• Contact us
• About us
• A-Z topics
• Symptom Checker
• Service Finder
• Subscribe to newsletters
• Sign in
• Linking to us
• Information partners
• Terms of use
• Privacy

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is funded by the Australian Government and operated by Healthdirect Australia.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby’s information and advice are developed and managed within a rigorous clinical governance framework.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present.

This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.

The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.

Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, this publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, altered, adapted, stored and/or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Healthdirect Australia.

Support this browser is being discontinued for Pregnancy, Birth and Baby

Support for this browser is being discontinued for this site

• Internet Explorer 11 and lower

We currently support Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari. For more information, please visit the links below:

• Chrome by Google
• Firefox by Mozilla
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari by Apple

You are welcome to continue browsing this site with this browser. Some features, tools or interaction may not work correctly.

9-month-old baby: Development, Milestones & Growth

Your 9-month-old's personality is blossoming – and separation anxiety might be as well. It may be extra hard to say goodbye when you leave your baby with a caregiver. Your baby is likely working on physical skills like waving, clapping, crawling, and standing. Language skills are growing, too, and so is your baby's memory. Your little one can remember where objects are and imitate some of your movements.

There's only one word to describe your 9-month-old: busy. They're learning new skills like waving and cruising, and babbling new sounds and even words. Your baby can understand words like "yes" and "no" – though that doesn't necessarily mean they're going to listen to you if you tell them not to do something.

In fact, your baby may be testing boundaries constantly to see your reaction. Sticking a finger in the dog's eye, throwing food from their high chair, and banging toys on the floor are all ways your baby experiments. Watching how you respond and predicting what will happen the next time are important steps in your 9-month-old's development, so let that comfort you when you're cleaning food off the floor – again!

Your baby's development

As always, there's a lot happening with your baby's development. Your 9-month-old is focused on mastering physical skills like crawling and standing. Make sure to put up baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs to stop your baby from climbing up and tumbling down.

Your 9-month-old is also going through major emotional growth as they move towards toddlerhood. Now, and for the next few months, separation anxiety is at its peak. Although it's normal for a baby this age to show an extreme attachment to you and fear of everyone else, it can make life difficult. Ease transitions by making a short and sweet goodbye ritual and sticking to it every time you say goodbye. A predictable routine helps your child build trust in you and in their ability to get through a separation.

By this week, your baby will start to remember more specific information, such as where their toys are. They'll also be able to imitate actions they've seen as long as a week before. Your baby has recall memory – the ability to remember some details of a specific experience for a short time – though they still don't remember most of their experiences.

9-month-old milestones

Here are some of the milestones your 9-month-old may reach:

• Crawling. By 9 months old, your baby may be an expert crawler. Some babies have different crawling styles – you may notice your baby is more of an army crawler, pulling themselves along on their belly, or crawling with one leg up.
• Standing up. Your baby can probably pull themselves up to a standing position using furniture or even while holding your hands. Some babies will start to practice standing on their own now as well. Get ready for a few falls – it's all part of the process. But you may need to keep a close eye on them around furniture, and lower the crib mattress so they can't fall out.
• Walking. Once your baby masters standing, it's on to walking. Those first few steps will be exciting, and they mark the transition from babyhood to toddlerhood. Most babies will start to walk when they're between 9 and 15 months old, but there's no rush. Let your baby develop on their own timeline and celebrate all the milestones along the way.
• Waving. Your baby may be working on waving hello and goodbye, flapping a hand at you in a rough (and super cute) attempt at waving.
• Clapping. You may also notice your baby bringing their hands together in a clapping motion. Clapping takes some serious hand-eye coordination – encourage your baby's efforts by singing songs that have clapping motions together ("If You're Happy and You Know It," for example).
• Finger dexterity. Your baby may love to put things in containers and take them out again. Your little one is perfecting the pincer grasp, which lets them pick up small objects between a thumb and forefinger. Because your baby is so good at putting things in their mouth now, it's especially important to make sure small toys, coins, button batteries, and other choking hazards are out of reach!

Although babies follow fairly predictable patterns of development, all babies are different. It's a good idea to be aware of milestones and tell your baby's care provider if you have any concerns about developmental delay. But keep in mind that some babies just need a bit more time to learn skills and hit milestones.

