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9 month milestones
Here are the CDC milestones most babies reach around 9 months.
Social and emotional
- May be shy, clingy, or fearful around strangers.
- Shows several facial expressions like happy, sad, angry, and surprised.
- Looks when you call their name.
- Smiles or laughs when you play peek-a-boo.
Language and communication
- Makes different sounds like mamamama and babababa.
- Lifts arms up to be picked up.
Cognitive
- Looks for objects when dropped out of sight.
- Bangs two things together.
Movement and physical
- Gets to a sitting position by themselves.
- Moves things from one hand to the other.
- Uses fingers to rake food toward themselves.
- Sits without support.
Common questions
What should a 9 month old baby be doing?
Around 9 months, most babies: may be shy, clingy, or fearful around strangers; makes different sounds like mamamama and babababa; looks for objects when dropped out of sight; gets to a sitting position by themselves. Every baby grows at their own pace, within a range of time.
What if my baby was born early?
Most pediatricians count milestones from the due date, not the birth date, until about 2 years. That is called corrected age, and it is how Bobbychips counts milestones too.
What if my baby is not doing these things yet?
Most children reach each milestone within a range of time, so one missing item is not a verdict. If you have questions, or your baby has lost a skill they once had, talk to your pediatrician. The CDC's advice is to act early rather than wait.
The day at this age, in numbers: 9 to 11 month old schedule.
Every baby grows at their own pace, and these are general guides, not medical advice. If you ever have questions about how your baby is growing or developing, your pediatrician is the best person to ask.
Sources: the CDC's Learn the Signs. Act Early. milestone checklists and the World Health Organization's infant and young child feeding guidance.
A guide like this, on the day
Bobbychips emails a guide like this one when your baby reaches each of these ages, counted from the due date for a baby born early, and keeps a checklist of the milestones in the app.