Baby development milestones: 9 months old

  1. Your baby can sit alone for 10 to 15 minutes on the floor and is able to lean forward to pick up toys without losing balance
  2. Your baby can move across the floor by rolling or squirming and attempts to crawl
  3. Your baby is able to pull to stand for a few moments while holding onto support but falls backwards with a bump as your baby still is unable to lower himself or herself properly
  4. When your baby is held standing, your baby steps purposefully alternating the feet
  5. Your baby becomes visually very attentive to people and happenings in the environment
  6. Your baby is also keenly attentive to sounds and voices, and vocalises purposefully with friendliness or in annoyance. At this stage, your baby begins to understand simple terms like "no no" and "bye bye"
  7. Your baby starts poking at objects with the index finger and picks things up between the fingers and thumb in a pincer grasp. Your baby can hold objects, bite a biscuit and tries to help with feeding
  8. Your baby walks around furniture by stepping sideways, and walks forward and sideways with one or both hands held. Some babies can stand or even walk alone for a few seconds
  9. Your baby can pick up fine objects like sweets, crumbs, or strings using a neat pincer grasp
  10. Your baby drops and throws toys deliberately to watch them fall to the ground
  11. Your baby can point with the index finger at objects that he or she wishes to handle or at interesting happenings
  12. At this stage, your baby knows and responds immediately to his or her own name and understands several words and instructions like "Give to daddy" or "Come to mummy". Your baby imitates adult vocalisations and is sometimes able to form words with gleeful enthusiasm
  13. Your baby makes attempts to help with feeding and dressing. Your baby drools and puts things into the mouth less often
  14. Your baby attempts to copy more and more of your gestures and begins to learn how to identify their use
  15. Your baby can play interactive games, such as peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake

Next article - Baby Development Milestones: 12 Months Old

Ref: M19