Ten month milestones

Baby Development: Your 10-Month-Old

Written by Stephanie Watson

Now that your baby is 10 months old, you’ve probably been noticing a lot of big changes. And you may be amazed at how fast your baby is turning into an independent little person who gets around, plays, and communicates like a pro. You also should be getting a sense of your baby’s personality by now -- quiet or outgoing, calm or adventurous. And you no doubt have noticed that your baby already has a few favorite books, stuffed animals, songs, and games.

In this portion of WebMD’s month-by-month guide, you’ll discover what baby milestones you can expect your child to achieve when they are 10 months old.

Tenth Month Baby Milestones: Motor Skills

Your 10-month-old is enjoying the freedom of exploring in many different ways. Babies at this age can crawl, pull from a seated position to standing, squat while holding on or sit back down, and cruise around while holding onto the furniture or your hands. Walking is now just a couple of months away, so you can expect your baby to soon be on the go even more.

At 10 months, your baby’s coordination has improved a lot. Children at this age are pretty adept at picking up small objects in their pincer grasp. They can also spot items easily at this age and quickly get to them. Just make sure you keep anything small enough to pose a choking hazard, such as coins and other small items, out of their reach. If you haven't done so already, baby proofing the house is crucial now with your baby on the move and being able to grasp objects.

They're also figuring out how to fit smaller objects into larger ones, which makes stacking cups a lot of fun. And 10-month-olds have the skill to hold a toy in one hand while using the other hand for a different task.

Tenth Month Baby Milestones: Sleep

By 10 months, your baby may be down to a single one-hour nap during the day. but there's nothing to worry about if they are still taking 2 naps. If you’re going to skip a nap, it’s better to skip the morning one. An after-lunch nap will help baby stay awake through the afternoon and avoid pre-bedtime crankiness. Your baby should make up for the lost nap by sleeping for an extra hour or two at night, and sleeping through the night.

Tenth Month Baby Milestones: Eating

You can continue to expand your baby’s palate by offering a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, yogurt, and meats. Be sure to avoid choking hazards such as popcorn, raisins, nuts, hard candy, whole grapes, and hot dogs cut into circles.

Now that a few teeth have come in, introduce thicker consistencies and more table foods cut up into small pieces that you serve as finger foods.

Letting them feed themselves these finger foods allows them to practice their pincer grasp, and it helps them practice their coordination skills by picking the food up and putting it in their mouth.

If you haven’t done so already, try giving your baby a spoon and letting them feed themselves. Pick a utensil with a large, easy-to-grasp handle. The first few times your baby feeds themselves will be messy, but every mess can be cleaned, and eating independently is an important skill to learn. You may want to put a mat under their chair for easier clean-up and to protect your floors.

Some parents make their baby food by boiling fruits, vegetables, and meats and then grinding them or blending them for baby to eat.

Other parents prefer to buy organic baby foods instead of the traditional brands. These foods are more expensive, but are they worth the extra cost? There is some evidence that organic baby foods contain fewer pesticide residues than conventional baby foods. But they don’t have any more vitamins or other nutrients than the regular brands. Ultimately, the decision of whether to go organic depends on your own preference.

Tenth Month Baby Milestones: Communication

Babies at this age are mimics, and you may notice your baby copying just about everything you do, from brushing your hair to picking up the phone. Your baby will listen to the sound of your words and will watch you carefully to gauge your reactions to situations. If you cry at a sad movie, for example, you may see your baby’s face crumple up, too.

Ten-month-olds can understand and follow simple, one-step commands, such as “wave bye-bye” or "clap hands." They also can attach meanings to certain words. When you say “car” or “dog,” your baby may point at the object, and they should respond to the sound of their own name.

Tips for Your Baby’s Tenth Month:

Even though your baby isn’t talking yet, engage them in real conversations. For instance, respond to their babbles with “Really?” or “That’s so interesting!” Or carry on a conversation using a stuffed animal or puppet. You’ll encourage your baby to keep talking and learning new words.
Turn on the tunes. Any type of music will work, whether it’s pop, country, or show tunes. Your baby will love bopping and bouncing along to the rhythm.
Hide toys and help your little one look for 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 worried that your baby isn’t communicating appropriately, call your pediatrician for an evaluation.

