Baby Month 9

9 Month Old Baby Development Goals

Communicating with your baby

Your baby is learning what simple words mean, and responding more to you and others. Take the time to enjoy their company and learn who they are.

Feeding your baby

Giving your little one enough iron can be tricky, but minced beef and lamb, rissoles and sausages are good ways to keep iron stores topped up. If you have time, simple slow-cooked meat is also good. Keep in mind that your baby doesn’t need additives like salt, seasoning or sugar. Keep it simple.

Sleep and settling

Daytime naps should continue; typically one in the morning and one in the afternoon, although some babies have three shorter naps.

Keep up your quiet winding-down routine in the evening, perhaps with some stories and songs. Many babies like to sleep with quiet music in the background, so try that if settling is still causing difficulties. Continue to focus on comfort settling to help your little one learn self-soothing skills.

Time to play

As hearing and vocalisation continues to develop, your baby might sometimes try to copy sounds, and will probably love it if you copy them. Encouraging your little one to make different sounds is a great stepping stone towards speech.

Baby’s developmental milestones

  • Becoming wary of new people
  • Pointing at toys and people
  • Trying to stand up, often while holding onto you or some furniture

Check your calendar

  • If you haven’t already, now might be time to consider having a date night out. Prepare ahead by pumping after each feed and collecting small amounts of milk. It won’t take long before you have a whole feed frozen and ready to go.

Want to know more? Call us on 1800 842 098 or Live Chat now.

Please note: These articles are meant to give you a general sense of the growth and development of your newborn baby. However, it’s important to remember that every baby grows and develops at their own pace.

Smiling baby on white sheets

Track your baby's development

Get month-by-month advice on your baby's development

Sign up

Related articles

Dealing with your baby's constipation and diarrhoea

During your baby’s first year, poo is probably never far from your thoughts. Here’s how to deal with common poo problems.

Read more

Back-to-work breast feeding plan

A little pre-planning will ensure your baby has plenty of breast milk when you’re at work.

Read more

Breast feeding: everything you need to know about pumping

By pumping and storing your breast milk, your baby can still receive all of its wonderful benefits when you cannot be there.

Read more