Baby development: Your 10 month old baby
Now that your baby is 10 months old, you've probably noticed a lot of
big changes. And you might be surprised how quickly your child grows into an
independent little person who moves, plays and communicates like a pro. By now,
you should also have an idea of your child's personality. And you may have
noticed that your little one already has a few favorite books, soft toys, songs
and games.
Motor Skills
Your 10 month old enjoys the freedom to explore the world in different
ways. Babies at this age can crawl, reach from sitting to standing, squat while
holding or sitting, and navigate by holding on to furniture or your hands. You
only have a few months left to walk, so you can expect your little one to be
even more active.
At 10 months, your baby's coordination has improved a lot. Children of
this age are quite good at grabbing small objects with their grips. At this
age, they can also easily notice objects and quickly access them. Just make
sure that all small objects that can present a choking hazard, such as coins
and other small objects, are kept out of their reach. If you haven't already,
child home security is critical now that your child is on the move and may be
grabbing objects.
They also learn how to fit smaller items into larger ones, which makes
cup stacking a lot of fun. And 10-month-olds can hold a toy in one hand while
performing a different task with the other hand.
Sleeping
At 10 months, your baby can only sleep one hour during the day. but
nothing to worry about if they take 2 more naps. If you're going to skip sleep,
it's best to skip your morning nap. Naps in the afternoon will help your baby
stay awake all day and avoid anxiety before bed. Your child should make up for
the lost sleep by getting an extra hour or two of sleep at night and sleeping
through the night.
Eating
You can continue to expand your child's taste preferences by offering a
wide variety of fruits, vegetables, cereals, yogurts and meats. Avoid choking
hazards such as popcorn, raisins, nuts, hard candy, whole grapes, and sliced
hot dogs.
Now that a few teeth have erupted, introduce a thicker consistency and
more cut-up cut-ups that you will serve as bites.
By allowing them to feed themselves on these morsels, they train their
pincer grip and help them practice their coordination skills as they pick up
food and put it in their mouths.
If you haven't already, try giving your child a spoon and giving him
something to eat. Choose a cookware with a large, comfortable handle. Your
baby's first few feeds will be messy, but any mess can be cleaned up, and
self-feeding is an important skill to learn. You can put a rug under his chair
to make cleaning easier and protect the floors.
Some parents prepare baby food by boiling fruits, vegetables, and meats
and then chopping or mixing them for the baby to eat.
Other parents choose to buy organic baby food over traditional brands.
These products are more expensive, but are they worth the extra cost? There is
some evidence that organic baby food contains less pesticide residues than
conventional baby food. But they don't contain more vitamins or other nutrients
than regular brands. Ultimately, the decision to go organic comes down to your
own preferences.
Communication
Babies at this age are imitators and you may notice that your child
imitates almost everything you do, from combing your hair to picking up the
phone. Your child will listen to the sound of your words and observe you
closely to gauge your reaction to situations. For example, if you cry while
watching a sad movie, you may also see your child's face scrunching up.
Ten-month-olds can understand and follow simple one-step commands such
as "wave goodbye" or "clap your hands." They can also
attach meanings to certain words. When you say "car" or
"dog", the baby may point to an object and should respond to the
sound of his name.
Tips for your baby's tenth month
- Even if your child isn't talking yet, engage him in real conversations. For example, respond to their chatter with “Really? or "That's so interesting!" Or strike up a conversation using a soft toy or doll. You will encourage your child to keep talking and learning new words.
- Turn on ringtones. Any type of music will do, be it pop, country or show tunes. Your little one will love jumping and bouncing to the beat.
- Hide toys and help baby find them to practice object permanence - the idea that things continue to exist even when they can't see them.
- At 10 months, your baby should be babbling, making eye contact, and responding to your words and actions. If you are concerned that your child is not speaking well, call your pediatrician for a checkup.