What’s happening with your baby?
By 7 months, he may have reached the following stages:
Up straight: This is an interesting time for your baby because he’s probably able to sit up all by himself now. This means he’s free to use his hands to grab at toys, roll balls, and crash carefully created block towers you’ve just built for him.
Pick and Mix: He’s starting to be more precise with his finger movements, picking things up between his thumb and fingers. Of course this means you may have to be a little tidier and move small things that can choke him away from his reach. Because yes, everything still goes in his mouth at this stage.
Copy me crawl: If you’re really keen to encourage him to crawl, get down on the floor beside him and do some crawling yourself. You never know he may start copying his funny mummy.
How you can help your baby this month
Stand tall: Now he can sit unaided, he might like a go at standing. Offer him your hands and he may pull himself up onto his feet. This helps strengthen all the muscles he’s going to need for crawling and walking.
Shy baby, cry baby: He may be starting to feel shy of strangers now and might cry if they try to talk to him or tweak his cheek. He can’t help feeling this way, and though it might be tempting to tell him not to be silly (after all you want everyone to see that adorable cheeky gummy grin), try not to be negative. Instead, instill him with confidence, by letting him know you’re there for him. And if he does smile or react positively to someone new, praise him for being so brave!
Your baby’s health
Caught napping: He still needs about 12 to 14 hours of sleep a day – shared between a long block at night-time and a couple of daytime naps. Good sleep is vital for his growth and wellbeing. Trouble is, with all the excitement going on in his life, he might try resisting naps, even though he is tired and tetchy. Try putting him down for a nap before he gets to the shattered and short-tempered stage, making sure you’ve had some chill-down time together before you do.
Play ideas for your baby
Noisy little man! He probably loves noisy toys by now – and anything he can bang gives him great pleasure. Get your earmuffs on and let him loose with a toy drum or a wooden spoon and saucepan – he’ll have a smashing, crashing time!
Your baby’s development may not be exactly the same as these descriptions since all children will develop at their own pace. This is an approximate guide of some of the new skills your little one may be developing. If you have any concerns, always speak to your health visitor or GP.
