Watching your baby get older is bittersweet. Each day that passes is yet another reminder that one day your child will one day grow up to become an adult. As sad as you might be about that day, there are things along the way you can cherish for a lifetime. Milestones like sitting up, eating solids, and their first words are all occasions all parents look forward to. While some require nothing more than a watchful eye and a camera to record the memory, others require more in-depth preparation. Below are a few 9-month milestones every parent should get ready for.
Exploration
Hopefully, you’ve been eating right, working out, and getting plenty of rest, because your little tike is getting ready to tire you out. Around 9 months of age, babies are ready to explore the world. They’ve likely already started crawling around and will soon be on their tippy toes running around your home. Here are some things you can do to get ready:
Babyproofing – Your baby isn’t going to like being held much. They want to get around on their own. This means they’ll be wandering around the house quite frequently. As cute as this is you don’t want your baby getting hurt. So, it’s probably best you start babyproofing your home. Plug all outlets, lock all cabinets, block off stairs, and cushion any sharp edges.
Play Area – It’s probably not a good idea to let your baby just roam around the house freely so, give them a space of their own to explore. A play area is just the solution. You can invest in baby gates and block off an area, designate a room, or look for play mats and other baby products to keep your baby engaged in one area.
Bye-Bye Bottle
The nights of rocking your baby to sleep with a bottle will soon come to an end. Now that they’re older, the need to switch them over to a cup will become necessary. Here are a few ways to prepare:
Shop for cups – there are a lot of cups on the market for babies who are transitioning. If you want to purchase the right ones you’ll need to look at the best sippy cups reviewed to see which products babies and their parents love most.
Take it slow – the bottle has become a comfort for your little one, so for some parents, going cold turkey won’t work. Take your time in weaning your tike off the bottle. You can try things like letting them play with the cup, allowing them to drink juice from the cup, and reducing the number of bottle feedings each day until they no longer use it.
First Words and Imitation
If you thought the cooing was cute as an infant, wait until you hear your baby trying to say their first words. Around this age, they start trying to develop speech. You may notice your little one changing the sound of their voice and even imitating sounds they hear to try and imitate your speech. Here are some ways to get ready:
Stimulation – Now is the time to fill those little sponges with some knowledge. Start stimulating your baby’s mind by saying words and pointing to their meaning. For instance, say mommy or daddy while pointing to yourself or ball while pointing to a ball. Your baby will gradually start repeating what you say (or at least trying to).
Games – Another way to stimulate your baby’s brain is through games. They have a lot of games for children this age that relates to shapes, colors, and senses. Allowing them to play with these games throughout the day expands their vocabulary and helps to perfect their speech.
From the looks of things, you have a lot to get ready for. Your baby is going to be growing on the fast track over the next few months. Now ready to explore, drink from a sippy cup, and formulate their first words, there’s only one thing you can do – get prepared. Hopefully, these tips will help to ensure that your baby is safe and has all the resources they need to develop successfully.
