How Your Baby Develops:
10-12 Months
10 months old - teething
This last stage of your baby’s development before he reaches that landmark
one year old is characterized by his growing independence and the beginnings of
language skills.
Mobility (Gross Motor Skills)
At 10 months old:
By now your baby will probably be crawling, or trying to crawl. It takes babies
a while to master the alternate arm and leg motion required for proper crawling
– but this doesn’t stop them from trying! He will now be sitting securely,
although getting into from sitting into a lying position still defeats many
babies at this stage. He may, however, be ‘cruising’ around the furniture,
holding on for support.
At 11 months old:
You are starting to see signs of an independent baby! He may now be able to walk
a little with you for support, and can crouch and stand, sit and squat, with
only minimal supervision. He will even be able to help you dress him – not long
before he starts to want to choose his own clothes!
At 12 months old:
It is around this time that your baby will take his first unsupported steps. One
small step for baby, one giant leap for you! Video camera at the ready, to
capture this all-important moment. Now your baby’s mobility will improve daily,
but it will be a while before he masters stopping properly, so watch out for
tumbles.
Holding Objects (Fine Motor Skills)
At 10 months old:
By now your baby will most likely have mastered the ‘pincer-like’ grip necessary
for holding such objects as spoons or forks – and may even be feeding himself
with some success. He will be capable of placing small objects in his mouth, so
watch out for choking hazards.
At 11 months old:
Your baby will soon be able to feed himself out of a cup, and hold his utensils
well enough to feed himself most of a meal. His hand movements are becoming more
deliberate – throwing and dropping cups, plates and toys will be reaching its
peak around now as you continually stoop to pick things up off the floor.
At 12 months old:
Independence will continue to drive your baby to want to feed himself, however
messy it gets. Don’t worry too much about most of his food going on the floor –
at this stage it is important for your baby not to pick up any negative feeding
associations, such as being afraid of making a mess or feeling your disapproval
if he doesn’t get it quite right.
Communication
At 10 months old:
At this stage, your baby is just about ready to attach meaning to certain words
and gestures – a huge leap in communication. As he starts to babble and chatter
with more intensity, encourage his language abilities by repeating back the
‘adult’ version of what he has just said. For example, if your baby manages to
say “Baba” and is clearly trying to say “Dada”, say to him clearly “Yes, there’s
Daddy.” (Unfortunately it is true that many babies say Daddy before Mummy – but
this is only because the sound is easier for them to make.)
At 11 months old:
Now is the time to start to teach your baby about two-way conversations. Listen
to what he is saying to you and you will notice he begins to use a few words
with their proper meanings. Be sure to answer him to encourage him to continue.
He will also enjoy books now, flipping backwards and forwards through the pages,
with favorite stories for you to read.
At 12 months old:
Your baby may well have developed his own language! He will babble away happily
to you, or to himself, and be delighted if you join in. Continue to repeat words
he is trying to say in the correct way, but try not to correct your child
directly while he learns to talk. It is better to allow him to imitate you doing
it right, than to always tell him he’s doing it wrong. (And this goes for so
many aspects of parenting!)
Social-time and Play
At 10 months old:
Now his personality will be really starting to show. Is he outgoing and
gregarious, smiling to everyone he meets and chatting away, or is your baby more
reserved, saving his precious smiles for you? Try not to have an expectation of
what your baby should be like – he is his own person and may not take after
either of his parents in some areas of his personality.
At 11 months old:
When you get together with friends and their babies, you will notice that your
baby can do what is called ‘parallel play’, where he plays side by side with
another baby quite happily, but they are not yet actually playing together. Toys
take on new meaning around now, and your baby may form an attachment to a
particular blanket or soft toy.
At 12 months old:
The rapid changes in your baby’s brain mean he is fast developing a sense of
humor, and will delight in watching you make funny faces, or talking to him in a
silly voice. He will also be learning to remember more and more, and may start
to look for lost objects in the last place he saw them. Of course, by the time
he’s fully grown, he will have completely forgotten how to do this!
More Baby Stages
You might also be interested in:
Read our Diary Of A New Mum and discover what happens when Jessica-Ann comes
home from the hospital and during her first year at home. This fun read is
perfect for new mums and experienced mums alike! New episodes weekly.
Diary Of A New Mum
More about Newborn Babies
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