Week-by-week library · 9 months old
Month 9
Quick answer
What is my baby up to at 9 months old?
This month, a wave bye-bye might be the cutest new party trick yet.
What's developing
Motor
Crawling is common for many babies by now, and pulling to stand at furniture is frequent, though again with a wide typical window.
Motor
The pincer grasp, picking up small items between thumb and finger, is emerging for many babies, a genuinely important fine-motor step.
Communication
Simple social gestures like waving bye-bye often appear around this age.
Try this together this week
- Offer safe, appropriately sized finger foods to practice the emerging pincer grasp, per your pediatrician's feeding guidance.
- Wave and say "bye-bye" consistently during actual goodbyes so the gesture connects to its meaning.
- Set up furniture-assisted cruising opportunities in a safe, padded space.
- Keep small choking hazards well out of reach now that the pincer grasp is more precise.
What parents often notice
Pulling to stand often arrives before independent standing or walking, so a baby who can pull up but then looks stuck is right on a very common sequence.
Sourced to
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org
- World Health Organization, Motor Development Study (WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study)
Last reviewed by the This Week Baby editorial team.