It’s the third quarter since you gave birth and it is only three months from now until your baby turns one! Your 9 month old tiny tot is now uttering words that make more sense, and are becoming more adventurous in his activities.
Here are the developments to expect now that your baby is 9 months old:
9 Month Old Baby Development: Is Your Baby On Track?
Physical Development
Standing and cruising by holding on to something are just a few of the things your baby might be able to do now that he is 9 months old.
Your 9 month old baby may be able to sit for extended periods of time and pull himself up to stand up from that position. Because his bones and muscles have further developed, he may now be an expert crawler and may even start crawling with only one hand and both knees while holding an object with the other hand.
Because your baby is now more mobile, his weight gain might be noticeably slower compared to the previous months, which is just normal.
Cognitive Development
Your 9 month old is now more observant and curious — their understanding of language is improving as well. Your baby is also becoming a good listener and is now better at understanding body language.
This is the time when your baby might already recognise the meaning of “no” through your actions.
The ninth month will also be the time your baby will start mimicking your actions, copying the sounds you make and becoming a comedic performer who will do anything to make the adults around laugh.
Speech and Language
In between constant babbling, your baby might start to utter real words, phrases and sometimes, sentences.
Note that your baby thinks he is saying something you understand so remember to respond to whatever he says.
Social and Emotional Development
This is also the stage where separation anxiety is becoming an issue as well as the so-called stranger anxiety. Your baby can now easily pick up when you’re about to leave him, and become especially anxious when strangers are around.
Health and Nutrition
By this time, your tiny tot might start to become a picky eater, so it’s important to ensure that you’ve started establishing healthy eating habits to ensure he doesn’t miss out on nutrition.
This is also a good time to introduce new textures, tastes and flavors to your baby’s diet.
Your baby’s sleeping patterns might also change around this time as he begins to enjoy playtime more, be it in the day or at night.
How your baby speaks, acts, learns, and plays offers essential clues about his development. Here are some tips to nurture it:
Motor Skills
Your baby’s motor skills have improved a lot by this time. By now, he may have become an expert in crawling — sometimes even crawling up and down the stairs. He might also be quick in changing positions like sitting back down from crawling or even pivoting. Watch out because your baby might also be able to pull a stand and cruise from one place to the other while holding on to furniture. (So make sure you’ve childproofed your home!)
Fine motor skills have also improved a lot by the ninth month. Your little one will already be able to pick up smaller toys and better coordinate his hand movements.
As your 9 month old is more eager to move, you can encourage this by giving him plenty of space to move.
Language Development
Your baby’s babbling may start to sound more like real words now — meaning you can probably start hearing “dada” and “mama.”
While it is more likely that your baby just babbles constantly, it doesn’t mean he is not picking up on comprehension. At this stage, your little one might still be comprehending more from your tone than the actual words. This means the more you talk to your baby, the better he learns how to communicate.
Careful, though, as this also means whatever you say, he might end up imitating.
Your 9 month old is able to understand what you tell him better through your actions than through your words.
This stage plays an important role in helping your baby understand the difference between emotions as well as the good and the bad.
Through the tone of your voice, your baby can pick up if you are pleased or not. He may now also start to understand the word “no,” however, he may not obey it just yet or at least not all the time. Using the word sparingly can help your baby understand it better. Saying “no” and following up by removing him from the scene or taking away the object you don’t want him touching or sucking while introducing a new object will help him pick up its meaning.
Every Baby Is Unique
While these are common developmental feats that can be observed in 9 month olds, it is important to remember that each baby is unique when it comes to meeting their milestones. This guide is only to help you find out what your baby might be able to achieve at this stage.
If you are concerned about your baby’s development, it is always best to consult the your pediatrician to ensure that you are properly guided.
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Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore