6–9 Months

6 to 9 Months
Your Baby’s Development

This is a time of great fun for parents as they watch their babies become
eager explorers who are thrilled to discover that they can make things
happen. A 7-month-old knows, When I smile, mommy smiles back! A
9-month-old lifts her arms to tell her dad, I want you to pick me up.
How is your baby making things happen?
What Your Baby Can Do What You Can Do
I am learning to think and solve problems. omment on what your baby does to make
C
• When a toy drops to the floor, I look to things happen. You used your voice to let me
see where it went. know you wanted me to keep playing peek-boo.
• I figure out how things work by copying what Let your baby explore interesting objects—
I see you and others do. like toys with buttons to push.
I can control my body. Begin letting your child practice picking

• I can pick up small objects using my thumb up baby-safe foods like slices of banana, if
and other fingers. you’d like your child to learn to feed himself.
• I can sit on my own, which helps me explore Give your baby time to move around
in new ways. on his own. This builds muscle strength
• I may crawl or scoot to get around. I might and coordination.
even pull up on furniture to stand.
I am working hard to communicate with you. Use words to describe your baby’s
• I babble a lot. When someone talks to me, feelings: You are mad that Daddy took away
I make sounds back. the crayon. You can chew on this rattle instead.
• I use my voice to express feelings, like joy If your baby is looking at something, point at
and anger. it and explain: That’s a radio. It plays music.
• I copy actions you make, like waving “bye-bye” Copy your baby’s sounds and actions. If she
and shaking my head “no-no.” waves, wave back and say Hello!
My personality is starting to show. otice how your baby likes to play and
N
• I may love to meet new people or need time to explore. Does she like to move or does
feel comfortable with someone I don’t know yet. she prefer to sit and watch the world
• I may like lots of sound and activity or around her?
I may prefer things to be more quiet and calm. ee how your baby reacts to sounds,
S
• I may be very active or more interested in sights, and social activity. What does
watching. she seem to enjoy? What does she seem
to dislike or get overwhelmed by?
As you use this resource, remember that your child may develop skills faster or slower than indicated here and still be
growing just fine. Talk with your child’s health care provider or other trusted professional if you have questions.
Your family’s cultural beliefs and values are also important factors that shape your child’s development.
For more information on parenting and child development, go to: www.zerotothree.org.
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Your Baby’s Development
6 to 9 Months
Spotlight on Helping Your Baby

What’s on Your Mind Learn to Sleep Through the Night
My 8-month-old used to love By 6 months, most full-term, healthy babies are able to sleep
when my mother babysat but through the night. (Certainly check with your health care
now she sobs when I leave! provider to be sure.) If you’d like your baby to learn this skill,
This sounds like separation anxiety. it’s important to be patient and consistent with how you handle
Starting at around 8 or 9 months, bedtime and night-wakings. This helps your baby learn to
babies may become upset and fearful soothe himself and go back to sleep more easily and quickly.
when separated from a loved one. This
happens because babies are beginning
to understand that people still exist What You Can Do
even when they can’t see them. So
they naturally protest to try to make Use a bedtime routine. Loving When you put your baby down
their special person stay. To help and relaxing bedtime routines sleepy but awake, he learns
your baby adjust to separations, read (like bath, story, milk, teeth- how to fall asleep on his own.
stories about saying good-bye (like Owl cleaning, and then lullaby) help
Babies by Martin Waddell). And use a Plan for protests. Make a plan
babies settle down and learn
good-bye routine with your baby each for what to do if your baby
when it’s time to go to sleep.
time you leave—like a song, a kiss, cries while she is learning
(Just be sure not to leave a cup
and a big wave. Routines help babies to fall asleep. Some parents
or bottle in the crib or bed.)
feel safe. To help your child make the choose to check on their child
transition to her caregiver, suggest that Put your baby to bed while several times until she falls
the three of you play with one of your he’s sleepy but still awake. asleep. Other parents say a
child’s favorite toys or books before you We all wake up to some degree clear goodnight and do not
leave. Most importantly, be sure to say during the night as we move return until morning. (For
a real good-bye to your baby. Sneaking through different stages of some children, having their
out makes babies worry that you may sleep. If children are fed or parents come in and out can
disappear at any time without warning. comforted by a loved one to make it harder for them to
This makes separations even harder fall asleep, when they wake up calm down and fall asleep.)
and can create feelings of mistrust. in the middle of the night, they There is not one “right”
depend on that same kind of way to help babies learn to
comfort to fall back to sleep. sleep through the night.
Did You Know…

Your baby is watching and learning from you?
What It Means for You:

How have you seen
At this age, babies begin to look to loved ones for clues about how to feel about a
your baby observe
situation. For example, when a new person comes to the house, a baby looks to
and react to your
his parents to see how they respond: Are they smiling and happy? Is this person
signals?
okay? Can I trust him? To help your baby adjust when meeting a new person,
show with your own face, voice, and actions that he or she is nice and trustworthy.
Authors: Rebecca Parlakian and This handout was made possible Photo credit: Eyewire/Babies/Getty Images
Claire Lerner, LCSW, ZERO TO THREE by a generous grant from
www.zerotothree.org
Endorsed by: Copyright 2008 ZERO TO THREE
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
ISBN 978-1-934019-28-3

6–9 Months

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6–9 Months

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6 to 9 Months

Your Baby’s Development

What Your Baby Can Do What You Can Do

I can control my body. Begin letting your child practice picking

Spotlight on Helping Your Baby

Did You Know…

What It Means for You:

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