BABY GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 6-9 MONTHS

Giving Birth seems like a task, but raising a child feels like moving mountains. You have no idea what your little bub will be like or how to keep all his milestones and health in check! 

We had discussed the growth and development of babies from 0-6 months, and now it’s time to know about your babies who have crossed their half birthdays! It’s hard to believe you have come this far. Pat, your back! 

We know you have concerns and worries for your 6 months plus babies, and we are here to discuss them. Keep reading to find your answers. 

Growth and development :7 Months

Your 6 months old is all set to jump in his seventh month, and you’re just a little bit concerned about his overall wellbeing. He might be on his way to hitting the road of crawling, or he is taking time. Remember, every baby is different. Your child will do everything at his pace but what you can do is enjoy each moment with your cuddle bear until he grows out of your lap.

7 Months Old Baby Milestones: 

• Get ready to lose that stubborn pregnancy weight that has given you sleepless nights! (Apart from the baby!) Your baby is going to crawl this month! But, chances are he might not be in the mood to start this adventurous journey, and it is okay. Just make sure your bub can hold his head and push his body up while he relaxes during tummy time. Either way, you have to prepare yourself and make your house crawling safe for your baby.
• Your baby is now trying to understand your language. He has a vague idea of your tone and understands a few words like ‘No’ and ‘Clap.’ He will be happy when he picks up your happiness and gets all sad when he senses your anger. 
• Your baby can now sit properly without the support and loves looking at the world with this perspective. But if he does topple over sometimes, you should not get stressed out. He is just trying his best to make his muscles strong enough to support his body. He will reach there. 
• Your baby is still on the road to mastering hand coordination by grasping the objects with his whole hands. He is also able to move from one hand to the other.
• The most exciting thing they love to do is bounce and support their body when held upright.

7 Months Old Eating Schedule 

The most genuine concern of parents is making them eat healthily. But often do not know what foods can be given to them? And how much milk should their babies have while they’re on solids?

Whether your baby is breastfed or bottle-feeding, you need to introduce solids as 3 meals a day to your child. You can introduce finger foods or just blend the yummy things. They should have around 8 ounces of formula per 4,5 bottles a day with the diet. 

About nursing, with time, your baby loses interest in breastfeeding as he becomes more engrossed in his surroundings. But he should be nursed on demand that could be around 5,6 times per day. 

7 months old Sleeping Schedule:

At this age, your child should be sleeping 14 hours per day. Chances are he starts sleeping through the night, but if he hasn’t, it is perfectly fine. Teething, separation anxiety, sleep regression might interrupt their sleeping patterns. 

Activities for a 7-month-old 

• Touch and feel Board books or illustrated books are a good source of activity for your little bub.
• If your child has not started crawling, you may use a string toy and keep it a little away from them to encourage them to scoot forward and grab it.
• You can introduce soft, colourful blocks at this stage to enhance their hand coordination and vision.

Group and Development :8 Months

Now your baby is ready to hit his 8th month, another set of questions pop up in your mind. Allow us to lay down the milestones and address your concerns.

8 Months Old Baby’s Milestones:

At this stage, your baby starts crawling. And if he still has not, you should not worry. All is okay if he is trying hard to scoot forward while lying down.

Your baby might start making a few sounds to imitate your voice. He might say mama or dada and melt your heart.

He is trying to grab objects that are too small and working on a pincer grasp.

8th Months Old Eating Schedule:

Your baby is now on solids 3 times a day, and you should also include snacks 2 times. It is okay if it does not want to munch on snacks. He would rather have an excellent breastfeeding session or have a bottle of milk and lie down. Either way, it is okay.

8 Months Old Sleeping Schedule:

At this stage, the sleeping patterns are about pretty much the same. Only if your baby has started sleeping through the night, consider yourself lucky!

Activities for an 8 Months old 

• At this stage, your child learns cause and effect. You can give them a tissue paper box and let them take out the tissue paper.
• You can introduce sensory bags—different textured things in a tightly sealed bag to let them explore different textures.
• Take them out for a walk and tell them about nature. Babies love going out! 
• Read books! We can’t emphasize this enough. 

Growth and development :9 Months 

The months are passing by real quick, and you still can’t believe your baby is about to get 9 months old. You have to look out for the following Milestones and work on them.

• Your baby is all set to crawl! Look out for baby choking items and just remove any item that could hurt your baby while they are on the way to explore everything. Nothing can stop them now!
• Your child might have one tooth or more now. If they still have not popped a tooth out, do not panic. They are just enjoying their toothless smiles. They will eventually come out!
• Your baby has now started babbling and trying to utter words like mama dada or baba. He recognizes his name as well.

9 Months Old Eating Schedule:

Do you probably think, what does a 9th month old eat? There is no rocket science! You just need to look out for healthy options like fruits and veggies. Say a clear no to sugary things, honey and salt. Also, you should be looking out for any kinds of food allergies that your child might develop.

You can breastfeed on demand, which could be around 5 times a day. A bottle-fed child drinks approximately 24 to 32 ounces a day. 

9 Months Old Sleeping Schedule: 

A 9-month-old baby should be sleeping around 14,15 hours a day, including 11 hours at night, with most likely 2 naps. If your tot is still waking up at night, you need to keep yourself together. Because It might be because of teething, or they just want you by their side. 

Activities for a 9-Month-Old 

• You can introduce zip lock painting to your baby, and trust us, and he will love it. Just pop up some paint on a piece of stiff paper and place it in the zip lock bag.
• You can give them a bag full of random things and let them take out and explore each item.
• Are you up for some messy play? Place some flour on a tray and let the tiny tot play with texture! (Oh, that mess!) 

Final Word: 

We know that it is kind of overwhelming and exciting at the same time to see your baby not so little anymore! As he keeps growing and learning new things. It is good to check his milestones and health but remember, every child is unique. You can’t compare him to your neighbours’ kid. They reach their milestones at their pace, and they come out fine. But if you think they are not reaching their milestones at all, it’s best to reach out to a paediatrician and share your concerns.