Development of a nine-month-old baby - skills, habits and abilities. Physical and emotional development of a nine month old baby Development of a 9 month old baby what should
A child of 9 months is no longer a helpless baby, but a fairly adequate person. The baby has not only grown physically, he knows how to clearly and appropriately express his emotions. He can laugh contagiously when dad or mom throws him up, and cry bitterly if they don’t give him what he wants.
Children at 9 months have their own point of view. They take off the hat that is in the way, choose a path for a walk, and strive to get the item they like. Children are selfish by nature. At the 9th month of life, they can already realize what they want, but they do not understand why this is “impossible”, that their desires often contradict the interests of other people.
The child is not yet ready for prohibitions, so you need to try and remove from his field of vision all objects that are dangerous for him or for some other reason should not be in the baby’s hands.
If the little one does get something forbidden, you need to distract him. At this age it is still quite easy to do. You can show a toy and interest them in the view from the window.
The child spends a lot of time on the floor, crawling, walking along furniture, studying surrounding objects. Mom’s hands are now freer, but for safety reasons, the baby cannot be left alone.
Peculiarities
The main innovation of 9 months is preparation for walking. The child already knows how to sit well and stand independently for a short time; this is a completely new sensation that needs to get used to both psychologically and physically. At 9 months, the baby can walk, holding onto a sofa or other support, squat, and crawl.
While sitting, the child reaches out, takes toys with his hands, and examines them. Due to increased physical activity, the rate of weight gain slows down. During the ninth month, the child gains 0.3-0.5 kg. Weight is about 9 kg, height is approximately 70.
Skills
What can a child at this age do:
- Shows parts of the face and body. If the baby does not yet know how to do this, this does not mean that he is not developed enough. It’s just that no one has shown it to him yet.
- Sticks his fingers into any holes, pulls objects being studied into his mouth.
- Leafs through books.
- Tears paper, crumples dough and plasticine with his fingers.
- Holds cup and food tightly in hands. He is good at picking up objects with his fingers. But he still can’t unclench them. Therefore, if a baby grabs something, it is very difficult to take the item away from him.
- Babbles, sings, pronounces individual syllables or simple words. Some are good at repeating after adults. They pronounce sounds and use them to designate certain objects or people. In the conversation, intonations appear, copied from the speech of adults.
- Responds with simple gestures: a nod or shake of the head, indicating agreement or denial.
- Knowing his name, he responds to it, smiling at the same time.
- Understands simple requests, for example, “come here”, “take the ball”.
- Begins to show interest in dressing, helps by putting his arms into sleeves and feet into boots. Takes off a hat or sock independently.
- Handling toys comes down to studying their properties. A 9 month old child loves to take them apart, put them one inside the other, throw them and watch them fly. This is not harmful - this is how the baby learns about the world.
- The kid likes to play peek-a-boo and hide and seek. He asks you to repeat it many times. The word “cuckoo” evokes a storm of emotions in him. This can be used when your baby is angry or upset. Remind him of the word, and a smile will definitely appear on his face.
- By the time the child was 9 months old, he had learned to distinguish between close people and strangers. The toddler is afraid or avoids strangers.
Daily routine, nutrition
In order for the baby to develop normally, he must eat well, walk in the air, and get a good night's sleep. If there is a routine in a child’s life, he gets used to a certain sequence of actions every day and does not resist them.
In a 9-month-old child, development and nutrition are closely related. At this age, the baby already eats a lot of “adult” food. The main condition: the diet should be varied, as healthy as possible, and include enough fiber and vitamins. The child already has enough teeth to learn to chew. It is necessary to gradually switch from purees to more solid foods.
By 9 months, children sleep for about 10 hours at night, and 2 times during the day. Each baby is individual, these numbers may vary. The main thing is that the child is in a good mood, physically and mentally developed.
Babies wake up at night to eat. The reason is not hunger, but psychological dependence on the mother. This is normal and will go away with weaning. Such night feeding usually does not cause much discomfort to a woman. The baby suckles at the breast in his sleep and sleeps peacefully further.
Activities and games
The baby is already able to do something with concentration and enthusiasm for some time. To help a 9-month-old child develop, you need to direct his activity in the right direction:
- Teach necessary actions in the future. For example, taking off and putting on clothes, eating with a spoon. The child will probably become interested and want to try on all his things or something from his mother’s wardrobe. There is no need to resist this. The more he practices, the faster he will learn.
- Develop hand motor skills. This is an important condition not only for the future ability to write beautifully, but also for the formation of correct speech and performing everyday activities.
Children really enjoy tearing paper. This is a good developmental method. Give your child a roll of toilet paper. This will captivate him for a long time. It is important here to show the child from the very beginning that books should not be torn. It is necessary to form a special attitude towards them and take care of them. It is better if only cardboard books are available for some time, until the baby finally understands that they cannot be torn.
An interesting and useful game is sorting through small objects. Buttons, beads of different colors, pasta of unusual shapes, pebbles, and toothpicks are suitable. Kids love to look at and rearrange small objects.
But parents must be very attentive; the child is able to pull any object into his mouth, or try to put it in his nose or ear.
The game should be collaborative and controlled. If the baby is tired, you need to fold everything and put it away so that he cannot reach it.
Modeling and drawing classes help accelerate the development of a child at 9 months and the development of his motor skills. Mom needs to create together with her child. He will like the resulting figures and will strive to do the same. If you press beads or noodles into the dough, the child will pick them out. He should be able to do it.
Bath games
Bathing turns into an entertaining game at 9 months. Rubber animals, molds, cups - everything interests the child. Pouring from containers and washing toys captivates the baby. He may not agree to finish bathing for a long time. To resolve this issue without tears, you can invite him to say goodbye to his toys. Say that the baby will definitely meet them again soon, wave his hand and calmly take him out of the water. Or quietly drain the water and say that it has already run away.
In the morning you need to teach your child to wash himself. Show yourself how to do it. And then help him repeat. You need to tell your child how important it is to be clean. Praise him for his washed hands and face. To say how handsome he has become.
Toys
The main rule of choice is safety. Toys should not contain sharp corners or parts. A 9-month-old child is interested in everything: clockwork, talking, soft animals, dolls, cars, cubes and pyramids, construction sets. You need to teach the little person to play with them. You can show how a car or train drives, how to assemble a pyramid, how to build, how a doll or a bear “walks,” feed them “for fun,” wash them, feel sorry for them.
Children quickly remember and copy the actions of adults. Soon the baby will play and come up with something new on his own. Both boys and girls should have at least one doll. On it you need to learn to show the eyes, nose, mouth, arms, legs, tummy, back. And then find the same thing in the child himself, in mom and dad.
As you grow, you can add smaller details to this list, for example, fingers, knees, eyelashes. A doll is a visual aid for studying the human body. In addition, she will become a good friend of the baby, you can do everything together with her, the toy needs to show what the child himself does not yet know how to do or is afraid.
Physical development
To develop muscles and dexterity, you need to remember about outdoor games. Kids like balls of different sizes and colors.
You need to teach your child to catch and throw a ball, bring and serve, and roll on the floor so that he understands the difference in these actions. This perfectly develops dexterity, coordination and brings a lot of joy to everyone.
You can make your own “health path”. Glue or sew buttons, pebbles, and scraps of fabrics that feel different to the touch onto a piece of fabric. And let the baby walk on it with bare feet. Until the baby can move vertically on his own, he needs to be supported. And in a couple of months he himself will be walking along the path with great pleasure.
This promotes hardening, is a foot massage, and improves coordination and orientation. First you need to let the baby explore everything with his hands, touch it, evaluate it. And then you can give commands on what to step on, adding variety to the game.
