It has been nine months since you first held your bundle of joy in your hands! However the once squirming bundle has undergone a dramatic change. For one, it is no longer squirming but almost running! Welcome to your baby's ninth month.

Look mamma I can stand

In baby's ninth month, he is getting closer to walking all by himself. He can crawl up the stairs (dangerous!) and is cruising too. Your baby at this stage is trying to learn how to stand up from a sitting position. You might be amused to see your nine month-old baby standing for a long time, tiring himself out but unable to sit from this position. A few babies might even start walking at nine months. Mobile walkers are not very safe for baby. You might want to consider exersaucers or stationary walkers instead.

One, two, buckle my shoe?

Not yet. Walking bare foot helps your baby get a better grip of the ground. Besides, it gives her first hand information on the texture of various surfaces and helps the learning process. Baby shoes look cute and you want to go out and buy every pair for your nine month-old baby, but resist the temptation to do so until she starts walking outdoors.

Play with me!

In baby's ninth month, he loves to play interactive games with you. He is now an expert at reaching out and grabbing things. He hates it when something is taken away from his hands. Roll a toy car towards him, stack rings or build block towers with him and watch his eyes light up.

"Da-da Ma-ma"

How soon your baby talks, depends on a number of factors including her environment and her general predisposition. A great majority of babies who start talking as late as three years have normal intelligence. So don't worry if your nine month-old baby seems quieter than his peers. (Babies must not be compared anyway). Keep talking a lot to your baby and sooner or later, she will talk to you too.

Watch out, here I come

Your nine month-old baby is naturally curious about his surroundings and this is a crucial time to avoid accidents. Supervise your baby all the time especially if she is very resourceful. If you have not childproofed your house already, now is the time to act. Do pay special attention to avoid drowning hazards and electrical accidents. Protect your baby from being injured by sharp corners and remove all unstable furniture from the room. Install childproof locks on cabinets and doors and put up barrier gates at the stairs. Keep an emergency rescue number handy just in case.

Who is that?

Baby's ninth month is a time when she develops preferences for toys.and people. She does not like strangers handling her and wants mamma around her all the time. Never force your baby to interact with strangers. Give her a little time to warm up and she will surprise you by eventually getting over her stranger anxiety all by herself.

Visit the doctor regularly for well-baby exams and keep baby's immunization record up to date. A healthy baby is a happy baby.

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