Afterover half a year through your baby's life, do you expect more developments to come their way? Of course! You may need more information to keep up with her fast rate of development, starting on the seventh month. Here are some tips which may help you care for your 7 months old baby.
How Is Your 7 Month Old Baby Developing?
1. Body Growth
During your baby’s growth and development, her weight is more important than her height. Your baby’s weight reflects how much she is absorbing nutrients from her food while her height is influenced more by genetic factors.
The child growth standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for a 7 month old baby is as follows: the average weight for boys is 8.3 kg, for girls is 7.7 kg; the average height for boys is 69 cm, for girls is 67.4 cm.
2. Physical Development
Your baby grows and develops at her own pace, and at 7 months, you are likely to notice these changes:
|
New Development |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Start to teeth |
Between the baby’s 5th and 7th months, you will see tooth buds emerging from her gums. During teething she will drool more and become fussier than before. |
|
Develop more motor skills |
7-month-old babies learn to start creeping, rolling, crawling, and scooting. |
|
Gained more strength |
7-month-old babies are strong enough to hold themselves up on their legs while being supported. |
|
More capable of eating independently |
They gradually develop the ability to drink using a cup and eat with a spoon, becoming more independent during mealtimes. |
3. Social and Communication Development
A 7 month old baby is now more familiar with primary caregivers and learns to trust people who can fulfill their needs.
At this stage, babies become experts at nonverbal communication, learning how to use various facial expressions, as well as understanding how you feel from your voice and facial expressions. They also communicate by making different sounds and using syllables such as da-da.
Watch this to learn more about the development of your 7 month old baby:
How to Take Care of a 7 Month Old Baby
1. Feed Your Baby Properly
Your 7 month old baby will eating solid foods by now and will explore various tastes, textures, and colors. Unless she has a food allergy, try to introduce new foods gradually. It may take time for her to accept a new taste. Include her at family mealtimes by using a high chair near the dinner table.
2. Understand Their Sleeping Patterns
Your breastfeeding baby may wake up once at night, but as she learns to eat more solid foods she may sleep through the night. However, babies have different sleeping patterns and you may need to guide their sleeping behavior by helping them fall back to sleep.
3. Pay Attention to Their Health
No immunizations are given on the 7th month, so there is no need for a doctor’s visit unless she is ill. Always wash the baby’s hands after playing and before eating. However, try not to be obsessed about hygiene to help her strengthen her immune system.
4. Watch out for Potential Allergic Reactions
Introduce foods to your baby one at a time to see if she has any allergic reactions to any of them. Feed her one type of solid food for 2-3 days before trying another kind. Consult your doctor if she develops rashes or stomach upset after eating new foods.
5. Help Your Baby Develop Motor Skills
To help your 7 month old baby learn new motor skills, try placing a toy out of reach and allow her to try getting it with encouragement. You can also try these:
- Teach her to clap and do action rhymes to develop coordination.
- Bounce the baby on your lap to develop and strengthen her muscles.
- Give her some quiet time to play by herself.
6. Help Your Baby Through Separation Anxiety
Your baby may begin to shy away from strangers and become upset whenever you leave her side. This separation anxiety may be frustrating sometimes, so try giving her many toys to be busy with while you do other things. At night you can bring her to your bed occasionally, but you will eventually have to train her to sleep on her own as the separation anxiety is resolved.
7. More Tips for How to Take Care of Your Baby
- Play with your baby. Playtime with your baby should be a regular part of your daily schedule. Use your childhood memories of singing itsy-bitsy spider and acting peek-a-boo to have fun with your growing baby.
- Sing to your baby. Help your baby develop her brain and communication skills by singing and using a variety of hand gestures. This will help her develop language skills to encourage self-expression.
