Well Kids — 9 Months

Development and Behavior:

Continue talking to your baby to encourage language. Remember, he will never learn to talk if he doesn't hear you talking. Singing songs and repeating nursery rhymes are fun for both of you (although, if you listen to the words too closely, you may wonder about the average IQ of the people who originally made them up). Looking at pictures also encourages language acquisition. Point to pictures and name them for your child. Choose books with pictures, rather than drawings. These often are easier for your baby to recognize. You can also make your own books by cutting pictures and drawings out of magazines.

Improve fine motor skills with blocks and other stacking toys. Keep one low drawer in the kitchen filled with plastic containers, spoons, towels and other safe objects for your baby to play with. He will enjoy the opportunity to play near you, and you will enjoy his ability to entertain himself.

Another fun game is to place a favorite toy just out of your baby's reach on the floor or table. No, this is not sadistic, at least not within reason. Rather, it will motivate your baby to learn to crawl and to walk along the furniture (cruise). Roll a ball to your baby, and encourage him to give or roll it back. When your baby learns to stand and walk, you can try rolling the ball to his feet to encourage him to learn to bend over to pick it up.

Some babies are walking well by nine months of age. However, most of us have babies that take their sweet time about this. Do not be in any hurry. Once your baby is walking, he will get into all sorts of mischief and you will wish that he was still that nice quiet baby that stayed in one place. If you would like to help your baby learn to walk, you can help him learn to cruise around the furniture as described above. When he develops his balance and coordination, he will eventually attempt to "solo" across the room. These adventures usually end in a fall to his butt, but that's why God invented diapers, right?

Many infants start having trouble sleeping through the night. It is important for you to realize that falling asleep is not an easy, automatic or passive process. It is an active, learned behavior. In other words, babies must learn to put themselves to sleep. Make sure that your baby has a quiet, calm place to sleep. This is sometimes not an easy task, particularly if you have other children. Also make sure that you do not get your baby terribly agitated or excited just before bedtime. Occasionally, I will speak with parents who come home from work, and they want to play with their baby. This is fine. However, after an hour or two of bouncing, wrestling and playing games, they can't understand why their baby won't relax and go to sleep. After having such a great time, I'm not sure that I could easily go to sleep either. It would be much better to spend the last hour in quiet activities with your baby. For example, you could look at a book or sing or simply cuddle. Once your baby is calm and quiet or sleepy, you should lay him down in his bed. He should be quiet but still awake. This way, he will learn to put himself to sleep.

It is normal for your baby to wake up during the night. We all wake up, but we have learned to roll over and go back to sleep. We generally don't even remember it the next day. Your baby needs to learn the same skill. If your infant wakes up during the night and cries out for you, you should go to him and comfort him briefly. That way he knows that you are available and that you will respond to him if he needs you. However, once you have established that he is not hungry or dirty or in need of anything else, you should lay him back down in his crib and walk back out. Sometimes you may find that you have further problems with sleeping. Certainly, if you have any problems that you think you cannot handle on your own, please give our office a call.

Eating:

Keep working on the cup. It can be messy, but it has many benefits such as learning motor skills. If your baby is on formula, continue on this until his first birthday. At that time you will switch him to whole milk. Do not use 2% or skim milk until after 2 years of age. Continue to offer new finger foods as well. Most babies will prefer the food that comes from your plate over whatever you have put on his plate.

Cooked cereals and boxed cereals are fine. I do recommend that you avoid those with lots of sugar. Dry cereals, such as Cheerios and Chex, will make a good snack for your baby, and they are also fun for him to pulverize and spread all over the floor.

Accident Prevention:

• Always use a car seat for your children and a seat belt for yourselves.
• Keep electrical cords tucked out of reach. They are a great way for your baby to get burned. Tablecloths also should be kept up high.
• Buy some outlet covers. They are a cheap but effective way to keep kids safer.
• Make sure your home is "baby-proofed." Keep any sharp, breakable or dangerous objects well out of reach. All cleaning fluids, fingernail polish, paint or other hazardous items should be kept in a locked cabinet.
• Find the number of your local Poison Control Center and post it next to every phone. If you think your child may have taken something poisonous, call the poison control number. Do not give Ipecac or attempt to induce vomiting unless told to do so by the Poison Control Center.
• Buy (and use) smoke detectors.
• Keep your water heater set at no more than 120 º F.
• Never drink hot liquids when holding or feeding your baby. It is too easy for it to spill and burn your baby.
• Inspect all toys, and throw away any which are small enough to choke on, are worn, or have sharp edges or breakable or removable parts.
• Inspect all clothing (including yours) for loose buttons that might be pulled off and so present a choking hazard.
• Do not smoke around your baby, or allow anyone else to do so.
• Watch your child closely around any container of water, no matter how small. Bathtubs, toilets, and pails can all be sources of drowning risk. It does not happen often, but you can prevent it by one easy rule: Keep an eye on your baby.
• Keep stairs closed off with a gate.

Remember: Nothing keeps your baby safer than your own eyes.

If you have any concerns about your baby's health, please call the clinic. Please do not give any medicines without talking to your doctor first. We are happy to help you in any way we can.