Your 9-month-old infant's adorable sounds could at present be real, live words. And what an exciting sound it is hearing your baby'southward little vox say "Mama," "Dada," "ball," "adieu-bye" and whatever other words come up out of her cute rima oris.

Just don't stress if she isn't uttering annihilation understandable just yet. She will, in fourth dimension. Regardless, this month baby begins to take remarkable verbal strides — by and large in the number of words understood.

If your babe isn't crawling yet, this is the golden month for getting down on all fours if she'southward going to do information technology. So make sure yous babyproof if you lot haven't already!

Here'south what else is on tap this calendar month for your ix-month-erstwhile.

Your ix-month-old baby's development

At a Glance

Sleeping basics

At this historic period, babies typically slumber about 11 hours at dark (many straight through) and accept two daily naps that add up to iii to four hours.

Feeding basics

Baby should consume ¼ to ½ cup each of grains, fruit and veggies, ¼ to ½ loving cup of dairy foods, and ¼ to ½ cup of protein foods per day. You lot tin still offer 24 to 30 ounces a day of chest milk or formula too.

Did you know?

Babies may be able to utter sounds resembling existent words and use gestures to show what they want by month 9.

Your ix-month-quondam is likely itch, pulling up to continuing and may fifty-fifty exist walking holding onto furniture.

Which means information technology's a perfect time to bring out the push toys and riding toys — as well equally any other playthings that encourage physical development.

Some ideas: play tunnels to crawl through, large assurance to roll, or stacks of pillows that baby can climb over.

It'south also a great time to tap into your baby's artistic side past providing musical toys and maybe even an art supply or two.

And now that babe's brain is getting more than and more sophisticated, she may even be able to answer to one-footstep commands with gestures ("Give me the loving cup" with your hand out) or indicate wants in means other than crying.

Baby's first words may happen this month, likewise, if she wasn't a super early on talker, but if they don't, that's okay. They will!

Your ix-calendar month-old infant's growth

Your nine-month-onetime will probably gobble upwardly around ¼ to ½ cup each of grains, fruit and veggies every mean solar day (or twice a day if your babe's a large eater), ¼ to ½ cup of dairy foods per mean solar day, and ¼ to ½ cup of protein foods per day.

Is your baby not post-obit these measurements precisely? Non to worry. Every bit long as your petty one is gaining weight and following her growth bend (again, information technology doesn't have to be verbal), there's no need to get caught upward in measurements. Permit your baby to eat to adjust her own little appetite.

Speaking of that appetite, there'due south a expert chance it's on the uptick this month, and that ways snacking should play a supporting role to the three-meals-a-day program.

Simply while snacking in moderation is good, grazing (snacking all day with no existent meals) is non, since information technology interferes with playing, socializing time and proper nutrition.

When contemplating good for you snacks, it's likewise a skilful idea to double downwards on establishing healthy eating habits overall, even now. So exist sure to serve up enough of veggies, fruits, lean proteins and whole grains and minimize the amount of sweet and salty foods.

Your 9-month-old baby's health

On the docket for this month: baby'southward ix-month well-baby visit.

The 9-month physician's visit

The proficient news virtually the 9-calendar month well-baby visit is that there are no shots in store for your cutie (unless she has some vaccines to make up from last fourth dimension). So use the appointment to talk with your pediatrician nearly all your baby's latest milestones and developmental stages and growth. Yous should also chat nigh babe'southward eating habits and slumber patterns. Read More

Crawling safe

Forth with your baby'south newfound mobility comes the potential for getting into things. And so clamber along with her. Information technology's a great mode to get a baby'south-eye view of the world — and come across what potential dangers she may encounter. You may observe a choking hazard that yous missed before or realize that the edge of the couch is sharper than y'all thought. Read More

When should my baby visit the dentist?

Schedule your baby's commencement dental visit inside six months of the time she sprouts a molar or turns a yr old, whichever comes start. Expect the engagement to be fairly quick: The dentist will examine your little ane's gums, count her teeth and evaluate your child'due south bite. Read More

Is insect repellent safe?

Insect repellents come in many forms, from aerosols and sprays to liquids, creams and sticks. For the all-time defense against bitter insects, choose a formulation with ten percent DEET, which will offer virtually two hours of bite-free fun in the lord's day for your baby. Read More

How to babe-proof your business firm

Make sure your baby'southward chamber and some other room, such equally the family room, are protected with gates, outlet covers and drawer latches. You can close off other rooms with a baby gate or a doorknob protector, simply it might be a skilful idea to pack abroad precious heirlooms and other frail valuables until babe is a piddling older. Read More than

Postpartum & new baby tips

How your nine-month-former communicates

Your 9-calendar month-old infant may be able (either at present or soon) to employ gestures to signal what she needs and imitate actions she's seen you do — sometimes even ones she'southward seen you practice several days earlier!

