Your 11 month old's development
Approved by the BabyCentre Medical Advisory Board
11 month old baby sitting up and playing with soft book and toy
In this article
<strong>What can my baby do this month?</strong>
<strong>Is my baby more independent now?</strong>
<strong>How can I get my baby interested in books?</strong>
<strong>Why does my baby ignore me when I tell her “no”?</strong>
<strong>How can I help my baby understand and use words?</strong>
<strong>Is my baby developing normally?</strong>
What can my baby do this month?
Your baby will now understand simple instructions, including the meaning of “no”. This doesn’t mean that she will do as you ask! Try to say “no” only if she is doing something dangerous, or you may find yourself using it all the time.
Bright, colourful books will capture her attention now. It’s a good idea to visit the children’s section at your local library so you can enjoy some new books along with the old favourites.
Is my baby more independent now?
Now that your baby is only one month short of her first birthday, she’s no longer that helpless infant who couldn’t do anything without you. She still needs plenty of care and support, but her growing independence and confidence is becoming apparent, as she learns to stand, stoop and squat. She may be able to walk while gripping your hand, and she’ll hold out her arm or leg to help you dress her.
At mealtimes, your baby may be able to grip a cup and drink from it independently, and hand-feed herself an entire meal. Once your baby can drink from a cup by herself, start ducking. She may toss it aside when she’s finished!
How can I get my baby interested in books?
The children’s section of your local library is a good place to start if you want to find books your baby will enjoy. You should be able to register your baby at the library so that she has her own library card.
It’s also worth finding out if your library has story or rhyme sessions for babies that you can pop along to. These sessions are a great way to interest your baby in books and for you to meet other parents.
Your baby will love to look at books and leaf through the pages, though she won’t always turn them one by one. She may have favourite books that she likes to come back to time and again. Sit with her and read a story, and talk about what’s happening in the pictures. She may particularly enjoy books that make noises, or those with flaps to lift up, different textures to touch, and brightly coloured pictures to look at.
Why does my baby ignore me when I tell her “no”?
Your baby understands simple instructions and knows what the word “no” means, but she may choose to ignore you. To help the word carry a little more weight, it may help if you only use it when she’s doing something that could be dangerous. If she is doing something you don’t want her to, try distracting her instead of saying “no”. If your baby hears it all the time, the word will lose its impact.
If your baby pulls the cat’s tail, for example, you’ll want to stop both your baby and the cat from getting hurt. You’re just setting limits. If she pulls the cat’s tail, move her hand, look her in the eye, and say, “No, that hurts the cat.” Then guide her hand to stroke the cat gently, if it hasn’t already run away!
Even though your baby may not always remember what you’ve said, you can still start setting boundaries.
Your baby’s desire to explore is stronger than her desire to listen to your warnings, so it’s up to you to protect and teach her. What seems to be disobedience is just her natural curiosity to see how the world works.
How can I help my baby understand and use words?
You may be able to distinguish some words in your baby’s babbling now, especially those words that she’s using meaningfully. You can continue to encourage her interest in talking, and show her that you are listening by responding to her words and babbles. This type of interaction is crucial to teaching your baby about two-way communication. Playing games such as pat-a-cake and peekaboo will help polish her memory skills, too.
At this age, your baby can probably imitate words and inflections as well as actions. She may be able to follow simple directions, especially if they’re accompanied by gestures, such as, “Please bring me the ball”, or, “Pick up the spoon”. Help her learn by separating commands into easy-to-follow steps. Don’t worry if she doesn’t understand yet, she will get there in a month or two.
Is my baby developing normally?
Each baby is unique. Your baby will meet physical milestones at her own pace. These are simply guidelines to what your baby has the potential to accomplish, if not right now, then soon.
If your baby was born prematurely, you’ll probably find that she needs more time before she can do the same things as other babies her age. That’s why most babies born prematurely are given two ages by their doctors:
<strong>Chronological age, which is calculated from your baby’s date of birth.</strong>
Corrected age, which is calculated from your baby’s due date.
You should measure your premature baby’s development against her corrected age, not her actual date of birth. Your doctor and health visitor will also assess your premature baby’s development from the time she should have been born.
Go back to 10 months
Go on to 12 months to find out what your baby may do next!
www.babycentre.co.uk/a715/your-11-month-olds-development#ixzz4lQwmjYe8
Oh, shit, OP, they forgot to include "my baby googled archangels" which you apparently think normal for your baby's age and stage. Yeah, there's always one!