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What to expect at your nine-month visit
Topics you and your doctor may discuss at the nine-month
visit include:
- Separation anxiety. Your baby may begin to have separation anxiety and fear of strangers.
This may cause an interruption in sleep patterns, and your child may cry
every time you leave. This a common stage for your child, and it is a
testament of his/her strong relationship with you.
- Growing independence. At this same time, your baby is also becoming more independent and no
longer wants to be held or cuddled, but wants to move around and
explore.
- Sibling issues. This growing independence may also cause sibling issues, as your older
children may need help understanding an intrusive destructive baby
playing with their toys.
- Tooth eruption. He/she may be getting her first teeth.
Nine-month immunizations
- Hib (#3) if not administered at 6 months (6-15 months)
- Polio vaccine (#3) (6-18 months)
Today’s Report For Your 9-month-old
infant
Child’s name
Examined by Dr.
Weight
%
Length
%
Head
%
Polio vaccine (#3)
Hib (#3)
Feeding your baby
This is a great time to start introducing foods with new flavors and
textures. Strained foods can gradually be replaced by mashed and finger foods.
Take this opportunity to serve as many healthy food choices as possible before
your child develops strong food preferences.
Your baby is probably beginning to feed him/herself. You can cut up tiny pieces
of food and place them on the feeding tray. Cereals, breads, cheese, and other
soft foods are good choices. Try to avoid hard, smooth food, such as hot dogs,
apples, grapes, peanuts, carrots or popcorn for the time being. Your baby is
also still too young for honey. Most physicians advise waiting until your baby
is at least 24 months old to avoid infant botulism.
If you are breastfeeding, keep offering breast milk three to four times a
day. If your baby is bottle feeding, continue to give him/her infant formula --
28 to 30 ounces a day. Your baby is still too young for cow’s milk. You may try
giving your baby a plastic cup (with a lid and handles) if you think he/she is
ready to try drinking on his/her own. You can fill it with breast milk, formula,
water, or juice. You may want to limit the amount of juice he/she drinks because
of its sugar content and because it can reduce appetite for other foods at mealtime.
Developmental milestones
Keep in mind that children develop at their own pace. These milestones are
common to infants at this age, but it is completely normal for your child to
reach some milestones quickly and others at a slower rate.
- Shakes, bangs, throws, and drops objects
- Feeds him/herself finger foods
- May be able to pinch things between finger and thumb
- May have a brief vocabulary, such as "ma-ma" and
"da-da"
- Sits without support
- Can use a cup on his/her own
- Enjoys interactive games and songs, such as patty cake
- Crawls, shuffles, or creeps along the floor
- Sleeps for three to four hours at a time
- Stays awake for one hour or longer
Discipline and self-esteem
Discipline should be seen as a teaching process; you are teaching your child
how to act in a safe and responsible manner. The following is a four-step
suggestion for teaching your 9-month-old better behaviors:
- Tell him/her exactly what he/she should not do — "Do not hit the
dog."
- Give a simple reason why —"That hurts the dog."
- Give an option —"Hit this pillow instead."
- Give a safer alternative —"Use your hands to pet the dog."
A child develops self-esteem through experiences with successful actions,
respect for his/her decisions, and self-discipline. To help children feel good about
themselves and others, understand right and wrong, and learn their own methods
of solving problems, consider the following suggestions:
- Express love daily. Always counter a negative with two positives.
- Be predictable. Set up comfortable, consistent routines.
- Communicate clearly. Make sure your actions and words have the same
meaning.
- Try to understand inappropriate behavior -- why is my child behaving
this way.
- Set your child up for success -- minimize the use of "no’s" as
much as possible.
- Set reasonable limits. Offer sensible choices: an "either/or"
option.
- Be patient. Sometimes you just have to relax, enjoy, and laugh.
Baby safety
- Because your infant is now more mobile, safety measures need to expand to
anticipate new activities.
- Do not put heavy or hot objects on tablecloths. As children begin to pull themselves up, they may grab and pull down
tablecloths upon which these objects have been placed.
- Increased mobility may lead to falls. Use gates at stairwells, and install
safety devices on windows and screens if necessary. Avoid gates with
diamond-shaped slats, which provide footholds for climbing toddlers. Instead
use gates with straight, vertical slats and a swinging door.
- Keep sharp objects (knives, scissors, tools, razor blades) and other
hazardous items (coins, glass objects, beads, pins, medicines) in a secure
place.
- Secure electrical extension cords to baseboards and cover electrical
outlets.
- All poisonous substances should be placed in a locked cabinet.
- Upgrade to a toddler car seat when your infant weighs 20 pounds.
- Set the hot water tap to less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Most
burns occur in the bathroom.
- Never smoke or drink hot liquids while holding your baby, especially now
that your baby can reach out.
Appropriate toys for your 9-month-old infant
- Rattle, large rings, squeeze or sucking toys
- Bright pictures of faces hung so baby can see them
- Cardboard or vinyl books with bright colors
- Squeaky toys
- Mobile with parts visible from baby’s position
- Teething rings
Your baby may also like listening to lullabies, nursery rhymes, or poems.
When should I call the doctor?
Call your doctor if your baby:
- Becomes sluggish or inactive
- Will not eat
- Cries more than usual
- Develops an unusual rash (not prickly heat or diaper rash)
- Has a fever at any age
- Vomits repeatedly (not just spitting up)
- Has frequent loose, watery bowels
- Has apnea spells (times when baby stops breathing)
- Breathes rapidly, wheezes or has any difficulty breathing
Before you call your physician or nurse, write down your child’s symptoms.
Take his/her temperature. Have your pharmacy’s phone number on-hand to tell the
doctor. Keep a notepad on hand to write down any instructions.
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