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11 Month Old Baby: Milestones, Sleep and Feeding

Your 11 month old baby: standing, first steps, first words, pointing, lumpier foods and moving towards one nap.

Before you use this guide: Every baby grows and develops at their own pace, and healthy babies vary a lot. Weights are WHO medians at the start of the month, not targets. If your baby was born early, use their corrected age. This is general information, not an individual medical assessment.

How your baby is developing

Eleven-month-olds are often very mobile. Many cruise confidently, stand alone for a moment and some take their first steps. Others take their time, and a baby who walks at 14 or 15 months is just as typical. Hands are skilled now, picking up small pieces of food, stacking blocks and putting objects in and out of containers.

Communication is really taking off. Your baby may say their first real words, like “mama”, “dada” or “uh-oh”, and will point to things they want or find interesting. They understand much more than they can say, and they imitate what you do, from waving to talking on a toy phone.

Milestones to look for

These are skills that many babies show around this age. Some will come earlier and some later, and missing one is not usually a cause for worry.

• Stands alone for a moment, and may take a few steps
• Cruises along furniture with confidence
• Says a first word or two with meaning, or uses special sounds for things
• Points to things they want
• Imitates actions like clapping, waving or brushing hair
• Puts objects into a container and takes them out
• Drinks from an open cup with help

Feeding

• Your baby can eat most family foods in a suitable size and texture. Aim for three meals and one or two snacks a day.
• Offer a variety of colours and tastes, and keep offering foods that have been refused. It can take 10 or more tries for a baby to accept a new food.
• Most babies are still having breast milk or formula as well as food. From 12 months, whole cows' milk can be given as a main drink in many countries.
• If your baby uses a bottle, you can start to think about moving towards a cup.
• Do not add salt or sugar to your baby's food, and keep avoiding whole nuts, whole grapes and other choking hazards.

Sleep

• Two naps a day is common, but many babies start to resist the second nap towards the end of the first year. Most make the move to one nap between about 12 and 18 months.
• If your baby fights the second nap but is cranky by afternoon, an earlier bedtime can help.
• Standing in the cot at night is common. Lay your baby down calmly and avoid making it a game.

See our wake windows by age guide and the rules in our safe sleep guide.

Play and learning

• Roll a ball back and forth.
• Encourage walking with a push toy that is stable.
• Name objects, and wait for your baby to respond.
• Play with blocks, stacking cups and shape sorters.
• Read, sing and dance together.

Keeping your baby safe

• Falls are the main risk now. Keep gates closed, anchor furniture and supervise on stairs.
• Look out for choking hazards on the floor and low shelves.
• Keep button batteries, magnets, medicines and household chemicals out of reach and locked away.
• Make sure the cot mattress is at its lowest setting.

Looking after yourself

The first birthday is close, and many parents feel a mix of pride and nostalgia. It is a good time to take photos, write down memories and celebrate how far you have come.

If you are considering going back to work or changing childcare, plan ahead so your baby has time to settle.

When to ask for help

Talk to your health visitor or doctor if your baby is not crawling or moving in any way, cannot stand when supported, does not use gestures like waving or pointing, does not say any sounds like “mama” or “dada”, does not look where you point, or has lost skills they had. If you are worried about your baby's hearing or vision, ask for a check.

Trust your instincts. If you are worried about your baby at any age, contact your doctor, health visitor or local emergency number.

This content is for general information only and is not medical advice. Every pregnancy and every baby is different. Always talk to your doctor, midwife or paediatrician about your own situation, and seek urgent care if you are worried.