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We have made it to the final post in the first year essential series! I am covering my most loved products for 9-12 months of age.
Now, this age span is going to look different for everyone. Some babies will be crawling and some already walking everywhere. Kennadi was standing and walking assisted by her first birthday but she was not walking on her own yet. Everything on this 9-12 month must haves list are items I highly recommend having before your baby turns one!
What 9-12 Month Must Haves do I Really Need?
Our house really started filling up around this age; toys were everywhere, we were using whatever we could do block off areas, and everything became dangerous! Child proofing is an absolute necessity at this age!
Okay, so technically we didn’t put Kennadi in her big girl car seat until she was closer to 13 months old. This was because she was still below the height and weight limits but she was getting close to the height limit.
Transitioning her made for much smoother car rides; she loves her big girl car seat! We had the Nuna Pipa Rx for our infant car seat and after LOTS of research (husband is a firefighter so I can’t emphasize enough how much research,) we chose the Graco 4Ever DLX 4 in 1 infant car seat. This is the perfect time to start researching which infant car seat you want to switch to!
This item depends on the set up/layout of your home but we really needed a space we could set her and keep her contained while still being able to see her. We purchased this baby gate/playpen and love it. It folds into itself so easily for storage; it is easy to pull it out and use when we need it.
Like I said, baby proof everything! My husband installed locks on all of our cabinets, we padded sharp corners, and covered all outlets. We registered for this kit and it had everything we needed and more!
Kennadi started trying to climb out of her bath seat around 9-10 months so we decided it was time for her to just be on her own in the bath tub. Everyone’s bath tub is slippery; you will want to purchase a non-slip bath mat. Little tip (from experience) read the description carefully. Our bathtub is textured and the original mat we purchased didn’t suction like it was supposed to.
Our goal was to have Kennadi completely off bottles by one year old because she already had 12 teeth. When she started cow’s milk, we transitioned her over to these sippy cups and had no issues with them. For water, we use this straw cup.
We tried using utensils when she was younger and she wasn’t ready. At this age, we gave her the grabease utensils and they were great! They are easy to hold and the edges prevent any gagging/choking.
I know these can be controversial but we love our walker! We actually bought it when she was 6 months old and she loved to sit and play with everything on the front of it. Now, she loves pushing it all over the house and I like that it helped her get used to walking.
9-12 Month Must Haves: Extras
Definitely not a necessity but so much fun! We don’t have a Nugget but know everyone loves them! Instead, we opted for this EC4R Kids Soft Zone Play Mat Set and Kennadi loves to pick them up and climb all over them. She is a little wild on them and tends to fall over pretty easily so we have to watch her closely but I am sure they will become even more fun the older she gets.
Again, this is by no means an essential item but I had to share because we LOVE ours! Kennadi got really restless with sitting in her stroller at this age but we all loved going on walks. We found this Radio Flyer 4-in-1 and decided that would be her birthday gift. Best decision ever! She has even more fun on our walks now and I am sure will continue to love it as she transitions to the trike.
9-12 Month Must Haves: Tip
So, if you have a lot of family and friends… just wait until you see the amount of gifts your little one will get for their first birthday!
I highly, highly recommend making an Amazon wish list and adding all of the “extras” and fun toys you want to have for your baby onto that list! We shared our wish list with our family and friends and they appreciated knowing what items we really wanted for her.
Kennadi’s birthday is in January so we had Christmas and then a few weeks later, her first birthday. We bought her the EC4R Kids Soft Zone Mats and her Radio Flyer but we got a TON of amazing items from family including a water table, outdoor slide, outdoor rollercoaster, inflatable bouncer, and table and chairs for her playroom.
Whether you are expecting or already have a little one, I hope this list helps you feel prepared for the final months before toddlerhood!
If this was the first product post you stumbled across, make sure to check out the previous three: Newborn Essentials, 3-6 Month Must Haves, and 6-9 Month Must Haves. Let me know if you have any questions! Found this helpful? Please comment below to let me know 🙂
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