YOUR 9-MONTH-OLD BABY’S DEVELOPMENT

Medically reviewed by

19th Dec 2023

You have probably noticed some big changes in the past couple of months, and at nine months old, your baby may be more active than ever. Your little one will certainly keep you busy this month as they may be keen to put their newly found crawling skills to the test.

Here’s what else you can expect from your nine-month-old baby’s development.

Baby’s Growth and Overall Health at 9 Months

Your baby will likely have perfected their crawling skills now and be on the move much of the time. Your little one may also have learned how to move into a standing position and walk along holding onto furniture. Although your baby can stand, you may still need to help them get back down into a seated position.

Continuing to babyproof your home is essential as your baby will be on the move, pulling themselves up and still putting objects in their mouth.

At nine months, your baby boy may measure between 66cm to 78cm in length and weigh from 6.5kg to 11.7kg in weight. While baby girls may measure from 64cm to 76cm in length and weigh between 6kg to 11kg in weight.

It is always best to discuss any concerns about your baby’s size with your health visitor.

9-12 month review

Between the ages of nine and 12 months, your baby will be offered a review, which is usually carried out by the health visiting team. You will receive a questionnaire known as the ASQ-3 Questionnaire, or the ‘ages and stages’ questionnaire, to fill in before the review.

This review will discuss your baby’s learning, diet, language, safety, and behaviour. The review is also a great opportunity for you to ask questions and raise any concerns you may have.

Baby’s Sleep at 9 Months

On average, a nine-month-old baby needs between 13 and a half and 14 and a half hours of sleep each day. Your baby’s sleep pattern may be broken down into a short morning nap of around 30 minutes and a longer afternoon nap of approximately two to three hours. This means that your little one may sleep for a longer chunk of time at night, so you may now get more sleep yourself.

Baby’s Food and Feeding Schedule at 9 Months

Your baby may still have three milk feeds a day: first thing in the morning, after lunch, and before bed. But they may be eating three meals a day, plus a couple of healthy snacks.

Taking care to feed your baby a variety of healthy foods is important to develop those healthy eating habits for the future. While it may be messy, letting your baby use the spoon to feed themselves and eat finger food is excellent for their development, but ensure you supervise them at all times.

It is recommended that babies have daily vitamin A, C, and D drops unless they are drinking 500ml of formula each day. Your health visitor should be able to advise you on which drops are best for your baby.

If teeth are appearing, start to brush them with baby toothbrush and a tiny smear of fluoride age-appropriate toothpaste. This may take some time but will be the beginning of creating a routine.

Baby’s Personality at 9 Months

Your baby will be able to move around so much more at nine months, and their talking skills may be progressing quickly too. If your baby is an early talker, they may now be able to produce some recognisable sounds, such as the beginnings of short words, such as ‘ca’, instead of cat.

As well as using language skills, your little one may also begin to communicate by pointing at objects and may become more aware of everyday activities, such as holding out their hands to be dried after you have washed them.

Your baby will clearly show you when they are not happy and will likely let you know by protesting loudly and arching their back.

Baby’s Milestones at 9 Months:

Your baby will probably now be crawling and moving around the house, so don’t forget to move any potentially harmful objects out of their reach.
At nine months, your baby may now be able to move into a standing position, and some babies can walk along holding onto furniture.
Early talkers may be able to say some more recognisable word sounds.

Games and Activities for Babies at 9 Months

There are many ways to support your nine-month-old’s development; here are some games and activities to try:

Copy each other

Try copying each other by making animal noises, sneezing, etc.

Keep chatting

Keep on talking to your baby each day to introduce them to new words and promote their language skills.

Play with cause-and-effect toys

Play together using cause-and-effect toys. Toys such as a jack-in-box and pull-along toys encourage your baby to interact with them and hold the interest of little ones once they realise, they can control the actions of the toy.

How mum's feeling at 9 months postpartum

Mum's View

"You’d think it would be easier as this is my second child, and second time returning to work. But I’m finding it just as hard!

I cried multiple times a day for the first few days back, why am I admitting this to you? Because I know I won’t be alone! And if someone else can read this and know they aren’t alone either, then I have achieved what I wanted."

Mum of 3, Hebe

Mum's View

"I'll be the first to admit, body positivity hasn't come easy to me. Learning to accept my post-partum body was hard but after while I learned to embrace my new ‘mum tum’ and I soon felt so much more at home in my own skin. I looked at my soft, squishy belly and instead of disappointment and shame, I felt proud and empowered!"

Mum of 2, Sally

Mum's View

"I never had myself down as someone that would go to parent and baby groups, but when I moved to a new area after I had my baby, I knew I had to make the effort.

I was pleasantly surprised!

I’m not saying you will meet lifelong friends there (you never know though…) but it’s a fun thing for you and your baby to do. Plus, you get the chance to interact with other parents locally to you, what have you got to lose?"

Mum of 2, Amelia