Children are attracted to mirrors. You can also play with it:
- consider the reflection of different objects and people;
- compare what you see with the original;
- make faces;
- show joy, anger, surprise, fear.
This is very good for the development of emotions. Facial exercises stimulate good speech.
A 9 month old baby requires a lot of attention. Mothers often complain that they don’t have enough time for all the activities and games. But you don’t have to take time off from homework; you can combine it and communication with your baby. The time devoted to the child will definitely have a positive effect on his development.
At this age, five meals are provided per day. Try to maintain an interval between them of about 4 - 5 hours. But if a mother breastfeeds her baby on demand, then the regimen may be slightly different and vary depending on the baby’s needs.
The diet also largely depends on how other children in the family and the parents themselves eat. If there are older children in the family, then the baby may become familiar with some dishes much earlier than planned. Don't be too afraid of this.
It is not for nothing that today there is a method of pedagogical complementary feeding. It means that the little one is slowly trying everything that is being eaten at the common table.
Gradually introduce your baby to solid foods. At night, babies may still wake up and ask for the breast. This is not because they are hungry. Children need their mother, and he sleeps more peacefully if he constantly feels his mother’s presence nearby, to which he is accustomed.
Depending on the type of primary feeding, the child’s diet can vary significantly.
Breast-feeding
The menu of a breastfed baby at 9 months can be very different, depending on the age at which you introduced complementary foods. If you started complementary feeding at six months, you will most likely need to continue introducing new foods at this age.
Introduction of new products
- Egg yolk. Introduced into the second feeding. Best combined with porridge.
- Cottage cheese and fermented milk products. Introduced into the fourth feeding, as an afternoon snack.
- Porridge made with cow's milk. Administer gradually, with caution.
Artificial feeding
The menu of a 9-month-old bottle-fed baby most likely already contains the products that we listed above. After all, such babies often begin to eat complementary foods earlier. If you have not entered them yet, do it according to the same scheme.
To determine how much formula your baby needs per meal at this age, divide the daily amount of food by the number of feedings.
Child's menu
If you have already introduced all the main products into your baby’s menu, then you already know what to feed your baby. Gradually introduce into your diet dishes prepared from a mixture of various vegetables, as well as porridges prepared from various grains.
Let's look at an approximate menu for a 9 month old baby.
- Vegetable purees (150 - 180 g);
- Fruit puree or fruit (50 - 80 g);
- Porridge (up to 180 g); Meat (up to 50 g);
- Yolk (up to 2 times a week);
- Cottage cheese, kefir (up to 40 g);
- Wheat bread (5 g);
- Oil (5 g);
- Juice (up to 80 g).
Always remember that it is you, as parents, who determine what your child can eat. You know your baby better than anyone else. If your baby has intolerance to certain foods, take this into account. If necessary, seek help from a competent specialist.
Acquired skills
What should a child be able to do at this age? This question most often worries young parents. There is no definite answer to this, because every baby is individual. But let’s still try to figure out what basic skills a baby should have, and also whether there are differences in development between a boy and a girl at this age.
What can a 9 month old baby do?
Girls and boys develop approximately equally at this age. But one can note a slight difference in the development of children of different sexes.
- Girls show greater interest in communication and are interested in other children. Some girls begin to pronounce their first words, as their vocabulary fills up faster than that of boys. Girls develop better peripheral vision.
- Boys show more interest in toys and various objects than in other people. They are more indifferent to people's voices and various sounds, so they expand their vocabulary more slowly. Boys develop better spatial vision.
What a 9 month old baby can do:
- Sit independently;
- Climb onto low surfaces;
- Walk along the support;
- Use a two-finger grip;
- Pronounce syllables (pa, ma, ba);
- Show different emotions;
- Point with a finger at objects of interest;
- Follow verbal instructions (respond to a name, show your pen);
- Actively manipulate objects.
Don't forget that it depends on you how quickly your baby will consolidate new skills. Playing with your child and developing the emotional sphere when communicating with parents will give a powerful impetus to transform your baby from a baby into a relatively independent person.
Child's daily routine
A child’s daily routine at 9 months may already be slightly different from that of a month ago. Healthy children at this age are awake for up to 4 hours at a time.
A 9 month old baby sleeps from 12 to 14 hours a day. The baby should have two naps during the day. Daytime naps can last up to two hours. Night sleep is approximately 10 hours.
The child’s daily routine depends largely on what kind of routine the rest of the family follows. Try to stick to a set routine every day, and then you can easily put your baby to bed.
Sample schedule:
- Morning breakfast.
- Hygiene, games, massage.
- Walk and sleep.
- Eating.
- Charging, games.
- Eating.
- Games.
- Eating.
- Walk.
- Communication with family, quiet games, swimming.
- Eating.
How to play with a child at this age
Play is of primary importance in a child’s life. And in the first year of life, it is very important that parents play with their children. Let's try to figure out which educational games are best to play, as well as which toys will be most useful for your baby at this age.
Educational games for 9 month old children:
- Clothes games. Teach him to put on and take off the simplest things from his wardrobe - hats, socks, and so on.
- Games that develop motor skills. Learn to tear paper with your baby. Invite him to put acorns, pumpkin seeds and other small items into the bottle (including using a spoon). Invite him to make salt dough. Try painting with finger paints.
- Games with water. While bathing, give your baby containers of different shapes and sizes. Show him how to pour water. Teach your little one to wash her face and hands.
- Hide and seek games. Children love to hide themselves and also hide others. Come up with different forms of hide and seek. You can hide toys. Put your favorite toy in a box and ask your baby where it is? The little one will do anything to try to open the box.
Toys for children 9 months:
- Toys on wheels. This could be a gurney - a walker, a toy stroller, a large car or a horse that you can sit on.
- Musical toys. Any toys, by pressing the buttons of which, the baby can hear various kinds of music or sounds.
- Pyramids, nesting dolls, sorters, large puzzles.
- In the summer, toys for the sandbox (molds, shovels, buckets).
- A variety of stationery (finger paints, crayons, wax pencils).
- Large construction sets, cubes. From these, the baby will learn to build towers and other structures.
- Dolls with large facial features. These dolls will help you teach your baby about the parts of the human body.
- Soft toys for sleeping.
- Toys with identical functions, but different sizes and colors. Cars, balls, cubes. Comparing these toys will help you teach colors to your little one, as well as the concept of more and less.
If you don’t know how to develop a child or you don’t feel confident enough in this matter, then you can try to find a development club nearby. In such clubs, classes for children are held just from this age. Under the guidance of experienced teachers, classes with your baby will be a real pleasure for you.
Physical development of the baby
Doctors often scare parents by saying that their baby is not within the normal range of physical development. In fact, if you see that the baby is feeling well, active during the day and calm during sleep, then you should not focus too much on medical standards. Always remember that all children are individual.
- On average, the baby's height is from 70 to 72 centimeters. During this month, your baby will most likely stretch another 1.5 - 2 centimeters.
- The weight of a child can vary from 8.5 to 9 kilograms. Within a month, he will gain another 400 - 500 grams in weight.
Knowing how much weight should be, you can adjust your baby's diet. If your baby is small and gains very little weight for his age, try choosing a special menu for him. Be sure to consult your pediatrician about this issue.
Possible problems at this age
Parents who are raising their first child are faced with all the problems for the first time. Therefore, any health issue seems very serious and requires immediate resolution.
Let's look at the main problems that young parents face:
- The child does not sit at 9 months.
Do not forget that each baby has an individual development trajectory. And if a child does not sit up on his own at 9 months, this may not always be an alarming signal. However, it is still worth considering age standards.
