Congratulations! You are now three-quarter way into the first year of your baby. By this time, you no longer have the tiny baby that you brought home from the hospital nine months ago. They have grown to become more mobile, vocal and even have better social interactions. That you are due for the last immunization jab, the measles, must come as a relief, especially if you are no fun of jabs yourself. Read more on immunization here.
At nine months, there are other developmental milestones that your baby is expected to have. However, do not be scared in case you realize that your baby is a bit slow. Here are some of the changes that you expect to see from your nine months old.
Better Communication
At nine months old, your little one will show either or all of these:-
- Babbling – They will make sounds that sound like sentences that you will not understand. Blab away with them as this encourages them to improve.
- First words – You may also recognize some of the sounds that they make such as ‘mama’ or ‘dada.’ Be keen as you are likely to hear your baby’s first words any time now.
- Listening – Your baby is now a better listener, and you will, therefore, see them pointing at a favorite toy when you mention it to them.
- Body language– Your baby will also be able to tell when you’re happy or sad from your body language.
Better Motor Skills
Some of the motor skills you can expect include_
- Crawling – At this age, your baby maybe already crawling faster than you can catch him. They can also quickly change the sit-back and crawling positions and pivot to take a toy. Do not worry if your is yet to crawl, though as every child develops differently.
- Standing – They can probably stand and move around while holding onto furniture. Encourage your baby to keep going by calling her to come to you from a distance. Do not be swayed, as many moms might, to invest in baby shoes. Wait until your baby can comfortably walk or is involved in many outdoor activities. This is because walking and standing on bare feet will help them develop the tendons and muscles on his feet.
- Pincer grasp- With the well-developed pincer grasp, you can now play with different toys and comfortably coordinate both hands. Therefore, ensure that you eliminate all hazardous toys to ensure safety in toys.
Social Development
At nine months, your baby is currently discovering new ways to interact and socialize with the people around them. However, separation and stranger anxiety is high at this time. For instance, your baby may start crying when visitors come in or when in a strange place they have never been before.This should not worry you as at this age, it will not last long. Keep encouraging them to keep meeting new people so they let go of this fear
Signs of Delayed Development
Though baby development rates may vary among different children, some signs will tell you that all is not well. Therefore, seek help in case you realize that:
- Cannot sit on their own
- Does not respond to any facial expression
- Is not babbling
Disclaimers:
#Note that development differs from one child to another
# Content intended for educational purposes only, and should not be substituted for medical advice from your doctor.
Last reviewed January 2019
Sources: webmd, bounty, babycentre, thebump
