Developmental milestones include:

• By 6 months, she holds objects and takes them to her mouth
• Between 6 – 8 months, she is learning to hold and drink from a cup (usually with some assistance)
• By 7 months, she can hold a spoon, but she can’t purposefully use it
• By 7 months, she is beginning to eat a solid food diet
• By 8 months, she can sit without any support
• By 8 months, she can move around by creeping or rolling

What can I do to encourage her physical development?

• Spend time on the floor playing on the floor with her – the more practice she gets sitting and creeping, the stronger her muscles will become.
• When she’s sitting, arrange toys around her that are just out of reach so that she’ll have to get moving to get to them.
• Let her play with her food – it may be messy but it’s also fun.
• Offer her a range of differently textured toys that she can explore with her mouth.

Signs that suggest a developmental problem:

• By 9 months, she’s not sitting without support
• Her body is stiff so that you can’t get her into a sitting position
• By 8 months, she’s not reaching for, or showing any interest in the toys around her.

All children are different and develop at different rates, so don’t be overly concerned if your baby is acquiring new skills at a different rate to those around her. But if you are worried about her development, talk to a health professional for a little reassurance.

Read more:

• 6 – 9 months baby communication
• 6 – 9 months baby routines
• 6 – 9 months baby social and emotional development

This article was written by Ella Walsh for Kidspot.