Warning signs:
- The baby has little balance.
- Can't grab objects.
- He is underweight.
- Has weak muscle tone.
- Worries for no apparent reason.
Take a closer look at your baby, and if you notice these disturbing signs, contact a competent specialist.
- The child does not crawl.
Parents should know that not all children crawl. If your baby skipped this stage and immediately stood on his feet, then this is normal. But you can try to develop this skill in your baby. After all, thanks to crawling, the baby’s muscle corset is strengthened.
- The child stands on his toes.
Most often, at this age, the baby just likes to walk on his toes. This makes him happy because he gets taller. In addition, he wants to try everything new, including the unusual state of his body in space. However, just in case, you need to contact a competent specialist to eliminate muscle tone.
- Should I have a massage?
Massage is needed to strengthen the muscle corset and prepare the baby for independent walking. You can contact a professional massage therapist for this. However, if you are unable to do this, don't worry. After all, massage is simply an auxiliary mechanism in the development of the baby. In addition, the skillful hands of a mother are also capable of much. There are now many instructions on this topic on the Internet. Give your baby small strokes, don’t forget about daily exercises - and a professional massage will be unnecessary for you.
- Sleeps very poorly at night.
Children at this age do not sleep well at night for the following reasons: overstimulation of the nervous system, fear of losing their mother, dental anxiety. In any case, these are variants of the norm. If you think your baby is not sleeping well for any other reason, contact your pediatrician.
- The child has no teeth.
This is a variant of the norm. You don't have to worry about this.
- What to do if your child grinds his teeth.
Mostly children at this age grind their teeth due to anxiety from teething. Along with teething, the problem itself disappears. However, teeth grinding can also be affected by: nervous overstrain, lack of essential vitamins, and malocclusion. Grinding your teeth can negatively affect their condition (destruction of enamel, chipping, caries). Therefore, it is worthwhile to distract the child from this activity in every possible way.
- The child has a fever.
If your baby has a fever, first of all, call a doctor. He will determine the causes and prescribe appropriate treatment. Keep in mind that each baby tolerates temperature differently. If the baby's temperature rises above 38.5 - 39 degrees in the armpit, then it is worth using an antipyretic. The same should be done if you see that the baby is developing a severe fever (even if the temperature is less than 38.5).
- How to treat a cough.
You can only learn about how to treat a cough in a child of this age from your attending physician, because the causes of cough can be completely different.
What can help in any case is drinking plenty of fluids and frequently ventilating the room.
- Diarrhea.
This symptom should greatly concern parents. Diarrhea is dangerous due to severe dehydration. After you call the doctor, start giving your baby water. It is better to drink in small sips. It is also possible to use adsorbents. Everything else requires mandatory consultation with a specialist.
A baby at this age is changing rapidly. He is no longer the same baby who lay helplessly all day long and called for his mother. The little one begins to show activity. Therefore, parents need to be patient and also secure the space for the baby. It is the love and care of parents that will most help the baby in mastering this world.
Nine months - this age can be called the stage of development of mobility and, in general, motor activity of the child. The baby realizes physical independence, independently moving from one place to another and exploring previously inaccessible corners. Today we will talk about the developmental norms of children of this age and what is necessary to master and improve the baby’s further skills.
Growth and development of a child at 9 months
In the ninth month of life, the baby gains 500 g of weight, the growth rate increases by 1.5 cm. Calculations of head and chest circumference become on average 0.5-1 cm larger.
Each child develops according to an individual schedule - both parents and pediatricians know this. But it is still necessary to focus on the average physical indicators of children of the same age, because this is how you can find out whether the baby has any errors in growth and what the pace of development of the child as a whole is.
The table below shows the main parameters of the physical development of 9-month-old children.
Basic skills: what a 9-month-old baby can do
A child in the ninth month of life stands confidently, leaning on the side of the crib, the wall or the hand of an adult. If the baby feels sufficiently supported, he takes a few steps. The baby has not yet practiced walking independently and prefers to crawl to the desired location. By this age, a child masters the crawling skill with a bang - it can be difficult to keep up with a baby.
Important! At 9 months, the period of attraction to objects at height begins, so parents should be especially vigilant and remove dangerous things that are slightly higher than the baby’s height.
So, what should a child at 9 months be able to do:
- Sit down independently from any position. A child can sit for 10-15 minutes without difficulty, while reaching for objects and pulling the desired toy towards him.
- The little fidget tries to climb onto low surfaces - sofas, chairs, armchairs, etc.
- Being near a support, he stands up independently and takes small steps. In baby walkers he squats, tries to jump, and moves tirelessly in them for up to 10 minutes.
- He actively uses the pinch grip in games. Tries to pick up small objects from the floor with two fingers.
- The child’s physical development also undergoes changes; the baby’s first milk teeth begin to appear (or continue to grow), sometimes several teeth erupt simultaneously.
- Speech is actively developing. The baby pronounces the cherished syllables “ma”, “pa”, “ba”. Gradually, the child’s speech includes new sounds and even short words (“on”, “where”, etc.).
- He holds objects in his hands tightly and confidently, but it is still difficult for a 9-month-old baby to unclench his fingers - he is fully aware of the entire “mechanism” of the process. Therefore, it can be extremely difficult to take away an object that he grabbed from a baby.
Developmental differences between boys and girls
Despite the fact that development in children of both sexes is almost identical, you can notice some features in the perception of the world, games, and behavior in girls and boys even at such an early age.
- Girls, regardless of temperament, show more interest in communication and emotions than boys. From infancy, the stronger sex is more interested in inanimate objects than people.
- Boys are often indifferent to sounds and voices than girls. That is why the vocabulary of women is replenished faster, which favors the early development of speech.
- Male children are better able to examine objects, play actively and develop spatial vision. Girls have more developed peripheral vision, and they will prefer attention and affection to toys.
Neuropsychomotor development in the ninth month of life
The intellectual and motor development of a child at 9 months also gives parents many pleasant reasons to be proud of their baby. What new things can be noticed during this period?
- The baby has already managed to remember his name, and if he hears it, he reacts to it with a smile, turns towards the adult, and shows interest.
- The baby is able to express his emotions more vividly - when he is having fun, he rejoices and laughs; when angry, he shows resentment and even anger.
- Constantly points with his finger at different objects: those that he would like to touch (ask him to get something), and those he would like to climb into (please lift him to a high shelf, cabinet).
- Masters simple “yes” and “no” gestures. Reacts to requests from adults - “go to mommy”, “pick up the ball”, etc.
- He makes attempts to help his mother get dressed - he stretches out his arms, tries to insert his legs into his trouser leg. Pulls off his headdress on his own.
- Plays “hide and seek” with an adult, and can understand by voice or steps where the hiding parent is.
| Speech | The baby practices every day pronouncing entire chains of syllables. Many of them resemble the familiar words “mother” and “woman”. The child strives to imitate an adult, repeating those syllables that have already appeared in his babble - “pa-pa-pa”, “ma-ma-ma”, etc. |
| Hearing | With the help of auditory memory, he remembers and fulfills requests and verbal “instructions” - “kiss daddy”, “show mommy your pen”, etc. Can perform dance movements to a sound melody. |
| Vision | Observes what is happening around, pays attention to facial expressions and gestures of adults. Reacts to a smile, understands when mom is angry. |
| Emotions | Reacts violently (happily) to the appearance of mother in the room. Communicates with adults using simple gestures, pointing with a pen to an item of interest or showing dissatisfaction (waves his head). |
| Motor skills | Actively crawls, alternately moving the right and left pairs of limbs. At the support, he tries to immediately take a vertical position, standing on his legs. Stands confidently along the support and moves around, holding on with one hand. The child tries to grab small objects in the game with two or three fingers. |
| A game | The baby enjoys playing with several toys (objects) at the same time. During the game, he taps one cube against another. Prefers toys with musical accompaniment. If an adult hides a thing, the child will try to find it. |
Skills and abilities of a child at 9 months (video):
Daily routine of a nine-month-old baby
- The average daily sleep requirement for nine-month-old babies is about 14 hours. The number of periods of daytime sleep should not be less than two, while daytime sleep (in general) is 4-4.5 hours, and night sleep accounts for 9-10 hours a day.
