11 month old: Baby, let’s cruise
Your 11-month-old might be preparing to take her first steps. What else is happening this month?
Cruising, development check-up and being a fussy eater
Cruising
Your baby is still practising taking her entire weight on her hips, knees and feet, and you may see her standing alone with her feet wide apart for balance. She may also cruise around while holding onto the furniture or your hands.
Some babies may take a step or two at 11 months, but others might not do it for a while longer yet. While your little one is learning to walk, pop socks with treads on or a pair of first-walker baby shoes when you go out and stick to bare feet at home until your baby is actually walking.
Development check: Is my baby ok?
Evaluating bub's development is only natural, and you'll probably find that you can't help compare your baby's progress against her peers. It's important to know that children develop at their own pace. You may decide to to take your little one for a development review around their first birthday.
As in all medical matters, keep in mind that health checks aren't always 100 per cent accurate and problems can be missed. So, if you're ever worried about your baby's development, speak to your early child nurse or your GP about any concerns you may have.
To help your early childhood nurse properly assess your baby, you may be asked questions including – but not limited to – the following.
- Do you think your baby is hearing you properly?
- Is she able to sit up on her own?
- Does she roll over or has she started crawling?
- Has she started to babble yet?
This is also a good opportunity to discuss any other concerns you might have about your baby's development, including feeding or sleep problems.
Sometime babies need to be exposed to a food six to seven times before they will taste it. (Image: Getty Images)
Fussy eater?
From around one-years-old your baby will be able to eat most meals, as long as they're cut into small pieces. It's good to give her a variety of foods as her sense of taste is still developing. If you have a fussy eater who keeps pushing away the spoon, don't give up. Keep trying new foods. Sometimes, babies have to be exposed to a food six to seven times before they will taste it.
Set aside 20 to 30 minutes for mealtimes and 10 to 20 minutes for snacks. If your child is uninterested in what you're offering after these times, calmly accept that they are unlikely to eat it at all. Don't worry about it and offer the same food next time.
