7-9 Months Overview
What’s Happening at 7-9 Months?
You’ve Got a Crawler!
Believe it or not, baby should begin crawling around this age. It’s an exciting milestone, but sometimes baby needs a little help—here’s how you can encourage crawling, and why it’s so important.
It’s Time to Baby Proof
Baby is on the move, so let the baby-proofing begin! As baby begins to crawl and stand, it’s important to keep them safe.
Learning to Self-Soothe
Is baby now starting to sleep through the night, and fall asleep on their own? This is an early sign of an important social-emotional skill called self-soothing.
Parent Toolkit
Everything you need to care for your 7-9 month old
The Baby Games Calendar
Baby's First Year Milestone Guide
Parent Toolkit
Everything you need to care for your 7-9 month old
The Baby Games Calendar
Baby's First Year Milestone Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
for Parents of 7-9 Month Old Babies
- Do Tummy Time until baby crawls.
- Teach them to rock on their hands and knees.
- Position a toy just out of reach.
- Learn more tips here.
- If baby is on the move, it’s time to start baby-proofing.
- Also watch for any items they can put in their mouth, and get them out of baby’s reach.
- Baby usually can’t talk at this age, but they can still communicate!
- Use baby sign language to understand their needs.
- Be sure to use serve and return, which is when you reply to the sounds baby makes.
- Teething discomfort can start as early as 3 months, but is more common after 6 months.
- Some signs of teething include fussiness, biting, loss of appetite and drooling.
- Give baby a chilled washcloth to chew on.
- Try rubbing their gums with your fingers or a wet washcloth.
- Learn more about how to help baby with teething.
- If baby was born at or before 37 weeks, you should adjust for prematurity while tracking their milestones.
- Continue to adjust for prematurity for the first 2 years of their life.
- Learn how to adjust for prematurity.
- Play can be a great way to promote baby’s development!
- Peek-a-boo can help with communication and visual tracking.
- Baby can play with blocks all throughout their first year.
- See the best toys for baby’s first year to help with their development.
- Don’t forget these important toy safety tips.
- Baby should get 12-16 hours of sleep a day at 4-11 months of age.
- Some of this sleep comes from naps.
- Here are some ways to help your little one sleep.
Use our checklists to track your baby’s behavior and discuss any concerns with your healthcare professional.
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