- Breastfed babies may also continue to wake up during the night and demand the breast. But this need in babies is not due to hunger, but to the need to be close to their mother.
- Often babies at this age have problems sleeping. The reason for this is overwork during the day, a failure in the established regime. Teach your child to get up and go to bed at the same time, and the baby will begin to sleep peacefully and gain strength at night.
A 9-month-old infant’s daily routine is not much different from the content of the regimen of the last month of life. Small changes can be observed in the table below, which presents a variant of the rational daily routine of a nine-month-old baby.
| Time (in hours) | Mode element |
|---|---|
| 7.00 | Waking up the child, hygiene procedures, gymnastics |
| 7.30 | Breakfast |
| 8.00 | Wakefulness, active games |
| 9.00 | Developmental activities, reading with mom, listening to music |
| 11.00 | Snack |
| 12.00 | Walk in the fresh air, first nap |
| 14.30 | Dinner |
| 15.00 | Wakefulness, games, educational activities, massage |
| 16.00 | Walk in the fresh air, second nap |
| 18.30 | Snack |
| 19.00 | Staying awake, reading with mom, quiet games |
| 20.00 | Dinner |
| 21.30 | Evening bathing, getting ready for bed |
| 22.00 | Snack, bedtime |
Caring for a 9 month old baby
Care for a nine-month-old baby is based on the same techniques that were carried out by adults in all previous months, starting from the moment of birth. These are the three main components:
- hygiene procedures (washing, rinsing, evening bathing);
- light gymnastics;
- massage.
On a note! All care procedures should, if possible, be carried out at the same hours - this is how the child can gradually be accustomed to the daily routine and his routine can be established.
Bathing a baby at 9 months
The procedure for taking a bath at this age is usually already established by parents, and the baby enjoys spending time in the water. If a child likes to swim, then you can let him “splash” for 20-30 minutes, getting the baby interested in water fun: soap bubbles, boats, balls, rubber animals with sprinklers and cups for pouring liquid.
Advice! Children, as a rule, are already sitting well by nine months, so you can purchase a special high chair or circle for the bath. Such objects will provide a stable position and prevent accidental falls..
Massage at 9 months
Strengthening muscles at this stage of development is simply necessary - thanks to massage procedures, the baby improves the skill of crawling and prepares to master walking. The mother can perform the massage herself. You just need to remember a few basic points and techniques:
- The first massage sessions last no more than 10 minutes. The child should be calm and in a good mood. To relax, you can turn on calm melodic music;
- You need to start the procedure with soft stroking with your palms of the baby’s body parts - arms, legs, back and tummy. Hands are massaged from palm to shoulder, legs also from foot to hips;
- The tummy is massaged clockwise with light movements. When massaging your back, it is worth remembering that the spine does not need to be affected by the massage. The baby's back is massaged up/down along it, as well as towards the sides;
- It is especially important to spend time on the baby’s palms and soles, massaging each finger separately, this promotes the development of fine motor skills;
- The massage ends with gentle, almost weightless pats.
Gymnastics at 9 months
Exercise for a nine-month-old baby is an integral part of morning routine. It is performed before breakfast, in the first 10 minutes after waking up and is of a general strengthening nature for the child’s health.
This is what a set of gymnastic exercises for “beginners” looks like:
- we warm up the muscles of the arms and forearms: the child lies on his back, the adult bends and straightens the baby’s arms at the elbow joints, alternates with crossing them, then makes circular movements;
- we warm up the leg muscles: an adult alternately bends the child’s legs at the knees, imitating riding a bicycle, then bends and straightens the legs at the same time;
- turns are performed in both directions from the back to the tummy and back;
- sitting down and lifting the child’s body by straightened arms;
- crawling after an object/toy;
- rocking movements on a fitball in different body positions - lying on your stomach and lying on your back.
Sample menu for a 9 month old baby
By nine months, the baby’s digestive system is already quite strong. The first feeding is over, the baby has grown to the point where it is time to appreciate the variety of new tastes and their combinations in food products. The volume and quantity of enzymes produced for breaking down food increase with each week of life, and along with them, the body's immune defense mechanisms work better.
This is what a sample menu looks like for a baby in the ninth month of life:
| Eating | What do we eat |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | 90 g porridge, 60 g chopped fruit, 100-120 ml breast milk/formula |
| Snack | 100-150 ml fruit juice, 50 g boiled vegetable puree or diced cheese |
| Dinner | 60-90 g of meat puree, or yogurt or low-fat cottage cheese, 100 g of vegetable puree, 100-150 ml of breast milk/formula |
| Snack | 100 g finely chopped fruit or baby yoghurt, 1 baby biscuit |
| Dinner | 60-70 g of boiled meat in puree, 60 g of vegetable puree or rice, half of chopped fruit, 100-150 ml of breast milk/formula |
| Snack (before bed) | 150-200 ml kefir or breast milk/formula |
Important! The number of “milk” feedings is gradually reduced. In the 9th month of life, breastfed children receive mother's milk 3-4 times a day, and bottle-fed babies need 2-3 servings of formula per day.
What are we eating?
The table lists the main products that make up a child’s diet at a given period of life.
| Product | Serving Size |
| Kefir, baby yogurt, milk (for cooking porridge) | 150-200 ml per day |
| Meat purees (beef, pork, turkey, rabbit) | up to 50 g per day |
| Fish (cod, hake, haddock, salmon, pollock, trout) | We start giving it with 1 tsp, and over 2-3 meals we bring it to a serving of 50 g/day. Up to a year, give fish no more than 1-2 times a week. |
| Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, potatoes, carrots, beets, pumpkin) and cereals (rice, buckwheat, corn, wheat, barley) | up to 180 ml per day |
| Fruit juices and purees (apple, pear, peach, apricot, plum) | 80-90 ml per day |
| Low-fat cottage cheese (no more than 3%) | no more than 40 g per day |
| Yolk | 20-30 g per day |
| Children's cookies, crackers | 5 g |
Delicious and healthy recipes for your baby
The diet of a nine-month-old baby includes up to 5-6 feedings per day, including snacks. Try to diversify your child's daily menu. Remember that properly prepared complementary foods are a source of nutrients for young children. Don't know what to cook for a tiny gourmet? We offer you several recipes for a complete children's meal.
Potato and zucchini salad
Wash and peel 2 medium sized potatoes. Cut the vegetable into small cubes, place in a small saucepan and fill it with water to half the volume. Peel half the zucchini, cut into pieces and add to the potatoes. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. After 5-7 minutes of boiling, drain the water, mash the vegetables and cool to room temperature. Add 1 tsp. vegetable oil (preferably olive oil).
Cod fillet with rice
Boil 1 liter of water in a saucepan. Add 1.5 tbsp to boiling water. rice and a small part (no more than 4-5 cm) of a peeled leek. Cook over low heat. After 15 minutes, add 30 g of chilled cod fillet to the pan. Cook for another 7 minutes, then remove from heat and pour the broth into a separate container. Mix rice with leeks and cod, add 2-3 tbsp. broth and season the dish with a couple of drops of olive oil.
