MODULE III

6 – 9 months

A. Physical Milestone

At this stage, your little one will be able to balance in a sitting position and may even begin to crawl. You can expect her to gain just 2 to 3 ounces a week now. Around 8 months, she'll generally weigh between 14 and 18 pounds (boys will be about 1/2 lb. heavier), but her rate of growth will slow down as she becomes more interested in playing with her food than eating it. She loves to experiment with finger foods and it will get messy, but it's important to encourage self-feeding.

Smart Strategy for Caregiver

Mix cereal with less liquid now so it's thicker, and switch from beginner baby foods to soft, smooth mashed foods. This way your baby can practice picking up food with her fingers. Even though she may not have enough teeth to grind food, lumpier items will help her learn the up-and-down and side-to-side motions of chewing and start manipulating her tongue to guide the food.

Good nibbles include ripe fruits, soft-cooked vegetables, pieces of soft-cooked pasta, and whole-grain cereals.

B. Developmental Milestone

Six to nine months is prime time for a baby's fine motor skills development. Your baby is learning to reach for toys, pick them up, finger them, and move them from one hand to the other. He's also developing the pincer grasp -- using his thumb and forefinger to grab an object. He'll amuse himself by pushing a toy just out of reach, then trying to retrieve it.

Smart Strategy for Caregiver:

To help him develop manual skills, give your child plenty of interesting objects to play with. Activity boards, balls, and blocks of varying sizes are fun to handle, as are objects of different textures. He'll enjoy playing with household objects too: offer him a spoon to play with while you are feeding him, a washcloth at bath time, measuring cups while you're making dinner, or a play telephone while you're making a call.

C. Emotional Milestone

Your baby's emotions are starting to surface -- she will display anger when you take away a favorite toy, and she'll coo excitedly and reach out to be picked up when she sees you. You may hear her try to imitate inflections she hears in other people's voices. She's becoming more interested in strangers and the world at large, but she prefers to experience it from the security of your arms.

Smart Strategy for Caregiver

Help your child learn about her world by introducing her to new people and places, while respecting her stranger anxiety. She needs you to respond -- to return her smile, reach out to her when she reaches out to you. Games like tossing a ball back and forth help foster this understanding.

D. Cognitive Milestone

A much greater awareness of what is going on in his world has a downside for your baby at this age: stranger anxiety. Because your child is now able to tell the difference between familiar and unfamiliar situations, he's more fearful of strangers and he's likely to bury his head in your shoulder when you introduce him to new people. He will cry from frustration when he's unable to perform a task he wants to do, say get a toy that's out of reach. This frustration will spur his development, so don't rush in to help him out too often.

Smart Strategy for Caregiver

Your baby needs you to keep him interested in the excitement of the world, while at the same time making him feel safe and secure. Do this by talking to him calmly while holding him firmly when encountering new people and experiences

E. Immunization

6 to 18 months -- Third dose of Hepatitis B (Hep B)

6 months -- Third dose of Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP)

6 months -- Third dose of H. influenza type b (Hib)

6 to 18 months -- Third dose of Inactivated polio (IPV)

6 months -- Third dose of Pnuemococcal Conjugate (PCV)