1) Bouncing up and down
Your baby can now support some of his weight on his legs, and he loves to bounce. What's more, he's probably able to sit unsupported (which will free her hands for exploring), and he'll turn when sitting to reach a desired object. He may even be able to get into a sitting position from lying on her stomach by pushing up on his arms.
2) Learning to grab
Your baby's fine motor skills are coming along, too. By now he can probably scoop things up with just one little hand and transfer them from one hand to the other fairly easily. He may also be able to clasp his hands together and sip from a two-handled cup (with your assistance). Before long you'll probably notice the noise level increasing, not only because of your baby's babble, but also because he'll find out how much fun it is to bang objects together.
To encourage fine motor activity, place a toy just out of your baby's reach and watch him try to get it. If he cries because he can't quite get it, keep giving him relaxed encouragement — but not the toy. He's just venting frustration and will become more physically confident more quickly if you don't make everything too easy for him. After a few tries, he'll be able to lean forward to grab it and then straighten himself again. Of course, this will give him ideas, and he'll soon be rocking back and forth on his hands and knees and may crawl or repeatedly roll over to move about the room. Aid his explorations and mobility by dressing him in loose, comfortable clothes.
3) Teething
While your baby may already have begun teething (the average age is five or six months, though it can start as early as three months or as late as 12 months), about now you can expect to see the two upper central incisors, then the two lateral incisors. Don't be alarmed if your baby has gaps between some of his teeth; teeth often come through the gums at odd angles, and any spaces commonly disappear after all 20 baby teeth have broken through. Once your baby starts teething, you can expect more drooling and experimenting with sounds as he adjusts to having these strange new things in his mouth.
4) Testing your authority
By now, you may already have found yourself telling your baby that the telephone is not a toy. Or maybe in your house the reminders revolve around his tossing his rattle in your face. The fact is, at this age your baby may begin testing your authority by refusing to follow your directions or entreaties. When he pushes back, he's not being disobedient or wilful — he's just curious and simply can't remember things for more than a couple of seconds at a time. The best tactic is to use a simple no, then distract him.
5) The beginnings of separation anxiety
If your baby is anxious when he's away from you during the day, his concern will be compounded at bedtime. When he wakes up at night, even for a moment, he'll know you're nearby, and will be vocal about trying to get your attention. You'll feel torn between the strong urge to scoop him up and take him to bed with you and the voices of those who tell you that to do so is to spoil him. Don't worry: it won't hurt to indulge him occasionally — not always — by bringing him into bed with you. When the separation anxiety disappears, you can teach him to sleep by himself again. Of course, if you've opted for the family bed, you'll always be close at night.
Your baby's reluctance to be separated from you may delight you but may also frustrate you at times. In either case, it might help to load a laundry basket with his toys and move it — and him — from room to room so you can get the jobs that need doing around the house done while enjoying each other's company.
6)Recognition skills
Your baby now actively engages in hiding games and can remember that the jack-in-the-box pops up at the end of the song. He's also able to recognise different tones and inflections and may burst into tears if you speak harshly.
7) Figuring out how objects relate
Your baby's beginning to understand how objects relate to one another in three-dimensional space. He may be able to sort toys, grouping items such as blocks by size. And if he admires his reflection in a window, and you suddenly appear behind his image, he's likely to turn and look for you instead of believing that you're in the mirror itself.
If you've noticed that a simple game of peekaboo is absolutely fascinating to your baby, it's because he's also starting to understand object permanence and loves games where people or things appear and disappear. In fact, one of the easiest ways to keep a seven-month-old occupied is by hiding an object under a blanket for him to discover.
8) Stimulating toys and games
Your baby enjoys playing the same game over and over because he likes predictability. In addition to peekaboo (see above), try adding classics such as round and round the garden and patta-cake patta-cake to your repertoire.
At this age, babies also tend to gravitate toward stuffed animals, both big and small. Most likely, one will emerge as the favourite security object and will soon be covered in dribble and have to accompany you everywhere. When adding new members to your soft toy collection, look for soft, well-stitched stuffed toys that can be washed. Other good toys include balls, nesting cylinders, pop-up toys, and large dolls.
If your baby has a favourite plaything or two, you may start to realise that the expression "as easy as taking sweets from a baby" no longer applies. While it used to be easy to remove things from her grasp, you may now find her protesting loudly when you take toys and other things away.
9) Is my baby developing normally?
Remember, each baby is unique and meets physical milestones at his own pace. These skills are simply a guide to what your baby has the potential to accomplish — if not right now, then shortly.
And if your baby was born prematurely, you'll probably find that it will be a little while before she can do the same things as other children her age. Don't worry. Most doctors assess a premature child's development from the time she should have been born and evaluate her skills accordingly.
