Your Child's Checkup: 9 Months
What to Expect During This Visit
Your doctor and/or nurse will probably:
1. Check your baby's weight, length, and head circumference and
plot the measurements on the growth
charts.
2. Do a screening test that helps with the early identification
of developmental
delays.
3. Ask questions, address concerns, and offer advice about how
your baby is:
Eating. Your baby should be eating a variety of baby foods, in
addition to regular feedings of breast milk or formula. Your baby can probably drink from a cup and
may try to self-feed with his or her fingers.
Peeing and pooping. You may notice a change in the color and consistency
your baby's poopy diapers as you introduce new foods. Tell your doctor if your baby
has diarrhea or has stools that are hard, dry, or difficult to pass.
Sleeping. The average amount of daily
sleep is about 12 to 16 hours. Your baby is probably still taking two naps a day
— one in the morning and another sometime after lunch — but every baby
is different. Waking at night is common at this age.
Developing (milestones). By 9 months, it's common for many babies
to:
- say "mama" and "dada"
- understand "no"
- sit without support
- pull to stand
- walk along furniture ("cruising")
- start to use thumb and forefinger to grasp objects (pincer grasp)
- wave bye-bye
- enjoy playing peek-a-boo
There's a wide range of normal, and children develop at different rates. Talk to
your doctor if you're concerned about your child's development.
4. Do a physical
exam with your baby undressed while you are present. This will include
an eye exam, listening to your baby's heart and feeling pulses, checking hips, and
paying attention to your baby's movements.
5. Update immunizations. Immunizations
can protect babies from serious childhood illnesses, so it's important that your child
receive them on time. Immunization schedules can vary from office to office, so talk
to your doctor about what to expect
6. Order a blood test. Your doctor may check for lead
exposure or anemia.
Looking Ahead
Here are some things to keep in mind until your baby's next checkup at 12
months:
Feeding
- If you're breastfeeding, continue for 12 months or for as long
as you and your baby desire. Breastfed babies weaned
before 12 months should be given iron-fortified formula. Wait until 12 months to switch
from formula to cow's milk.
- Don't give juice
unless your doctor recommends it. Avoid sugary drinks like sodas.
- If there's a history of food
allergies in your family, talk to your doctor before introducing new
foods.
- Pay attention to signs your baby is hungry or full.
- Pull the highchair up to the table during meals. Your baby will start to show
interest in table foods. Give your baby a variety of tastes and textures,
including foods that are pureed, mashed, and in soft lumps.
- Give your child soft finger
foods.
- Avoid foods that can cause choking,
such as whole grapes, raisins, popcorn, pretzels, nuts, hot dogs, sausages, chunks
of meat, hard cheese, raw veggies, or hard fruits.
Routine Care & Safety
- If your baby wakes up at night and doesn't settle back down,
offer reassurance that you're there, but try not to pick up, play with, or feed your
baby.
- Separation
anxiety often starts around 9 months. Keep good-byes short but loving.
Your baby may be upset at first, but will calm down soon after you're gone.
- Continue to keep your baby in a rear-facing car
seat in the back seat until age 2, or whenever your child reaches the
weight or height limit set by the car-seat manufacturer.
- Avoid sun
exposure by keeping your baby covered and in the shade when possible.
You may use sunscreen (SPF 30) if shade and clothing don't offer enough protection.
- Brush your child's teeth with a soft toothbrush and a tiny bit
of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice) twice a day. Schedule a dentist
visit soon after the first tooth appears or by 1 year of age.
- Keep up with childproofing:
- Install safety gates and tie up drapes, blinds, and cords.
- Keep locked up/out of reach: choking hazards; medicines; toxic substances; items
that are hot, sharp, or breakable.
- Keep emergency numbers, including the Poison
Help Line at 1-800-222-1222, near the phone.
- To prevent
drowning, close bathroom doors, keep toilet seats down, and always supervise
around water (including baths).
- Sing, talk, play, and read
to your baby. Babies learn best this way.
- TV viewing
(or other screen time, including computers) is not recommended for babies this young.
- Protect your child from secondhand
smoke, which increases the risk of heart and lung disease. Secondhand
vapor from e-cigarettes
is also harmful.
- Protect your child from gun
injuries by not keeping a gun in the home. If you do have a gun, keep
it unloaded and locked away. Lock up ammunition separately. Make sure kids cannot
access the keys.
- Talk to your doctor if you're concerned about your living situation.
Do you have the things that you need to take care of your baby? Do you have enough
food, a safe place to live, and health
insurance? Your doctor can tell you about community resources or refer you to
a social worker.
These checkup sheets are consistent with the American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP)/Bright Futures guidelines.
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