10 Month Old Baby: Milestones, Development, and Care

Your little one is now 10 months old, and you can certainly notice significant changes in your baby. Your baby will now have an independent streak. It may seem to you that he is keen on breaking things, and you may not be wrong. At this age, your baby will try to exercise his independence, which may involve crawling towards his toys and breaking them. Your little one’s birthday is not far, and in the meantime, you will see a lot of developments in your baby. There’s a lot that is seen in a 10-month-old baby development, from milestones and activities learned to behaviour development. Let’s take a look at what you can expect in month 10.

Your Baby’s Growth at 10 Months

In terms of physical growth, your baby should be almost three times his birth weight. It is quite common for babies to be triple their birth size by one year (1). However, all babies are unique in terms of their growth pace, and genes significantly influence the size and development of a baby. Food intake and the environment that a baby grows in are also large contributing factors. The best way to ascertain if your baby has grown considerably is by checking if he still fits into his old clothes. It is more than likely that he will outgrow the clothes that he wore a few weeks ago. Your little one might occupy more space in the cot. And you will be surprised when you take your baby in your arms, as he may seem larger and heavier than before. The growth transformation occurs slowly, but visible signs emerge at this stage.

Weight and Height of a 10-month-old Baby

The average weight gain of a baby is approximately 13 ounces per month, with birth weight doubled by approximately 4 to 5 months and tripled by one year (1). So, what should be the ideal height and weight of a 10-month-old baby? Well, it varies. This is what you can expect on average:

For Baby Boys

• 10-month-old boy’s average weight: 20 pounds 5 ounces
• 10-month-old boy’s average length: 29 inches

For Baby Girls

• 10-month-old girl’s average weight: 18 pounds 12 ounces
• 10-month-old girl’s average length: 28 1/4 inches

Baby Development

Your baby may start crawling and meander in a unique way. Crawling is strongly linked to increased learning ability, while the movements of legs and arms are linked to the left and right sides of the brain. The child matures gradually in this process, and a walker is no longer necessary. Your ten-month-old can now get close to any place, and hence, his safety becomes your primary concern. Below are some of the developmental phases that a baby goes through:

Your 40-week-old Baby’s Development

Your baby will now start comprehending simple words and phrases, so keep interacting with your baby. Avoid baby talk; it’s high time to introduce language. For example,  if he says “bah-bah”, respond by asking, “Do you want the toy?” Show the object when he utters a simple word. This will help him associate words with sounds. By talking to your baby, you will bond with your baby, and it will also contribute to language development in your child. Even if your child speaks gibberish, keep answering him. He will eventually learn the flow.

Your 41-week-old Baby’s Development

With agile fingers and a firmer pincer grasp (grip of thumb and index finger), your baby will now be able to pick up objects without resting his wrist. Tiny things and objects will pique his interest, so be sure to keep hazardous substances out of reach to avoid choking, as they could put objects in their mouth. Items such as marbles, balloons, pieces of toys and food, balls, and smaller food items (2). Serve cooked pieces of fruit, vegetables, or finger foods to encourage your child to hold things.

Your 42-week-old Baby’s Development

Your baby will no longer need you like he did a few months ago. By trying to stand, stoop, walk, or squat, a child demonstrates their increasing ability to be independent (3). You may notice his eagerness to get dressed when you dress your child. At mealtimes, he may show intense concentration trying to hold his cup or spoon to eat. Babies find it very interesting to drop things for others to pick up. By this age, they master the art of grabbing things and throwing them. Be prepared to do some bending and running around while your baby’s independence becomes apparent.

Your 43-Week-Old Baby’s Development

Your baby will now enjoy the company of his peers and siblings. You will find that your child may try to fit in with the children of his age group by seeking to play with them. It is a great time to develop his social skills; you must try to encourage a lot of healthy interaction with other kids. Although he is too young to understand the concept of a friend, these interactions will lay the foundation to learn how to behave amidst a group of children. He will learn things by observing and also enjoy his time spent with one of a kind.

