Milestones (7-9 months)
“Three important milestones to look out for during this period are rolling at 4-5 months, sitting at 6 months and crawling at 9 months. Delays in one of these milestones is nothing to be too concerned about but if your baby is late on all three, you would want to check it out.” – Meg Faure, well-known occupational therapist, public speaker, parenting author and mother.
Months seven to nine are likely to be as busy as they are exciting for both you and baby. Chances are he’ll begin to get much more mobile during this period, so enjoy all the fun games you can start to play together.
What are the things he’s likely to learn? Here are some of the most significant developmental milestones you can expect your baby to reach at seven to nine months.
As always, the timeing of these achievements isn’t set in stone, so don’t worry if your little champion is lagging behind a little with some of them – chances are he’s simple taking his own sweet time and will get there without complications eventually.
Month 7
Most babies should be able to:
- Sit without support.
- Make razzing sounds.
- Feed themselves a cracker or finger food.
Some babies may be able to:
- Start crawling or lunging forward.
- Play peek-a-boo.
- Pass objects from one hand to the other.
Month 8
Most babies should be able to:
- Start crawling.
- Respond to their name.
- Reach for the spoon when being fed and turn away when finished eating.
- Say mama and dada.
Some babies may be able to:
- Crawl well.
- Clap and bang objects together.
- Stand and walk while holding on to something.
Month 9
Most babies should be able to:
- Stand while holding on to something.
- Combine syllables into word like sounds.
- Clap and bang objects together.
Some babies may be able to:
- Stand alone momentarily.
- Wave goodbye.
- Understand the word no.
- Recognise themselves in a mirror.
Remember that this is just a guide! Your baby may hit some of these milestones earlier or later than her peers. If you are worried about her development, however, do have a chat to your health professional and ask them for advice.
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