7 month old baby development and care

At 7 months, your baby is becoming independent and developing his or her own personality. From picking up a favorite toy to rolling around or crawling from place to place. A 7-month-old is learning to control his environment and is realizing that being in control can be fun. During this month, you should find plenty of opportunities to continue to encourage your baby's mobility, creativity and curiosity – in safe ways, of course. In this article, SignsSymptomsList will help you discover the milestones of your 7-month-old baby and how to effectively care for your baby.

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1. Motor skills

Seven-month-old babies are learning to walk, although not all of them are doing it the same way. Your baby may crawl, roll, or combine movements. You can encourage this new motor ability by keeping toys out of your baby's reach. Make sure your baby is safe to explore by putting away any toys or objects that contain small or sharp pieces.

Baby can now sit without help and reach for toys. Playtime requires a lot more independence than in previous months. Children are able to hold and drink from a cup and can eat with a spoon. This means that children are also more independent during mealtimes.

Your 7-month-old baby is now strong enough to stand on his own with support. Practicing this skill will strengthen the calf muscles and get your baby ready to walk.

2. Teething

Between the 5th and 7th months of your baby's life, you'll see the first tiny tooth buds emerging from the gums. You'll know your baby is teething because he's drooling more and may be fussier than usual. To ease gum discomfort, give your baby a cold washcloth or toy while teething.

After the first teeth emerge, brush them daily with a soft toothbrush and small-grain toothpaste.

You'll probably see the two lower middle teeth erupt first, followed by the two upper middle teeth. The two lower and upper teeth will be filled in within the next 3 or 4 months. Don't worry if your baby is 7 months old and hasn't started teething yet. Teething time varies from child to child. Some babies are born with teeth. While others don't start teething until they're over 1 year old.

>> Don't neglect taking care of your baby's teeth because it will affect your baby's oral health later on. Read more: Dental care for babies: It's never too early!

7 month old baby development and care

Baby has started teething

3. Eat and drink

Your 7 month old baby has started eating solid foods. Now, you can feed them more whole foods – pureed fruits and vegetables instead of puree. Give your child 4 tablespoons of cereal a day for an iron boost. Adding these thicker foods will help your baby adjust to new food textures and learn to chew. Whenever you introduce a new food, wait a few days before trying anything else. Don't forget to watch for signs of an allergy such as diarrhea, vomiting, rash or wheezing in your child.

Once your baby is 7 months old, you should continue to introduce new foods to your baby. Remember that there is no rush and it may just take your child a while to adjust. Some babies may still need breast milk or formula as their main source of nutrition at this age.

At this point, you can also introduce silver eating utensils and a small cup for your baby to use at mealtimes and snack time.

7 month old baby development and care

7 months old baby can eat mashed food

4. Communication

7-month-old babies are beginning to understand the meaning of language. Your child will respond when you talk. However, babies at this age don't always obey orders. You'll also get a response — at least a turn around — whenever you say your baby's name.

At 7 months, babies will become experts at nonverbal communication. They can create a variety of facial expressions – from grinning to frowning. They can understand how you feel through your voice and facial expressions. Babies also communicate by making a variety of sounds. It could be laughter, blowing bubbles, and babbling in strings of consonants like “da-da-da.”

The memory of a 7-month-old baby has developed significantly and with it the concept of object permanence.

Just a few months ago, when you hid an object or your face in peek-a-boo, children thought it was gone forever. Children now realize that people and objects still exist, even when they are obscured.

Audience permanence means that when you're away from work or errands, you're not out of your child's mind. At 7 months, your baby may start to worry about separation, fussing and clinging whenever you try to leave or refuse to stay with the babysitter. Since familiarity makes babies more comfortable, anxiety about strangers can also start to become a problem at this age.

Children are likely to get rid of separation anxiety by age 2 or earlier. Try scheduling departures when your child is asleep. Let's say goodbye short and sweet. Also ask caregivers to distract your child with a toy or book until you're out the door. And don't feel guilty because your baby will probably stop crying a few minutes after you leave.

5. Sleep

Your baby's sleep may be disrupted for a month or so when they first start teething. While it may feel like you're going back to your baby's early days, it's important to be patient with your baby. You need to understand that, most likely, they are simply uncomfortable and painful when those new teeth come in.

You may also notice that your baby has begun to roll from his back to the front of his stomach and is more active during sleep. This may worry you. However, no need to readjust if your baby rolls over during sleep. You should continue to use safe sleeping practices and make sure that there is absolutely nothing in your baby's crib.

>> Read more: What to know about infant sleep .

7 month old baby development and care

Don't worry if you see your baby rolling around while sleeping

6. Tips for 7 months old baby

Your baby is now used to solid foods. Make your baby a part of family mealtime by pushing the high chair up to the dining table.

Make playtime a regular part of every day. Tiny spiders, peek-a-boo, piggies, and other childhood essentials are all great ways to have fun with your child.

Screen devices should not be used by children under 2 years of age. You should avoid using these devices for as long as possible. Instead, try listening to music, encourage your child to play independently, or read books together.

At this age, 7-month-olds should love reading, especially fun, discovery books. Find books with animals or sounds that your child can explore with you.

The above article hopes to provide you with useful knowledge about developmental milestones in your child's life as well as baby care skills for you.

Doctor Hoang Thi Viet Trinh