11-Month-Old Baby — Development Milestones, Growth, Feeding, And More

Your baby is 11 months old, which probably means you’re a big puddle of emotions right now. Didn’t you just bring them home from the hospital, like, yesterday?! With baby’s first birthday closing in on you, you’re probably feeling nostalgic about everything your little one has already accomplished up to this point. It’s a lot.

Of course, that doesn’t mean your little one is done. In fact, your 11-month-old baby is really starting to form their own unique personality this month — not to mention mastering even more motor skills.

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Curious about what you can expect? Check out some of the developmental milestones baby will likely hit this month.

Your 11-Month-Old Baby’s Development & Growth Milestones

How much should an 11-month-old weigh?

Those precious little rolls you adore so much might be starting to look less… roll-y. The more baby moves, the more they’ll start to lean out. And since many babies in this age range start walking (more on that in a minute), it leads to a little bit of baby fat fading away. Don’t worry, though; your snuggle bug is still super-squeezable. Per the World Health Organization, the average weight for an 11-month old baby girl is 19.2 pounds. The average weight for an 11-month-old baby boy is 20.8 pounds.

Your munchkin might be putting on around 3 to 5 ounces per week. However, it’s also possible that your little busy body’s weight gain slows down as they burn up the calories moving all over the place. You can always chat with their pediatrician if you’re worried about their growth progression.

How much and how often do you feed an 11-month-old baby?

Continuing through this month, breastmilk and/or infant formula is still (yes, still!) baby’s main source of nutrition. Since solids have also become a big part of baby’s daily menu, they may seem less inclined to want to nurse or bottle-feed. Thus begins the lifelong parenting trend of convincing your kid to do something because you’re looking out for their best interest. In this case, that means nursing or bottle-feeding baby first, before you ever offer any solid food or snacks. This ensures baby gets the nutrition they need.

You’re probably wondering exactly how much breastmilk or formula (or both) your 11-month-old baby needs. Per Stanford Children’s Health, your little should be getting between 24 to 30 ounces per day — typically spread out between 3 to 4 nursing or bottle sessions. Taking into account solids as well, you should be giving baby something to eat or drink around every 2 to 3 hours (so 5 or 6 times per day). That comes out to 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks.

What solids can an 11-month-old eat, and can they have milk?

Stanford Children’s Health recommends integrating the following foods into your 11-month-old baby’s menu: 5 to 8 tablespoons of dry, iron-fortified infant cereal mixed with formula or breastmilk; 2 to 4 tablespoons of mashed or strained cooked fruits, 2 times per day; 2 to 4 tablespoons of mashed, soft, bite-sized pieces of vegetables, 2 times per day; and 2 to 3 tablespoons of finely chopped table meats, and fish without bones or mild cheese, 2 times per day.

Snacks for an 11-month-old baby might be crackers, baby puffs (if you can keep your hands off of them), plain yogurt, cooked green beans, arrowroot cookies, cottage cheese, or pudding. Also, since studies have debunked the idea that introducing eggs before 1 year increases the likelihood an allergy will develop, baby can also have eggs. Yum!

Now that we’ve gotten the egg question out of the way, you may be asking, “Can an 11-month old have milk?” And, for now, the answer is still a soft no. Soft because it’s possible your doctor could advise you differently but, in reality, most doctors recommend waiting until at least a year when baby’s digestive system is mature enough to handle cow’s milk.

How much should an 11-month-old be sleeping?

Praise be to the gods of slumber, because you might actually be catching some z’s now. At 11 months of age, most babies sleep through the night. To be more specific, the National Sleep Foundation says that infants this age still need 12 to 15 hours of sleep per day. Since 9 to 12 of those hours take place at night, your household might once again be friends with night-sleeping. The remaining hours of sleep baby needs in a day are split between 30-minute to several-hours-long naps each day.

If your 11-month-old had been sleeping through the night and isn’t anymore, they may be going through a sleep regression. It should be temporary, though, so hang in there. Just reinforce your nighttime schedule, being sure to make bedtime consistent and relaxing.

Your 11-Month-Old Baby’s Physical, Social, And Cognitive Milestones

How many teeth should an 11-month-old baby have?

As with many aspects of a baby’s development, the emergence of teeth can be different from child to child. Because of this, there’s isn’t an exact number of teeth to tell you. However, by 11 months in age, your little one’s “baby” teeth may already have started to come in, or erupt. This typically happens between 6 to 12 months. The first tooth to come in is usually a middle front tooth on the lower jaw, called the central incisor, which usually presents between months 9 and 10. At 11 months, baby might get their lateral incisor, which is the tooth on the lower jaw next to their central incisor.

Generally, baby gets 1 tooth per month once their teeth start coming in. If your 11-month-old doesn’t have any teeth yet, it’s still considered normal. But as they get closer to their first birthday, keep an eye on it and mention it to their doctor.

Should my 11-month-old be sitting up and/or crawling?

Life is probably a lot more hectic this month than it has been up until now. Baby’s motor skills have evolved at an impressive pace. Most 11-month-old babies can sit without help, crawl, pull themselves to standing, and cruise along furniture.

If your baby isn’t crawling yet, don’t have a panic attack. Although 9-months-old is the average age babies begin to crawl, some babies skip crawling altogether. They instead scoot around on their little booties or Army crawl along until they’re ready to walk.

Can an 11-month-old baby walk?

This may be a bittersweet moment in time for you. While you’re undoubtedly excited at the prospect of your little one walking, it’s also sad, right? Once they take those first steps, they’re going to stumble right out of infancy and into toddlerhood. This is a big deal! So, it’s okay if you feel a little pang in your heart, too. Hold space for yourself to feel all of those things, Mama.

Having said all of that, get ready! While many babies take their first steps without support right around the 1-year mark, babies can start to walk at 11 months old. Since they’ll be unsteady at first if they do take their first steps this month, create a safe environment for baby to explore — and, you know, fall down occasionally.

Can an 11-month-old baby talk?

An 11-month-old baby’s language development is a joy-filled journey. Per the Mayo Clinic, most babies this age respond to simple verbal requests. They’re getting good at gestures, like shaking their head no (you might even start to think baby is too good at this one) and waving bye-bye. And although some babies don’t begin actively speaking until they hit 1 year or older, 11-month-old babies are definitely capable of using language. It isn’t complex at this point — think “mama,” “no,” and “uh-oh” — but it’s an important step in their language skills.

You can help baby advance those skills by reinforcing the words for various objects. If baby points toward a book, ask them, “Would you like to read a book?” Ask baby questions as you’re reading. Even if they don’t answer, they’re listening and absorbing the language you’re using.

Your 11-Month-Old Baby’s Health

Does an 11-month-old need a checkup?

Unless you’re on a delayed schedule or baby comes down with something, you’re off the hook as far as doctor’s visits go this month.

What immunizations does an 11-month-old get?

Same here — unless your child had previously missed a round of vaccinations or your doctor’s office operates on a delayed immunization schedule, your 11-month-old baby likely won’t have to bother with any pesky shots this month.

Written by Julie Sprankles.

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