The 9^th month marks the start of the baby’s attempts at propulsion. He will now start trying to get himself moving on the floor either by shuffling, creeping or crawling. No matter how he does it, the baby will try to move about on his own. Babies of this age group are very curious, even a stain on the floor can grab their attention which they would want to examine. Let them explore but always remain around them so that they do not end up injuring themselves.

How Is Your 9 Month Old Baby Developing?

1. Body Growth

At this stage, the height of the baby is not much of a concern as it is related to genes. However, his weight is crucial since it would determine if the child’s digestion system is working properly or not. Here are the WHO child growth standards for 9 month old babies: the average height for boys is 72 cm, and for girls is 70.2 cm; the average weight for boys is 8.9 kg, and for girls is 8.2 kg.

2. Physical Development and Motor Skills

A 9 month old baby is able to crawl very well and will want to crawl up the stairs as well. Therefore, be sure to be around when the baby is crawling about near the stairs. The baby will now be getting adept at changing positions very quickly too and will soon begin to start walking with the aid of furniture as well. However, there is still no need for baby shoes, since they are developing their leg muscles and can have better grip when walking barefoot. Their fine motor skills will get better too.

3. Communication Development

At this age, the 9 month old baby’s communication skills are developing rapidly and he will start making sounds that will resemble like actual words. Since the baby’s hearing skills are developing as well, he will start listening to your words more intently. Thus, it is a good idea to talk to him regularly so that he can grasp more words. Moreover, he will start understanding your commands in a better manner as well. He would also start understanding body language and will try to respond to actions as well. Some babies can even start imitating sounds at this age.

Watch this video to learn more about a 9 month old baby’s development:

How to Take Care of a 9 Month Old Baby

1. Feed Your Baby Properly

You must have started giving solid foods to your baby by now and it is better that you let him feed on his own. This will help the baby in getting independence and enjoy his meals more. Moreover, he will also get to know about the food he is eating. He is sure to make a lot of mess since he would want to touch his food a lot to learn about its texture, so it is best to have a plastic sheet under him when he is eating.

2. Provide Good Nutrition

It is a good time to provide your baby with some extra protein. Well-cooked beans and lentils that are easy for him to chew will do nicely. You can also start giving him chicken pieces, boneless fish, small chunks of banana and crackers as well, which are good for his teeth development.

3. Understand Their Sleeping Patterns

Sleeping is an important component of your child’s development, so let him sleep for a while when you see him feeling tired or getting a bit restless. Don’t make the baby stay up for long as he could become tired quickly, just stick to a daily routine. If your baby starts waking up at night, then it is better to put him to sleep by reminding him that it is nighttime and he must sleep now.

4. Pay Attention to Their Health

A 9 month old baby is not up for a vaccination. However, if he hasn’t had them yet, it is high time that you get him vaccinated as soon as possible. Moreover, you can stop sterilizing your baby’s milk bottle, but never forget to wash it carefully before every feed.

5. Safety Always Comes First

Even at this stage of their lives, babies are not able to assess danger and still rely on you to keep them safe from harm. Therefore, learn about childproofing your home to make sure that your baby remains safe. Moreover, when taking the baby for a ride in the car, keep him in a car seat which is facing backwards so that he remains safe from any kind of harm in case an accident happens.

6. Cope with Their Stranger Anxiety

The baby would most likely cling to you at this age and would not want to be around strangers. This is completely normal and you don’t have anything to worry about. However, to avoid such situations, you can give him something of your own to hold on to and ask the people wanting to play with the baby to be very slow in their approach.

7. Tips for Helping Your 9 Month Old Baby's Development

a) Tips for cognitive development

• Give him picture books and make him learn by showing him pictures of different objects. It will also improve his vocabulary as well since he would learn many new words too.
• Take him to the zoo or the mall and let him see the world around him.
• Sing songs with him to encourage speech.
• Don’t leave him in front of television.
• Provide him something of your own to make him less anxious around strangers.

b) Tips for physical development and motor skills

• Teach him about cold and hot objects while playing.
• Give him large toys so that he can start walking while playing with them.
• Give him different toys that require precision control to help him master motor skills.