Your Baby's 10th Month

Baby's Not Crawling?

If your baby is not crawling or pulling to a stand by this age, you may be concerned about his development. There are many normal, healthy babies who are not as interested in gross motor activities and are quite content to sit and play quietly. These babies may be great observers of more active babies—constantly watching and absorbing information.

Chances are your baby will start crawling suddenly. Remember, some babies don't crawl: Many scoot on their bottoms, creep on their tummies, or figure out other means of getting from point A to point B. Some go straight to pulling to a stand and cruising around furniture. Once these babies start moving, they tend to learn how to move themselves at a faster rate than the more active babies did a few months back.

It is far more important to support your baby's individual interests than to push him into doing something before he is ready. If you are still concerned about your child's lack of interest in moving, talk to his healthcare provider who can do an assessment, which will probably result in your peace of mind. Our advice? Enjoy not having to chase your baby while you can!

Peek-a-Boo and Object Permanence

Baby's memory has made great strides this month. He is developing the cognitive ability to remember that you still exist even when he doesn't see you. There are some games that babies like to play that support learning about the permanence of objects.

Even if you haven't initiated a game of peek-a-boo with your baby yet, he probably will. A lot of babies like to take their favorite blankets, put them over their heads, and then pull them back to see parents' smiling faces. He will love it if you say something while he is covered, such as, "Where did baby go?" If he is not initiating the game with a blanket, try your hands over your eyes. He'll surely imitate you, have great fun, and be learning at the same time.

Another interesting game for Baby is to hide a favorite object under a blanket. He is learning that he can pick up the blanket to get his toy back. (Click here to see this in action!)

Now that he understands object permanence, Baby may react strongly when you say goodbye. (This is tied very strongly to the separation anxiety around month 7.) He knows that you exist and are just somewhere without him. It is very important for you and your caregiver to explain that you will always come back to get him. He'll get through this phase with your support and love.