11 Months
Here's what's happening at this age - milestones, common concerns, nutrition, sleep, and vaccines.
Developmental Milestones
Based on the 9 Months checkpoint - the closest milestone age to 11 months
Gross Motor
- Crawling - Your baby moves across the floor on hands and knees, or scoots on their bottom or belly. Any style of getting around counts.
- Sitting Without Support - Your baby can sit on their own without needing to prop themselves up with their hands or lean against something.
- Pulling to Stand (Emerging) - Your baby grabs onto furniture or your hands and pulls themselves up to a standing position.
Fine Motor
- Pincer Grasp (Emerging) - Your baby is starting to pick up small things using their thumb and pointer finger, like a small piece of cereal or a puff.
- Transferring Objects Between Hands - Your baby passes a toy or object from one hand to the other.
- Banging and Clapping Toys Together - Your baby bangs two objects together or claps toys against each other.
Language
- Babbling with Consonant Sounds - Your baby makes strings of sounds using consonants and vowels together, like "bababa," "mamama," or "dadada."
- Responds to Own Name - Your baby looks at you or reacts when you say their name.
- Understands "No" - Your baby pauses or reacts when you say "no," even if they do not always obey.
Social & Emotional
- Stranger Anxiety - Your baby may become clingy, fussy, or cry when unfamiliar people approach or try to hold them.
- Looks Where You Point - When you point at something, your baby follows your finger and looks at what you are pointing to.
- Enjoys Interactive Games - Your baby enjoys back-and-forth games like peekaboo, pat-a-cake, or being gently bounced.
Cognitive
- Object Permanence - Your baby knows that something still exists even when they cannot see it, and will look for hidden toys.
- Exploring Cause and Effect - Your baby does things on purpose to see what happens, like dropping food off the highchair or pressing buttons on a toy.
Red Flags to Watch For
- !Does not bear weight on legs when held in standing position
- !Does not sit with help or support
- !Does not babble - no "mama," "baba," "dada" sounds
Common Concerns at This Age
Things parents often wonder about around 11 months
My Baby's Belly Looks Swollen
A rounded, slightly protruding belly is completely normal in babies and toddlers due to immature abdominal muscles and t...
My Toddler Is Aggressive Toward Pets
Toddlers being rough with pets is extremely common and almost never reflects true aggression or cruelty. Young children ...
When to Introduce Allergens to Baby
Current guidelines recommend introducing common allergens (peanut, egg, cow's milk products, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish...
I'm Worried About Lazy Eye (Amblyopia)
Amblyopia (lazy eye) is the most common cause of vision loss in children, affecting about 2-3% of kids. It occurs when o...
My Baby Has an Anal Fissure (Blood When Pooping)
A small streak of bright red blood on the surface of your baby's stool or on the diaper is most commonly caused by an an...
Anaphylaxis Signs in Baby
Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that affects multiple body systems. In babies, i...
My Baby Has Unequal Pupils
Slight differences in pupil size (anisocoria) can be normal and affect up to 20% of people, including babies. However, i...
My Baby Stops Breathing Briefly (Apnea)
Brief pauses in breathing lasting under 10 seconds are very common in newborns and are called periodic breathing. This i...
Food Readiness
Foods appropriate for 11 months
Banana
Small pieces or thin slices
Avocado
Small cubes or thin slices
Sweet Potato
Soft cubes or fries (baked)
Apple
Soft-cooked thin slices or grated raw
Peas
Slightly flattened or in mixed dishes
Oatmeal
Thicker texture, with mix-ins
Chicken
Shredded or small soft pieces
Salmon
Flaked into small pieces
Allergen: fishYogurt
Self-feeding with spoon or mixed into food
Allergen: milkEgg
Scrambled pieces or hard-boiled (quartered)
Allergen: eggBroccoli
Steamed and chopped into smaller pieces
Rice
Soft rice in mixed dishes
Peanut Butter
Thin layer on toast strips or mixed into food
Allergen: peanutTofu
Small cubes or crumbled into dishes
Allergen: soyStrawberry
Quartered or thinly sliced
Carrot
Soft-cooked sticks or small diced pieces
Sleep Needs
9-12 months
12-14 hours
Total sleep per day
10-12 hours
Nighttime sleep
2 naps
Naps
Tips for this age
- Most babies are on a solid 2-nap schedule
- Standing in the crib is fun for them, frustrating for you - they'll figure out how to sit back down
- Night feeds may no longer be nutritionally necessary (discuss with your pediatrician)
- Teething can disrupt sleep temporarily
Vaccines
Vaccines due around 11 months
Haemophilus influenzae type b
Protects against Hib disease, which can cause meningitis and other severe infections.
Pneumococcal
Protects against pneumococcal disease, which can cause ear infections, pneumonia, and meningitis.
Measles, Mumps, Rubella
Protects against three viral diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella.
Varicella (Chickenpox)
Protects against chickenpox.
Hepatitis A
Protects against hepatitis A virus.
Every baby develops at their own pace. The ranges here are based on typical development from the CDC, AAP, and WHO. If something feels off or you have questions, trust your instincts and talk to your pediatrician. You know your baby best.