How does a baby develop between the ages of 9 and 12 months?

It's amazing how quickly a baby develops! A newborn, almost helpless at birth, grows into an active, unstoppable, curious, and ready-to-do child by the time he's one year old.

After 9 months of age, we reach the period when the basic functions of hearing and vision have already developed, and while processing experiences, the baby simultaneously learns, communicates, and his motor development is refined.

Start taking an interest in books

He can recognize shapes on paper and connect them with what he sees in space. His spatial vision is becoming much more refined, he perceives the relative positions of objects, their depths and heights, and adjusts his own movements to them. He feels how far he has to reach for something.

Baby looking at a book with father and mother

In order for him to have a good sense of space, it is important to spend time with him outdoors. While walking, he should be able to travel forward in the stroller and be able to observe properly. Take him on your lap, walk with him, show him objects and cars. The lights are also different outdoors. While inside the apartment, the lights illuminate the objects evenly, outside you can discover shadows and lights that show the shapes differently. The alternation of light and dark also keeps the pupil moving.

Baby's hearing continues to refine

He recognizes sounds in space and turns to where he perceives them. Slowly he also perceives sounds coming from behind. He still really likes to be loud and make noise. Singing and reciting rhymes together is a pastime that we should never miss in a child's life. Melodies, rhythms, words, rhymes, clapping not only develop his hearing, but also his speaking skills, sense of rhythm, musical ear, socialization, and communication is also constantly present, in the form of cooperation and dialogue.

Source: Early Childhood Program

He is able to perform more and more movements

At 9 months old, he can rock himself on all fours, then he starts to climb, faster and faster, but he still has the ability to crawl. He likes this form of movement because he can be fast at it. He walks around the whole apartment. In the process, he gets up and down and holds himself steady, and from there he pulls himself up to a standing position, then sits down again. He kneels down if he can reach something better that way.

At 10 months, he is already progressing forwards in a really routine way, and happily stands up holding on . At 11 months, he starts to walk in this standing position, which develops into sideways walking . At first, he puts his weight on one leg, lifts the other leg, and this is how the first step develops. By 12 months, he is holding on with one hand and bending down with the other hand to reach for a toy. Some stand up without holding on, then fall back onto their bottom.

Every baby develops at a different pace, and this also applies to movement. You should not rush through each phase, as it is not always a good idea to sit or walk too early.

The pace of motor development depends on the baby's constitution, genetics, and interests. Some take nice, sure steps, while others take small leaps to new attractions. Some babies are cautious and some are quite reckless. They usually stand alone for the first time at 9 months of age, but this can also vary.

However, if you experience a lag, you should take your child to a movement development specialist who will examine him or her and, if necessary, correct the lag with personalized exercises in time, which can prevent the child from any possible learning difficulties later on. Under no circumstances should you start giving your child exercises using videos; the assessment of the child's condition is the responsibility of a specialist!

When should we see a doctor?

If the baby

At 9 months old, he doesn't crawl, he can't sit up,
At 10 months, he is not able to stand on all fours, so he cannot climb,
At 11 months, he cannot sit steadily on his own, he cannot stand up,
He is not walking holding on at 12 months.

If we want to examine the baby's fine movements at this age, we see that he reaches for objects with the same dexterity with both hands, and voluntarily. This required a kind of coordination of vision and movement in the past. He can pick up objects in both hands and knock them together. He pinches tiny fluffs on the floor. He claps his hands, waves his hands.

Source: Kismamablog Vida Ágnes , Trappsifüles Movement and Skills Development Center , Early Childhood Program

The infant has innate physical and emotional needs

Little son sitting on mother's lap and talking to each other

Attachment to parents is an innate need of the newborn, encouraging him to develop a close and stable relationship, both physically and emotionally, during the first year of his life. The development of attachment is a process that unfolds through infant care, baby-parent communication, and physical contact.

The baby initially tries to find and establish a connection with his smile, then with his voice and behavior. Signs of attachment appear from the age of 9 months. He seeks comfort from the person who means security to him, clings to him, and extends his hands. And the parent is able to provide him with a way to relieve tension. The specific attachment pattern formed in infancy accompanies the person throughout his entire life. It affects empathy and emotional regulation.

It is important for the parent to be physically and emotionally available to their child. They should have the appropriate sensitivity to be able to recognize their child's problem and find an appropriate solution for them. This skill is called sensitivity.

Source: Trauma Center

The child understands the requests of adults and expresses his wishes himself.

To do this, he gives clear signals mainly with facial expressions and hands. He also uses speech, which slowly builds up from syllables and syllable combinations into words. These words are often so-called "protowords", which have no meaning in our language, but the child often uses them in certain situations.

He understands simple questions and answers them by looking at them and pointing. Time spent with the child is important. At this time, we can recite rhymes and sing a lot, even during bathing or diapering.

Separation anxiety appears

The first wave of this phenomenon can occur as early as 6-8 months of age, and is part of a completely natural developmental process, but we often experience its signs at 8-9 months of age. It is triggered by the period when the child becomes independent and begins to physically distance himself from his mother.

Mother holds her little girl, who is struggling with separation anxiety, in her arms

He realizes that he and his mother are not one person, because he has lived in this consciousness until now. This new perspective is scary for him, he is afraid that his mother will disappear. He is terrified when his mother leaves the room, he cries in the presence of strangers. This behavior is a natural step of socialization . He becomes more attached and feels comfort and security in his mother's arms.

It is important to treat the situation as a natural stage in the development of our child's personality. Give the baby the greatest security, and if you don't have to, don't leave him alone with his grandparents or somewhere else for the first time during this period. Let him come after us, don't be bothered by his attachment. Many people find this period stressful, but if we understand the importance of separation, we can understand the baby's reactions and support him in experiencing these challenges more easily.

If you would like to read more about baby development , check out our previous article!