Congratulation! Your baby is 9 Month old!

Your nine month old is likely to show an interesting change in the pace of activities he does. Whether he is practicing his ability to get around the house or playing with toys, his rate of exploration is speeding up. Around this time, baby also demonstrates a better memory for past events and an increased ability to solve simple problems. For instance if you try to give him some food that he rejected earlier, he will push it away again. If you place a toy inside his shirt, he will pull up his shirt and let it fall out. Your baby is also more cuddly and affectionate than before. Your baby has possibly developed a style of creeping; hands and knees creeping to get around is very common. This is an important time for developing small and large muscle skills; while some babies are getting ready to walk, others are more interested in manipulating small objects. As your baby discovers the link between people and their names, he begins to babble when a familiar person appears.

When Baby eats food off the floor

Does your baby drop food only to pick it up and eat it? As particular you may be about hygiene, you may overlook this sometimes. When baby crawls she is sure to find whatever you missed. Most parents worry that food off the ground can harm baby when she eats it. Don't panic. The germs on your floors don't usually make your baby sick; food eaten off a floor which is contaminated with pet urine or feces could cause a problem. If your baby drops her pacifier, you don't have to rush and sterilize it in most cases. Do rinse it off to remove dirt.

When your baby is shy..

If your baby is shy, don't worry about it. She may need some prompting or help in exploring a new situation or environment. Shy children do not have a low self esteem nor does shyness affect her ability to make friends. Let your child approach others; ease her into new social situations gradually. Do not force her into interactions that make her feel uncomfortable. Pay attention to her cues. If she is reluctant to leave your side, she is just not ready to get into a new situation. Encourage her to play or get involved. As she grows older and with your encouragement, she will probably be less shy.

When you say "No"...

Your baby may have difficulty obeying when you tell him 'No' or 'Don't'. He may get hurt or angry. That is ok since you are doing it for his safety and health; there is only so much you can do to babyproof your home. At this point it is necessary for baby to learn there will always be areas that are off limits. This will make your life a lot easier when you visit other people's homes. If baby is used to having some things not going his way, he is less likely to throw a tantrum when you restrict him outside your home.



Baby walkers

Baby walkers have been associated with a number of injuries; a high number of babies were treated in emergency rooms for walker related accidents. Researchers also believe that using a baby walker can delay a baby's motor development and a to an extent baby's mental development as well. Contrary to popular belief a walker won't help baby your baby learn to walk. He does use his legs to propel himself in a walker but this action doesn't strengthen the muscles he needs to develop for walking. Baby gain instant mobility with walkers; he can go to places quickly on a walker as compared to if he were scooting or crawling. That means he can find himself in harm's way in a moment. Being on wheels exposes baby to other dangers such as a tumble down a flight of stairs. Babies who could see their feet when they were in a walker had close to normal motor development. As such researchers believe baby needs to see his feet for optimum motor development. In order for baby to learn from his environment, baby needs to crawl to explore and this is not possible when baby is mostly in a walker. Another theory is that parents pay less attention when baby is in walker hence parental interaction is at a minimum. This translates to delays in some aspects of development. If you do buy a walker, choose one that is too wide to fit through a standard doorway and one that meets current safety standards. Be sure it has a gripping mechanism to stop the walker at the edge of a step. Limit the time baby spends in a walker; give baby plenty of floor time instead to develop his motor skills. As an alternative consider getting a stationary chair; they have no wheels and cannot move. Baby sits in an upright position while in it; these chairs come with a large tray and some toys to entertain baby.

Finger foods

Now is a good time to start on finger foods if you have not already. Finger foods are small, bite-sized pieces of food. Crackers, teething crackers, pieces of toast, pieces of cheese, small bits of meat, macaroni are good finger foods. The object of giving baby finger foods is to encourage self-feeding. Since he can't use spoon efficiently yet, using his fingers encourages him to practice eating skills. Offer a variety of foods: let baby touch and feel and smell the food. Patience is necessary. It takes baby much longer when he feeds himself.

Yeast infection in Baby Girls

Yeast infection, also called monilla is an inflammation or infection of the vaginal area. It can affect females of any age. It can occur anytime and often follows antibiotic use. Symptoms include

1. Itchiness in vaginal area
2. Skin in vaginal area is red
3. Skin in area is dry
4. May be burning, pain or discomfort with urination
5. Thick white discharge from vagina

If your baby girl has these symptoms, keep the area as clean and dry as possible. Change her diapers as soon as they are wet. Wash the area with mild soap when bathing or cleaning after bowel movements. Call your doctor if you are sure it is a yeast infection. Topical anti-yeast medications will be prescribed. If symptoms don't improve or if there is blood from the vagina or if baby is in persistent pain, call your doctor.

Restrictions are necessary

Baby loves freedom but you need to impose restrictions on that freedom as a good parent. Block off areas you don't want baby to explore such as cupboards or rooms. When you set limits you are introducing baby to the fact that he cant always do as he pleases - a fact of life! When you set limits you help baby feel secure; it's a good practice for you too. Setting restrictions should begin early on in life when baby is young. He will know you mean business when you follow through consistently. When he gets older it is harder for him to believe your intentions as he is used to having his way from young.

Strep Throat

This is an infection of the pharynx by the streptococcus bacteria. It can occur at any age and can be quite painful. Symptoms include fever, difficulty in swallowing and eating, swollen neck glands, swollen tonsils and irritability. If your baby has these symptoms use a cool mist humidifier, try to increase fluids although this may be a difficult task since baby's throat is quite sore. Contact your doctor if during or following treatment if fever persists or rises or if new symptoms develop such as earache or cough. Antibiotics are usually prescribed along with painkillers.

Milestones - your Baby's progress report