It is that time of parenthood when you are experiencing a wide range of emotions as your little one’s first birthday is just around the corner. At 11 months old, your baby is quite grown up from the time you held them in your arms for the first time and that is likely to make you excited and perhaps a little sad too, as you know they are not going to remain your “tiny” bundle of joy.
You may want to pat yourself on the back as you have come a long way in taking care of your little one, understanding their needs, catering to them, teaching them stuff, and learning about them, as your baby closes in on that milestone first birthday.
To get through to the 11th month of your baby, here are some tips you might need for their diet, sleep, and development …
Food/Diet: Babies this age will start reducing their intake of breastmilk and formula and show more interest in consuming solid foods. By now they also have their favorites and they also dislike some food.Giving them three meals and a snack around this age is ideal while avoiding cow’s milk and other alternative dairy-free milks is not advisable until your baby turns one.
Sleep: Your baby needs anywhere close to 14-15 hours of sleep with a minimum of 11 hours of their complete sleep cycle being in the nights with a couple of naps during the day. Some babies may be content with one nap also.
Development: Your baby is not only developing motor skills like standing and walking but is also making strides in verbal communication. While some may speak a few words clearly, some babies take time to achieve that clarity in speech. However, most babies around this age try to say new words often, as they keep listening to you speak. Your baby can also make hand and head gestures now and repeating the motions to indicate that you understand what they are trying to say will help them a great deal as they feel heard. That being said, the health and safety of your baby should be top priorities around this age as your little one is much more mobile and more adept at getting around.
If you have not baby-proofed your house yet, now is the time as there are a number of hazards lying all around your house that may at times go unnoticed.
Ensure you don’t keep anything that poses a risk of falling on your baby, choking your baby, or poisonous to them, in their reach. They are more curious than ever now and might want to fiddle with everything and are likely to put things straight in their mouth. Poisoning and choking continue to be big risks for your little one at this age.
Taking care of your little one at this age is likely to give you glimpses of your baby’s personality as they grow up to become toddlers. This experience will also help you figure out if your baby is going to a firebrand and will keep you on your toes or if they are the calm and quiet ones.