Advice for your Baby - 8 to 12 Months

Your baby is discovering their emotions from birth. Their senses develop and they form emotional bonds which will be influential factors in their ongoing development.

Fortunately parents do not have daily reminders of the chronic debilitation and deaths caused by diseases such as whooping cough, polio, measles and diphtheria. So as a parent, you may question whether there is a need to immunise your child.

You and the immediate environment are your baby’s best toys. Everything is new to them and it takes time to process and feel comfortable with new and natural sounds, smells and feel.

The age your baby gets teeth varies greatly from child to child. For most, baby teeth begin erupting anywhere from 6 to 9 months of age.

Sleep is individual and is dependent on physical activity, general health and wellbeing and environmental factors. Therefore the required amount of sleep may vary from baby to baby and sleep to sleep. Be guided by your baby’s tired signs and behaviour.

Your baby’s poo lets you know how well their digestive system is performing, and what is ‘normal’ is a source of common confusion for most parents. Basically, what goes in one end will determine what comes out the other!

Around 8-10 months, increase the variety and texture of foods for your baby. Your baby can now try lumpy, textural foods promoting chewing and soft finger foods.

Around 10-12 months, babies are ready for harder finger foods & self-feeding. This article will give you some great menu ideas for your little one as they grow toward toddlerhood.

Your baby is growing and developing everyday. Each month or even each day, brings new skills, new processing and progress. Read about your baby's developing skills.