There are many developmental markers that a nurse should be aware…

nainurse There are many developmental markers that a nurse should be aware…There are many developmental markers that a nurse should be aware of for a 9-month- old female infant. By nine months, a baby should be able to show facial expressions to what they are feeling, notices when family leaves them, can sit up on their own, grab objects and foods that are in front of them, and make noises and sounds. A nurse should evaluate and assess if the infant can do some of these things at their visit (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). I would also want to assess the infants nutritional intake and see if there needs to be any education needed to help the baby grow at a steady rate. An infant needs nutrient-dense foods as their little bodies require high levels of nutrients because of how fast they grow and develop in their first year of life. I would ask the mother if she is still breast feeding/ giving formula for their infant and if they are combining that with introducing different solid foods. At this age, it is important to be giving the infant dense nutrients through the breast milk/formula still but to also start them transitioning to other foods that have other nutrition in it as well. A nurse should assess the feeding patterns of the infant. How often, how much, and to what variety is the child eating at nine months. grain or baby-fortified cereals, pureed cooked vegetables, mashed beans, cooked or ground meats, brown rice, noodles, chopped fruit, small pieces of cheese, and smashed egg yolks are all approved and recommended food options for an infant of 9 months. It is important to only introduce one food at a time and to try it for a couple weeks as it takes time for the child to get used to the new food introduced to them (Green, 2022). As a nurse, I would recommend helping the infant get used to new foods by introducing different tastes, textures, and consistencies. Each food is different and introducing a variety of them over and over again can help the infant develop a fondness for the food. The baby will not like every single food, but help them give each food a chance by introducing it time and time again before saying that they do not like the food. I would recommend to the mother to also have a routine for when the baby eats. It is proven that infants do better under a schedule when they can expect what will happen, such as meal time. I would recommend eating with the infant and allowing them to feed themselves with finger foods. Let them enjoy the experience of eating and discovering new foods independently. Educate them on choking hazards with this as well though. Then lastly, I would recommend to the parents that the baby along with food intake, needs adequate amounts of sleep. It is proven that ages 4-12 months of age need about 12 to 16 hours of sleep. Sleep is a big factor in a baby growing and developing at a steady rate, and so a nurse must make sure to educate them on the importance of sleep (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).Resources     ScienceHealth ScienceNursing