Surviving Your Baby's Eleventh Month - Things You Ought to Know

You've lived with your baby for ten months by now, and in that time you've watched him grow rapidly. By now, Junior is babbling, crawling, and maybe even standing up. He's explored toys and had mini-experiments with them, like dropping them on the ground. Plus, he's developed a relationship with you. You probably know what his noises and gestures mean, and he knows how to tell your emotions. That's a lot to happen in only eleven months.

Are you ready for the biggest changes of all, though? In month eleven, most babies start saying mama and dada. Not only that, but they say them on purpose. That means they will call mom "mama" and dad "dada," and he won't switch those two around. Such a simple thing, right? But it means something very important: your child is learning to speak and to identify people. He knows you. Next, he'll be identifying objects by name.

Though your baby is still developing his or her vocabulary, and he can only say a few words, he will understand many more. For instance, your child will understand the word "no." This is another simple yet profound change. Your child will understand when he can't have things and when he's done something wrong. The concept of yes and no is a very important one, and you're finally at that stage.

Since Junior still needs gestures to communicate most things, don't expect these to go away. He'll still lift up his arms when he wants picked up or point for things. He'll be adding new gestures, too. For instance, one of the most common gestures that eleven-month-old babies learn is clapping. When they like something or find it funny, they may clap and laugh. Another common gesture is waving goodbye. When a guest leaves, he can wave to them. Encourage these motions because they are methods of communication your child will use for the rest of his or her life.

The other big challenge of this month is that babies will start to take some of their first steps. They may wobble while holding onto objects, like a couch or your leg. However, they will put one foot in front of the other and move. Since their balance isn't all there, they will fall a lot. Encourage them anyway. Don't get upset when they fall. Your child will be able to handle some minor bumps and bruises. Just be sure to baby-proof sharp corners and keep your eye on them while they're learning.

Michaela Wight is a full-time mother of two and writer who loves to share her knowledge with others. She has many interests including setting up a new site recently to share her knowledge about ameda breast pump and avent breast pump.