Appointments – What to expect in the 10th month

• U6: The U6 early‑detection check is carried out between the 10th and 12th month of life – the appointment is usually scheduled towards the end of that period. During the U6 the paediatrician mainly checks whether your baby is developing age‑appropriately in terms of speech and motor skills and may recommend support measures if necessary.

• Childcare: If you return to work after parental leave, you have probably already thought about childcare. A crèche or a childminder are common options for children under three. Take a little extra time to visit different settings and let your gut feeling help guide you — in most cases your first impression is the right one.

Key developmental milestones in the 10th month

• Crawling or scooting: By now most babies have developed their own way of getting around. Some crawl, others scoot or push themselves forwards while sitting on their bottoms. And it’s not uncommon for them to be surprisingly quick.

• Walking: Many babies are already attempting their first steps at 10 months by cruising along the furniture, pushing a chair in front of them or putting one foot in front of the other while holding your hands.

• Precision: Your baby has likely already mastered the pincer grip between thumb and forefinger with quite some precision. Even the tiniest crumbs are picked up. They also experiment a lot: objects are struck together, deliberately dropped or sometimes thrown with force.

• Sitting: Your baby can now sit securely and will generally be able to lean forward in the sitting position without toppling over. They can remain seated for longer periods with a straight back and extended arms. To sit down many babies simply plop down onto their bottoms.

• Standing: The muscles in the legs are becoming steadily stronger. Muscle control is improving too, so your child is increasingly able to pull themselves up on all kinds of objects.

• Gestures and touch: Your baby probably enjoys communicating a lot through gestures. They may clap their hands or wave goodbye. Many children at this age also touch and feel the faces of their parents or other people, thereby expanding non‑verbal communication.

How much should my child weigh at 10 months?

The baby face is increasingly becoming that of a toddler and the body continues to lengthen, so your child will be about 72 to 73 centimetres tall and weigh between 8,500 and 9,200 grams.

Image credits

Modern baby scale on the table and an out-of-focus woman with a child in a house © New Africa - stock.adobe.com