Developmental Milestones: 10-12 Month Baby

10- to 12-month-old babies are learning a lot and showing interest in their surroundings. These months include some exciting milestones, as babies can now use their hands for support and begin to pull themselves into a standing position. Some babies might even start taking a few steps on their own.

Doctors use certain milestones to tell if a baby is developing as expected. There is a wide range of what’s considered normal, so some babies gain skills earlier or later than others. Babies who were born prematurely often reach milestones later. Always talk with your doctor about your baby’s progress.

How Much Will My 10- to 12-Month-Old Baby Grow?

While all babies may grow at a different rate, the following indicates the average for boys and girls 10 to 12 months of age:

Weight: average gain of about 13 ounces each month, birthweight is doubled at approximately 4 to 5 months and tripled at one year
Height: average growth of just over 1/2 inch each month with most infants growing 10 inches in the first year.
Head size: average growth of about 1/2 inch each month

What Can My 10- to 12-Month-Old Baby Do at This Age?

As your baby continues to grow, you will notice new and exciting abilities that develop. While babies may progress at different rates, the following are some of the common milestones your child may reach in this age group:

Pulls up to a standing position
Can sit back down from standing position
Cruises or walks around holding onto furniture
May stand next to furniture without holding on
May walk holding on to your finger or hand
May begin to take steps and walk on own
Plays ball by receiving and returning a rolled ball
Able to pick up food and small objects with fingers
Can feed self finger foods
Drinks from cup with spout
Can turn pages in a book, often several at a time
Bangs objects together
Imitates scribble
New teeth continue to erupt; may have four to six teeth by one year old
Takes two naps a day and is able to sleep up to 12 hours at night without a feeding
Make wake up at night looking for parents

What Can My 10- to 12-Month-Old Baby Say?

Speech development is very exciting for parents as they watch their babies become social beings that can interact with others. While every baby develops speech at his or her own rate, the following are some of the common milestones in this age group:

Says da-da and ma-ma and knows who these persons are
Imitates sounds and some speech
May say things like “Uh oh”
Imitates animal sounds in response to questions (such as, “What does the cow say?”)
Simple gesture (such as shaking head “no”)

What Does My 10- to 12-Month-Old Baby Understand?

Babies at this age become much more aware of others and themselves. They are not yet confident that their parent will return when they leave. Some common milestones children may reach in this age group are:

Recognizes familiar objects and pictures in books, and may point to some objects when asked “Where is the … ?”
Follows a one step command with the parent having to show the child how to do it
Has preferences for people and toys, and may have a favorite toy or blanket
Is curious and wants to explore
Moves to music
Drops objects on purpose for others to pick up
Points and gestures for objects and actions
May begin to pretend simple activities, such as cleaning or drinking from cup

Feeding Your 10- to 12-Month-Old Baby

Your baby may be trying a large variety of new foods and may want to try what you are eating. Start any new food with a trial run. Introduce only one new food at time, then wait a few days to a week to look for any allergic reactions. Try to introduce new foods during times when your pediatrician’s office is open, in case of allergic reaction.

If your baby shows signs of severe allergy, such as severe swelling of the face, lips or tongue or trouble breathing, call 9-1-1.

When trying new solid foods with your 10- to -12-month-old, try to avoid these ingredients:

Do not give a baby honey until after their first birthday. It can contain spores that are harmless to adults but can cause botulism in babies.

Do not give cow’s milk to your baby until over 12 months old. It doesn’t have the nutrition that infants need from breast milk or formula.

When exploring new foods with your baby, try foods that offer new tastes and textures. At this age, you can begin to have your infant join the rest of the family at meals and develop a routine of 3 meals a day.

By the time babies are around 9 or 10 months old, they usually have the dexterity and coordination to pinch smaller pieces of food between their forefinger and thumb so they can try feeding themselves. To prevent choking, cook table foods a little longer, until very soft, and cut them into pieces that your baby can handle safely.

