From this age your baby will start to show their blossoming personality. They'll embrace play, be more attached to you and babble away to themselves quite happily.
Here are a few of the things you can expect to see at around seven months:
Growth and appetite
They're getting bigger every day! From six months their weight gain will be around 70-90g each week. During the first year of life, on average their birth weight triples and they’ll need good nutrition to fuel their growth. From time to time there'll be 'growth spurts' and you might notice a change in the amount they eat around then. There are no set time slots to feed your baby, but you'll probably develop a routine for your family. At around seven months of age, offer your baby 2 to 3 solid meals a day. At this age breast milk (or infant formula) is still the most important food so should be offered before solids.
Constipation
It's not uncommon for baby’s bowel motions to change, including constipation around this age as you introduce solid foods, however, constipation is less likely to happen with breast fed babies. You’ll know if your baby is constipated as their poos will be small and hard – like pellets and difficult to pass. There can be a number of causes - a common one is not enough fluids. Try giving more plain water and cooked soft or puréed vegetables and fruit. Remember, as your baby eats more food they may cut back on their milk intake, so they will need extra drinks of water, especially in warmer weather. Avoid giving your baby very high fibre foods like bran cereals as their digestive system will still be immature and they can make the problem worse. We recommend you talk to your health professional if constipation persists or keeps coming back.
All by themselves: sitting up
By the time your baby is around seven months old they're likely to be able to sit unsupported for short periods of time. Just be careful not to leave them unattended as they can still lose their balance easily. They'll also be able to sit in a highchair (make sure you always use the harness), and are much more interested in what is going on around them.
Excuse me: learning to burp
It's likely your baby will be able to burp by themselves at this age. Again, there's no set date for when this should happen, if they still need your help that's fine. Gently patting them on the back should be enough. If they haven't burped after a couple of minutes, they probably don't need to!
Tricky little movements: fine motor skills
By seven months or so, your baby's communication and coordination skills will be coming along in leaps and bounds. You might notice they have better control of their hands. They'll probably be able to hold a two-handled cup and drink by themselves, maybe grip things better or even clap. These are known as fine motor skills, which use small, precise movements of thumbs and fingers. Fine motor skills also include small tongue movements, like you do when you taste something. These may be slowly coming along, but they'll play a big part in your baby learning to talk.
Remember, every baby is different and develops at their own pace, so don’t worry if your baby has other plans and doesn't follow this pattern very closely. If you have concerns about your baby’s development speak to your health professional for advice.
The materials published on this website are of a general nature and have been provided for informational purposes only. Always consult your medical practitioner or a qualified health provider for any further advice in relation to the topics discussed.