Baby Health

With increased mobility, flexibility, and holding ability, your baby will be inclined to put things into his mouth. At ten months, it is impossible to keep a baby completely clean. When you take your child to a park, he will want to play in the mud and hold dirty things. Keep cleaning products like wipes or sanitisers handy when you go out. Always have a spare towel or a cleaning cloth in your bag to wipe dirt.

Baby Milestones – 10 Months

Developmental milestones are achieved in cognitive, physical, social, and emotional aspects. Each category has specific accomplishments to ensure the well-rounded growth and development of the baby.

1. Cognitive Milestones

 These include the mental agility, thinking prowess, and intelligence of a ten-month-old.

• Object permanence – Object permanence is the ability to recognise the existence of an object. At this stage, babies understand that a hidden object does not disappear completely. So if he doesn’t see his parents around while walking, he may not get anxious like before.

• Curiosity and inquisitiveness – Your baby may be eager to explore objects that are out of their line of sight. If something slides away from their sight, they may strain to look for it.

• Interest in pictures and posters – Your baby will love looking at colourful things like pictures and illustrations. They would love to listen to stories with pictures and absorb information. An infant’s brain will now process the images, sounds, and pictures, which help in the coordination process.

• Word association – Your baby will now associate words and their relevance. They will be able to interpret basic words like ‘yes’, ‘no’, or ‘hello’.

• Repeats gestures and actions – An infant starts memorising actions and imitating them. Your baby might even try to use the action to get a reaction.

• Addressing people – By this time, babies start identifying and addressing their mother and father by their names. They would know what “mama” and “dada” refer to (4).

• Comprehending requests – By this time, babies also begin to comprehend requests made by you, and they may respond to you by making sounds or turning their heads.

2. Physical Milestones

These include the physical attributes and motor skills of a ten-month-old baby.

• Expert crawler – Your baby will now explore every nook and corner of the house by crawling deftly.

• Using pincer grasp – At 10 months, your baby will now be able to use his index finger and thumb to get a grip on things.

• Starts sitting – When your baby is bored with staying flat on his tummy, he may roll and sit. The back and abdominal muscles become stronger during this time. They may start to sit without support (5).

• Try to stand – Using support, your baby will now make an effort to stand, which will eventually help him walk and run.

• Attempt to walk – While standing with support, your baby may try to put a foot forward to see if he can walk. Eventually, he will also learn to cruise forward with support, taking one step at a time.

• Equipped with incisors – The incisors erupt from the eighth month, and by the tenth month, your baby will have incisors in place to tear and bite his food.

• Increased vision – Your baby’s vision develops quickly, allowing him to coordinate his hands and legs more effectively due to enhanced vision.

3. Social and Emotional Milestones

Your baby will now be preparing for his social interactions and gathering emotional temperament.

• Bidding goodbye – Your ten-month-old now understands what ‘bye’ means and will wave his hand back at you.

• Apprehension of strangers – Your baby will now feel insecure or resist the company of strangers and refuse to be around them.

• Separation pangs – At ten months of age, babies tend to cling to their known ones and cry when separated from them.

• Reactions – You may find your baby reacts to strange sounds, noises, or even when you take away his toy.

These milestones just give an idea of what your baby can accomplish at this stage. Babies are different, and their skills vary according to their abilities. Enjoy the phase and make sure to be on the lookout for any signs of concern.

Behaviour

Watch out for your baby’s responses when he is around other people. By this age, babies have a pattern of screening and staring with their eyes. They try to assimilate as much information as possible, and it is therefore imperative that they sleep well. A few hours of sleep during the day will give their body the much-needed rest and the brain to recharge itself. These experiences mould their personality and behaviour. You may find that your child shows less interest in playing with other kids. Do not worry. Babies tend to display a slight ego at this age and resist company. Keep a close watch and try to engage them to help them understand what kind of behaviour is appropriate.