By age one, babies are ready to switch from formula to cow’s milk. If you’re breastfeeding, you can continue beyond your infant’s first birthday, if desired. If you decide to stop breastfeeding before your baby’s first birthday, you should feed your baby iron-fortified formula. If your baby is over 12 months, you can offer whole milk.

If your baby uses a sippy cup, let him or her keep working on it. After 12 months, you can serve whole milk in a cup, which will help with the transition from the bottle. Using a bottle after 1 year of life can predispose children to developing cavities.

How Does My 10-12-Month-Old Baby Interact With Others?

Babies at this age have a better understanding of their relationship with others, such as when they are near or far, coming or going. While every child’s personality is unique, some of the common behavioral traits your child may show include:

Fear and anxiety of strangers; may cling and clutch parents; cries when parent leaves
Waves bye-bye
Cries or shows emotions when told “no”

How Can I Help My 10- to 12-Month-Old Baby Overcome Separation Anxiety?

Consider the following as ways to foster the emotional security of your baby:

Walk away for short periods while your baby plays in a safe area to help teach him or her that you will come back each time.
Introduce your baby gradually to new people and things.
Look at picture books with your baby and talk about the pictures. Consider ordering a custom book with names and faces of loved ones to help baby remember others.

How Long Should My 10-12-Month-Old Baby Sleep?

Sleep problems are common in the second half of a baby’s first year. Some babies may experience separation anxiety and call out or cry in the middle of the night, then calm down when mom or dad enters the room. This is a normal stage of development. If this happens, as with other waking, give your baby some time to settle down. If needed, give brief reassurance to your little one without taking your baby out of the crib.

Most babies this age sleep 12–16 hours per day, including a stretch of 9–12 hours at night. Your baby will likely still take two naps per day. Some babies nap for 30 minutes, while others nap for up to 2 hours.

See our healthy sleep for babies guide for more information about sleep at this age.

How Can I Help My 10- to 12-Month Old Baby Learn New Skills?

Read stories to your baby every day.
When your baby asks for something by pointing, name the object as you give it to them.
Hold and cuddle your baby often.
Continue a bedtime routine of cuddling, rocking and soothing.
Give your baby finger foods and help them to use a spoon, but allow your baby to do it alone. Do not worry if your baby makes a mess, as experimentation is important for development.
Respond to your baby if he or she awakens and cries at night, but avoid turning on the light or picking up or holding your baby. Limit your interactions to soothing talk and patting, telling your baby it is time for sleep.
Give your child toys that move (such as balls or cars).

Reviewed by Dr. Gregory Kennedy, Southern Orange County Pediatric Associates, CHOC Primary Care – June 2021

Baby Milestones at 10 Months

You notice noticeable changes in your baby now that he is ten months old. It would be amazing to see your little one quickly grow into an independent individual who now plays, spins and tries to communicate like a versatile professional.

Milestones at 10 Months

We give you an idea of what you can expect from your baby at this stage.

Development achievements	The emerging vanguard of development
Crawls and stretches to stand up	supported walks (cruising)
Understands the meaning of certain words	Understands and speaks simple words
Moves from stomach to sitting position	Can sit upright
understands requests	Understands other basic instructions
Simulates basic actions	Repeats actions after observation
Looking for hidden things	Remembers the location of things in memory
Responds to frightening or alarming situations	It responds to more conditions
He has pliers	Whole arm can be used to hold things
Improve depth perception	Better depth perception and hand-eye coordination
He has teeth	She may have eight teeth by her first birthday

Milestones your baby should reach at 10 months

Your 10 month old can discover new things on a journey of discovery. Infants at this stage may crawl, try to stand with support, sit, squat while holding something, and move through holding zones for support. Someone may have already started walking, but for those who have not yet gone. Children can detect objects, and hand-eye coordination helps them grasp objects quickly. They enjoy doing activities that develop their motor skills, such as stacking and organizing objects.

