• Drink from a cup


• Use the pinscher grasp (hold a tiny object between the thumb and forefinger)


• Pull himself up to a standing position from sitting


• Say "mama" or "dada"


• Understand the word "no", but may not always listen!


• 'Cruise' (walk holding on to furniture)


• Stand while holding on to someone or something

Since baby is learning so many new things, nap time and bedtime may become difficult. Try to keep things calm around bedtime, and it might make it easier to get him down. Start your own bedtime ritual, if you don’t already have one. Give him a warm bath, read a book, sing a lullaby. You can try rocking him in a chair, but don’t rock until he’s totally asleep. You want him to learn to fall asleep on his own in the crib.

Games do so much more then just keep baby entertained; they help develop many skills such as coordination, socialization, and counting. Nursery rhymes are something that every child loves, and every parent never forgets. 'The Itsy Bitsy Spider', 'Pop Goes the Weasel', and 'Ring a Round the Rosie' are all songs that babies love…but don’t forget to do the actions too!

Each and every doctor will have their own approach to things, but generally this month’s visit will include:

• Questions about how both you and baby are doing at home as well as baby’s eating and sleeping habits


• Measurements of height and weight


• A physical exam and recheck of any previously found problems


• The doctor may also do several tests to see how well baby is able to sit up on his own, pull up with or without assistance, grasp for small objects, look for a dropped object, play games such as patty cake, respond to his name, and recognize words like "no", "mama" and "dada".

Many doctors will perform a painless tuberculosis skin test during the 9 month checkup. After 3 days the test site needs to be checked for a reaction. A positive reaction doesn’t necessarily mean the baby is infected, but that they may have been exposed to the disease. Some doctors may also do a hemoglobin or hematocrit test which checks for anemia. The test requires a small prick of the finger to obtain a drop of blood. There are several different types of anemia, but in general it is a lower than normal red blood cell count.

If baby had a reaction to previous immunizations, you may want to discuss it with your doctor before hand. He may receive the third hepatitis B shot, if he hasn’t already.

If you want your child to eat good, nutritious and healthy foods, it’s a good idea to start them off right. A child’s taste for certain foods develop when they’re young, so if they’re given sweets early on, they’ll acquire a taste for them. Introduce whole grains and sugar free foods. It’s a wise idea to hold off on sweet treats until your child is old enough to understand that the concept of cake on special occasions, or just one cookie.

If you want your baby to be willing to try new foods, it’s a good idea to refrain from serving certain foods too often. Try two or three different kinds of cereals, or pastas in different shapes, even a variety of fruits and veggies. Every child will most likely go through a "picky" phase, but exposing them to different foods early on will help in the long run, and be a source of good nutrition.

Your baby is becoming more mobile, and it’s never too soon to start "baby proofing". Always be on the lookout. No matter how careful you are, there may be something that you’ve missed. Give your baby the freedom to explore, although it’s good to be cautious, you don’t want them to miss out on being a baby and exploring his world. It’s also a good idea to be familiar with first aid and CPR; you may even want to take a course if you haven’t already. You can never be too safe, and you could even save a life.