Look for some of these milestones as your 10- to 12-month-old baby develops.
Your baby continually scrambles out of your range of vision. Nothing makes him or her happier than dropping a spoon from the highchair over and over again. As for you — if you aren't stifling the urge to say "No!" chances are you've already said it for the 10th time in the last hour. Welcome to life with a 10- to 12-month-old!
What to expect
Since birth, your baby has grown and developed at his or her own unique pace. Your baby may have been quiet and content from the start or in seemingly constant motion. Keeping your baby's strengths and personality in mind, be on the lookout for these milestones for 10- to 12-month-olds.
Motor skills: Gaining speed
Most babies this age can sit without help and pull themselves to a standing position. Your baby may use various forward movements to explore new territory. Creeping and crawling will give way to cruising along the furniture and eventually walking. By 12 months, your baby may take his or her first steps. Soon, he or she may be off and running!
Hand-eye coordination: Steadily improving
Most babies this age can feed themselves finger foods, grasping items between the thumb and forefinger. Your baby may delight in banging blocks together and stacking objects or nesting them inside one another.
Cognitive skills: Understanding dawns
As your baby's memory matures, he or she will be able to easily find hidden objects. Babies this age often point to the correct picture when you say what it is. Your baby will realize that you still exist even when you leave the room — which may lead to crying spells when you're out of sight.
Imitation also reigns supreme. You may find your baby brushing his or her hair, pushing buttons on the remote control or "talking" on the phone. When it's time to get dressed, your baby may extend an arm or leg to help.
Communication: Language evolves
Most babies this age respond to simple verbal requests and understand words for familiar people and events. Your baby may become skilled at various gestures, such as shaking his or her head "no," pointing at something out of reach or waving bye-bye.
Your baby's babbling may take on new inflection. You may begin to hear words such as "dada" and "mama" and exclamations such as "uh oh!"
Promoting your baby's development
Your baby's budding curiosity is bound to keep you on your toes. Keep your baby safe while challenging him or her to learn through play.
Create an exploration-safe environment
Keep only safe objects within your baby's reach. Move anything that could be poisonous, pose a choking hazard or break into small pieces. Cover electrical outlets, use stairway gates and install child locks on doors and cabinets.
If you have furniture with sharp edges, remove it from rooms where your baby plays. The same goes for lightweight objects your baby may use to pull himself or herself to a standing position. This includes plant stands, decorative tables, potted trees and floor lamps.
Snuggle up and read
Set aside time for reading every day — even if it's only a few minutes. At this age, your baby may love books with flaps, textures or simple activities. Make your reading more interesting by adding facial expressions, sound effects and voices for various characters. Store books within easy reach so that your baby can explore them whenever the mood strikes.
Keep conversations going
If your baby reaches for a book, ask, "Would you like to read a story?" If he or she points to the cow on the cover, say, "You found the cow! What does a cow say?" Wait for your baby's response and then offer the correct answer. As you're reading the book, get creative. Make up your own stories to fit the pictures. Ask your baby questions about the pictures.
Encourage repetition
Doing things repeatedly can build self-confidence — and strengthen the connections in your baby's brain. Play patty-cake one more time. Build a new tower after the first one tumbles down. If your baby returns to a page you've just read, read it again with as much excitement as you did the first time.
Help your baby handle his or her feelings
Expect episodes of frustration as your baby struggles to make sense and take control of his or her environment. If your baby throws plastic rings out of frustration, calmly pick up the pieces and say, "I can see you're frustrated. Let's figure it out. The big ring goes here. Now you try."
For some babies, learning a few simple words in sign language can be helpful as well. Help your baby make simple motions for common words, such as milk, snack and blanket.
Set limits
Babies don't have a sense of right or wrong. Praise your baby for good choices while steering him or her away from hazardous situations. Use a firm "no" when your baby may be hurt or is hurting others. Explain calmly why the behavior is not OK, and then distract your baby with a favorite toy or other activity.
When something's not right
Your baby may reach some developmental milestones ahead of schedule and lag behind a bit on others. This is perfectly normal. There's typically no cause for concern. It's a good idea to be aware of the warning signs, however.
Consult your baby's doctor if you're concerned about your baby's development or you notice any red flags:
- Doesn't crawl or consistently drags one side of the body while crawling
- Can't sit or stand, even with help
- Doesn't use gestures, such as waving or shaking the head
- Doesn't speak single words, such as "mama" or "dada"
- Doesn't seem interested in his or her surroundings
Trust your instincts. The earlier a problem is detected, the earlier it can be treated.
Saying goodbye to the baby days
Watching your baby grow and develop is sure to be exciting — and perhaps bittersweet. Don't be surprised if you feel a twinge of sadness as your baby leaves the infant days behind. You may not have time to dwell on it, however. The delights and challenges of toddlerhood are just around the corner!
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