Activities for Your 10-Month-Old Baby

Here are some 10-month-old baby activities​ you can try with your baby at this stage (6).

1. Play games with your ten-month-old. Explore the environment around him and engage in games of emptying, filling up, stacking, and identifying objects.
2. Get a toy phone which makes sounds. Try to encourage your baby to hold the phone to his ear and speak. This will improve speech ability.
3. Read books with your baby to integrate their five senses. Reading will help them coordinate what they see and absorb information.
4. Sing to your baby. This will help them develop a taste of music as well as help with brain development.
5. Your baby will understand the concept of role-playing. Pull something from the cupboard to inspire pretend to play and encourage his imagination.

Tips to Take Care of Your 10-Month-Old Baby

A ten-month-old baby with a healthy growth chart will subsequently achieve developmental milestones. Healthy nourishment, proper intake of food, adequate rest and sleep, and proper nurturing of skills help babies get through each phase with considerable ease. It is best not to push your child and encourage him to learn to do things on his own. Each baby is unique and develops at a different pace to explore the world. Keep monitoring his progress, and if you feel there is a hunch, then consult a physician. At this stage, all your baby needs is good care, undivided attention, and plenty of love.

Feeding

Your baby may be concentrating more on energising than eating. Don’t panic in such a case; include variety in his meals. Be creative and stick to home-cooked meals. By this age, babies should be eating solids, and along with milk, solids should be an essential component. By the age of one, babies restrict their range of foods, so if you introduce a varied range earlier, they will be used to it.

Sleeping

At ten months, babies tend to sleep only twice during the day. By around 9 to 10 months, babies sleep for around 14 hours: 11 hours of nighttime and 3 hours of daytime (7). If they wake up early, they may fall asleep after breakfast. You will notice consistent signs of tiredness in your baby, such as him yawning or even falling asleep during playtime. He may want more cuddles and may protest to continue to stay awake. Stay calm and follow a routine to get into a sleep pattern during the day and night.

Tips for Parents

Here are some important tips that you should remember while taking care of your 10-month-old baby:

• With so many things to explore, your bundle of energy is focusing on adventures rather than anything else. Research on baby activities for ten-month-olds and engaging them in them to vent their energy.
• Infant development at 10 months is characterised by behavioural changes, desire for discovery, some coherent words, and a blooming, assertive personality. Enjoy the phase by cooperating and encouraging children.
• Growth charts are the best 10-month-old baby weight calculator to ascertain whether your baby is on the right track. Visit your paediatrician at timed intervals to keep a watch on your baby’s growth levels.

FAQs

1. What are some developmental problem signs at 10 months of age?

At 10 months, consult your doctor or maternal child health nurse if your child is (8):

• not responding to parents or caregivers
• not babbling or making vocal sounds (including vowels and consonants)
• not starting to pull themselves up to stand or lift themselves into a sitting position
• not engaging with their feet, or transferring objects between their hands
• not showing interest in grasping toys or tossing small objects
• not beginning to eat solid foods

2. What food should not be given to 10-month-old babies?

Honey, juice, cow’s milk, nuts and seeds, unpasteurised foods, sticky or crunchy foods, or raw vegetables are harmful for 10-month-old babies.

At ten months, your baby will be stepping into uncharted territory, like standing up, walking, eating on their own, climbing, being assertive, and lots more. This is just the foundation phase of becoming a toddler, and you must enjoy and deal with it at its own pace.

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Sources References

1. CHOC – Developmental Milestones: 10 to 12 Month Baby

2. American Academy of Pediatrics – Choking Prevention for Babies & Children

3. Mayo Clinic – Infant development: Milestones from 10 to 12 months

4. Johns Hopkins Medicine – The Growing Child: 10 to 12 Months

5. American Academy of Pediatrics – Movement: Babies 8 to 12 Months

6. CDC – Positive Parenting Tips: Infants (0–1 years)

7. Stanford Medicine – Infant Sleep

8. Pregnancy Birth and Baby – Your baby’s growth and development — 10 months old