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Parents often wonder about their child’s health, leading to the frequently asked question: “Is my baby healthy and growing normally?”

These information sheets outline normal and healthy growth and developmental milestones, and common health topics for your baby.

Due to space constraints, some messages are repeated at several ages while others appear once only. Read the complete set of sheets to obtain the entire information.

The Rourke Baby Record (RBR) is a guide that many Canadian doctors and other healthcare professionals utilize for well baby and child visits for babies and children from 1 week to 5 years of age.

photo of a baby

9 Months

Feeding & Growth

  • You can continue to breastfeed your baby until 2 years and beyond, while continuing to give both you and your baby Vitamin D 400 IU/day.
  • You can change from formula to 3.25% MF cow milk at 9-12 months. Offer 500-720 mL (16-24 oz) milk per day.
    • -Plant-based beverages are not a nutrition-equivalent replacement for milk, especially for infants/children < 2 yrs due to low protein, energy and nutrient content. If you choose not to provide breastmilk or cow’s milk at 9-12 mos, a soy-based formula is the recommended alternative until age 2 yrs.
  • If your child is following a vegetarian, vegan, or alternative diet, get expert advice to be sure that it is nutritionally complete.
  • Allow your infant to explore food textures and feed himself with his hands, as able.
  • Avoid sweetened liquids or fruit juices as they can cause tooth decay, problems with weight gain, or diarrhea, and can take the place of healthy foods.
  • Do not give her a bottle in bed containing anything other than water.
  • To prevent choking, avoid small, round, hard, smooth, gummy, and sticky foods until 4 years of age. Have your child sit when eating or drinking.
  • Be a good role model for healthy eating. Eat together as a family away from the TV or other distractions.
  • Avoid honey until 1 year of age to prevent botulism.

Preventing Injuries

  • Car seat safety: Your baby should be in the back middle seat of the car in a rear-facing infant car seat that is manufacturer approved for use until at least 2 years of age. Follow the instructions that come with your car seat to install it properly and keep your baby in each stage as long as possible.
  • Childproof your home. Lock away all medications, cannabis edibles, button batteries, cleaners, and other toxic substances. Cover electrical outlets and tape down cords. Secure TVs, computers and furniture to prevent them from tipping over. Use window guards and stair gates. Be vigilant about hot liquids on countertops. Find the hazards before your baby does. Have Emergency numbers handy. 1-844-POISON-X (1-844-764-7669). Use safe toys for your baby`s age.

Development

  • At 9 months, your baby should:
    • Stand with support when helped into standing position.
    • Sit without support.
    • Use both hands without a hand preference.
    • Use her fingers to “rake” food towards herself.
    • Babble with repeated sounds such as babababa.
    • Play games with you like nose-touching and peek-a-boo.
    • Start to show distress when separated from you.
  • Continue reading to your baby and let him hold the book and turn the pages. Avoid screen time to allow more time for reading and activity with you.
  • Play games with singing, rhyming, and clapping. Use actions when giving instructions.
  • Report any concerns about your baby’s development, including her hearing and vision, to her physician or other healthcare professional.

Other Advice

  • Do not use over the counter cough/cold medications.
  • It’s normal if your baby cries or fusses when you leave him in his crib for the night. Keep your bedtime routine consistent and predictable and allow him to find ways of comforting himself to fall asleep on his own.
  • Consider the first dentist visit by 6 months after eruption of 1st tooth or at age 1 year.

Vaccinations

  • Pain when the vaccine needles are given is less when your baby is breastfeeding, held and hugged, given a sweet liquid, or if a local anaesthetic cream is applied before the needles are given.
  • After vaccinations, your baby may have no reaction, or may be fussy or sleep more or less than usual. He may have a mild fever or a little redness or swelling where the needle was given. If needed, you can give him ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Call your doctor if his fever reaches 40o C (104o F), if he is crying/fussy for more than 24 hours, is unusually sleepy or unresponsive, or has swelling at the needle site that is worsening.
  • Your child would benefit from influenza vaccine.

Resources

For more information on your baby’s health, the top 5 websites cited by the RBR Parent Resources are:

  1. Canadian Pediatrics Society – Caring for Kids (www.caringforkids.cps.ca)
  2. Hospital for Sick Children – About Kids Health (www.aboutkidshealth.ca)
  3. Parachute - (www.parachutecanada.org)
  4. Dietitians of Canada – UnlockFood (www.unlockfood.ca/en/default.aspx)
  5. Health Canada (www.hc-sc.gc.ca)

Support and Acknowledgements

Financial support for the Rourke Baby Record has been provided by the Government of Ontario. In-kind support from the Canadian Paediatric Society, College of Family Physicians of Canada, and Dietitians of Canada. 2024 brochure revisions by Dr. Anne Rowan-Legg. As information is constantly changing, the Rourke Baby Record and these brochures should be used as a guide only.

August 2024