9-month-old weight and length

There are normal differences in how much 9-month-olds weigh, but on average, here's what you can expect:

Advertisement | page continues below

Baby boys

Average weight for a 9-month-old: 19 pounds 10 ounces
Average length for a 9-month-old: 28 1/4 inches

Baby girls

Average weight for a 9-month-old: 18 pounds 2 ounces
Average length for a 9-month-old: 27 1/2 inches

Your 9-month-old may go through a growth spurt. Babies naturally grow faster at certain times, and this can sometimes lead to less-than-pleasant side effects, such as sleep disruptions, irritability, and clinginess.

Growth spurts can be challenging to navigate, so just focus on making it through. Keep any routines you've established, and stick to the baby-care basics you know so well.

9-month-old feeding

Your 9-month-old may be an enthusiastic eater who enjoys plenty of soft finger foods and wants three meals plus snacks every day. (See our age-by-age guide to feeding your baby and these sample menus for more details and meal ideas.)

But your baby's main source of nutrition is still breast milk or formula, and your 9-month-old still needs about 24 to 32 ounces of breast milk or formula per day.

If you're breastfeeding, congratulations! Try to keep it going: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all babies have breast milk for a full year if possible. And there's no cut-off date; you can continue to breastfeed as long as you and your baby want to. If either of you is ready to stop now, that's fine too – check out these tips on weaning your baby.

Continue to offer your baby a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein-rich foods. As your baby's eating skills improve, gradually introduce more textures and soft finger foods. Finger foods are not only nutritious; they also help your baby work on fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Some great finger foods for babies include:

• Small (pea-sized) pieces of tofu
• Small pieces of cooked veggies
• Chopped fruit
• Chopped hard-boiled eggs
• Very small chunks of soft cheese
• Well-cooked pasta, cut into pieces
• Small pieces of bread or bagels
• Pea-sized pieces of cooked chicken, ground beef, turkey, or other soft meat

Your baby may start to show a preference for certain foods, and you may worry that your little one will grow up to be a picky eater. But it's normal for your baby to have preferences. Keep introducing new foods, and know that you may have to offer it ten times before your baby enjoys it.

The best thing you can do to raise a child who eats well is to offer a wide variety of healthy foods and let your child decide what and how much they want to eat. According to the American Heart Association, encouraging kids to make their own decisions about food (within a healthy eating environment) is linked to better childhood nutrition and healthier eating for life.

Some other helpful tips for raising a healthy eater:

• Offer new foods with foods your child already enjoys.
• As much as possible, make meals a family affair. Prepare and eat meals together, and try to make it fun.
• Never force your child to eat something they don't want, or impose rigid rules about eating such as cleaning their plate.
• Encourage your child to learn when they've had enough to eat, and don't pressure them eat more if they say they're full.
• Don't use food as a bribe.

9-month-old sleep

At 9 months old, your baby will still need between 12 and 16 hours of sleep (including naps) every 24 hours. That might look like 11 hours at night and 3.5 hours during the day taken in a morning and afternoon nap. (At 9 months old, most babies are down to two naps a day.)

Is your baby sleeping through the night? Usually a 9-month-old baby can sleep for 8 or more hours at a stretch, but all babies are different. If your baby isn't yet, you're not alone. Many babies still wake up at night for feedings in the 6- to 9-month stage (though most are ready for night weaning, if that's what you choose to do).

Also, sometimes babies who were great sleepers suddenly start waking up at night, or have difficulty falling asleep around now. Sleep disturbances can go hand-in-hand with reaching major milestones and with separation anxiety. Teething pain can also lead waking up at night.

If your baby hasn't yet settled into a sleep pattern that fits your family life, now might be a good time to try some type of sleep training. Sleep training methods can help your baby go to sleep more easily, sleep for longer periods at night, and keep more regular hours.

There are other things you can do to help your 9-month-old sleep well:

• Follow a bedtime routine to cue your baby that it's time for sleep.
• Keep your baby on a consistent sleep schedule.
• Encourage your baby to fall asleep on their own – this helps them learn to soothe themselves, so when they wake up at night, they can put themselves back to sleep.
• Try putting your baby to sleep a little earlier so they aren't overtired.

