Get ready – this next month of growth is going to be strong! At 9 months of age, your baby will experience more vocal development in his developmental milestones and will enjoy engaging with the people around him. This article will cover all the new developmental milestones, along with a feeding schedule, a sample sleep schedule, and fun ways to engage your 9-month-old baby. We’ll also explore how much a 9-month-old should weigh, whether he may experience sleep regression and when his wake window is. So, let’s dive in!
If there’s one word to describe your baby’s upcoming growth, it’s “noise!” During this time, they will begin to find their voice and let you know. Your new and exciting 9 month milestones include:1
- Be shy, clingy and scared of new people
- Showing various emotions like happiness, anger and sadness
- Responding to their name
- Making various non-specific sounds (ie, babbling), including consonants
- Hitting two objects together
- They raise their hands and make noise to be picked up
- Reach a sitting position without assistance and sit without support
- They pull objects towards themselves with their fingers/hands
At 9 months of age, your baby’s appetite continues to grow. Your 9-month-old’s feeding schedule will follow his caregivers’ breakfast, lunch, and dinner schedule. Their portions will also increase.2 Breast milk and formula will continue to provide most of their nutrients. However, eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, pasteurized dairy and protein will provide them with additional nutrients.2
Offer foods that are easy to eat, such as purees, pureed foods with few lumps and soft vegetables. This will help baby gain confidence with different textures.2 Giving them iron-fortified baby cereal is also a great option, but only add cereal to your baby’s bottle if your doctor tells you to.3
To monitor your baby for any food allergies, introduce only one new food at a time and wait a few days before introducing another. This gives you time to notice if the baby has food allergy symptoms. Signs that they may be having a food reaction include:3
- Skin rash
- Diarrhea/vomiting
- BREATHING PROBLEM
- Urticaria
If your baby has trouble breathing, seek medical help immediately.
Contrary to popular belief, introducing highly allergenic foods early in your baby’s life will not increase the chance of him developing food allergies. Introducing highly allergenic foods such as wheat, soy, peanuts, eggs, milk and tree nuts is safe as long as you monitor your baby for any allergic reactions.3
While many babies can eat a wide range of foods, some foods should be avoided, such as:3
- Foods with added sugar or sweeteners without calories
- Foods high in sodium
- Honey and any food containing honey
- Unpasteurized juices or dairy products
- Choking hazards such as hot dogs, uncooked carrots, grapes, popcorn and nuts
Your 9 month old’s sleep pattern will continue to follow his previous sleep pattern. They still need 12-16 hours of sleep a day and usually take two daily naps, averaging three to four hours total.4 However, your 9-month-old may experience another period of sleep regression. Sleep regression is a change in your infant’s sleep pattern, including difficulty falling back to sleep or staying asleep. The baby may begin to sleep for shorter periods of time, become more and more fussy or change their appetite. Sleep regression lasts two to six weeks on average.5
Here are the common causes of sleep apnea:5
- Teething pain
- Reaching a new developmental milestone
- Growth explosion
- A change in their routine
- Journey
- Disease
Sleep regression is difficult for both parents and babies, but there are ways to overcome it with your 9-month-old. These include:5
- Maintaining a consistent bedtime and nap routine
- Recognizing your baby’s sleep signs and putting him to bed at the first signs of tiredness
- Allowing baby a few minutes of fuss before responding when he wakes up at night
During this period of sleep regression, it is essential to maintain a predictable daily schedule. Your 9-month-old will still take two naps daily, split between morning and afternoon, and will have awakenings of about two to three hours each.6 Every baby’s nap and sleep times look different based on their unique needs, but a sample sleep schedule for a 9-month-old can help you develop your own. Here is an example:6
- 7-7:30 am — Wake up for the day.
- 9-9:30 am — Take your first nap of the day, which should last one to two hours.
- 2-2:30 p.m — Take your second nap of the day. It should also take one to two hours.
- 7-8 p.m — Do their bedtime routine and go to bed.
Allowing the baby to sleep later than 4 pm may make it difficult to fall asleep at night. So, aim to get 10-12 hours of sleep before your baby usually wakes up throughout the day. This will help the baby get enough sleep.6
A regular check-up at 9 months of age is recommended as this is an important visit to check weight and milestones and answer parents’ questions. There are usually no routine vaccines for your 9-month-old other than the annual flu shot. This vaccine is recommended for every baby over 6 months of age during cold and flu season. It should be given before the end of October to protect your baby from the flu.7
Many parents wonder how much their 9 month old should weigh. On average, a 9-month-old boy will weigh between 17 and 25 pounds, while a 9-month-old girl will weigh between 15 and 23 pounds.8 Remember, every baby grows at their own pace, but if you’re concerned about their development, don’t hesitate to contact their pediatrician.
Monitoring your child for common childhood illnesses that can be contracted is essential. These diseases include:9
It is vital to seek medical help for the baby if they start to show any of the following symptoms:9
- Fever that lasts more than three days
- Ear pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Change in posture, such as increased irritability or lethargy
- Dehydration (chapped lips, decreased wet diapers, and decreased tears)
During this time, the baby will continue to develop its personality. the best way for them to do this is to interact with their parents. They will begin to copy and imitate you, which gives you plenty of opportunities to teach them sounds and language. Some ways you can do this are:10,11
- Sing fun songs and include actions or sounds for baby to mirror
- Provide toys in various shapes, sizes, colors and textures and toys that make noises as they interact with them
- Play peek-a-boo
- Place a toy away from the baby and encourage him to grab it
- Read to your baby every day
Safety is always important to parents, but never more so than when their baby is on the move. It is vital to provide the baby with a safe place to play and explore. You can achieve this by:12,13
- Removing small objects that can be easily swallowed from their reach
- Placing gates on stairs or doors to rooms you don’t want them to enter
- Installing window guards on all windows, not just those above the first floor
- By moving their crib away from any windows
- Keeping hot food and drinks away from them
- Do not leave them unattended in the bathtub
Now that your baby has found his voice and his personality is blossoming, the fun won’t stop! They will continue to grow and thrive, and you will continue to be amazed by their new skills.
