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Advice: 9 months

Nutrition

  • Breastfeeding or formula should continue along with offering your baby a variety of foods at regular times. Most children need 3 or 4 feedings a day.
  • Avoid honey (even cooked) until 12 months.
  • Infants can generally feed themselves and should be encouraged to drink from a cup. Offer your baby a little bit of water (4-8 oz/day).
  • Our goal is to wean infants from bottles by 12-15 months; start weaning pacifier use to only night-time around 9 months.
  • For breastfeeding infants or babies routinely taking < 30oz/day of formula, we recommend switching from vitamin D to a multivitamin with iron (such as Novaferrum multivitamin with iron or Poly-Vi-Sol with iron), 1mL per day.

Sleep

At this age, most babies will fall asleep between 7-8pm and wake up between 6-7am, although some will still wake up overnight (especially when teething). However, by 9 months babies don’t really need to feed overnight. They will usually nap twice per day.

Elimination

Eating new foods can lead to changes in stool frequency or appearance. Signs of constipation might be hard, pellet-like stools or less frequent stools than their normal baseline. Oftentimes, constipation can be relieved by dietary changes: you can increase fruits & vegetables (especially “P” fruits like prunes, plums, pears, and peaches), offer up to 1 cup of water per day, or even offer 4 ounces of 100% prune or pear juice.

What to expect at your 9 month visit

Check-up: Your provider will complete a comprehensive history and physical exam, review growth curves, answer any questions, and provide age appropriate guidance.

 

Vaccines: There are no routine vaccines 

 
Optional/Seasonal Vaccines
  • Flu (optional):  The first year that babies receive their Flu vaccine, they need 2 doses, spaced by 30-days
  • COVID-19 (optional): The first year that babies receive a COVID-19 vaccine, they must complete a 3-dose primary series.  Dose 2 is 3 or more weeks after Dose 1.  Dose 3 is 8 or more weeks after Dose 2.

 

Labs: A single finger poke (capillary draw) is done to collect both labs

  • Hemoglobin – This tests your child’s blood count and is a good marker for iron levels
  • Lead – This tests for any lead in you child’s blood.  Lead can cause significant developmental delays and other problems. This test is required by the state.  

 

Screening Questionnaires:

  • Ages & Stages Questionnaire – This is a brief survey that asks questions to asses your child’s development in gross motor, fine motor, social, communication and problem solving areas
Learn more about vaccines

Development

At this age, many babies will babble consonants, start pulling to stand or cruising around furniture, use a pincer grasp, and turn to their name. You can help your child’s development by “narrating your life,” imitating your baby’s sounds, playing peek-a-boo, and reading to your child daily. Many infants cry when parents leave their presence. This is normal and does not mean that you are doing anything wrong! Short parent-child separations are helpful in teaching infants that when parents go away, they will come back.

Dental Health

At this point, your child may have 1 (or more!) teeth. You can help prevent cavities by caring for your child’s teeth. Your provider may discuss applying fluoride to your child’s teeth today or at their 12-month check-up.

Sugars and bacteria cause cavities in 1 in 4 children. We recommend that you:

  • Do not allow your infant to fall asleep with a bottle of milk or formula.
  • Brush your child’s teeth in the morning and before bed-the toothbrush should be the last thing touching their teeth before they fall asleep!
  • It is safe (and recommended) to use a small smear of fluoride toothpaste on the toothbrush.
  • Talk to your provider if your child’s drinking water does NOT contain fluoride.
  • Minimize exposure to natural or refined sugars (juice) in the infant’s mouth.
  • Avoid dipping pacifiers in any sweetened liquid, sugars, or syrups.
  • Avoid putting pacifiers in your own mouth to “clean” them as this can spread bacteria.
  • Take your child to the dentist within 6 months of their first tooth erupting.

Toddler Safety

ALWAYS… supervise your child near water, even a partially filled bath tub. Fence in backyard pools.


ALWAYS… wear sunscreen when spending time outside (we recommend SPF 30 or higher).


ALWAYS… guard windows and stairs with railings and gates. Plug up electrical sockets and tie up extension cords. Tie up the cords for all blinds. Keep heavy and hot containers out of reach.


ALWAYS… pay attention to choking hazards such as hot dogs, popcorn, hard candy, and small toys.


ALWAYS… lock up all medications and household poisons including cleaners, paint thinners, and drain cleaners. If you are worried your child has ingested something they shouldn’t, please contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.


ALWAYS… know that guns in the home are a danger to the family. If guns are kept in the house, store the gun and ammunition in two separate locations, and keep each of them locked up.


ALWAYS… put the baby in a car seat while driving! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children remain facing backwards until at least age 2. Your baby has outgrown the infant carrier if
their head is above the top or their feet protrude below the bottom. If so, it is time to get a
convertible 5-point harness and install it to be rear facing.

Potomac Pediatrics will always be fully focused on helping your child and you to overcome any healthcare hurdle, with innovative, comprehensive and compassionate care.

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