Cognitive Milestones

Develops object persistence and looks for hidden objects: Object persistence is the ability to recognize the presence of an object. At ten months, the baby knows that the object is there, even if it is hidden, and becomes less anxious when the parent is out of sight. This creates curiosity and your child will start looking for things that are not available to him.
Enjoy the pictures: Open the picture book and watch your child dive into it. He or she will enjoy listening to the stories and learn all the colorful illustrations to process words, sounds and sentences.
Understanding words and associating them with meanings: Your ten-month-old baby will know how to associate the names of things, as well as words such as "Hello", "No", "Yes" and "Goodbye".
Imitates and repeats actions: Typical Achievement Most babies at ten months of age will be able to imitate actions. They can form memories of the action and their reaction to it. Sometimes you may notice that the baby nods at you to get an answer from you.
Understands Request: Within ten months, your child will understand and respond to your request. Ask your child to give you an object and he will place it in your hand.

physical parameters

These milestones are associated with the development of physical qualities and gross motor skills.

Crawling good: Your ten month old is now an Olympic level crawler and may also try to walk with support. Watch him or explore every nook and cranny as he crawls into the adventure.
Use of pliers: Your child will now actively use the grip of the index finger and thumb to grasp a hard, stable object. This helps to pick up and eat the food you eat with your hands.
Understand words and associate them with meanings: Your ten-month-old baby will learn to associate names of things, as well as words such as "Hello", "No", "Yes" and "Goodbye".
Imitates and repeats actions: Typical Achievement Most babies at ten months of age will be able to imitate actions. They can form memories of the action and their reaction to it. Sometimes you may notice that the baby nods at you to get an answer from you.
Understand the request: Within ten months, your child will understand and respond to your request. Ask your child to give you an object and he will place it in your hand.
Unsupported Sitting and Standing Forward Movement: With stronger back and abdominal muscles, your child will sit up on his own when he gets tired of lying on his stomach. Your child may try to walk with one foot forward and holding on to something for support. Eventually, he will move from place to place, taking small steps with support.
Central incisors in place: The two lower incisors erupt at eight months and the upper at ten. This helps the child stop eating with his hands.
Improved eye-sense coordination: With improved vision, your child will be able to determine the distance to any object, which will ultimately lead to better hand-eye coordination.

Social and Emotional Milestones

These milestones reflect your child's social abilities and emotional temperament.

wave goodbye Your ten-month-old baby understands the importance of this social gesture and you can smile as you go to work. If you're lucky, you'll hear a muffled goodbye from their lips.
Anxiety among strangers: A 10-month-old baby will not feel comfortable around a stranger and will resist turning towards him.
Separation pain: According to research, babies tend to develop separation anxiety after ten months. They may latch on to you or your caregivers and even throw temper tantrums to get you to stay.
Feedback about situations: Different situations cause your child to react differently. They may appear a little frightened when they hear a loud noise, or perhaps chirp at the sight of a singing bird.

communication skills

Babies are great imitators at this stage and seem to act out everything you do. If you wave your hand, it will retreat
Children listen carefully to the sound of your words, and also evaluate your reaction. She may cry when she sees you cry.
10-month-olds can follow simple commands such as wave their arms, clap their hands, or nod their heads in agreement.
At this stage, babies will process their own name correctly and even respond to his name.

sleep milestones

At ten months old, your baby usually gets one hour of rest during the day.
Some children may still sleep twice a day.
It is best to take a nap in the afternoon to avoid strange behavior until noon and before bedtime.
Babies will make up for lost sleep by sleeping an extra hour or so at night or sleeping through the night.
Expand your child's taste by introducing new foods in the form of solids.
Offer boiled pieces of carrots, potatoes, and other foods that can be chewed and cut with chisels.
Avoid eating nuts, grapes, or hard foods that they can choke on. Offer them snacks to help them use the tongs.

Encourage them to feed themselves with a spoon, even if it's a mess. You can reserve a last meal for them so they can eat it on their own when their tummy is almost full. This can help them learn to be independent.

Developmental stages of the newborn | Multidisciplinary center Healthy child

From birth to 10 days of a child's life.

