The 9th month
Some days seem to loll along, while others are full of activity! Your child is slowly entering the final phase of their baby life and showing more and more of the person hiding in the baby fat. And sometimes they will still be shy – some children more, others less.
The 9th month in brief
- Your baby may continue to be shy or suddenly start to be. This is not a cause for concern, but quite normal.
- Their range of movement increases and some babies can already stand for a moment while holding on to something.
- The hands become more important and fewer objects go straight into the mouth.
- Language acquisition is in full swing and you can support your baby by talking to them a lot and integrating them even more into everyday life.
- The baby’s well-being is important, no question about it. But there’s also no question that the carers have needs. And they need to be taken seriously.
Lots of exercise and lots of fun while eating
Your baby will keep on training – regardless of whether they can already crawl and sit or are just trying to do so. Perhaps they are already pulling themselves up and even standing for a moment. Young children never seem to run out of energy and the perseverance with which they practise is sometimes almost enviable. Some babies still show little interest in movement, which is quite normal. However, if you are unsure about this, you can talk to your paediatrician about it. The medical professional will be able to tell you whether your baby simply needs more time or whether a few activating exercises might be helpful.
Your baby will now also enjoy being at the family table more and more. Whenever possible, it makes sense to eat meals together. In this way, children internalise at an early age that eating can be about more than just taking in nourishment. What’s more, as with almost all areas of life, your baby learns by imitation. If you eat together, listen to each other and pay attention to each other, the children learn to do the same. This also applies to the food: if the parents model a healthy and balanced diet, it will also be easier for the children.
Talking a lot helps a lot
While your baby has been putting everything – really everything – in their mouth in the last few weeks, this type of exploration is decreasing. They examine objects more and more frequently with their eyes and hands. Different materials – a pine cone, a silk scarf, a corrugated cardboard box – provide interesting sensory experiences. Your baby will also continue to develop linguistically and will increasingly try to join two syllables together. You can encourage language acquisition by talking to them frequently. You don’t have to sit down and give the baby a lecture, but can always explain what you are doing in everyday life: which item of clothing you are going to put on them and where, that you are now going to the lift, getting into the car or onto the bus, and so on. Even if the child does not always seem to listen actively: the little rascals absorb a lot more than we sometimes think.
Discovery moment of the month: “everyday toys”
Many parents are surprised when they realise that their baby doesn’t necessarily prefer the fancy rattle or the adorable cloth book when playing. Sometimes banal household objects seem much more interesting: a whisk, a small, empty water bottle or plastic storage boxes into which they can put and take out plastic spoons or Lego bricks, for example. A buttoned-up plastic bag filled with uncooked rice also makes a wonderful sensory toy.
