With your baby's first birthday just around the corner, every day is an exciting adventure in their world. By 10 months old, they might already be achieving significant milestones like starting to crawl, standing, perhaps even taking a few steps, and feeding themselves with a spoon.
If they're starting to move around, it's a good time to start baby proofing your house. They'll waste no time eyeing fluff on the floor, opening your kitchen cupboards and pulling out whatever they can get their hands on. Yes there will be mess, but remember for them it's a time of movement and discovery with sprinkles of fun.
To help you learn more about your 10-month-old's development and milestones, we've gathered everything you can expect during this exciting month including baby care to sleep, nutrition, and safety.
Development milestones for 10-month-old baby
Movement: Your baby may already be a super speedy crawler and if they're pulling themselves up to stand, cruising along furniture, and briefly standing without support, these are positive signs that they may start trying to walk soon.
Hand gestures Babies learn from mimicking others, so they'll soon start mastering how to wave, point, clap and more this month making it a great time to introduce some more engaging toys and books to play with. If you're lucky, they may even learn to blow kisses.
Brain development A baby's brain develops rapidly and will absorbing everything they see and hear including emotions, language, and visual skills like recognising different objects and shapes. Continue talking and singing to them as much as possible and you may even hear them trying to babble back. Some babies may start to say one or two words like 'dada' or 'mama' and they'll also recognise their name when called.
Physical development Your baby is keen to explore, so now is the time to keep a very (and we mean very) close eye on them. From reaching up onto kitchen sides and cabinets to opening cupboards, touching things and of course putting everything in their mouth - this is how they learn about the environment and the new things they find. If you've not already, be sure to invest in some good baby proofing gear to help keep your baby safe from any dangers in the house.
Independence Around this age, they're starting to develop their own little personality and also begin to get a taste for independence - imagine taking your first steps, seeing things from a different perspective and understanding how much fun you can have with your two little feet. They'll want to start doing things their own way, so don't be surprised if your baby has some meltdowns from time to time.
Language Babies will already understand simple words and what they mean for example, when you say 'no' and 'yes'. They will start speaking to you more and more with gestures that become a kind of sign language for them for example when they point to someone or something they want or an animal in a book. Engage with them as much as possible, even if it's talking about your day.
Sleep Babies this age are sleeping for about 14 hours each day. 11 of those hours will be at night and most will sleep right through. Most babies at 10 months old will be taking two naps a day where they make up the remaining 3 hours.
Teeth At 10 months old, some babies can have between 4 and 8 teeth and quite often the two top and bottom teeth. If your baby doesn't have any teeth yet, there's no need to worry as they can come out a little later too.
Separation anxiety Just a few months ago your baby didn't even notice if you had left the room and all of a sudden they start crying. Although it's a very normal part of their development, it can feel a little distressing for the both of you. If your think your little one is going through this, we've got plenty of information about separation anxiety here and how to identify it in your child.
Sensory and cognitive development for 10 month old baby
Vision Babies can see quite well near and far and can focus on moving objects. By now their motor skills are working together with eyesight (hand–eye coordination), so don't be surprised if they spot something they want and make a beeline for it.
Hearing As well as recognising their name, they'll learn to identify music from their favourite nursery rhymes or even your favourite day time talk show. This is a great time to get out those crinkle books and toy musical instruments.
Motor skills Your baby will be able to hold something in one hand and still try and grab something else with the other. Encourage this more and more with simple toys for 6-12 month olds like building blocks and baby jigsaw puzzles.
Smell and taste Your baby will show a interest in a variety of smells which will help when they are feeding.
Sleep patterns and routine for 10 month old baby
At this age, most babies's sleep schedule includes two naps per day totalling around 2.5-3 hours. Each nap will be longer than an hour but no longer than 2 hours.
In total, 10 month old babies typically need around 13-14 hours of sleep and the majority of this, usually around 11 hours they will get at night time. Some babies are able to comfortably sleep through the night but not all babies are the same. As previously mentioned, some babies this age will go through separation anxiety as well as growth spurts - also look out for these teething signs which can all impact their sleep.
Some babies at this age won’t need night feedings as they'll be happily eating solids by now, but some babies may benefit from an early morning feed which could help them sleep longer.
