Is there a growth spurt at 9 months

Your baby's growth and development - 9 months old

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At around 9 months, babies' brains have a growth spurt. They will really be developing a personality now, and you'll be getting a glimpse of the child they're going to grow into.

Your 9-month-old

As your baby’s memory develops, they will form stronger attachments with a few people and will start to prefer some people over others. They may still be suffering from separation anxiety when you leave them, but don’t worry — it’s normal.

By now your baby should be able to handle finger foods that they can pick up and eat themselves. Make sure you give them a variety of foods from each of the 5 food groups every day: vegetables; fruit; lean meat, fish, poultry or meat alternatives; grains and cereal; and milk, cheese, yoghurt and dairy alternatives.

From 9 months, you can also start to offer food before their milk feeds. This is so your baby can start to cut down on their milk intake.

Your baby may be standing upright and moving around while holding onto furniture (this is called ‘cruising’) but sometimes this doesn’t happen for another few months. You don’t need to worry about buying them shoes just yet — learning to walk in their bare feet helps to strengthen their feet and leg muscles. Think about buying their first shoes when they start walking around outside.

Understanding baby growth charts

A growth chart helps you and your doctor keep track of how your baby is growing.

What can your baby do?

By 9 months, your baby will be starting to understand the meaning of words. If you point at something, they might look at it. They will be babbling, copying sounds, making noises to get your attention, and might stop when you say 'no'. They will probably recognise their name by now.

Many babies are mobile by 9 months and some can go upstairs, but coming back down is very challenging, so take care. They will also be learning how to bend their knees to sit down after standing. At 9 months your baby should also be able to sit, lean forward and straighten up without toppling.

Passing games are a favourite with many 9-month-olds — giving you a toy and then taking it back. They will also be fascinated by putting objects in a container and taking them out again, stacking rings, and playing with toys with levers, doors and moving parts.

How can I help my baby develop?

Your baby is probably interested in toys they can interact with. But you don’t have to spend a lot of money on them. You can entertain them by opening and closing the kitchen cupboards (as long as the contents are safe), giving them a wooden spoon to bang a pot with, playing peek-a-boo behind the sofa or curtains, and building blocks into a tower.

Keep talking, singing and reading to your baby as much as possible to help with their language development. Make funny sounds, explain to them what you are doing, and respond to their noises.

You can help your baby to gain confidence in walking by standing or kneeling in front of them with your hands out, or holding them by the hands as they walk towards you. You can also buy a toy trolley or stroller that they can hold onto while they learn to walk. Make sure it’s stable and has a wide base. Baby walkers are not recommended as they can interfere with natural development of walking skills and result in many injuries.

Development problem signs

Babies develop at different rates. At 9 months, talk to your doctor or maternal child health nurse if they:

haven’t started to move at all
aren't showing any interest in or reaching for objects
don’t recognise you or a main carer
don't turn towards quiet sounds
aren't babbling or recognising sounds made by other people
don’t make eye contact
can’t be comforted by you or a main carer
hold their body stiff rather than sitting

Where can I go for help?

If you are worried or would like to discuss any issues with your baby’s development, speak to your doctor or child health nurse.

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.

Sources:

Raising Children Network (Healthy eating habits for kids), Healthy WA (Child development 9–12 months), Raising Children Network (8-9 months: baby development), Women's and Children's Health Network (Milestones: Children 0-4 years), Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (Developmental milestones and the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards)

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: October 2020

Bonding with your baby
How your baby learns - birth to 3 years
Your baby’s growth and development – first 12 months
Understanding baby growth charts

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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.

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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:

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

90,000 growth surges in children - Article Babysleep about leaps for development of weeks in children

06/06/2016

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923

Article

Tatyana Chkhikvishvili

Head sleep and breastfeeding

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 crises in the development of 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). If the baby was born late, start counting earlier, also with the PDD.

BabySleep prepared a series of articles about growth spurts in children. Learn how to recognize the approach of each crisis, what your child will learn after it ends, what difficulties may arise and how to help your child cope with them.

A series of articles prepared on the basis of the book “The Wonder Weeks: How to Turn Your Baby's Eight Great Fussy Phases into Magical Leaps Forward”, Hetty Vanderijt, Frans Plooij (“Naughty? So developing!”, Hetty Vanderijt, Frans Ploy)

#surge

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Child's sleep - BabySleep Center for Children's Sleep and Development

From birth to 1. 5 years old, a child experiences 10 crises of growth and development. Do not be afraid, every crisis is a jump in the development of the nervous system, the growth of the brain, the emergence of new abilities in a child.

Enter the date of birth of the child and get a personal table of developmental leaps

Was the baby born at the wrong time?

Clicky for lightning to find out more than

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week

Week

6 9000 9000 week

week

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Week

13,0003

Week

19000 19000 Week 9000 20

Week

9000 32 9000

week

Week

9000 37

Week

9000 38

Week

47 9000 9000 47

Week

56 56

Week

59 9000 9000 61

Week

9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000

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Week

weeks 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000

week

A difficult time is expected around this week

Now is a relatively quiet time

Perhaps a difficult time

Life hack from BabySleep

When the table of jumps and crises of the child is in sight, it is easier for the family to survive them!

Print PDF

When

Curses of the child are

5 week / 1 month

1 leap: new sensations

8 Week (8–9) / 2 months

2 Generation: Patterns

9000 12 Week / 2 ,5 months

3rd leap: awareness of change

19th week (15–19) / 4 months

4th leap: exploration of space

26th week (23–26th) / 5. 5 months

5th leap: awareness of distance

week (34–37) / 8–9 months

6th leap: understanding categories

46th week (42–46) / 10.5 months

7th leap: construction and sequencing

55th week (51–54) / 1 year

8 leap: planning and goals

64 (60–64) / 1 year and 2 months

9 leap: abstractions and principles

75 weeks (71–75) / 1 year and 5 months

10 leap: systems and management

FAQ

How to use the calendar if the baby was born early or late?

Where did the crisis data come from?

The child sleeps very badly during the crisis weeks, what should I do?

If some jumps go unnoticed?

If the crisis weeks in the table and in life do not coincide?

If the child seems to be in crisis all the time?

Why does the number of the crisis week in the calendar not always coincide with the number of the leap week?

Elena Muradova

Founder of BabySleep, first sleep consultant in Russia and CIS

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