Your 10-month-old has grown and developed a lot, becoming more independent, expressive, and mobile – and they aren’t slowing down. There are incredible 10-month-old milestones coming up in the next few weeks. This article will help you prepare by answering common questions, including, What are 10-month-old baby milestones?, How do I help my baby meet milestones?, and a very common question, How much should my 10-month-old sleep?
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As your baby develops, you want to make sure they’re getting the right amount of sleep for their age. If you’ve sleep trained, you know how to track your baby’s sleep and work with their sleepy cues.
If you’re just starting your sleep training journey, take this FREE sleep assessment for a personalized sleep plan tailored to your baby’s sleep challenges.
What Are the Milestones for a 10-Month-Old Baby?
Here are common milestones for a 10-month-old baby, divided into developmental categories. As you read this, note that this isn’t a “10-month-old development checklist.” Rather, it’s a collection of averages. Each baby is unique, so it’s alright if your baby hasn’t reached a particular 10-month-old developmental milestone. They’re going at their own rate – a little individual already! And you can always check with your pediatrician if you have questions or concerns.
10-Month-Old Growth Developments:
Getting Bigger and Bigger: Wow-o-wow. Your baby is going through their clothes like there’s no tomorrow – that’s because your baby is growing super fast and will likely be triple their birth weight by 12-months.
10-Month-Old Movement Developments:
On the Move:
Your baby is becoming more mobile and curious by the day – a combination that leads to non-stop movement. Whether sitting, crawling, scooting, rolling over, or rocking on their knees, your 10-month-old baby will be a little wiggle worm around now – and that is so great!
These movements strengthen their little muscles, teach them how their bodies work, and lay the groundwork for their next big move!
Pulling Up:
As they grow stronger and more curious, 10-month-old will also be pulling themselves up to stand. Watch out, though, sometimes babies have a hard time figuring out how to safely sit. To prevent them from “bottoming out,” you can help your baby learn to sit by showing how you bend your knees as you lower yourself.
Cruising:
Considering all their movements, you may wonder, “Do 10-month-old’s cruise?” Yes, once they learn how to stand well, your baby will start taking a few steps while holding onto the couch or another piece of furniture. This is cruising, the foundation for walking.
Once your baby learns how to cruise, they’ll soon test themselves by letting go of the furniture. They’ll probably fall a few times, soon enough they’ll be taking that next step: walking!
Tip: With your baby moving and shaking so much, they’ll likely want to explore any stairs around. Prevent injuries by investing in some sturdy baby gates – and always keep a close eye on your little when they’re scooting or cruising.
Should My 10-Month-Old Use a Baby Walker?
Though popular, pediatricians and pediatric experts generally say you should not allow your baby to use a baby walker. In addition to being dangerous, they don’t necessarily encourage your baby to walk or strengthen the muscles they need to walk. Instead of a walker, then, try a push car.
10-Month-Old Cognitive Developments:
Hearing You, and Everything:
Your baby’s senses are improving every day, and they are listening and learning. For example, they likely know the name of their favorite toy, a sibling, or pet. They can’t say those names yet, but if you ask, “Where’s Teddy?” they’ll probably point right to it.
You’ll be shocked how soon your baby is trying to sound out “teddy,” too.
Imitating Words:
As they learn new words, your baby will start to sound out the simpler ones, like “mama,” “dada” or “teddy.” While they can’t talk yet, you will hear sounds that resemble words more than simple baby babble.
How Can I Teach My Baby to Talk?
With your baby’s hearing is improving, it’s more important now than ever to talk to your baby. You can talk about your day, you can talk about doggies, you can – and should – talk about what you’re doing as you cook, clean, and hang out around the house. Again, your baby is learning every second – by engaging them, you’re teaching them more than you can ever know.
Imitating Actions:
As your baby learns about the world, you’ll notice they start to mimic what you do, too. They’ll use a toy phone, push a toy vacuum, or use a brush. If you see your baby doing these things, encourage them and explain to them what each object does.
10-Month-Old’s Motor Skill Developments:
Picking Up, Putting Down:
Your baby continues to strengthen their pincer skill and hand muscles, and you may notice they seem to be practicing picking things up and putting them down. You can help them grow this skill giving them new toys to play with, like a ring stack.
Pointing, Too:
If they haven’t already, your 10-month-old baby will likely start pointing to objects they want – another sign they’re learning about the world around them and their place in it.
Individual But Still Timid:
Speaking of the world around them, you may notice your baby is both curious about the world and still shy about exploring on their own. They may scoot down the hall, turn to you, and then scoot back. This is because they feel two emotions: curiosity and uncertainty about straying too far. You can encourage their curiosity and make them feel safe by following them as they explore. You may also notice your baby starts to cry if you’re out of their sight. This is likely because of separation anxiety.