To ensure your baby has a healthy sleep pattern create a consistent sleep time and routine so your baby knows that a warm bath, low lighting and a gentle massage, signals sleep time. Also avoid over stimulation before bed so no loud noises, active play or screen time. Here is a sample sleep schedule fot a 10-month-old baby.
Read some expert tips in our 10 month sleep baby schedule guide.
Feeding and nutrition for 10 month old baby
By 10 months, your baby may be eating and enjoying a variety of solid foods and eating 3 solid food meals a day - breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as drinking breast milk or formula. At this age they can eat pretty much anything apart from cow's milk and honey and you may notice that they want to feed themselves with a spoon which is fun for them, but can get messy; remember this is how they learn and explore.
Now is also the time you might want to start weaning baby off their bottle. Many experts suggest that by 12 months, it's best for baby to be off their bottle (unless advised otherwise). That's because having a bottle for too long isn't great for their oral hygiene or dental health and also, filling up on a bottle might mean they're less tempted by solid foods. Also, if you haven't done so already, then now is a great time to introduce a beaker or cup with water.
Health and safety tips for 10 month old baby
Now that your baby is moving around independently (or they will soon) be sure to childproof your house. Keep your little one safe with the best stair gates, be mindful of sharp edges, things like glass tables, hanging blind cords, and don't forget to cover unused plug sockets.
When feeding, avoid giving them any potential choking hazard like whole grapes, nuts and popcorn.
Ensure a safe sleep environment with your baby sleeping on their back and removing any blankets or toys from within their cot.
It's also worth checking their car seat to ensure they can still fit into it comfortably. At this age babies should still be sitting in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 15 months old.
Practical parenting tips - looking after yourself
It's easy to forget about your own wellbeing when you have a baby or even a toddler. If you're struggling to sleep at night, it's important to try and catch up when your baby is napping. You can't serve from an empty vessel, so remember to do this a few days in the week if you need to. At this stage you should be confident going to mums and tots classes which is great for your mental health and socialising. Also try and incorporate gentle exercise to boost your mood and physical well-being, even short walks around the neighbourhood or to the local supermarket or high street, even if it is just to grab a coffee.
Conclusion
At 10 months old, your baby will be mobile in some way, either shuffling, crawling or showing signs that they're ready to walk. As well as this, they'll be curious and gaining their independence - you'll notice this when they try self-feeding. Their babbling will be intentional and soon they'll be able to form their first words, even if it is baby language. They'll start being aware of different social settings and will want to explore everything so it's definitely worth keeping an eye on them. Their brain is rapidly growing so a safe, stimulating environment is crucial for their development.
FAQs 10-month-old baby milestones and development
Should I worry if my baby is not crawling yet?
No. Every baby's developmental milestones can vary slightly. Most babies start to crawl between seven and 10 months old after they've learned to sit up with the nine-month-old mark being the average. It might take some babies longer to learn to crawl or they might skip the phase entirely and start pulling themselves up to learn how to walk.
What should babies be doing at 10 months red flags?
If your baby can't sit unassisted or doesn't babble or turn their head towards a voice.
How do I mentally stimulate my 10-month-old?
There are lots of things you can do to stimulate and engage your child from playing with building blocks, shape sorters, hide and seek games, clapping, dancing, waving, outdoor exploration and walks, stacking toys and getting them to follow simple instructions.
Is there a 10 month sleep regression?
Your baby is going through a lot of changes and reaching new developmental milestones which is very exciting for them. This as well as teething or separation anxiety can often
lead to more night wakings. Sometimes it may be subtle, sometimes it may be more evident in their fussiness, but remember it can vary from one baby to another.
there a growth spurt at 10 months?
Yes babies may experience a growth pattern. These spurts can lead to increased appetite, sleep changes, and further developmental milestones.
About the author
Keya Modessa, is our Senior Digital Writer and brings over a decade of experience from the digital realm to Mother&Baby. As a mother of two, Keya understands the joys and challenges of modern parenthood and uses her own experience, to give practical advice. Keya has worked across national publications including glossy women's mags, Food and Travel, and more recently as digital lead for Muddy Stilettos.