies who walk without crawling. For more advice consult your pediatrician.
2. Sailing: Your baby grabs the furniture around the room and walks with its help. Not all babies walk this way, only the active do.
3. Standing: The baby is able to stand for a few seconds on his own, while he is bolder when he stands holding your hands or someone’s hands.
4. Walking: Your baby walks two or more steps, but his enthusiasm for walking increases if he is holding your hands or holding a chair.
5. Pointing with his hands: Your eleven-month-old baby knows his toys and clothes, he knows you, he knows his father and his siblings. When asked about someone or something, he points to him with his hands. Also, if he is attracted to a game or cartoon series, he will point with his hand in that direction. In addition, he indicates with his hand something that he would like to attract your attention to.
6. Speech and talking: Eleven-month-old baby begins to utter simple words, the most important of which are: Mama, Papa, and some simple words that he hears from his parents and family. Not only that, but he still has a lot in store for him and the abilities differ from one baby to another.

 Eleven-month-old baby’s food

This month, mothers tend to wean their babies who receive formula milk from bottles, but a pediatrician must be consulted before proceeding with this matter, taking into account the need to provide the baby with milk to support the growth of bones and teeth.

But what if the mother follows breastfeeding? Is she weaning her baby? Nutrition experts recommend that the mother continue to breastfeed her baby for at least one year, or better, until her baby reaches two years, as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, because of the great benefits that this brings to the mother and the baby alike.

And because babies are moving and playing a lot, they need good amounts of proteins, vitamins, and nutrients of all kinds. Make sure that your baby eats three meals a day, and it is okay if he eats one or two snacks between them.

Dear mother, how much your baby eats and how much he is hungry, so offer him fruits and vegetables in addition to protein foods, grains, and starches to compensate for the lost energy while playing.

 Eleven-month-old baby’s sleeping

Your baby at this age sleeps between 13 to 14 hours a day, and about 10 to 11 hours of those hours are at night, and he sleeps about three hours of sleep during the day.

And because an eleven-month-old baby becomes active and excited to play, the lack of hours of sleep during the day or night is expected. Your baby may stay up late at night playing and doing his hobbies. At night, he wakes up active and wants to continue playing with his toys or with his parents. This may happen for a short time and then the baby will return to normal. But if his waking up becomes a routine, you should see a pediatrician.

How to promote an eleven-month-old baby’s development?

At this age, your baby is learning to be independent in small but important ways, including:

1. He likes to rely on his food on his own, so it is good if you let him hold the bottle if you are on the formula feeding system.
2. When you change your baby’s clothes, encourage him to move his arms and legs to insert them into the sleeves or leg openings of his pants or trousers.
3. At this age, your baby’s brain and mind are like a sponge. It receives information, stores it, and memorizes it with repetition. So try to teach him the rules gently, for example: Do not touch this thing, leave the cup, not all babies respond to instructions, there are those who do not care, and you must use a stronger tone with him. or you should remove him. But remember that your goal is the boundaries of protection applied lovingly.
4. You must also offer solutions and alternatives to the forbidden things that your baby desires. You cannot always protect your baby from harm, but you can offer attractive and alternative solutions that entice and protect your baby from danger.
5. Do not accustom your baby to ready-made foods and pies, but rather accustom him to healthy, home-cooked food, make meals for him, and eat more vegetables and fruits.

Some advice for an eleven-month-old baby’s health

1. Although your baby understands and comprehends what things are, he is still young, so never leave your little one alone with a dog or cat, no matter how cute the animal is.
2. Your eleven-month-old baby is now taking his first steps, so he must wear shoes. Here are some tips on this matter:

• Do not wear your baby’s shoes at home, but encourage him to walk barefoot at home, as this will enhance his balance and help him in movement.
• Make sure to buy shoes that are flat and have a light sole that helps your baby move around.
• If it’s cold at home, make sure you buy good-quality socks that won’t let your baby slip.
• Avoid long socks and athletic shoes, as they hinder and restrict your baby’s movement.
• To encourage your baby to walk while wearing the shoes, give him a toy with wheels that walk and he follows it either crawling or walking based on the furniture of the house.

3. Play, talk and sing to your baby to build communication between you and encourage him to talk.
4. Offer your eleven-month-old baby iron-rich foods such as lentil soup, bananas, and avocados, and offer foods rich in vitamin C that enhances iron absorption, such as citrus fruits of all kinds.
5. If you have any doubts about the delay in your baby’s development, do not hesitate to consult a pediatrician.

Dear mom… Your eleven-month-old baby learns best when you allow him to learn at his own pace and in a way that suits him, so give your baby space to explore, observe and participate under your supervision and you will notice amazing results.