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MONTH 9

DIET:
Continue working with a cup and lid. Gradually move baby toward eating all table foods. In fact, it's okay if your baby is eating all table foods at this age. Don't be afraid to add spices or textures. The goal is for babies to drink from a cup and eat table foods by 12-15 months. Incorporate finger foods such as maca­roni and cheese or Cheerios into baby's diet and do not leave child unattended while eating. Nurse breast-fed babies 4-5 times/24 hours. If you switch to whole milk before baby is one year old, give your child a multivitamin with iron until his first birthday. No prescription is needed. Feed formula fed babies 24 oz with 3 meals/day. Begin to work on fully substituting a cup for the bottle, especially at mealtime. Our goal is for your child to be off the bottle by 12-15 months.

SLEEP:
Baby may start to wake-up and play before going back to sleep. Remember not to give baby a bottle in bed; it promotes tooth rot. Baby usually takes 2 naps/day. SAFETY:
Remember that baby is moving faster every day. Be sure all safeguards sug­gested at 6 months are in place. Never leave baby unattended when playing outdoors. Babies riding in belted bicycle seats need helmets. As for riding in the
car. . . remember, All Children Need to Ride in the Back Seat as At All Times Regardless of Which Direction Their Car Seats Face. Infants from birth - 20 lbs. must ride in rear-
facing car seats. Children 20 lbs. - 401bs. must ride in forward-facing car seats. Children over 40 lbs. must ride in booster-style car seats until they outgrow them.

DENTAL:
Start to brush teeth if baby has more than four teeth. Use a soft child's tooth­brush or a wash cloth and plain water or a small, pea-size amount of toothpaste. We suggest using non-fluoridated toothpaste for children. (Ora-gel makes one.) Although it's more expensive than conventional toothpaste, it lasts a long time.

DEVELOPMENTAL:
Baby is going through a big "Mommy phase" and may appear clingy. At this point, he is "cruising" on all fours and feeding himself with his fingers. As for language, baby is babbling in nonspecific syllables. Don't worry Moms, babies always say "Dada" first — it's easier to make those sounds!