Month 11
Key points
- Your 11-month-old may be confidently crawling, cruising, climbing or even taking first steps.
- They are understanding more words and may even say a few themselves.
- Iron, vitamin A, zinc and B vitamins are some of the immunity-boosting nutrients to consider in your baby’s diet.
Your baby is just weeks away from their first birthday! At 11 months, they are increasingly active, confident and social. They may be trying to stand independently or even taking a few wobbly steps. Their understanding of words and daily routines is increasing, and they might respond to their name, wave goodbye or point to objects they want.
As their immune system continues to develop and adapt to new environments, your little one benefits from a nutrient-rich diet that includes key vitamins and minerals to help protect against illness and support growth.
Read on to find out what developmental milestones to expect, and how food fuels their immunity and development at 11 months.
Nutrition at 11 Months
At this stage, your baby still relies on breast milk or infant formula for some nutrition, but solid foods are now a major part of their daily intake. A varied, balanced diet rich in immune-supporting nutrients is important, particularly iron, zinc, folate, vitamins A, C, D, B6 and B12.
At 11 months, your little one’s immune system is still developing and, as their world expands and they are exposed to new foods, people and environments, nutritional support is even more important. The easiest way to ensure they get the immune-boosting nutrients they need is by incorporating a wide range of whole foods from the five main food groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and protein. Your baby is likely to be eating three meals a day plus one or two snacks.
According to The Australian Guide To Healthy Eating, the recommended daily servings for babies aged 7–12 months are:
- Vegetables and legumes/beans: 1½–2 serves per day (approx. 20g per serve)
- Fruit: ½ serve per day (approx. 20g per serve)
- Grain (cereal) foods: 1½ serves per day (approx. 40g bread equivalent per serve)
- Infant cereal (dried): 1 serve per day (approx. 20g per serve)
- Lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs: 1 serve per day (approx. 30g per serve)
- Yoghurt/cheese or alternatives: ½ serve per day (approximately 20mL yoghurt or 10g cheese per serve)
- Breast milk or formula: 600mL per day
8 Nutrients for a Strong Immune System
- Iron continues to be a priority in your baby’s diet as it supports the production of healthy red blood cells and helps transport oxygen around the body. It’s also crucial for immune function because it provides energy and stores oxygen in the muscles. Food sources of iron include red meat, dark poultry meat, lentils, iron-fortified cereals, tofu and spinach.
- Zinc helps the body fight off infections more effectively. Sources of zinc include beef, chicken, chickpeas, yoghurt, eggs and wholegrain bread.
- Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin and mucous membranes – your baby’s first line of defence against germs. Vitamin A can be found in sweet potato, carrots, dark leafy greens, apricots and full-fat dairy foods.
- Vitamin B6 helps the body make antibodies and supports brain development and immune regulation. Foods containing Vitamin B6 include banana, avocado, chicken, oats and potatoes.
- Vitamin B12 is important for red blood cell formation and neurological function and also supports immune health. Food sources include eggs, meat, dairy and fortified cereals.
- Vitamin C is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system as it enhances iron absorption and produces collagen. The body can’t make Vitamin C. Good food sources include: red capsicum, kiwi, strawberries and broccoli.
- Vitamin D regulates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and supports healthy immune system function. The body makes its own Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Food sources include: salmon, canned tuna, mushrooms and fortified yoghurt, orange juice and certain cereals.
- Folate helps create blood cells that protect against infection. Food sources of folate include: Lentils, spinach, oranges, peas and fortified cereals.
Immunity-Supporting Meal Ideas
Offer a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and aim to cover all the food groups throughout the week.
- Breakfast: Porridge oats with mango and full-fat yoghurt.
- Lunch: Mini lentil patties with mashed sweet potato and chopped steamed broccoli.
- Snack: Sliced boiled egg with mashed avocado on wholemeal toast fingers.
- Dinner: Beef Stew (with carrot, potato, kidney beans and tomatoes).
Find tasty recipe ideas for your 11-month-old baby at Alula Me and My Child.
Weight and Height of an 11-Month-Old Baby
Eleven-month-old baby girls typically weigh around 8.7–9.4 kilos and measure about 72–74 cm, while boys may weigh around 9.3–10.1 kilos and reach 74–76 cm in height. These are averages – your baby’s growth curve may differ and that’s perfectly normal.
Baby’s Visual Milestones at 11 Months
Your baby’s eyesight is now very well developed, helping them enjoy the world with more confidence. With better vision comes more physical confidence as their hand–eye coordination improves and they can reach for objects (toys, small objects, finger foods) with greater ease. They may:
- Focus on objects near and far
- Enjoy looking at pictures in books
- Recognise familiar people across the room
- Anticipate actions in games like peek-a-book
Motor Development at 11 Months
In the run-up to your baby’s first birthday, your 11-month-old might be crawling or they might even be walking! Their increasing physical skills go hand in hand with their growing independence.
Your baby might be:
• Standing alone briefly, walking with assistance or even walking on their own
• Throwing and picking up objects
• Feeding themselves more confidently with fingers or a spoon
• Drinking water from a cup with little spilling
Social Development of Your 11-Month-Old
Your 11-month-old baby is likely to enjoy most social interactions – when you talk and sing with them, play simple games and include them in day-to-day activities. They may also display separation anxiety or shyness around strangers. At 11 months, your baby may also:
• Point to things they want
• Understand simple instructions (“Come here” or “Give it to me”)
• Express affection with cuddles or kisses
• Enjoy social games like pat-a-cake or clapping
• Try to copy the tone and rhythm of your speech
Responding to their cues and naming objects around them can encourage communication and social bonding.
Don’t Forget!
It’s important to remember that every baby develops at their own rate. Regular checkups with your health nurse or GP will be able to ensure your baby is on track – but always get in touch with them sooner if you have any concerns. For extra resources, you can also head to Karitane or Tresillian online.
What’s Next?
At 12 months, your baby becomes a toddler! Learn how their personality shines through, what mealtimes look like now, and how to encourage their next language and movement leaps.
We are here to support you on your journey
Making decisions around infant feeding can be challenging and we hope we can help you through this journey.
We want to make sure you are informed and supported.
Before and during breastfeeding, it is important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet and it is recommended to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of age, as it provides ideal nutrition and promotes a healthy start in life.
We understand breastfeeding is not always possible, and when necessary, infant formula is the most suitable alternative to breastfeeding. Introducing partial bottle-feeding may interfere with breastfeeding your infant and it can be hard to reverse. Other considerations include the social and financial implications of feeding infant formula. We want to make sure your baby is as safe as possible, so please refer to the preparation and storage instructions for safe use of infant formula and be aware that any unnecessary or improper use of infant formula may cause health hazards for your baby.
Your choice, our support, always. With love.
If you require further information, consult your healthcare professional or learn more about the benefits of breast milk.
