THE DOCTOR WILL...
weigh and measure your baby to make sure she's growing at a healthy, steady rate (if she's slowed down a little, that's okay — most babies do at this age as they settle into a long-term growth pattern).
give your baby any missed immunizations.
discuss general safety for your baby such as car seat safety, childproofing your home, and poison control.
make a note of how your baby looks (babies this age are generally plump and round, with extra chins and folds in their thighs).
make sure your baby doesn't look overly pale (pale skin can be a sign of iron deficiency and anemia).
answer any questions you have about vitamins (most babies don't need them, but ask about this if you're concerned).
address any worries about your baby's health, including symptoms of and how to treat colds, fevers, diarrhea, croup, and ear infections (this is a prime age for many of these).
give some insight into your baby's development, temperament, and behavior.
look at your baby's eyesight and hearing.
QUESTIONS THE DOCTOR MAY ASK
Read this worksheet all the way through — it links to more detailed information. Then click here to print a clean worksheet you can fill out and take to your doctor.
1. How is your baby sleeping? (Your baby may be waking up often at night these days. She misses the fun and companionship of daytime and will be reluctant to go back to sleep. The doctor may have some helpful suggestions, especially if you have detailed information on how much your baby sleeps and when. Most nine-month-olds are still sleeping about 11 hours at night and three during the day.)
2. How is your baby eating? (At this point your baby has probably begun feeding herself a few finger foods, so the doctor will ask how that's going. Tell him if your baby is having trouble with solid foods or drinking from a cup.)
3. Is your baby crawling? (By now your baby should be crawling or getting around by some other means — scooting, slithering, bottom-shuffling, etc. If she hasn't already, she'll also soon start pulling up to stand.)
4. What does your baby say? (At this age your baby can join syllables together and is probably jabbering wordlike sounds. She may even be saying "mama" and "dada" — though many children still can't at this age. Also let the doctor know what your baby understands. By now she should know and respond to her own name and a few other familiar words; if she's not making any sounds or is making fewer than she was before, tell the doctor, and print out our list of early warning signs.)
5. Does your baby point at objects? (Between the ages of nine and 12 months, most babies start pointing at things that catch their attention such as dogs, and toys. It's a non-verbal way of trying to communicate with you and an important step in language development.)
6. What games does your baby like to play? (Most 9-month-olds love imitative games like peekaboo and patty-cake and find great fun in banging and rattling toys — it's all part of finding out how the world works.)
7. How are your baby's fine motor skills developing? (At this age your baby is learning to use her thumb and forefinger in a pincer grasp that lets her pick up even the tiniest objects. She probably also likes using her index fingers to poke at and explore things.)
8. How does your baby react to strangers? (Lots of nine-month-olds are in the throes of separation and stranger anxiety. They love their parents and family members but are wary of people they don't know.)
9. How are your baby's gross motor skills developing? (By now your baby should be able to bear weight on her feet when she pulls herself into a standing position or you hold her up. If she can't yet get up on her hands when you put her on her stomach, or if she seems to favor using one side of her body over the other, tell the doctor, and click here for our checklist of warning signs.)
10. How is your baby's vision? (Your baby's sight is almost adultlike in its clarity and depth these days. But if you're concerned about her vision in any way, tell the doctor.)
11. How is your baby's hearing? (If your baby doesn't turn toward sounds, be sure to tell her pediatrician; the sooner potential hearing problems are investigated, the sooner they can be treated.)
12. Have you looked at your home from your baby's point of view? (Now that your baby's mobile, there may areas you haven't childproofed yet, such as electrical outlets. Now's also a good time to make sure all medicines and cleaning products are safely locked away, and to post the poison control hotline phone number in an obvious place. You'll also want to review car seat installation instructions if you're going to switch to a convertible-type seat.)
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE
To find out what parents of nine-month-olds most want to know, and what our experts had to say about those issues, click here.
MY QUESTIONS FOR THE DOCTOR
Use this space to jot down your own questions.