Your baby's health

It's time for another well-baby visit! Regular doctor visits are important to ensure that your little one is growing well. You probably know what to expect from doctor visits by now, but one change is there are no recommended vaccines this month. Of course, if your baby needs to catch up on any vaccines or get a flu shot, they can get them during this visit.

The 9-month checkup will include all the basics:

• A medical assistant or nurse will take all of your baby's physical measurements, including their weight, length, and head circumference. Those measurements will be plotted on a growth chart to track your baby's growth over time. Remember, no two babies develop the same way.
• Your baby's doctor will address any concerns about sleeping, feeding, and behavior and ask about your baby's sleeping and eating habits. They'll also review developmental milestones and check that your baby is developing appropriately.
• The doctor will do a complete physical and check your baby from head to toe, including the diaper area.
• The doctor will ensure that you're following recommended steps to keep your baby healthy, including baby-proofing your home, using a car seat safely, practicing safe sleep habits, and keeping up on vaccinations.

There are also some general health issues to keep in mind with a 9-month-old:

• Caring for baby teeth. Once your baby gets teeth, it's time for oral hygiene. Even if your baby has just one pearly white, you'll need to brush it! Use a tiny amount of fluoride toothpaste (the size of a grain of rice) to brush twice a day, and be sure to change your baby's toothbrush frequently to avoid introducing bacteria into their mouth.
• Using sunscreen. Make sure to use baby-safe sunscreen and protective clothing to keep your baby safe in the sun. Your baby's skin is much more sensitive than an adult's, so sunscreen is even more important for your little one.

Your 9-month-old baby: Week by week

Want to learn more about what's happening with your baby this month? Get more details on your 9-month-old's weekly development:

• Your 9-month-old: Week 1
• Your 9-month-old: Week 2
• Your 9-month-old: Week 3
• Your 9-month-old: Week 4

8–9 months. Sixth leap in the development of the child: categorization of objects and understanding of speech

08/17/2016

448226

597

Development of a child

6–9 months

Tatyana Chkhikvishvili

Tatyana Chkhikvishvili

Head of Online programs , psychologist, sleep and breastfeeding consultant

Mother of two children

The child begins to highlight similarities and differences. He is aware that different objects and sensations can be combined into groups or categories. A banana looks, feels, and tastes different from an apple, but both can be eaten. The kid learns more about his own emotions. A new restless period can begin around 8 months of age and last from 3 to 6 weeks. The child learns to see patterns and group objects according to certain characteristics. His sense of smell, touch, sight, hearing, emotions develop. The understanding of speech is actively developing.

Child crisis calendar

8–9 months. Categorization of objects according to characteristics

At about 8.5 months, the sixth leap in the development of the child occurs. The kid is very focused on his studies. The study of the world becomes more systematic. For example, he can carefully examine the contents of the plate with a very serious look and shift food from side to side.

Your baby is not yet speaking his first words, but he already understands a lot. The kid realizes that despite the fact that porridge, an apple and a banana are completely different in appearance and taste, they are all edible. He begins to group things together.

Signs of a crisis

If your baby suddenly becomes whiny, irritable, restless, even restless, you already know that this is a new stage in his development.

During crisis periods of developmental spurts, the child may:

• worry when you leave, cling to your clothes;
• eat worse;
• become more quiet, lethargic, indifferent;
• protest against changing clothes;
• become extraordinarily nice, snuggle up to you, hug, kiss, as long as you don't let him go;
• be ashamed of others;
• return to those stages of development that he has already outgrown;
• require a lot of attention.

Weird eating

You may notice that your baby has less interest in food and water. He may refuse his favorite dish or demand the same thing all the time for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It can eat almost nothing all day, and the next day there is a lot. Or he will only eat what he puts in his mouth. Don't worry. The diet will be restored soon. Perhaps your baby will even love some new foods.

How to help a child during a developmental leap?