Keeps a moving object in the field of view (step tracking) - from a supine position, fixes with a glance for 5-10 seconds a moving object located in his field of view at a distance of 40-50 centimeters. Eye movements are spasmodic, sometimes accompanied by a turn of the head. General movements are inhibited.
Starts and blinks at a sharp sound (auditory orienting reaction) - 2-3 claps are made to the right and left of the child, out of his field of vision.

10 to 20 days of a child's life.

Keeps an immovable object in the field of view - fixes with a glance for 5-10 seconds an immovable object located in its field of view at a distance of 40-50 centimeters. General movements are inhibited.
Calms down with a strong sound (auditory concentration response) for 10-15 seconds.

1 month of a child's life.

Follows - smoothly traces a bright object that is in its field of view at a distance of 40-50 centimeters.
Listens to the voice of an adult, the sound of a toy (prolonged auditory concentration)
The first smile in response to the addressed speech.
In the prone position, raises and holds the head for 5-20 seconds.
Emits separate sounds in response to a conversation, sometimes the reaction is delayed by a few seconds.

2 months of a child's life.

Looks at a motionless object that has attracted attention for a long time and follows a moving object for a long time (long-term visual concentration).
Turning the head towards the sound stimulus, "search" movements of the head and eyes with a prolonged sound (search reaction).
Smiles, turns his head, holds his gaze on another child for 15-30 seconds (long-term visual focus on another child).
Spontaneously pronounces individual sounds.

3 months of a child's life.

Visual concentration in a vertical position - a child from a position in the arms of an adult follows for 30-40 seconds a stationary or moving object or the face of an adult talking to him.
An "animation" complex appears in response to speech addressed to him, actively searches with his eyes for the source of the sound (another child making sounds)
Accidentally bumping into toys located at a distance of 10-15 centimeters above his chest, he revives, bumps again, tries to grab the toy and traces the movements of his hand with his eyes.
Lying on his stomach, he leans on his forearms and raises his head up to 2-2.5 minutes. With support, he leans for 45-60 seconds on firm support with his legs bent at the hip joints, leaning on the entire foot. vertical position up to 1-1.5 minutes.

4 months of a child's life.

Recognizes the mother, rejoices - looks at the mother expectantly, as soon as she speaks - smiles joyfully, coos, reaches for the mother. When the mother leaves, she expresses displeasure.
Turns its head towards an invisible sound source, finds it with its eyes and follows it for 5-10 seconds.
During wakefulness, a "complex of revival" often and easily arises, laughs loudly in response to a verbal appeal, reaches out to another child.
Examining, grasping and feeling toys that attract attention.
Gulit.
Grabs and holds mother's breast or bottle while feeding.

5 months of a child's life.

Distinguishes close people from strangers (reacts differently to faces) - at the sight of the face of a loved one, a “complex of revival” arises, at the sight of a stranger, movements slow down, alertness appears, the child frowns and may cry.
Recognizes the voice of mother and loved one. Distinguishes between strict and affectionate intonation of speech. Differentially reacts to it.
Rejoices with another child, takes a toy from his hands, hums.
Clearly picks up toys from an adult's hands, often picks up toys with one hand, holds them in the hand for 1-2 minutes.
Lies on the stomach for a long time, raising the body and leaning on the palms of straightened arms. Rolls from back to stomach. Stands upright and stable with support for 3-4 minutes.
Long melodious buzzing
Eats thick food from a spoon, opens mouth and removes food with lips, eats slowly.

6 months of a child's life.

Recognizes his own name (rejoices, turns towards the adult), distinguishes between his own and someone else's name.
Takes toys freely from different positions, plays, shifts toys from hand to hand.
Rolls over from back to stomach. Moves slowly, moving hands or crawling a little, trying to get a toy.
Beginning to babble (pronounces individual syllables, often once), listens to the adult and tries to repeat the syllables.
Eats well from a spoon, drinks liquid food from a cup.

7 months of a child's life.

Actively manipulates toys.
Crawls well and a lot in various directions
To the question "Where?" finds a familiar object with a glance (repeatedly called and constantly in one place)
He babbles for a long time, repeats the same syllables.

8 months of a child's life.

Observes the actions of another child, laughs, babbles.
Imitates the actions of adults (rolls the ball, opens the lid, etc.)
He sits, sits, lies down. He gets up, holding onto the barrier with his hands, stands and lowers himself. Steps over, holding on to the barrier.
Performs previously learned actions - performs “patricks”, “give me a pen” without showing.
Loudly, clearly, repeats various syllables.
Holds and eats bread.

9 months of a child's life.

Acts a lot by imitation, uses objects differently.
Moves from object to object, holding on to them with his hands (the objects should be at a distance of about 35 centimeters from each other).
Knows his name and turns to the call. To the question "Where?" finds familiar objects in different places, regardless of their permanent location.
Imitating an adult, repeats known syllables after him.
Drinks from a cup, holding it with his hands.
Neatness skills are being formed (calmly relates to the planting process).

10 months of a child's life.

Performs learned actions independently or at the request of an adult.
With the help of an adult or holding onto the railing sideways, enters a low hill and descends with a side step
On command "give" finds and gives familiar objects.
Imitating an adult, repeats after him previously unknown syllables.

11 months of a child's life.

She rejoices at the appearance of other children, selectively reacts to them.
Masters new actions, performs them by order and by imitation (puts a cube on a cube, removes and puts rings with large holes on the rod). Performs previously learned actions on verbal instructions (without showing).
Stands independently, takes first independent steps.
The first generalizations appear in understood speech (brings 2-3 toys of the same name - ball, car, doll)
Pronounces the first designation words (lightweight words) - “kis-kis”, “av-av”, “give”.

12 months of a child's life

Distinguishes objects by shape (cubes, bricks, etc.), recognizes photographs of a familiar person (mother, father).
Plays with other children, looking for a hidden toy.
Walks independently, without support, with alternating steps.
Understands the word "not allowed", stops the prohibited action.
Easily imitates new syllables, pronounces 6-10 facilitated words.
He himself drinks from a cup, takes the dishes with his hands and puts them on the table.

1 year 3 months of a child's life.

Increasing the stock of understood words, performs at least 3 instructions from an adult.
Actively uses babble and light words.
Oriented in the size of objects (more or less, with a difference exceeding 3 centimeters).
Independently reproduces previously learned actions during the game.
Walks for a long time without sitting down, changes position (squats, leans, turns, backs away).
Eats solid food with a spoon on his own.

1 year 6 months of a child's life.

Summarizes objects by essential features in understood speech (finds objects that are homogeneous in terms of feature)
Correct analogues of lightened words appear (car - instead of "beep", etc.).
Oriented in 3-4 contrasting forms of objects.
Steps over low obstacles with a side step.
Eats liquid food on his own with a spoon (holds the stalk on top in his fist).

1 year 9 months of a child's life.

Understands a simple adult story from a picture and answers questions.
Uses words and two-word sentences.
Oriented in 3-4 contrast values of objects with a difference of 3 centimeters.
Walks on a limited surface elevated slightly above the floor without the help of an adult.
Partially undresses with the help of an adult.
Reproduces simple plot buildings - "gate", "bench", "house" of bricks, cubes.

2 years of a child's life.

Understands a short story by an adult without showing pictures about events in the child's experience and answers questions.
Uses three-word sentences, uses adjectives and pronouns.
Steps over low obstacles in alternating steps.
Oriented in 3-4 contrasting colors.
Performs a series of several actions in sequence, using items as intended (the beginning of the story game).
Partially puts on clothes with the help of an adult.

2 years 6 months of a child's life.

Uses multi-word sentences with more than three words. The questions “Where?” and where?".
Models basic geometric shapes (cube, ball, brick, prism, cylinder, cone) and objects of four primary colors.
The game has a plot character. The child independently makes simple plot constructions and names them.
Fully dressable. Doesn't know how to fasten buttons and tie shoelaces.
Steps over an obstacle 20-30 centimeters high.

3 years of a child's life.