Development

At 9 months of age, many babies are beginning to pull themselves up into a standing position and may be starting to walk while holding on to furniture. Your baby may look bowlegged or may walk with his or her feet turned out. Also your baby's feet will probably look quite flat. This is normal at this age, but if you have any questions, please ask your baby's doctor.

Shoes for babies are mainly to protect their feet and do not help them learn how to walk. Shoes should be very soft, flexible and wide enough to give your baby's toes lots of room. You do not need to buy high-top shoes.

Language

Your baby may be saying "dada" or "mama" at this age, but may not know what those words mean. To help your baby learn what different words mean, respond when he or she says something. In addition, you can help your baby learn words by pointing to objects and naming them as well as by pointing to pictures in books. Also, your baby probably will enjoy games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.

Sleeping

When they are around 9 months old, some babies begin waking up again at night. They may be practicing standing or they may realize that they can call for their parents. If your baby begins to wake up at night, do not start any habits now that you don't want to continue for months. Just talk to your baby quietly and remind him or her that it is nighttime. Do not feed, pick up, hold or rock your baby, unless you are ready to continue the routine for the next few months.

Discipline

Around 9 months, your baby is beginning to develop his or her own identity and starting to enjoy the independence of crawling or walking away from you. Your baby is learning by exploring every area of his or her environment, therefore it is important that you make sure your home is childproof.

Your baby now can understand the word "no" — so, only use the word when you really mean it. This also is a good time to start thinking about the rules you want to set forth. To help your baby learn how to behave:

• Talk with everyone in your home to decide on the most important rules that everyone can agree on, which are often safety rules.
• Once you decide on a rule, you should enforce it consistently. Babies quickly become confused if you allow them to do something one time and then discipline them for doing it another time.
• Expect your baby to try to touch something, even after you have said "no" — your baby is trying to see if you really mean it.
• If your baby does not seem to be listening to you, try moving the baby to a different location, giving him or her a different toy, or holding and talking to your baby.

Babies at this age feel more comfortable if they know that you are going to protect them from hurting themselves. This allows them to explore and learn.

Even babies at this age can understand when they have pleased you. Praise your child every day. It is best to be specific. For example, saying something like, "I like how you picked up the ball" praises a specific accomplishment rather than simply saying, "You are a good baby," which is really general.

Feeding

Your baby probably has been enjoying solid foods for several months. Meals should continue to be a fun time for both of you, so don't force your baby to eat when he or she isn't hungry.

Babies this age really enjoy feeding themselves. It is a way for them to learn as well as explore the different textures of food. Let your baby feed him or herself as often as you can. Granted, your baby will make a big mess, but it is a great learning experience. Also, putting a sheet of plastic underneath the table or high chair can help with the clean up.

Around this age babies are learning how to let go of objects they are holding, so they love to drop things and watch you pick them up. They are not trying to make you mad, so if you get tired of the game, just take the object away and move your baby to the floor.

Between 9 and 12 months of age, solid foods will provide more nutrition for your baby, which means that your baby will need less breast milk or formula. By 1 year of age, most babies are eating three meals a day with their families, but they usually need snacks in between meals and before bed.

This is a good time to introduce your baby to using a cup. One way to help your baby get used to a cup is to let him or her practice while in the bathtub, where spilling will not make a mess. Once your baby starts to get the hang of it, encourage him or her to use the cup when drinking most liquids.

Remember, babies can choke very easily. Don't give your baby small, hard objects to eat, like popcorn, peanuts, small candies, grapes or raw carrots. Be careful not to leave vitamins or other small objects within your baby's reach. Also, don't give your baby hot dogs cut into circles — cut the hot dogs into much smaller pieces if you are going to feed them to your baby. In addition, your baby should always be sitting down when eating to help prevent choking.

If you are interested in taking a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) class, call the American Red Cross at (415) 202-0609 for more information.

Safety

This is a good time to make sure your home is ready for your increasingly active and inquisitive explorer. Please read Childproofing Your Home for ideas on how to make your baby's environment safe.

Car Seats

Make sure you always put your baby securely in a car seat when in the car. Keep your baby facing backwards until he or she is 1 year old. If you have an infant car seat, your baby may need the larger child model now.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.
Last updated June 17, 2010

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or health care provider. We encourage you to discuss with your doctor any questions or concerns you may have.