Skip to Content
Parenting

Knowing what to expect from an 11-month-old baby is crucial for any new parent. Find some important tips and information here about the developments your child is facing at this age, including any changes in their daily routine that you may not expect.

Get Started

What to Expect from an 11-Month-Old Baby

How to Take Care of Your Child During Their 12th Month of Life

Here you are, one month away from your baby turning 1 year old! Where did the time go?

As your baby prepares to hit their 1-year milestone, there are a few other milestones you can expect them to reach in the month before, as well. In fact, knowing what to expect from an 11-month-old baby will only serve to help you prepare for the bigger milestones that the next 12 months will bring as your baby transitions into their toddler years.

In many ways, the developments you’ll experience when your baby turns 11 months old are natural extensions of advances they’ve been working on for the past few months. Your baby will continue to become more independent — which can make you equal parts excited and scared. Don’t fret, new parent; you’re taking the first step to being prepared by reading this article.

Below, find some helpful hints for how to take care of and what to expect from an 11-month-old baby like your son or daughter.

What to Expect from an 11-Month-Old Baby: Important Milestones

By the time your baby turns 11 months old, they will have become an independent person, at least in the sense of their personality. Your baby has discovered the basics of how the world works around them and, along the way, they’ve discovered their own emotions and cause-and-effect. Your child will still be figuring out their likes and dislikes, but they’ll certainly let you know their opinions!

At this time, your baby will continue working toward important firsts: first steps, first words and more. These milestones can occur anytime within the next couple of months, so don’t panic if you feel like your child hasn’t reached those developments yet. In the meantime, here are some other things you can expect during this time in your child’s life:

Remember, every baby’s development is unique, and your child may take more or less time to achieve certain milestones during this age. If you’re concerned about what to expect at 11 months, don’t be afraid to talk to your pediatrician for experienced medical advice.

How to Take Care of an 11-Month-Old Baby: Getting Started

When your baby reaches 11 months of age, they should be able to move around, one way or another. Many 11-month-olds are experts at crawling by now, if they haven’t already started taking steps to standing and walking. As a parent, you will need to be vigilant in watching them and keeping them out of trouble. It’s always a good idea to review your baby-proofing and safety measures as your child becomes increasingly mobile. Taking simple steps like tucking away cords and laying rugs flat to the floor will protect your baby from nasty falls when they do start to walk.

Among the things that new parents wonder about during this time is their 11-month-old’s feeding schedule and how much sleep for an 11-month-old is appropriate. Again, always speak to your pediatrician for urgent concerns, but you can find some helpful information about these topics below.

Feeding Schedule for 11-Month-Old

As you approach your baby’s first birthday, you may wonder whether it’s time to change up your 11-month-old’s feeding schedule. You may have heard that 1 year of age is a time to stop breastfeeding or formula feeding. The fact is that many pediatricians will recommend you continue to include breastmilk or formula and solid foods in your baby’s feeding routine for a few more months, at least.

If you’re asking, “What should I feed my 11-month-baby?” it’s important to go off your child’s personal schedule. Some babies want to eat more solid food than others, and it may take time to introduce new foods into their diet. In general, a feeding schedule for an 11-month-old baby includes about 24 to 32 ounces of formula or breastmilk, spread over three to five feedings a day, with three meals of solid foods and one to two snacks. When feeding an 11-month-old solid food, choose soft and healthy treats like avocado, bananas, rice grain cereal and more.

11-Month-Old Sleep Schedule

If you’re lucky, your 11-month-old’s sleep schedule hasn’t changed much over the past few months. By this age, most children have fallen into a sleep routine that includes them sleeping through the night and having one or two naps during the day.

But, what if your 11-month-old won’t sleep through the night anymore? What should you do?

This may be a sign of 11-month-old sleep regression. Don’t worry, it’s not serious; you’ll just need to redouble your efforts of implementing positive sleep habits for your child. Make sure that you don’t create dependence in your child as you help them back to sleep, and try to be as minimally intrusive as possible when you come into your child’s room at night. Odds are, they’re just awake because they want to practice some of the new crawling and cruising skills they’ve been working on — regardless of the time of day (or night).

Whether your 11-month-old stopped sleeping through the night or you’re dealing with another change in your baby’s life during this period, it’s important to keep a calm attitude. Remember, every baby is different, and your baby will likely grow out of this period before you know it. In the meantime, try to enjoy the last few weeks before their first birthday. You won’t have an infant on your hands for much longer!