Your baby may be a ball of energy and excitement at 9 months old! If you are wondering what you may expect from their development at this stage and what tips could be useful to you, here are some fast facts you ought to learn. Know more about 9 month old baby activities and developmental milestones.
How Your Baby is Growing
All babies grow at different speeds, so basing your baby’s weight and height on a universal average may be unfair. However, you could try to see if your baby is growing ideally by basing it on average weight and height gained each month.
Most babies gain around 1-lb. each month. However, boys may weigh around ½-lb more than females.
A baby’s head size may grow around ¼-in every month and they may grow about ½-in in height every month.
Developmental Milestones
You may be surprised at how much your 9-month-old has grown and what they have learned! Here are some milestones that you may expect from your baby.
Motor Skills
At 9 months old, your growing baby may start creeping and crawling. This is a good sign because crawling signals that they are getting ready to learn how to walk!
Your baby may be able to stand while holding onto something for support. You may even notice that your baby is able to pull themselves up to stand.
Your baby may be able to get into a sitting position without your help. Additionally, your baby may be able to sit up without support.
Cognitive Skills
Just like your baby’s body, your baby’s brain is growing as well. They may watch an item’s path as it falls. They may even look for items that you hide.
Your baby may start to enjoy games, such as peek-a-boo. They may also be interested in putting random items like their toys in their mouth. They may also begin to pinch small items to pick them up.
As part of 9 month old baby activities, do not forget to include playtime to stimulate development.
Communication and Language Skills
Your baby’s communication skills may be getting sharper. They may understand what “no” means, points at things with their finger, and copies gestures and sounds of others.
Your baby’s vocalization skills may start to mature, which could signal that they are closer to saying words. They may often enjoy to babble and say sounds, such as “bababa.”
Social and Emotional Development
You may notice that they may be scared or hesitant to interact with strangers. However, they may be clingy with any familiar adults and family members. Additionally, they may even have some favorite toys.
Feeding & Nutrition
While each baby will have different needs, there are still a few good tips and guides that you could try to follow. For instance, you may want to feed your baby whenever they look hungry.
Signs of hunger can include your baby getting excited when they see food or gesturing towards food. Additionally, your baby may open their mouth if you put a spoon in front of them.
Your baby may also need a variety of nutrients just like you. You can refer to a basic guideline of nutrients that a 9-month old baby would need.
For instance, you can give your baby 2-4 tbsp. each of soft-mashed/strained fruits and bite-sized/soft and mashed veggies twice a day. It would also be ideal to continue giving them formula or breastmilk, about 30-32-oz. per day.
You could also start slowly introducing your baby to table food. It would be wise to make sure that the table food you serve your baby has lots of variety to give them the nutrition they need.
Baby Care Tips
Your baby may have 2 or even more teeth at 9 months. You can use a clean cloth to gently clean their teeth before bedtime and after meals.
You can also try to stimulate your baby’s brain. For instance, you can hang a toy on the side of their crib called a busy board to let them play and learn.
Sleep
At 9 months, your baby may need around 2-3 hours of nap time throughout the day. Your baby may also need 11-12 hours of sleep at night.
Having regular nap times and bedtimes could be helpful for your child. It would not be wise to avoid naps to hope that they will sleep longer at night. It can cause a bad night’s rest and overtiredness.
Baby Health & Safety
Since your baby may be crawling around your home, it would be a good time to child-proof your home. You can put padding on sharp corners, block off dangerous places (fireplace, stove, etc.), keep cords out of reach, etc.
You may want to avoid bottle-feeding your baby in bed. It may cause them to get an ear infection or have fluid in their lungs.
Most babies can get common illnesses like fevers or coughs. You may need to see a doctor if symptoms persist for a long time or have more dangerous symptoms, such as bloody stool or severe dehydration. For vaccines, your baby may need a flu shot at 9 months.
What Can I Do to Help My Baby Grow?
There are many things you could try to encourage your baby to grow. For instance, setting a sleeping routine and ensuring that they have enough nutrients can encourage them to grow to their full potential.
Additionally, you can encourage playtime to help them be more active. You could also stimulate their brain by playing games with them and getting them educational toys.
What to Watch Out For and When to See a Doctor
While babies grow at their own speed, there may be some delays that may mean you should speak to a doctor. For instance, if your baby cannot handle their own weight with support, you may need to speak to a doctor.
Other examples of developmental delays can include:
- Cannot move an item from one hand to the opposite hand
- Does not look at wherever you point
- Does not recognize familiar faces
- Does not respond when you say their name
- Does not babble
Additionally, your baby may need to get a check-up when they are 9 months old. Your doctor may perform a blood test to check for signs of anemia and lead. They may also check to see if your baby’s development is going well.
Key Takeaways
Your baby may be hitting tons of milestones when they are 9 months old. Be sure to remember the tips above to learn more about your child’s development and how you can help them grow.
Learn more about Parenting here.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
