What to Expect From Your Baby in the First Twelve Months- The baby’s anxiety around strangers may make him stick to you more.
Sometimes, he may cling to your legs even when the two of you are home alone
and you’re trying desperately to get things done. Still, your child’s curiosity will
win out, and he will go off and explore on his own for short periods until he gets
anxious again and needs some parental assurance. But when you are in sight and
he feels safe and secure, he will be quite expressive and sociable with others. - An entirely new world of play is opening up to your baby as he discovers the
concept of in-and-out, as in one object fitting neatly inside another. Give your
baby the opportunity to develop this concept. If you haven’t already done so, fill
a low kitchen drawer or cabinet with different size containers, pots and pans,
measuring cups, and plastic utensils such as spatulas and spoons. You will
discover how well this kind of activity can keep him occupied––maybe even long
enough for you to cook a meal or have a phone conversation.
The Tenth Month
- Baby develops another level of mobility where now, not only can he stand at the
coffee table, but he can walk holding onto it. Children this age spend a great deal
of time perfecting this activity. First, he will inch along while sliding his feet.
Next, he will just use his hands for balance while putting his weight on his feet.
Then, he will pick his feet up and step, while crossing hand-over-hand. The final
stage is using other pieces of furniture as a bridge so that he can actually work his
way around the room. - At this stage, the baby develops a type of sign language to help let you know what
he wants. This usually takes the form of pointing and grunting at an object,
pushing away food or a toy he’s not interested in, or holding out his arms when he
wants to be picked up. Some experts believe you can teach more complicated
symbols, like touching his fingers to his lips when he wants to eat, tapping his
palm when he wants more of something. Try it and see if your baby will pick up
on the idea. - Now is the time to get firm with your “nos”. Baby not only understands what
you’re saying, but has enough memory to recollect that you got mad when he did
something previously. He may tend to take advantage of you when he remembers
that last night when he cried in the middle of the night, you picked him up and
rocked him; or you brought him into your bed. Be careful about falling into habits
that may be difficult to break later on.
The Eleventh Month
- Baby now has the ability and skill to climb, and he tends to go for things that
previously he couldn’t get to or reach. You have to watch him diligently so he
doesn’t hurt himself as he explores. - Feeding the baby around this time can be a struggle. It may be because now, he
can actually get a spoon to his mouth all by himself, and he has become
independent enough to want to do it himself. You may just have to allow him to