If y'all've been teaching your babe sign language, you may soon be rewarded with some recognizable results as she taps those tiny fingertips together to point "more than" or touches that niggling rima oris to let you lot know she wants to consume.

Some 9-calendar month-olds even master a delighted clap or a farewell-bye wave. (Always a Grandma favorite!)

Toys ix-month-olds love

Your little one is outgrowing some baby rattles and teethers now (those are so yesterday), and moving on to bigger-kid stuff.

Crusade-and-consequence toys are perfect for piquing babe'south interest at present; watch every bit your sweetie opens doors, switches levers, pushes buttons, grabs knobs … she'll love anything she tin dispense and (at least try to!) chief.

But that doesn't mean she doesn't love teddy or blankie too. Many babies adopt a soft pal or blanket (even a cloth diaper tin exist a cherished lovey!) as a security object around this age. Just recall not to put your little one down for a nap or bedtime in the crib with those trusty, fluffy friends.

Chatty infant

Your baby'southward been working on ways to communicate since she was born, and in month 9, she may well add more than recognizable sounds and gestures to that bag of tricks.

That ambrosial jibber-jabber means she's well on the way to maxim existent words. Listen advisedly and you'll hear speech patterns that sound more and more like your ain words and sentences. Encourage the chatter by responding with enthusiasm and continuing to talk to your infant often.

Remember, she understands far more than she can let on, so don't exist surprised if she soon proves she tin can grasp a elementary command such every bit "delight give me the ball."

Your baby's memory

The part of the brain responsible for memory, the hippocampus, is already 40 percent developed and will be fully adult by 18 months. That's why a typical newborn baby will recognize Mom's voice and other sounds she has heard frequently from the womb.

More memory tricks: By i month, your baby tin call back when she's unremarkably fed and volition begin to expect a bottle or your breast at those times. By four months, your wee one tin option your face out of many others.

This emerging retentivity is why setting up routines for certain parts of the 24-hour interval can exist so helpful. A bath and book before bed, for example, volition trigger the retentiveness for your baby that sleep comes adjacent.

Attachment to a lovey

After months of giving that stuffed polar bear the cold shoulder, it suddenly becomes your sweetie's most cherished possession — she drags it everywhere (or screams if information technology'south out of sight). Or she chooses a comfort object that yous remember has questionable comforting abilities (a pointy plastic plane? an quondam sock?).

No matter what shape the lovey takes, this developmental milestone happens in about 60 percent of babies, often at effectually nine months old. Actually, your baby is showing off those smarts. She's realized that she and you are 2 separate people, and as peachy equally you lot are, you aren't effectually every second of the solar day. And then she's adopted a transitional object to aid become through those rough spots when she misses Mommy.

Transitional (object) tip: Have ii identical stuffed bears, yellow blankets or pointy plastic planes in example one gets lost or needs to be degunked.

Driving with infant

Driving with your baby? If you're taking a longer trip, make a pit terminate when information technology'due south mealtime.

Y'all might lose a few minutes, only it's much easier than simultaneously dining and driving with a infant. That'south a messy, complicated business, and it'southward none too safe to juggle bottles, jars and spoons while you're hurtling downwardly the highway.

Sleep regression

Take you noticed whatsoever changes in your little one's slumber patterns (but when you lot thought you could count on a schedule)?

Sleep regression is common betwixt months 8 and 10. Several factors may be standing in your baby's style of getting the solid sleep she needs, including that coercion to stand — in bed, too — and exercise other exciting skills. Speak to your pediatrician if you notice this happening with your little i.

From the What to Wait editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Look follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected wellness organizations. Learn how we proceed our content authentic and up-to-appointment by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

  • What to Look the First Twelvemonth, 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Babyproofing Your Home: A 6-Stride Program, November 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Itch, Nov 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Stand up, Nov 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Baby'due south First Words, Nov 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Crawling Condom, January 2019.
  • WhatToExpect.com, When Should Babe Visit the Dentist for the First Time?, Apr 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Can You Use Insect Repellent on Babies and Toddlers?, Apr 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, The 9-Month Well-Infant Visit, March 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, How Much Should My Babe Consume?, Apr 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Here's How Much Sleep Babies Need, June 2020.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Language Development: 8 to 12 Months, August 2009.
  • American University of Pediatrics, Transitional Objects, Baronial 2009.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Emotional and Social Development: viii to 12 Months, August 2009.

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