A 9-month-old baby seems a far cry from the newborn who came home from the hospital less than a year ago. While many major milestones have already been reached, such as sitting up and crawling, there are plenty more to keep parents on their toes as they experience life with their baby who is truly beginning to show off his personality and let his caregivers know about his preferences.
Physical Development
At 9 months old, a baby has reached the point where she can stand by herself and can stay upright if she has something to hold herself up with, such as a chair or table. Forward mobility has begun as well, and the 9-month-old may be starting to walk while hanging onto the edge of furniture, though she can't maneuver without support quite yet. As far as fine manipulation goes, a 9-month-old can now grasp tiny objects between her thumb and finger and can maneuver a cup well enough to drink from it.
Communication
Mentally, a 9-month-old baby is busy taking in everything around him and working hard at communicating with his caregivers. He's probably saying "mama" and "dada" at this point, and he knows his own name and can respond to simple commands such as "Give it to mommy" or "Put it down." The word "no" is definitely within his realm of understanding at nine months.
Emotional Development
Nine months of age is the peak of separation anxiety and a baby at this age will do anything not to be separated from her parents. Sucking behavior is at a high during this month, too, since that is baby's primary means of self soothing.
Memory
A 9-month-old baby is starting to exhibit signs of really remembering things. She will be able to recall where favorite toys are stored and repeat actions she learned about one week before. She'll also exhibit memory of the people she sees frequently, such as grandparents and other relatives.
Behavior
Asserting independence is something all kids must learn eventually and the roots of independence usually start around month nine. Babies of this age might start resisting what parents want them to do, fighting against being put in a car seat, for example. Bedtime is another area where this new-found independent streak sometimes shows itself. Nine-month-olds may resist going to bed at their accustomed time and try to set their own schedules. Breastfed babies sometimes begin to self-wean at this age, indicating more interest in solid foods and eating what the rest of the family eats instead.
