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Your baby month 11
By: Marianna Pawlowski
By month 11, your baby should weigh approximately 21 lbs. and measure approximately 29 ½ inches long.
Your baby this month
What an exciting month you are entering! Your 11-month-old is becoming quite the talker, although you may not understand much of what he is saying. He is learning to use words instead of cries to convey his point and he is also beginning to imitate word sounds.
Your baby will probably be able to follow simple commands, such as "Please pick up the ball" and will take pride in his accomplishments!
By the end of the month, your baby should be able to do the following:
- Get into a sitting position from stomach
- Pick up a tiny object with thumb and finger
- Understand the word "no," but not always comply
- Drink from a cup (but don’t take the bottle away just yet!)
- Say one word other than "mama" and "dada"
- Walk holding onto furniture
Baby games
Since your 11-month-old is talking so much more, it is important to engage in activities that encourage his vocal skills. For example, you can sing number and letter songs, such as "This Old Man" and "The Alphabet Song." Also, you can take walks in your neighborhood and point to different objects as you go along.
Read to your baby. Not only will it introduce him to the wonderful world of words, but also encourage his creativity. At this stage, your child is more interested in the pictures and colors than before. Find an illustrated children’s book and allow him to explore the pictures as you read the story to him.
Roll a ball and encourage him to roll it back. He will take pleasure in the activity and improve his skills with the consistent activity.
Help your baby walk by holding his hands for support. Provide push toys to help encourage your child’s walking skills.
Nutrition
You may begin to notice a slight decrease in your baby’s weight. This is quite normal as your child is much more mobile and active than in previous months and is burning more calories than before.
Although you will be introducing new foods to your child, it is important to continue to provide breastmilk or formula throughout the day. Your baby’s diet should include the following:
Dairy: You can supplement your baby’s dairy intake with such low-fat foods as cream cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Try to choose salt-free or salt-reduced foods.
Protein: Select foods that are low in cholesterol and fat such as fish, poultry (skinless is preferable), dried bean and peas, and tofu. Serve red meat no more than three times a week.
Fiber: It is important for your child’s diet to include pectin-rich foods as well as oats in some form. Apples are a great source of pectin.
At the doctors
Most pediatricians do not schedule a well visit for your baby this month. Be sure to contact the doctor if you have any concerns that you feel need immediate attention.
Safety concerns
Your baby is very mobile by this month. It is a good idea to squat down to your child’s level and see what potential dangers are within reach. Following are some general baby proofing tips:
- Make sure that all baby gates are secure and high enough to keep your baby from climbing over
- Remove sharp edged furniture from the child’s play area
- Install child proof locks on all cabinets and drawers, as well as the stove and doors.
- Cover all electrical outlets and remove any electrical cords from their reach
- Never leave anything hot or sharp on the edge of countertops
- Keep all medications and household cleaners out of reach
- Lower the crib mattress so that the baby is unable to climb out of the crib
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