9 Month Old Developmental Milestones
By 9 months, babies look when you call their name, make sounds like "mamamama," smile or laugh at peek-a-boo, and sit without support. Here are the milestones most babies reach by 9 months.
What most children do by 9 Months
- Is shy, clingy, or fearful around strangers
- Shows several facial expressions, like happy, sad, angry, and surprised
- Looks when you call their name
- Reacts when you leave (looks, reaches for you, or cries)
- Smiles or laughs when you play peek-a-boo
- Makes a lot of different sounds like “mamamama” and “bababababa”
- Lifts arms up to be picked up
- Looks for objects when dropped out of sight (like their spoon or toy)
- Bangs two things together
- Gets to a sitting position by themselves
- Moves things from one hand to their other hand
- Uses fingers to “rake” food towards themselves
- Sits without support
Talk to your doctor right away if your child:
- Loses skills they once had (for example, words or social smiles)
- Doesn't respond to their name or make eye contact
- Isn't babbling, pointing, or using gestures by 12 months
- Isn't saying single words by 16 months or two-word phrases by 24 months
- Has trouble with feeding, swallowing, or muscle stiffness/floppiness
Trust your instincts — you know your child best. Acting early makes a real difference.
Worried your child is behind?
Early Intervention evaluations are free in every U.S. state — no referral or diagnosis needed. Get a personalized action plan in minutes.
Start your free action planMilestones by age
Milestones are based on the CDC's "Learn the Signs. Act Early." program. Every child develops at their own pace. EarlyBegin helps you know what to do next — it doesn't diagnose or give medical advice. If you have concerns, talk to your pediatrician.