Oatmeal with milk and peach
Wash 1 ripe peach, peel and chop using a coarse grater. Boil 100 ml of milk (fat content no more than 2.5%). Pour 1 tbsp into the boiling milk in a thin stream. oatmeal intended for cooking. Add grated peach. Simmer over low heat for 3-5 minutes, then remove from heat and cool until comfortable (porridge should be served warm).
Helping a 9-month-old baby develop
Babies at nine months spend a lot of time in their mother's arms. It is not easy to carry a baby for many hours a day, but before walking, the child needs to be “tame” - oddly enough, this is one of the stages of proper mental development.
We suggest paying attention to several important tips that will help to comprehensively develop a nine-month-old baby in a playful way.
Develop your speech
In order for your baby to accumulate a passive vocabulary, you need to talk to him daily and a lot. Don't know what to talk about with your baby? You can start by commenting on what is happening. “Mashenka will now get dressed and go for a walk with her mother,” “today Mashenka will eat porridge,” etc. Read books with nursery rhymes, memorable fairy tales, and poems in which words are repeated to your child.
Teach your baby to crawl
There are babies who, for one reason or another, do not show the desire to crawl, although they are completely healthy. Parents should make every effort to teach their child to crawl, this is an important step towards the subsequent development of walking. When trying to crawl, provide alternate support for its legs - this way, with your help, the baby will learn the technique of “cross” crawling.
Stimulate fine motor skills
Do a warm-up for your fingers every day. Let your child crumple and tear the paper, show how to crumple it. Have a sensory box with pieces of objects of different textures and materials (as long as they are safe!). Let the baby get acquainted with new tactile sensations (a sponge is soft, a bottle cap is hard, etc.).
Encourage physical activity
Does your child like to crawl and explore everything around? Don't put him in the playpen for a long time. An excellent solution could be a folding house with a tunnel. The baby will be happy to crawl into the house through the tunnel and back. You can bring this kind of entertainment to life without spending extra money by making a little house out of cardboard boxes.
Developmental activities for a 9 month old baby:
Choosing toys for a 9 month old baby
At nine months, the baby begins to consciously enjoy the first games, express his emotions and master communication skills. Properly selected toys will help your child develop dexterity and motor skills. So, what is it advisable for a nine-month-old baby to have in his “arsenal”?
Toys
A nine-month-old child absorbs everything like a sponge, so it is important to surround him with useful and necessary objects. Buy figurines of domestic and wild animals. In the game, name the animal, and briefly mention what sounds it makes, how it differs from other animals. Let your toy world have several dolls that you can change, put to bed, and bathe. By constantly saying the simplest actions in the game, the baby will remember them and will soon begin to reproduce them himself.
Wheelchair
Every day, the baby, leaning on support, takes steps and improves in walking. It's time to buy a toy gurney on wheels, with the ability to lean on it. Children at this age are happy to lean on such an object, which allows them to move around the entire room. Rest assured, your little one will be delighted with such a toy!
Toy books
Editions with diverse game elements develop a child's vision, hearing, thinking and tactile sensations. Together with such a book, the baby learns to master many actions - opening and closing it, pulling and tugging on the inserts, touching different textures, rustling, ringing, etc.
There is plenty to choose from, game books are presented in several categories at once, for example, cardboard (with three-dimensional figures, eyes, toys), rubber (waterproof, with squeakers - splashers for the bathroom), textile (pages with different padding, shiny and sound inserts).
Development center
This item is aimed at involving all the baby's senses in the game. Such a center will allow parents to notice what the baby can do at a particular moment and what he has learned a week later. With stretching and falling elements, coordination of movements is trained and fine motor skills of the hands are developed. When purchasing, you should choose educational centers with several types of activities (at least 5) that allow you to twist objects, crush them, pull them, knock them, and change colors. Such a toy will require mental and physical effort from the child while playing, which will have a positive effect on his development.
In this article:
The 9th month is considered one of the most interesting periods in the life of a child of the first year of life. At this age, many children begin to walk and utter their first meaningful words. If your baby is not walking yet and is silent, then this is not a reason to sound the alarm, this does not indicate a developmental delay, the baby is just accumulating strength.
Physical and mental development
The physical development of a 9-month-old child is already quite progressive - many are already standing on their own, while others are just trying to stand up, holding onto the side of the bed or near another support. The little fidget crawls quite quickly, some can confidently stomp along the sofa. Now we need to do another inspection of the home to determine if it is dangerous for the young researcher. If your sockets still don’t have plugs, then it’s time to install them. It’s time to put household appliances away and reduce visible wires to a minimum. It’s time to check all cabinets, cabinets and chests of drawers for opening and closing, or block the doors or install special protection against pinching fingers.
At the age of 9 months, the child already understands adult speech and even prohibitions; he knows words associated with food, walking and sleeping. Already at this age, the baby can eat with a spoon, of course, not yet quite confidently, but the main thing is that he shows interest. It's time to teach your baby to drink from a sippy cup with a soft spout and two handles. You can give pieces of solid food - cookies, a piece of bread, boiled vegetables, even if the baby does not have teeth yet, chewing reflexes need to be developed.
It is necessary to actively develop fine motor skills; grasping objects with the thumb and forefinger is especially important. At the age of 9 months, children can repeat about 8 sound combinations and say meaningfully “mom”, “dad”, “na”, “give”. Pay special attention to small palms, massage them, do “magpie-crow”, teach them to play palms. These exercises help develop speech skills.
A nine-month-old baby enjoys looking at himself in the mirror and also enjoys taking a toy from an adult's hand and putting it in his mouth. At this age, the ability to imitate the actions of an adult appears - show that the toy can be shaken and hit (for this it is better to have a soft hammer to avoid unpleasant incidents). Teach your child to wave “hello” and “bye.”
To develop motor skills, you can ask your child to pour small objects, but only under your supervision so that he does not swallow anything. Teach him to open and close a box, hide a toy there and ask him to open and take it out. During this period, the child already knows how to enjoy successful actions and shows interest in other children. By the baby's facial expressions you can understand his emotions - joy, sadness, resentment, surprise, and so on.
Speech development
At the tenth month of life, the child already knows his name and responds to it. When asked “where is mommy”, “where is daddy” and so on, the baby looks towards the person named or points a finger at him. Ask your child to give you something, for example, ask you to choose a pyramid from several toys. At this age, children already understand the words “sit down”, “lie down”, “give”, “on” and others. Knows the names of many objects and listens carefully to the speech of adults.
At 9 months, your child can repeat syllables and sounds, express some things with certain sounds, and babble a lot in his own way. When reading books, show your child pictures and name them: this is a cat, she says “meow-meow”, this is a dog, she says “av-av” and so on. Do not distort words when pronouncing them, pronounce them clearly.
Daily regime
The routine of a 9-month-old baby is almost no different from that of an 8-month-old. By this period, the baby has already developed the same time for sleep; he wakes up at the same time in the morning and goes to bed in the evening. For now, meals are 5 times a day, the child’s sleep should be 9-11 hours at night and 3 times a day for 1.5-2 hours. Many children switch to 2 naps a day.
Your child’s morning should begin with the usual procedures - washing, it would be a good idea to teach your child to walk in a big way at the same time, this will make it easier for you to potty train him. Some children are already potty trained at this age, but if you haven't started yet, you can start gradually. It would be a good idea to start hardening the child and taking air baths with him.
You need to walk 2-3 times a day for at least 2-2.5 hours, dressing according to the weather. There is no need to wrap the child up too much, this will only harm him. You need to dress your children the same way you dress yourself, adding one layer during the cold season.