During the sixth growth spurt, play fun and educational games with your child:

• Have your child press all sorts of buttons: doorbell, switch, elevator call button. He will understand that in response to his action, the bell rings, the lights go out, the door opens. An understanding of cause-and-effect relationships is now being formed.
• Long walks, visits, any change of scenery is an opportunity to learn something new for a child. Let him study an interesting subject for as long as he needs to.
• Talk to your baby as much as possible. Name all the objects that he sees and to which he reaches, ask questions for him and answer them. Speak words slowly and clearly. Let the baby hear the correct speech and observe your articulation.
• Encourage your child to imitate you with sounds, gestures. Play in front of a mirror, copy the movements of the baby, ask him to repeat after you.
• If the baby has something in his hand, ask him to give it to you. Ask him simple questions: "Where is your bunny"? And show me what you're looking for.
• Play hide-and-seek (the main thing is that the baby can see where you are hiding) or catch-up (you can crawl away from the baby and pretend that you are trying to catch him when he crawls next to you).
• Sing songs with simple gestures: clap your hands, stomp, turn from side to side. Let the child try to repeat after you.

Sleep

Very often during a developmental leap a child has a crisis in matters of sleep. The baby can get up very early in the morning; wake up more often at night. Daytime sleep may also worsen. Sleep may become very restless, the child may roll over in bed or flail their arms and legs.

It is very important during this period to pay more attention to calming the child before going to bed. Do not be afraid to spend more time getting ready for bed, plan it in advance, do not allow "overwalking".

If your baby has a poor appetite during the day, he may try to compensate for the lack of food at night by waking up more often from hunger. It is imperative that the needs of the child be met. But remember that the crisis will soon pass, and the habit of frequent night feedings can remain and gain a foothold. Try to feed your baby during the day in a calm environment with a minimum of irritants, offer food more often.

End of jump. What changed?

New skills will change the child's understanding of his abilities and the world around him. Until the next jump, which will happen at about 10.5 months, the child will actively develop new skills: understand speech, (perhaps he will even say his first word), play simple games with you, fulfill simple requests. Communication with the baby is becoming more and more interesting.

Share in the comments: how did your child go through the sixth leap of development? What new things did the baby learn and how did this affect his behavior and sleep?

#surge

448226

Growth Rats in Children - Article Babysleep On Conditions for Week Development in Children

07/06/2016

1548829

972

Article

Tatyana Chkhquishvili

Tatyana Chkhikvishvili

Head sleep and gw

Mother of two children

For the first 1.5 years of life, the child changes fantastically! Height, weight, physical skills and mental abilities - never again in his life will his development be so rapid.

But the development of the child does not occur evenly, but in leaps. Suddenly, unexpectedly, some new skill appears in the crumbs, and then for some time nothing new seems to happen. In fact, a new skill has a preparatory period, about a week. And this week is a real crisis for both the baby and the parents.

These developmental crises in children are noticeable and natural, Dr. Hetty Vandereit and Professor Frans Ploy - psychologists, specialists in the field of early childhood development - even created a special calendar of child crises.

But don't be afraid! Each crisis is a consequence of the development of the child, so these crisis weeks are more likely to add up to a calendar of jumps in the development of the child. Each crisis is a jump in the development of the nervous system, a jump in the growth of the brain, the emergence of new abilities in a child. For a baby, this is comparable to the discovery of a new, completely unknown world. Of course, this worries the child. During a crisis, he can worry, act up, cry, sleep and eat worse.

Change is too fast. They are incomprehensible to the child, he is excited and frightened. During a crisis, the baby really needs your attention and help. Be patient. It is in your power to help your child go through every crisis, every growth spurt easier and faster.

The growth spurt table shows how developmental spurts are distributed over the weeks of a baby's life. Weeks highlighted in light green show crisis. Lightning and blue color indicates the most difficult time. The crisis is followed by weeks marked in white - this is a calm period, the end of the crisis. The child successfully survived another leap and mastered something new. Until the next developmental leap and a new crisis, there will be a rather calm time when the baby consolidates new skills.

Child crisis calendar

Developmental leaps in children occur at about the same age. Up to 1.5 years, the child experiences 10 such jumps. At first, each crisis is short, and they often succeed each other. Gradually, the intervals between crisis periods lengthen, but the duration of each jump also increases.

If the baby was born prematurely, see the growth spurt calendar from the due date (DOT).

Learn more

• 
  Tens machine pregnant
• 
  Can you get pregnant few days before ovulation
• 
  Frank position baby
• 
  Define inducing labor
• 
  Babies with teeth at birth
• 
  Babies with teeth at birth
• 
  Tired first weeks of pregnancy
• 
  How do you sign your rights over for a child
• 
  Babies with teeth at birth
• 
  Tired first weeks of pregnancy
• 
  How do you sign your rights over for a child