9 Months

All caregivers should make sure their own vaccines shots are up to date; get a tetanus booster with whooping cough and influenza shot to protect your baby.
At nine months, babies receive the third hepatitis B and the third polio vaccines. It is rare to have any reaction to these shots, although a child may occasionally get soreness at the site and a low grade fever.
You can treat these symptoms with infant Tylenol®.
At this visit, a blood test checks for lead and a blood count. If there are any problems, your pediatrician will notify you within a few weeks.

Always use an approved rear-facing car seat in the back seat of your car.
Childproof your home. Crawl around your home and look for potential dangers.
Keep all medicine, cleaning products, and products containing alcohol (such as perfume, mouthwash, and alcoholic beverages) out of the reach of toddlers.
If your child ingests any poisons or medicines, call Poison Control first at 1-800-222-1222. Keep this number handy near the phone.
Put gates up at stairs.
Place coverings over electrical sockets.
Check to make sure your child cannot pull lamps, tablecloths, and bookcases down. Secure bookcases, armoires, and other furniture to the wall. Falling furniture can cause serious injury or death.
Lower crib mattress to its lowest position.
Keep bathroom door closed. Never leave your child unattended by the tub, toilet, or a bucket of water.
Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home. Check smoke detectors twice a year.

Your baby is ready for some finger foods when he/she has a pincer grasp. Try offering your baby cut up macaroni noodles, soft fruit, over-steamed vegetables, pieces of soft bread, cheese, tender meat, fish without bones, and tofu.
Don't feed small, hard pieces of food that could cause choking, such as grapes, raisins, popcorn, raw carrots, apples, or nuts.
Stay on breast milk or formula.
Eggs are OK to introduce. Do the whites and the yolks separately the first time they are given.
Introduce the cup; make sure your baby is still getting enough formula or breast milk in the cup. We do not encourage juice unless you are using apple or prune juice to treat hard stools.
Babies typically eat two to three meals a day, plus four to five nursings or bottles.

Your child is becoming a mover and a shaker! Let your child have lots of floor time. Crawling, scooting, and rolling are all normal. Some babies will be walking or cruising, or holding onto things while taking steps.
Your child is becoming a talker, though not in any language you may recognize! You'll hear lots of "dada," and babbling. Your child may start to grunt or scream to communicate. Encourage your child's language by talking, singing, and repeatedly naming objects and people. Babies love repetition and routine.
Most babies are developing a pincer grasp.
Some babies have stranger anxiety and will cry when they are near people they don't know well. They may prefer to be on your lap or cling to you. This is normal, and will pass.
Have a nighttime ritual; keep it simple and consistent.
Babies are beginning to understand the concept of "no."

Next visit: when your baby is one year old.