The tradition of bathing before bed should remain unchanged; in the cold season, you can bathe every other day, but it is advisable to wash yourself after using the toilet during the day. Diversify bathing with toys by changing them periodically. If your child rolls around a lot at night, be sure to check that the sheet fits tightly to the mattress to avoid the little fidget getting wrapped up in it.
Nutrition for a 9 month old baby
By 9 months, the child already eats a lot, it’s time to diversify his diet. Recipes for a 9-month-old baby can be found in parenting books or on the Internet. From this age, fish can be introduced into the diet, but this should be done only after consultation with a pediatrician. For the first time, take white, lean cod fish, although carp and pike perch are also great. Preference should be given not to frozen fish, but to freshly caught fish.
What to feed a 9-month-old baby: breast milk or formula, vegetable and fruit purees, water-based cereals and fruit juices. Many children at this age already consume cottage cheese or kefir.
Educational games
At this age, games with a child should be aimed at developing motor skills and thinking, that is, more meaningful. Toys for a 9-month-old child can be anything - logic games (pyramid), balls, cars, and so on. The main thing is that they do not pose a risk to the health of the baby. Musical toys are of particular interest.
You can give your child a piece of chalk and show that it leaves a mark on the paper. You can buy finger paints and paint with it, for example, on old wallpaper. Don't forget about massage and gymnastics. Say jokes during classes, count rhythmically, change intonation.
In the form of gymnastics, exercises near a support are suitable - ask the baby to sit and stand a couple of times, lead him by the hands back and forth, crawl, children really like to involve adults in the game.
There are even special cartoons for 9-month-old children, aimed specifically at this age. But don’t get carried away with them, if the baby doesn’t show interest - comment on everything that’s happening on the screen; if there’s still no interest, there’s no need to insist, in the end, he’ll still have time to watch.
At this age, children try to climb higher, so be on guard so that the little flyer does not make a dangerous landing from a sofa or chair.
Do not forget to praise your child for his small achievements, this is very important for him. Many children receive motivation from their parents in this way, encouragement to take action. But do not overdo it; praise only at the right moments; do not shower praise for any action, so as not to develop psychological dependence. The child should have a healthy interest in everything, and not an expectation of praise.
While walking, tell your child everything, walk along the same route, and in a few days he will learn the way on his own. For example, he will know that there is a playground or a large tree around the corner.
Do not chase the skills of other children, each child is unique in his own way and will learn certain actions when the time comes.
Interesting video about baby development at 9 months
The first year of a child’s life is usually divided into four trimesters. Although this is not without some convention, it reflects the characteristic stages of the baby’s growth and development. The third trimester is the time of preparation of the body for a cardinal event: the child getting up on his feet. And the ninth, last month of the trimester can be called decisive in this regard.
If in the eighth month the child does not sit independently, then, with other favorable indicators, this can still be attributed to his individual characteristics or some random circumstances, for example, a recent illness. But if he doesn’t sit down on his own by the end of the ninth month, he can’t wait any longer. Consult a doctor!
The most common reason for such a lag is neurological disorders.
When did they appear? As a rule, even in the prenatal period, possibly at the time of birth. Although not very pronounced, they could still go unnoticed, and perhaps they only appeared for the first time now, because intensive development in recent months created an increased load on the nervous system and it broke down.
Button test
A healthy baby in the ninth month is very active. He crawls in different directions, sometimes spins very funny around his axis, stands up, grabbing the side of the playpen, and even tries to walk along it. But it also happens: he stood up, leaned on the side, looked triumphantly, pleased with himself and the whole world in general. And suddenly he began to cry bitterly. What's happened? I’m tired of standing, but I still can’t sit down from a standing position.
One of the features of the ninth month is the intensive development of small movements of the hand. Until recently, in order to grasp, say, a cube, a child needed his entire palm, which he used to act as a scoop: he scooped the cube, holding it with the tips of all five fingers. And then one day he was lazy, he carefully took this cube with two fingers, thumb and forefinger. Event, the line has been crossed! The ability to operate with two fingers is given great importance. Some experts, among other indicators of normal psychomotor development, offer the following: whether a child at 8-9 months old can hold a large button between the thumb and forefinger. (Naturally, this is only a test, don’t let your child play with a button!)
“Specialization” of the index finger also occurs, the baby touches an object that interests him with it, masters the pointing gesture: “there”, “there”.
While the parents may not have paid much attention to this considerable success, one new habit certainly did not go unnoticed: the child began to love pulling his cap or scarf off his head. Don’t consider this mischief, don’t be angry, but admire it, because this is also an indicator of normal development.
What else does he like? As before, throw your toys out of the playpen, knock a cube on the table or a cube on a cube - in a word, use your hands. Now he needs appropriate toys: light bowls that can be placed one inside the other, a pyramid of several rings, a box where it is so interesting to throw cubes, balls, rings, then shake them out and throw them again.
Hand work is also food for the mind, for knowledge of the properties of objects, it is an impetus for the first guesses and, finally, it is a very strong stimulus for the development of speech.
The ninth month is the threshold of the first word. The child willingly repeats various sound combinations after an adult - it is estimated that there are about eight of them in his capabilities; He babbles for a long time on his own - sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly, sometimes even dropping to a whisper.
The baby’s progress in understanding speech is very noticeable, if, of course, you constantly talk to him, name different objects, comment on your actions: “Now we’ll get dressed, put on panties... Now a blouse... Here it is, the blouse, oh, how beautiful ..."
It doesn’t matter that for now these are only your monologues, they prepare the dialogue and are deposited in the child’s mind. However, he is already capable of responding to you, if not in words, then in facial expressions and action. At your request, he will give you a pen and wave it to your dad leaving for work. He already knows his name, turns around when called, and, being in a good mood, gives you a charming smile.
At the end of the month, you can arrange a small check of the baby’s achievements.
Drink some water (or juice), you say, handing your child a cup.
He readily takes it with both hands and drinks it. Of course, if you pour it full, it will definitely spill and get wet - you need to pour less than half.
Give me Lala, you ask. And he hands you a doll lying nearby that is well known to him.
Try to complicate the task by placing several toys in a row and ask: “Where is Lala (pussy, ball)?” The child finds the named toy first with his eyes, then points to it. Swap the toys and ask the same question. If now the child finds the toy correctly, and even extends his index finger to it, you can safely give both him and yourself a high five. So you're doing great with him! And if he didn’t cope with the task, don’t be upset, repeat the test in two or three weeks; the child has every right to take such an exam at 10 months.
Spoon on the right, bread on the left!
In the ninth month, nutrition becomes more complex. The second, third and fourth feedings consist of several dishes. In this regard, there is a need to set the table at which the child is sitting. Food should not only be tasty, but also have an attractive appearance.
The liquid dish should be poured into a plate, the puree or porridge should be placed on a saucer, and juices, fruit drinks, and jelly should be given from a glass or cup. The table should look beautiful. You need to put a clean napkin in front of the baby. You can't put the whole meal on the table at once.
Before feeding, you need to wash your baby's hands. This has not only hygienic significance. Water is one of the strongest irritants of the nerve endings of the skin. Washing your hands before eating will soon turn into a conditioned reflex, stimulating the secretion of the most active digestive juices, which increase appetite.
The development of the hand, which goes in parallel with the improvement of coordination of movements, opens up completely new opportunities for the child: the time has come to pick up a spoon and learn to eat independently.
