What are babies doing at 10-11 months?

Communicating

Your baby is very interested in conversations. You’ll often hear your baby’s first word around this age. Your baby is still mainly babbling and copying simple sounds. But they might try out 1-2 words they understand, especially ‘dada’ or ‘mama’.

If your baby isn’t talking yet, they’ll still let you know what they want and need using body language like waving and pointing.

Understanding

Your baby stops what they’re doing when they hear ‘No’. And your baby might respond to simple instructions and cooperate more, especially when you use visual cues. For example, your baby might lift their arms to be picked up or crawl to you if you say ‘Come here’ and gesture for them to come.

Feeling

Over the past few months, your baby has learned to show emotions like caution and fear. But now they might start to feel less fearful of strangers than they used to.

Playing and learning

Your baby enjoys looking at pictures in books and loves reading with you. When you sing with your baby, they might join in. Bouncing to music is fun too.

Your baby is busy learning all the time. They love finding hidden objects – for example, a toy hidden under a cup. Your baby also likes it when you show them how things work – for example, how to put a lid on a container. And your baby is reaching out and grabbing things, using them and maybe even throwing them!

Moving

Your baby will probably need help to stand, but they might try standing on their own for a few seconds. Babies are more comfortable walking around if they can hold onto furniture, or they might want to hold your hand. Your baby might want to try walking on their own without your help too.

Fine motor skills are developing, and your baby can easily pick up things using their thumb and pointer finger.

Your child’s brain develops connections faster in the first 5 years than at any other time in their life. Stimulating and caring environments with plenty of different activities help to build these connections and lay the foundations for learning, health and behaviour throughout life.

How can you help your baby grow and develop at 10-11 months?

Have a chat

Your baby is interested in conversation, so the more talk the better!

You can help your baby understand what words mean by talking as you do everyday activities like bathing your baby or changing nappies.

Also, listening and responding to your baby’s babbling builds language, communication and literacy skills. You can respond by talking or making sounds in your own warm and loving way. Your baby enjoys hearing your voice go up and down and loves watching your face as you talk. This helps your baby feel ‘heard’, loved and valued.

Read together

You can develop your baby’s imagination by reading, talking about the pictures in books and telling stories. Singing songs and reciting nursery rhymes are good early literacy activities too. All these activities help your baby to understand language and learn to read as they get older.

Play together

Play is how your baby learns. You could try:

When you’re outside, remember to be safe in the sun.

Get moving

Moving and exploring build your baby’s muscle strength for complex movements like pulling to stand and walking. Let your baby practise pulling to stand with furniture. If your baby is standing, you could hold their hands and help them practise walking.

If your baby is on the move, always watch them and never leave them unattended on a sofa, bed or change table. It’s a good idea to look at making your home safe for your baby to move around in.

Introduce new foods

Your baby’s solid foods can be roughly mashed, minced and finger foods. Your baby might enjoy homemade foods like cooked egg, vegetables and pasta. Just make sure solids are small and soft enough to prevent choking.

Sometimes your baby won’t want to do some of these things – for example, they might be too tired or hungry. Your baby will use baby cues to let you know when they’ve had enough and what they need.

How to care for an 11-month-old baby and look after yourself

As a parent, you’re always learning. It’s OK to feel confident about what you know. And it’s OK to admit you don’t know something and ask questions or get help.

It’s also important to look after yourself. Looking after yourself physically, mentally and emotionally is good for you, and it’s good for your baby. When you’re well, you can give your baby the loving attention they need to grow and thrive.

Part of looking after yourself is asking for help, especially if you’re feeling stressed, anxious or angry. There are many people who can support you and your baby, including your partner, friends, relatives, child and family health nurse and GP. It’s a good idea to have a list of these people with their contact details. Put the list on your fridge, so it’s easy to find if you need it.

Never shake a baby. If you feel like you can’t cope or you might hurt your baby, gently put your baby down somewhere safe. Take deep breaths to calm down. Get support by talking to a family member or friend or calling a parenting helpline or Lifeline on 131 114.

When to be concerned about baby development at 11 months

You know your baby best. So it’s a good idea to see your child and family health nurse or GP if you have any concerns or notice that your 11-month-old is having any of the following issues.

Seeing, hearing and communicating

Your baby:

  • isn’t making eye contact with you
  • isn’t following moving objects with their eyes
  • has an eye that’s turned in or out most of the time
  • isn’t babbling
  • isn’t turning their head towards sounds or voices.

Behaviour

Your baby doesn’t look at your face, smile at you or show whether they’re happy or sad.

Movement

Your baby can’t sit up on their own or uses one hand much more than the other.

See a child health professional if you notice that your baby has lost skills they once had.

Also see your nurse or GP if you have signs of postnatal anxiety, postnatal depression in birthing mothers or postnatal depression in non-birthing parents. With help and support, you can manage symptoms, feel better sooner, and give your baby what they need to develop well.

Development happens in a similar order in most children, but skills might develop at different ages or times. If you’re wondering whether your baby’s development is on track, or if you feel that something isn’t quite right, it’s best to get help early. See your child and family health nurse or GP.

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