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Your baby at 11 months: development milestones & what to expect
8 min
In just a month your baby will be a whole year old, and then perhaps you won’t even call them a baby anymore – will they be a toddler by then? Well, a lot depends on whether they’re toddling, and what else they’re up to. So let’s dive in and see what milestones you can expect at 11 months and all that you can look forward to.
Physical development milestones at 11 months
By 11 months your little one will most likely be crawling at speed. How are their knees faring? You may have wondered ‘do babies have kneecaps?’ and the answer is yes, they do, but their kneecaps start off as soft cartilage. And it’s not the hard use of crawling that turns them to bone – that process usually happens later, between 2 and 6 years old. Anyway, the point is, you don’t have to worry too much about their knees because they’re a lot more flexible than yours – and soon enough they’ll be on their feet anyway!
If your little one is pulling themselves up and cruising the furniture, you may be itching to get them their first pair of shoes. Little tiny shoes are so cute – but the advice is to hold off for as long as you can. Walking barefoot helps develop balance and coordination. If they’re only walking indoors for now, they don’t need shoes. They’ll only really need them once they’re properly walking and exploring a range of surfaces (and temperatures!) where shoes play an important role in keeping their feet safe.
The hand/eye coordination continues to develop and it’s such a treat to see your baby enjoying new types of toys and games. Stacking, sliding, putting pieces together, and slotting shapes into holes – it’s a whole new world of play that includes an element of problem-solving. Look for activity cubes, simple puzzles, shape sorters and stacking toys to make the most of their new skills. You might find a nearby toy library where you can borrow toys and swap them in for something new as their interests change.
Milestone checklist
- Troubleshooting – Your baby is getting better at problem solving. This will mostly be expressed through play, where you’ll see them looking for ways to achieve their goals.
- Walking – Your baby might not be walking independently yet, but they are getting there. Try holding their hands and letting them rest their weight on you while they figure out what to do with their feet.
- Throwing – Duck! Your little one might have progressed their games from dropping to throwing. Keep them away from the breakables.
Child brain development at 11 months
Your baby is getting so smart. They can now understand and may even respond to simple directions – like picking up a toy, or waving on command. It’s so much fun to watch their skills build almost daily, and to teach them new things – like blowing kisses! If you’re worried about becoming ‘one of those parents’ who loves to brag about their baby, don’t be – we should all be bragging, all the time. They’re basically little miracles and deserve all the encouragement.
As your little one’s personality really begins to come out, you’ll notice they’re expressing preferences – loudly and often. Not that toy, that one. Not that dinner, something else. More bananas. More milk. No to the car seat. No, you can’t leave me. That kind of thing.
Honestly, it’s a little challenging to deal with all these demands and you can sometimes feel like you’re at your baby’s beck and call. But bear in mind, they’re working with limited skills here – very few words, very little independence, and people keep telling them they can’t have things, so it’s frustrating for them too! That doesn’t mean you have to give in to them if you don’t think it’s the right call. But it’s worth explaining yourself so they develop context for your decisions. And remember saying no is actually setting a good example for them – that we can hold a boundary and still be kind.
Social & Emotional Development
Eleven months is still a very snuggly age. Your baby will love cuddles throughout the day, and especially as they’re getting ready for bed at night. Most of the time, this is lovely – but sometimes, the cuddles turn to clinginess and for parents it can feel less like being loved and more like being trapped.
This is your little one experiencing separation anxiety. Put simple, they feel safe with you, and they don’t want you to leave. This is a developmental stage that can start as early as 6 months and last for – potentially – years. It’s not happening because you’re headed back to work; it’s just unfortunate timing.
The important thing to remember about separation anxiety is that it’s a good sign that you’ve got a secure attachment with your baby. This will stand them in good stead for life. It’s also really normal and not something you can immediately parent your way out of. Your baby has to experience you leaving and returning over and over before they learn that you’ll always come back, and that they can be safe without you.