It’s more convenient to do this not on your mother’s lap, but at the table, sitting on a high chair. Place a plate of porridge or puree in front of your child (you should start with thick food!), give him a spoon in his right hand, and a piece of bread or a cracker in his left. And be patient! The first thing the child will do is start banging the spoon on the table and try the plate. Calmly guide his hand, show him how to scoop some food onto a spoon, bring it to his mouth, and be sure to get it on his tongue and not under it.
Of course, a child will not immediately overcome these wisdom. And while he smears food on his cheeks and drops it on the table, you slowly feed him with your spoon, leaving a little for independent exercise. When you finish feeding your baby, wipe his cheeks and mouth with a soft napkin, or even better, wash him and don’t forget to praise him: what a great guy, he eats on his own!
Early use of a spoon not only instills independence skills, but makes the process of eating more attractive for the child, thereby improving appetite. It also has one more, somewhat unexpected advantage: like all other hand training options, it stimulates speech development.
Fish? Meat? Bouillon? What you can and cannot eat.
The child’s diet, his daily menu remains the same, it is advisable to give fish instead of meat only once or twice a week. What's good about her? Fish contains all the essential amino acids needed by a growing body, including methionine, which is not found in meat. It is rich in minerals, B vitamins, its proteins are absorbed more fully than meat proteins. Children are given low-fat fish - cod, hake. The main difficulty is to choose every single bone. It’s easier to do this if you boil the piece in salted water for 5-7 minutes, without bringing it to a boil, then, after removing the skin and bones, pass it through a meat grinder, let it boil - and the fish puree is ready. It can be mixed with vegetable puree, or you can put both on a plate separately.
The first test portions, as always, should be very small - less than a teaspoon. But if your baby has manifestations of diathesis and it turns out, for example, that he does not tolerate carrots or egg yolk, then it is better not to give him fish, since it will most likely cause an allergic reaction in him.
Broth - once a classic dish of dietary cuisine - now has to be squeezed out of the diet, at least for children. Even healthy children should be given meat soups no more than twice a week. The fact is that extractive substances, the same ones that give the broth a unique taste and aroma, are strong allergens. This is especially true for chicken broth extracts.
As a rule, the chicken itself can be given to a child. Chicken meat has some advantages over beef - it contains more complete and easier to digest proteins, it is softer, tastier, and children usually love it. It is better to use the upper, lean part of the carcass, removing the skin from it. As for the now so popular imported chicken legs, they are completely unacceptable for children.
Rabbit meat has almost no contraindications. It is especially beneficial for children due to its high iron content. In the rabbit, it is preferable to use, on the contrary, the back part, which contains fewer connective fibers.
Quantitatively, the child’s daily diet remains the same as before, that is, no more than a liter, which is approximately 1/8~1/9 of his own body weight.
By nine months, individual characteristics become more noticeable! They affect character, attitude towards food, and physical development. Body weight, for example, by the end of the month may be 8.5 kilograms for some children, 9.5 or even 10 kilograms for others. And all this is the norm.
Walking in general and walking today
The child should be in the fresh air every day and as much as possible. This, as they say, is an axiom that does not require proof. Although there is plenty of evidence. Special observations, scientific experiments, and life practice have established that maximum exposure to fresh air strengthens the child, increases his resistance to respiratory infections, has a beneficial effect on the nervous system - in a word, it becomes a universal preventive and often therapeutic agent.
“Indoor” and “greenhouse” children, protected from the slightest breeze, have a higher risk of anemia, retarded physical development, sleep and appetite disorders. Their cheeks are pale and their eyes are sad.
So the Russian pediatrician Professor A. A. Kisel was right a thousand times, who formulated the motto: “A day without a walk is a lost day!”, and even: “A room is a prison for a child!”
So, get some fresh air! Fresh, do you hear? But where is he - that's the question...
Unfortunately, today it is sometimes easier for us to provide our baby with foreign fruits and toys, diapers, walkers and other things than with an ordinary breath of clean air.
If you live in a rural area, or simply in an environmentally friendly area, your child is incredibly lucky: you can walk with him as much as you like. The golden rule “not a day without a walk” was written just for you!
But if you are residents of a big city, with an atmosphere polluted by industrial emissions, you have to think about and think about every walk again.
Neither rain, nor wind, nor fog in themselves are an obstacle to the festivities. But if the direction of the wind turned out to be such that it drove all the harmful emissions from factory chimneys into your area, if the meteorological conditions were such that smog, saturated with these emissions, hung over the city? Even the most ardent adherents of daily walks will forgive you if on such a day you leave the child at home or postpone the promenade until the evening, when the air is cleaner.
Sleeping near an open window to some extent, although far from completely, compensates for a missed walk. But again, consider what floor you live on and where your windows face. If the apartment is located high up and the windows overlook the courtyard, on some days an open window in the room may be more useful than walking along a polluted highway. And if you have a ground floor, and even windows facing the street, hurry with your child out of the house to at least a relatively clean green corner! Surely there is a park or square in your area. Is it difficult to get there several times a day (and the child needs three walks of one and a half to two hours)? Try to organize your routine so that you can take a walk in the park at least once, but for longer.
It is not advisable to use crowded city transport. What to do?
The most disadvantaged situation is the baby who is being driven along a city street in a low stroller. The concentration of harmful impurities, and just dust, is high at the bottom, and here the child breathes much dirtier air than, for example, his mother.
It is better for someone who is carried in their arms, but this is difficult for an adult. A backpack bag can help out. If the conditions that orthopedists insist on are strictly observed, this is a good type of transportation to the nearest green oasis.
It is better if you have a regular high stroller in your arsenal. It is somewhat cumbersome, but the child can sleep in it without bending over, like in a stroller, and sit awake. Just be careful! After all, he now sits down on his own, on his own initiative, and, looking at everything around him, may become interested in something lying on the ground, and, suddenly bending over, fall out of the stroller. Such injuries after 7-8 months are not uncommon.
A child needs a walk not only for fresh air, but also for new experiences and knowledge of the world around him. Take him for a walk in the park. Show (if you have) a pond with ducks, a fountain, flower beds with bright flowers. Let him touch the tree trunk, draw his attention to the older children playing. Let the world around him enter into him with light, colors, and warmth!
What can a baby do at 8 months?
At the age of eight months, a child can already do a lot. He is active, constantly in high spirits, moves a lot, pronounces many sounds, including individual syllables. It is no longer difficult for him to roll over from his back to his stomach and back; he crawls with all his might. A child at this age uses his hands quite skillfully and takes different objects. And he can boast of two lower incisors.
Based on the above, you have the opportunity to independently assess the psychophysical development of your child. If you suspect that his development is delayed in any way, contact your pediatrician for advice.
We have already said that it is dangerous to give small objects to a child, because he can put them in his ear or nose, and there may also be a danger of obstruction (blockage) of the respiratory tract. But this does not mean that the child should not be given small objects at all. Someday he needs to learn how to handle them!.. Take, for example, buttons. String them on a strong thread and let your baby (but always under the supervision of an adult) play with them. You will see how dexterous his fingers have become.
A nine-month-old child can already sit well - confidently and for a long time, without any help. He needs to be potty trained. Over time, the desire to go to the potty receives a sound designation - in the form of a very serious “ah-ah”. This very “ah-ah” makes life very easy for both mother and child - since it is very important not to miss a session. Gradually teach your baby to say a cute “ah-ah” when necessary.
Don't let your child sit on the potty for more than 7-8 minutes. It is harmful.
Don't distract your child while he's sitting on the potty. He must concentrate on “his business.” Otherwise, the child will sit for a long time. Don't give him toys while he's pottying.
Guests whom you respect and even love came to you, and your baby announced his “ah-ah”. Don’t even think about swearing at the baby, he did the right thing.
