Week 49 old
Week 49: your baby is right at the edge of toddlerhood. Here's what to expect at 49 weeks old, from feeding and sleep to the milestones doctors look for around the 12-month checkup.
In short
At 49 weeks (about 11 months), most babies are pulling up, cruising along furniture, eating a wide range of finger foods, and babbling with real intention. This is the home stretch before the 12-month checkup, where your pediatrician will check growth and a set of milestones.
🍼 Feeding
Around this age, breast milk or formula is still the main drink, roughly 16-24 oz per day (about 3-4 nursing sessions or bottles), with three meals plus one or two snacks of soft table and finger foods. Babies are usually exploring a wide variety of textures and self-feeding. Hold off on cow's milk as a main drink and honey until 12 months, and keep offering water in a cup with meals.
😴 Sleep
Most babies this age sleep about 12-15 hours total in a day: roughly 10-12 hours overnight plus 2 naps totaling around 2-3 hours. Wake windows typically run about 3-4 hours. Many babies show signs of moving toward one nap, but the 2-to-1 nap transition usually happens a bit later, often closer to 14-18 months.
What's happening this week
- •Around this age many babies are cruising along furniture, and some are letting go to stand for a second or two on their own.
- •Pincer grasp is usually well established now, so many babies pick up tiny pieces of food neatly between thumb and finger.
- •Many babies this age understand simple words and short phrases like 'no,' 'bye-bye,' or their own name, even before they say much back.
- •Object permanence is strengthening, which is why peekaboo and looking for hidden toys is so fun right now.
- •Separation anxiety often peaks around this period; clinginess and stranger wariness are normal and not a sign of being spoiled.
Milestones to keep in mind
- ✓By the 12-month checkup, many babies pull to stand and cruise along furniture, though independent steps can come anytime from now to 15+ months.
- ✓Around now to the 12-month visit, many babies wave bye-bye, clap, or use simple gestures.
- ✓By the 1-year checkpoint, many babies say one or two words like 'mama' or 'dada' with meaning, but plenty of typically developing babies say none yet.
- ✓Around this age many babies bang two objects together and look for hidden objects; the CDC anchors these checks at the 12-month visit.
Growth
💡 Tip for this week
As your baby pulls up and cruises, do a quick floor-level safety sweep: anchor bookcases and dressers to the wall, move cords and small objects out of reach, and add gates at stairs. Newly upright babies reach higher and faster than you expect.
⚠️ When to call your pediatrician
Call your pediatrician if your baby has fewer wet diapers than usual or signs of dehydration, isn't gaining weight or seems to be losing weight, has a fever that worries you (especially if listless or hard to wake), stops doing things they used to do (loss of skills), doesn't respond to their name or familiar sounds, makes no eye contact, or isn't bearing any weight on their legs when supported. Trust your gut and ask any time something feels off.
Frequently asked
My 49-week-old isn't walking yet. Should I worry?
No. Most babies don't take independent steps until around their first birthday, and many walk later, anywhere up to about 15-18 months can be normal. At this age, look for pulling up and cruising along furniture. If your baby isn't bearing weight on their legs or pulling to stand by the 12-month checkup, mention it to your pediatrician.
How much should my baby be eating at 49 weeks?
Around this age, most babies have three meals and one or two snacks of soft table foods plus roughly 16-24 oz of breast milk or formula a day. Appetites vary day to day, and that's normal. Keep offering a variety of foods and let your baby decide how much to eat. Save whole cow's milk as a main drink and honey for after the first birthday.
Why is my almost-one-year-old suddenly so clingy?
Separation anxiety commonly peaks around this age as babies understand that you exist even when you leave the room but can't yet grasp that you'll come back. Quick, warm goodbyes, a consistent caregiver, and a comfort object can help. It's a normal developmental phase, not a setback.
Looking for the bigger picture? See the month 12 overview →
General guidance, not medical advice. Every baby develops at their own pace — talk to your pediatrician with any concerns.