MONTH 9
Please
keep in mind that all babies are unique. Whether
your baby reaches milestones early or late, she
has her own developmental path to follow. The dividing
lines between these months are very fuzzy. If you
have any concerns or questions about your baby’s
development, please check with her health care provider.
Climbing
Around
the time babies learn to pull up to stand, they also
learn to climb. It is a different skill but also involves
coordination of legs, shifting weight and using the
arms to pull the body up.
Stairs
are often irresistible to the young climber. Moving
down the stairs is a different story for baby. It
requires skills that she will not develop for a few
more months.
Parents
have to be very attentive of children climbing stairs.
We highly recommend placing baby gates at the bottom
and top of stairs to prevent unsupervised explorations
and accidents.
Climbing
On Everything
Babies
will also try to figure out ways to climb on top of
furniture. Around this time, some ambitious babies
make early attempts to climb out of the crib by stepping
onto their bumpers. Be sure to place the crib in the
lowest setting. If baby shows an interest in climbing
and is placing her feet on top of the bumper pad while
gripping the rail, it is time for bumper removal.
This should buy you time before baby is big enough
to master how to get out of the crib. Keep in mind,
most babies do not successfully climb out of the crib
until close to their second birthday, and some babies
never climb out.
The Kitchen and Safety
Kitchens
are a popular spot for baby to explore while a parent
is (trying to) fix a meal. Unfortunately, they are
also a space that can be dangerous for baby if safety
precautions are not taken.
Briefly
we’ll remind you of a few warning areas in the kitchen
to watch.
Lock
the oven if you can. Extra-inquisitive babies who
can pull themselves up to stand are capable of opening
the oven door to explore. The same goes for the dishwasher
-- especially with sharp utensils inside waiting to
be washed or put away.
Holding
baby on your hip and stirring a hot pot can lead to
disaster. Watch out for pots on a stove with handles
facing out; it's best to use back burners when possible.
Keep cleaners and plastic bags in a cabinet with a
childproof lock securely fastened. There are many
ways to make the kitchen a safe place for baby to
practice new skills.
Solid Food Revisited
Baby
now is very clear on her food preferences. She has
a distinct taste of what she does and does not like.
It
is not uncommon for parents to wonder how they should
react to babies throwing food over the side of the
highchair or choosing to play with their food with
their hands instead of eating.
Independence -- Even at
the Dinner Table
Baby’s
interest in doing more things independently is true
for the feeding experience as well. Often, it is not
the food that baby is getting upset about, but her
frustration in wanting to feed herself . One solution
is to give her a "baby" spoon to hold while you continue
to spoon her food.
Baby
has become quite adept at using her fingers. Sometimes
making the jump to finger foods is frightening for
parents who are afraid of their children choking.
Try very small, soft pieces of food that will practically
dissolve in baby’s mouth such as pieces of fruit.
Texture
is another factor in baby accepting food. It is important
to make the jump from mushy, strained foods to soft
solids so that baby can become accustomed to the different
textures and coordination required to eat these foods.
Your
baby still receives nutrition from her bottle or breastfeeding.
As her body’s nutrient demands change, she’ll become
more receptive to solids.
The Self-Weaner
As
baby is striving for independence, becoming more adept
at using her body and eating new exotic foods, she
may decide not to breastfeed anymore. Most women think
that they’ll have to make the first move toward ending
the breastfeeding experience, so this can come as
a big surprise.
It
can be very sad to witness your baby pushing you away
as you try to have her to latch on. But it can also
be liberating for both of you. Baby is telling you
that her body is ready for the nutrients that she
receives from solids. And she is really interested
in attending to her new developing skills.
While
no longer the small baby ready at any minute of the
day to attach to her once favorite object, your breast,
she still needs your closeness -- just in a different
way.
And
you may notice as a result of no more breastfeeding
a few more pounds shed off your body. Some mothers
maintain an extra layer when breastfeeding that just
fall off afterwards.
Congratulate
yourself for breastfeeding this long and providing
the best nutrients that you could for your child!
Home Base
While
you may be amazed at baby’s nonstop interest in moving
and exploring, you may not notice that baby always
keeps an eye on your location. She uses you as her
safe, home base from which to start exploring. She
will venture out and explore but always wants to know
where she can find you if she needs a hug or wants
to show you a toy. She relies on you for comfort and
to "refuel" before launching out again.
This
is an important step in her growing independence.
She’ll only be interested in exploring her world with
the trust of having her primary caregiver close by.
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