If your child sat on the potty for eight minutes and nothing ended, it is possible that after a while he will soil the diapers. In this case, you have every right to express your displeasure to your child. You should make the remark in a stern, but not angry voice. Perhaps not right away, but one day the child will understand why he is being reprimanded.
Your baby is nine months old. You must be prepared for the fact that one day you will see him standing. Of course, he is not yet able to stand without support. But, having grabbed the wall of the crib or playpen, he is already quite capable of getting up on his own. And he can even take a few steps... But then he drops to all fours again. Running on all fours is much more comfortable for him now.
At this age, the child sits freely for about fifteen minutes.
A child gains life experience by watching you or playing. So don't downplay the importance of games. Engage with your baby. The most convenient time for games is before lunch and before the evening swim. You should not disturb your child with games after eating - this interferes with the absorption of food; You should not excite your child with games before bedtime - sleep will be restless.
Teach your child to play independently. Independence in the game develops imagination. But first you must show your baby how to handle the toy. If the toy is collapsible (for example, a pyramid), disassemble and assemble it so that the child can see it. And then let him play on his own.
During the child’s play, it is advisable to exclude extraneous distractions. The child must concentrate on the game - and play calmly. Don't interfere with the game. A child who is accustomed to playing independently grows up independent.
Do not give your child more than two toys at a time. The abundance of toys distracts his attention. If a child wants to see you while playing and screams, do not rush to answer the call. Perhaps your child threw a toy out of the playpen and now wants you to return the toy. Why did you throw it away?.. From this small “misunderstanding” begins the development of a sense of responsibility for one’s actions.
As a game, teach your child to use a spoon - his hands are already dexterous enough for this. Also teach them to use a cup and bring its edge to their mouth. These practical skills will soon free up a lot of your time.
In the tenth month, you can weigh your baby no more than once every two weeks. You are already accustomed to this procedure; Moreover, they began to get tired of it (remember the time when they weighed the baby several times a day?). Continue recording your weight on your chart. And the next time you go to see a pediatrician, take the table with you. The doctor will monitor your child's weight dynamics with interest. The data from this table eloquently demonstrates the state of the baby’s health in all months of life.
You have probably already noticed that over time, your child began to gain weight more slowly, and the weight curve took on a flatter shape. Don't worry, this is normal.
In two weeks, the child gains weight from 140 to 200 grams.
As you already understand, children do not develop teeth at any specific time. For some a little earlier, for others a little later. By the tenth month, your baby may have four or even all six teeth (two on the bottom and two or four on top). If your child does not yet have four teeth at this age, wait a week or two - perhaps during this time the missing teeth will erupt. But if they have not appeared after this period, consult your pediatrician: you may need to consult a dentist. Or maybe, for some reason, your child lacks calcium and phosphorus salts, as well as vitamin D.
It happens that parents, concerned about the delay in the teething of the child's teeth, check every hour to see if they have appeared - and feel the baby's gums with their finger. You don't need to do this often. Firstly, this is not a very pleasant procedure; and secondly, you can introduce an infection into the child’s oral cavity. We touched it once and that was enough.
One of the reasons for late teething is a disease called rickets. Due to a lack of vitamin D in the body, calcium and phosphorus are poorly deposited in the bones; bone growth is impaired. This important vitamin is formed in human skin under the influence of sunlight. If you are concerned that your child has not yet developed enough teeth, think about whether your baby is getting enough sunbathing.
Manifestations of rickets (if you do not take urgent and competent measures and do not follow doctor’s orders) can remain for life. Therefore, know that it is better to prevent rickets - even in its most minor manifestations. From the first days of life, keep it under control
“communicate” your child with the sun, and also take care of your child’s constant supply of vitamin D through food. Remember that it is easier to prevent any disease than to treat it later.
Your child not only sits independently, actively crawls and even stands with support, he is already overcoming obstacles, making persistent attempts to climb onto a bench, stool, or chair. And he succeeds more and more often. This behavior is the age norm. You should not see this as a whim or a manifestation of stubbornness. On the contrary, we need to help. Conditions should be created for the child’s acrobatic exercises - so that there is something to climb on (on a low bench), and so that it does not hurt to fall. The child gets tired of monotony and strives to conquer his peaks. The child's body grows in movement.
What can a 9 month old baby do?
turns babble into sound serenades;
shows the nose, mouth and other parts of the body of the mother, the doll, in the mirror, sometimes correctly “getting” the finger into the right place;
sticks his fingers in all the holes;
knows how to tear and crumple paper, crumples clay in his palm;
can leaf through thick pages of a cardboard book;
sits down independently, sits, walks with support, crawls;
stands up without support;
rhythmically jumps and squats at a support or holding mother's hands.
Safety precautions in the ninth month of a child’s life
Until recently, it seems, the contemplation of toys was enough for the baby, but now he already acts with them very energetically - he squeezes a rubber doll, knows how to roll a ball, puts nesting dolls one into another. True, he often diligently tries to push a larger one into a smaller one or pull a shoe stolen from a doll onto a cube. But this is also the path of knowledge!
Now the baby no longer has enough of a blanket spread on the floor - before you even have time to look back, he will crawl away from this playground and end up in the far corner of the room. This means it’s time to ensure the safety of the space available to the child.
Children love to explore all sorts of cracks, holes, and recesses. You may have already noticed how persistently your child tries to stick his finger into the ear of a rubber hare or into the buttonhole of his blouse. Imagine how tempting an electrical outlet would be for him! And the first thing you should do is purchase blank fuses. If there are wires of electrical appliances, say, a floor lamp, on the floor, check their serviceability. At the same time, see if a child, when busy with a floor lamp, could knock it over on himself? He will also want to pull the tablecloth hanging from the table. What if there is a cup of hot tea on it?
A high chair for children also requires checking, even if it is new, and even more so if you inherited it, as they say, from friends. Are there any small parts or screws that the previous owner has already loosened? Otherwise, your baby will only have to complete the job by pulling them out and putting them in his mouth. Is the device secure enough to prevent you from falling out by pulling forward? Is the chair itself stable, and can a child, leaning back sharply, fall along with it?
When you sit your baby in a high chair for the next feeding, do not place a plate with something hot next to it. Quite a few babies got burns after joyfully slapping their palms on hot semolina...
Don't forget to browse the toys. A child is already quite capable of bringing a rattle to such a state that some small parts are about to fall out of it, or getting to the “filling” of a soft teddy bear. These are usually pieces of styrofoam, and you can be sure that they will be tasted and possibly swallowed.
In general, soft toys already become the most beloved, and the attachment to some shabby, worn-out bear often remains until school years. Apparently, such a toy not only entertains, but also somehow calms, warms, and is perceived almost as alive and friendly.
When choosing soft toys, choose synthetic fur rather than natural fur. Animals made from synthetics are easier to wash from time to time and cause less risk of allergic reactions. It is also better to first wash a new toy in warm water, then dry and comb it; Maybe it will lose a little beauty, but you will be sure that you have washed away the remnants of formaldehyde that are usually used to treat such products. And although it is allowed only in harmless quantities, it is better not to have it at all.
When buying any toy, you have the right to inquire about the certificate for it, find out whether the materials from which it is made are safe for a child, especially what the dyes are. With domestic and imported toys purchased from large stores, this risk is low, since they must go through inspection. Don’t buy baby toys at all from the market!
There should be few toys in the child’s field of vision: five or six. Among them it is permissible to include some light can with a lid. It remains a mystery why children are more willing to play with ordinary kitchen utensils than with expensive toys designed and manufactured by specialists. However, this is not the only riddle that kids ask...