Sleep & Feeding
Rhythms and routines at this stage
Has your baby settled into a good routine yet? Hopefully by this point your little one is sleeping twice in the day – ideally a nice long nap in the afternoon, so that you can catch your breath! – and going for a long stretch overnight. This will be assisted by keeping a consistent bedtime routine , so make sure you’ve established a regular bedtime and a pattern of preparing for bed that your baby is familiar and happy with.
In terms of food, your little one has worked their way up to three meals a day by now and will be eating a wider range of more complex foods, including family-style meals. It’s almost possible to imagine a time when you’re all eating the same thing at every meal!
When to drop the milk feeds
Milk remains the most important source of nutrition up to your baby’s first birthday, so whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding they should still be having about three milk feeds a day. These will usually be first thing in the morning, after lunch, and at bedtime.
If you’re breastfeeding, you don’t need to think about stopping just yet if you don’t want to. Your baby can continue feeding for as long as you both like. However, you should be thinking about the balance of food vs milk, with a view to solid food becoming their main source of sustenance after they turn one. You can still be led by your baby, and feed responsively – just bear in mind that a growing toddler needs more than breastmilk to thrive.
If you’re formula feeding, it’s a bit easier to deliberately reduce milk feeds and this is something you can discuss with your health visitor at your 9 – 12 month review appointment. They’ll be able to provide tailored guidance about how much or how often to offer milk. Once your baby turns one, you can switch to cows’ milk (provided there’s no allergies) or move to a follow-on formula milk if you prefer.
Picky eaters
While some babies love food and experimenting with new flavours, others are pickier – which can be very frustrating when you’re doing your best to offer a balanced, healthy diet! The best advice is to keep trying, but not at the expense of your family’s happiness. A couple of other tips:
- Persevere – Babies can refuse a food many, many times before they eventually decide they like it.
- Texture matters – Pureed broccoli might be less appealing than a broccoli stalk. Before ruling a food out, try offering it in different ways.
- Don’t mix it up – Some babies and children cannot bear food to be mixed on their plate. If this is the case, separate it out and let your little one choose things to try for themselves.
- If in doubt, get out – Always good advice, but also applies to mealtimes. If the highchair has become an unhappy place, try eating in other places.
- Dinner parties – Your picky eater might be tempted to try new things in new company. Try asking a grandparent or friend to feed them and see if the results are any different.
Appointments around this time
By now you should have received an invitation and questionnaire from your health visiting team. Your 9 – 12 month review is an opportunity to check on your baby’s progress, learn about any games or toys that might help their development, and ask your health visitor the burning questions you’ve previously asked Google. If you haven’t yet had any information about it, it’s worth following up as the appointment should happen before 13 months, ideally.
Looking after yourself
It’s been nearly a year of parenting. How is your relationship doing? Many parents note a change in their relationship dynamics in this first year and that’s hardly surprising. You’ve gone from being the centre of each other’s universes to operating almost entirely around the whims of an increasingly noisy dictator. Throw in sleep deprivation, overstimulation, and the sense that you and your partner now have entirely different days, and it’s easy to see why you might feel less connected than you used to.
It’s useful to remember that connection doesn’t just happen. You used to have more time for each other, which meant you could connect more easily – and actually complete a sentence. Now, you have to work for time together. This might mean taking up offers to babysit from family and friends, or it might just be that you do your little one’s bath together and take the opportunity to catch up while your baby is happy with their bubbles. It might mean turning the TV off in the evening and having dinner at the table so you can actually talk. It might mean family trips to the park, or a few hours alone together while your little one has their afternoon nap.
Relationships need maintenance. If you’re worried that your connection is breaking down, talk to your partner. Insist on finding time to reconnect. This isn’t on you to ‘fix’ – but protecting the long-term health of your relationship will require commitment from you both.
A Note on Development Milestones
Developmental milestones are guides – not deadlines. If your baby isn’t ‘keeping up’ with your friends’ babies, it isn’t an immediate cause for concern. Every child develops at their own pace. That being said, your health visitor and GP are there to support you with any queries you might have and will always be happy to see you with your baby if you have any worries.
