9 Month-Old Baby: Milestones & Development

Congratulations! Your 9-month-old baby has spent as much time outside of you as inside of you. Amazing. And to celebrate this amazing feat, they’ve decided to give a speech. That almost sounds like it contains at least one real, genuine word.

Yes, one of the most exciting 9-month milestones (although it can happen earlier or later) is hearing them utter “mama”. (That better be one of their first words, or they’re going to have to find themselves a new home to rent.)

Generally, 9-month-old milestones are all very braggable. So make sure that you have that camera at the ready at all times.

Sadly, how it usually goes is this: 1) They do something amazing. 2) You race to get a recording device. 3) They act as if nothing ever happened. Sigh.

Let’s take a look at what might be in store for you over the next few weeks:

9-month milestones

What should my 9-month-old be doing? The question on many a mama’s lips.

The reality is, there is way too much pressure to reach the “correct” milestones.

Of course, you want to do everything you can to ensure that your peanut gets a good start in life—but the pressure to conform to a one-size-fits-all approach to parenting is simply unrealistic.

So, perhaps these 9-month-old milestones will be reached a little earlier or a little later. No biggie.

If you’re worried, reach out to your healthcare provider. They’ll let you know if there’s any cause for concern.

post:jm4t-p7o 915149 Now for some of the most exciting 9-month milestones (where 9 months is a highly flexible term):

9-month baby development

• Can anyone say Chatter Bug? Funny, we start speaking at around this age, and then we can never seem to stop. Amongst the gobbledygook that your baby pours out at this stage, you may notice a word. A “mama”, “baba”, “otorhinolaryngologist” and the like.

• Senses are awakening. They are discovering that the world looks, sounds, smells, feels, and tastes a certain way. Never has there been a better time to spend a good long while smelling the roses. Faces are also discernible by this point, so they may just light up when Grandma enters the room.

• On the move. Okay. It’s time to get your whole world baby-proofed if you haven’t done so already, because that little monster is going mobile. This is the average time for your baby to get crawling. Here we gooooooooo! (And again, don’t stress if this doesn’t happen at this time. Totally fine.)

• Practically a gymnast. Your 9-month-old baby might be able to stand by supporting themselves on a table, and may even go from sitting to tummy in a very impressive roll.

• Where is that toy? Now that your baby understands object permanence (the idea that there is a world beyond what they can see) they might make the next logical leap: that there are toys around that they cannot see. Yup, they may even go looking for them. Find out [6 toys for a 9-month-old)(https://www.peanut-app.io/blog/toys-for-9-month-old).

• Picking up where they left off. This is about the time where your little one will start grabbing everything with their thumb and pointer finger. Super cute and oh-so-handy (terrible pun) when it comes to picking up toys and food.

Don't miss: 9-Month-Old Baby Activities

9-month-old baby weight

If you think your 9-month-old baby is growing at an alarming rate, you’re probably right.

At this point, they’re gaining about 3 to 5 ounces every week. Those cute clothes you just bought? Um, unfortunately, they’ll be in the hand-me-down pile sooner than you think. Sorry, mama.

A 9-month-old baby typically weighs between 18 and 19 and a half pounds. That’s about as heavy as a Daschund! (Huge, right?!)

You know what’s exceedingly cute? Your 9-month-old baby might look like they have a beer belly at this stage. This is normal. And adorable. They’ll become less contoured as they shape their posture up with growth.

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9-month-old baby food

What does a 9-month-old baby eat? Here are some rough guidelines for a 9-month-old baby feeding schedule:

• Breastfeeding your 9-month-old baby: Your baby will let you know when feeding time is here. It’s likely about every 3 to 4 hours. One way to tell that all is going smoothly feeding-wise is that your breasts feel empty and soft.

• Bottle feeding your 9-month-old baby: Think about 24 to 32 ounces of formula per day. If you break that up into about 6 bottles a day, that’s about 4 to 6 ounces per bottle. Also—and this is kind of amazing: your baby might be holding the bottle themselves. They’re practically ready to drive a car!

• Solid food for your 9-month-old baby: So solid food is a real thing by this stage. Mash it, chop it, grind it, feed it. (It no longer has to be as smooth as it was a few months ago!) Mashed bananas are awesome, as is soft veg like yams and potatoes. Then, you might also want to try yogurt, tofu, cheese… If you’re worried about any allergies, have a chat with your doctor.

Timing-wise, solid food allows you to stick more to your schedule. Think 3 meals and 2 snacks. Done!

(Just be prepared for a fair amount of it to land up on the floor, the walls, the dog, you. They seem to be inspired to create food art at this age. What a 9 month old baby should be doing? Precisely.)

You might also be interested in: What’s the Best 9-Month-Old Sleep Schedule?

You and your 9-month-old baby

There might be a lot going on in your life right now.

You may have gone back to work which can be all kinds of hectic.

Or you may feel like you’ve been stuck within the walls of your house for an eternity. Be kind to yourself.

Get out for walks, reach out to your support system on Peanut, and try to get some time to yourself when you can.

And if nobody has told you this today: you’re awesome. Keep going! You’ve got this.

💡 Read next: 10-Month-Old Baby: Milestones & Development