Do 10-Month-Old’s Have Separation Anxiety?
Yes, 10-month-olds do often experience separation anxiety, but that isn’t a bad thing. On the contrary, it’s great if your baby experiences separation anxiety because it means they understand object permanence – that objects continue exist even when out of sight. This can lead to some tears if they can’t see you – a sign they miss you!
How Can I Help My 10-Month-Old’s Separation Anxiety?
There are two fun games you can play to help your baby overcome their separation anxiety:
Peek-a-Boo:
This classic game is great fun, but it also serves a subtle purpose: that something can “disappear” but always return – a fact that helps your baby understand that “out of sight” doesn’t mean “gone forever.”
Instead of the age old version where you hide, try using their favorite toy ‘where’s bunny gone?’ If they don’t find it right away, maybe try making it super obvious to start with.
How Do I Support My 10-Month-Old’s Development?
One of the best ways to help your 10-month-old reach their milestones is simply by being with them, playing with them, and talking to them. They’re engaging the world more and it’s up to you to help them learn about it.
To help get you started, here are some great ways to aide your 10-month-old’s development:
Play “Discovery Zone”:
Hide some safe objects somewhere your baby already explores – a low drawer or kitchen cupboard. “Discovering” these objects will be so exciting for them, giving them a little confidence boost. Plus, they’ll learn about the hidden object when you tell them, “That’s X, and it’s for [blank].“
Talk It Out:
Again, explaining the world around them will help your 10-month-old learn and develop a vocabulary later in life.
Charades, But with Words:
Similarly, when going “bye-bye” or answering “yes” or “no,” be sure to do the actions that go with those words. This is showing them how to wave, nod, or shake their head no.
Get “Busy”:
You can improve your 10-month-old’s motor skills and hand-eye coordination by giving them “busy boxes” or play centers that make noises, move around, have compartments that open or otherwise get your baby’s hands and eyes moving.
What is a 10-Month-Old’s Sleep Schedule?
Two of the most common questions about a 10-month-old’s milestones are questions we hear are, “What is a 10-month-old’s sleep schedule?” or “How long should my 10-month-old sleep?”
To help you understand your baby’s sleep, we’ve created this sample sleep schedule for a 10-month-old. Keep in mind that every baby is unique, so consider the times listed here as simple examples. When sleep training your baby, focus less on clock times and more on their wake windows and sleepy cues.
What Are Wake Windows?
Wake windows are the amount of time your baby is awake between sleeps. Their wake window will evolve and change as they grow. A great way to keep track of it is by tracking their sleeps, something the Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers™ does automatically.
What are Sleepy Cues?
Sleepy cues are the actions your baby does when they’re tired, including yawning, pulling their ears, or rubbing their eyes. When you see these signs your baby is tired, it’s time to take them to bed. This will help your baby sleep through the night. If your baby is struggling with sleep, take this Free Sleep Assessment and get a personalized sleep plan for your baby.
Sample Sleep Schedule for a 10-Month-Old:
Can My 10-Month-Old Sleep All Night?
Most 10-month-olds can sleep through the night, yes. If your baby is still feeding during the night, check in with your pediatrician and most likely your baby is now getting all the calories they need during the day.
How Many Hours Should a 10-Month-Old Sleep?
It’s best for 10-month-old babies to sleep about 13.5 hours each day, spread out between daytime naps and night sleeps.
How Much Should a 10-Month-Old Sleep at Night?
10-month-olds should sleep an average of 11-12 hours at night.
How Many Hours Should a 10-Month-Old Sleep During the Day?
Most 10-month-olds take 2 naps totaling about 2-3 hours. The afternoon nap is typically a bit shorter.
What is the Wake Window for a 10-Month-Old?
On average a 10-month-old is awake between 3 and 4 hours between sleeps – plenty of time to play and talk and support your 10-month-old’s development.
Will There Be a 10-Month Sleep Regression?
You’ll be happy to hear that there is not typically a sleep regression at 10-months. However, that said, sometimes the 8-month sleep regression is more like a 9-month sleep regression and that may affect your 10-month-old baby’s sleep. If your baby is experiencing signs of a sleep regression, it may be time to revisit sleep training to “reset” them.
Sources:
“Infant Development: 10-12 Months,” The Mayo Clinic.
“Sit to Talk: Relation between Motor Skills and Language Development in Infancy,” Frontiers in Psychology.
“The importance of early bonding on the long-term mental health and resilience of children,” The London Journal of Primary Care.
How We Wrote This Article
The information in this article is based on the expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. You can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.
