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Pregnancy Articles

7 Month Old Baby: Developmental Milestones

Let us take an insight into what milestones your seven-month-old achieves.

Physical development

Growth DetailsBoysGirls
How much should a 7-month-old weight14.77 to 22.48 pounds [1]13.44 to 21.16 pounds [2]
What should the height of a 7-month-old be25.62 to 28.81 inches [1]24.76 to 28.18 inches [2]
How much should their head size be16.41 to 18.22 inches [1]15.90 to 17.83 inches [2]
What is the respiratory rate of a 7-month old [3]25 to 40 breaths per minute25 to 40 breaths per minute
What is the heart rate of a 7-month-old [3]80 to 120 beats per minute80 to 120 beats per minute

What should your baby be doing at 7 months

Motor skills

Having flexible motor skills, your baby will be able to roll over, creep and scoot around with ease [4]. A few of them may also begin crawling [5]. His tendency to bounce when made to stand in an upright posture strengthens his leg muscles, preparing him for walking. The little one might even be able to come to a sitting position during tummy time by exerting pressure on his arms [6]. Some seven-month-olds sit unsupported and display the ability to hold a cup having two handles [4, 6].

Reflexes

The Moro and tonic neck reflexes should no longer be visible. Between 7 and 9 months, the pincer grasp reflex of the thumb and finger begins developing, helping the baby to improve his grasping skills [7].

Communicative development

The seven-month-old shows advancement in his communication skills, beginning to comprehend your feelings through your tone and facial expressions, thus pausing for a while on hearing a “no” from you [4]. Your kid continues communicating through a variation of sounds, laughter, giggles and squeals [8]. His babbling skills get even better, with his “ba-ba”,”ma-ma”, and “da-da” sounding more meaningful [4, 8]. He will also be adept at expressing his emotions through nonverbal modes of communication like frowning and smiling [4].

Cognitive and behavioral development

As babies can fully understand the permanence of an object or person even when out of sight (object permanence), most of them go through separation anxiety [4,8]. They get clingier whenever you desire to leave for work or elsewhere, wanting to be with you always. Thus, the company of any unfamiliar face will increase their agony, making the milestone of stranger anxiety more prominent at this month [8]. Their skill of imitation gets better while the curiosity of exploring different things increases [6]. They might even react to their name being called [9].

Sensory development

How clearly can a 7-month-old see

His hand-eye coordination improves a step further helping him to follow a particular toy that is being moved in front of him [11].

How well can a 7-month-old hear

Your baby will be able to hear a lot of things of varying pitch and intensity like the shrill sound of a phone or a soft noise [12].

What feeding schedule does a 7-month-old follow

How much baby food should a 7-month-old eat

As weaning started in the sixth month, your infant has already got a taste of solid food. You can now add variety to his diet by giving him mashed fruits and vegetables rather than just the pureed ones [4].  Properly cooked eggs (scrambled, poached or boiled) [13] and pureed meat can be included [14]. Yogurt made of pasteurized, whole milk is another food option that may be given directly or mixed with fruits [21].

Since most babies cut their first tooth at this age, parents might want to introduce the method of baby-led weaning, where the child picks up bits of food lying in front of him on a platter, putting it into his mouth [17]. Therefore, starting soft finger foods like ripe bananas, melon, tenderly cooked carrots and breakfast cereals would be a good idea [15,16]. Watch out for food allergy symptoms like vomiting, rash, diarrhea or wheezing after introducing a new food [4].

How much milk should a 7-month-old drink

As the baby is now more on solids, there will be a decrease in his milk intake. Formula fed babies may drink about 600 ml of milk every day whereas nursing infants will feed for a lesser span of time [18].

What sleep schedule does a 7-month-old follow

Most seven-month olds sleep at a stretch at night for about nine to eleven hours with two naps during the day. However, some show inconsistency, not sleeping throughout the night [19]. At times, you might also see your baby waking up and attempting to sit or try out any of his newfound skills [20].

Try to limit your baby’s daily naps to three hours and fix a proper sleep schedule to bring uniformity in his sleeping pattern [19].

When to call a doctor

  • Baby having small red bumps on his face, scalp, trunk or elsewhere preceded by fever, reduced appetite, runny nose and cough as it might be symptoms of chicken pox  [22].
  • Thick yellowish discharge coming out of his eyes or the eyes getting watery, itchy, red and swollen along with a runny nose [23].
  • Having rashes on his cheeks, scalp, face, and other parts of the body, accompanied by fever or any symptom of infection[24]. These may be symptoms of eczema.
  • Apart from being constipated, your baby undergoing weight loss, passing bloody stool and showing less interest in eating [26].
  • Having diarrhea as well as other symptoms such as fever, reduced urination, sunken fontanel, dry mouth and increased crying [27].
  • Suffering from severe cold (often getting worst at night), hoarse voice, mild fever and problem in breathing [28]. These may be signs of croup (swelling of the windpipe and voice box).
  • Diaper rash lasting for more than two days coupled with yellow patches, open sores, and fever, suggesting possibilities of a yeast infection [30].
  • Vomiting immediately after a meal (projectile vomiting) or having abdominal pain, and rashes along with vomiting [29].
  • Small bumps (red or white) or acne on the baby’s chin, forehead and back, persisting for more than three months [25], with or without fever.

Though there are no vaccinations scheduled for this month, you may contact your health care provider if your baby has missed the previous month’s shots.