Nine months old already? It seems like just yesterday you were bringing your baby home from the hospital and now they are 9 months old. During their first 9 months of life your baby has undergone some tremendous milestones and they still have many more to go. Below are some developmental stages your baby should go through at 9 months old.
9 Month Old Baby Development
Feeding
By the time your baby is 9 months old they have the ability to grasp objects so they can pick up finger foods and hold a sippy cup. Although they are eating solid foods most of their nutrition and calories still comes from breast milk or formula and they should be consuming at least 24 ounces of either per day.
It is fun and interesting for your baby to try a variety of solid foods in different colors and textures but it is more for learning at this point than it is about nutrition.
The amount of food your baby should be consuming at this point is 24-32 ounces of formula or breast milk, 6-8 ounces of solid food 3 times a day and 2 ounces of snacks 2 times a day.
Below is a sample menu for a 9 month old:
Breakfast: 6-8 ounces formula or breast milk; 2 ounces of cereal; 2 ounces of fruit
Snack: 2 ounces fruits and/or vegetables; finger foods; sippy cup of water
Lunch: 6-8 ounces formula or breast milk; 2 ounces vegetables; 2 ounces cheese, fruit, or yogurt
Snack: 2 ounces fruits and/or vegetables; finger foods; sippy cup of water
Dinner: 6-8 ounces formula or breast milk; 2 ounces meat; 2 ounces vegetables; 2 ounces fruit; 2 ounces pasta, potatoes, or rice.
Bedtime: 6-8 ounces formula or breast milk
More menus for your 9 month old baby:
Sample Menu for 8-12 Month Old
Menu Plan for 8-12 Month Old
It is important to remember that all babies are different and have different food preferences. It is time to establish a routine with the foods your baby likes to eat and make sure they are getting the right amount of nutrients to support their proper growth and development.
Sleep
Thankfully by the time your baby is 9 months old they should be sleeping through the night. This is because 9 month olds are more active during the day and expending energy while exploring their environment.
To make sure they are getting enough sleep to support their growth and envelopment most babies at this age will sleep 10-12 hours at night and then take 2 naps during the day that are 1-2 hours in length.
To make nap and bedtime easier it is helpful to develop a routine and stick to it. Many parents find that giving their baby a bath, bottle, bedtime story a great routine as the bath relaxes their baby. The bottle ensures they have a full tummy, and reading to them helps them fall asleep.
No matter what routine works for you it is important to find one and stick to it and both you and your baby will be happier.
Safety
By the time your baby is 9 months old they are crawling, scooting, or maybe even walking, but they are definitely mobile and out to explore their world. It is important that you make sure you have a safe place for your baby to explore and childproofing should include the following:
Outlet Covers: Babies are out to explore and are testing their motor skills like picking up objects and putting them into other objects, and this includes power outlets. It is important to get childproof outlet covers or plugs to place in the outlets to keep your baby from accidentally shocking themselves.
Blind Cords: If your house has blinds on the windows it is important to make sure that the blind cords are not in reach of your baby or you can purchase safety devices that allow the blind cords to be rolled up into a childproof device that keeps the cords out of reach and out of mind.
Blind cords are extremely dangerous and it is astonishing to find out that a child dies every 2 weeks from strangling on blind cords.
Make sure your baby isn’t a statistic and make sure to baby proof your blind cords.
Baby Gates: If you have a home with multiple levels and stairs, or rooms you do not want your baby going into it is important to install baby gates. Baby gates can either be permanently affixed to your doorway or temporary with the ability to move them when and where you want. Either way it is important to keep your baby safe by using baby gates.
Your 9 month old is on the move and wanting to explore their environment so make sure they do not injure themselves by falling down stairs or going into rooms that are not baby proof by installing baby gates.
Household Cleaners: Many household cleaners come in colors that look like food or are just interesting to babies so it is important to make sure they are put away on the top shelf of cupboards or behind locked doors.
Your 9 month old baby is picking up and putting new objects in their mouth and that blue bottle of window cleaner may look mighty appetizing to your baby to it is important that you keep them safe by locking away all household cleaners.
Medications: Make sure all your medications have childproof locks and are locked up out of reach of your baby. A 9 month old baby does not know or understand the difference between a medication in pill form and a piece of candy so make sure you keep all medications away from your baby.
You will want to encourage your baby to explore their world, but it is your responsibility to make sure that world is safe.
There are many childproofing devices on the market to ensure that your baby is safe and will not get into something they are not supposed to. It is also important if you have older children to make sure they are also keeping the baby’s environment safe and free from dangers.
Conclusion
At the age of 9 months old your baby is happily exploring, babbling, eating, and generally happy. This is a great time to help your baby learn and explore their world as you can introduce new foods in different colors and textures, new toys since they have better motor skills, as well as introduce sleep routines that will benefit both baby and parents.
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