Your 7-Month-Old Baby: Developmental Milestones

8 minutes

Your 7 month-old-baby will surprise you with their developmental milestones. This period is characterized by socialization and interaction.

Your 7-Month-Old Baby: Developmental Milestones

Written and verified by the psychologist Maria Fátima Seppi Vinuales.

Last update: 25 June, 2024

Developmental milestones are markers that a child is expected to reach during growth in four domains: Motor (gross and fine), behavioral, cognitive, social-emotional, and language development.

Throughout life, people continue to learn, but the most noticeable changes often occur during the first few months. From being cradled in arms and needing head support, babies move quickly to sitting up, tasting their first bites of food, and taking their first steps. Below, we’ll describe the major developmental milestones of the average 7-month-old baby.

Highlights in a baby’s growth

Although each stage is associated with relevant changes, it’s around six and seven months that the most significant behaviors appear compared to earlier ones. We’ll analyze some of them by categories so you can distinguish them in your little one.

Motor development

Motor development accelerates in 7-month-old babies and does so through behaviors that parents are sure to notice. Some of the characteristics you may notice are as follows:

Your little one entertains themself with their feet when lying on their back. They grab them, move them, and bring them closer to themself. They’re discovering their body and what it’s capable of.
There’s great improvement in terms of coordination. For example, they’re able to pass objects from one hand to the other.
They try to reach objects with their hands. They’re able to drag them towards themself with their fingers, and in doing so, they examine them, tap them, or put them in their mouth.
They’re able to sit up and keep their weight on their legs. At first, they also need to support themself on their hands. Gradually, they can “free” themself from them.
They spin from side to side. They can roll over to reach for something and also go from lying on their tummy to sitting.
Your 7-month-old baby explores their first crawling experiences. Crawling usually begins between 6 and 7 months, although it’s also common for many babies to crawl later.

If your baby begins to crawl, keep in mind that there’s no definitive, “right,” or standard way to crawl. Many babies crawl backwards or sideways, and some crawl on one knee, on their bottom, or on their hands and feet. As with other developmental milestones of a 7-month-old baby, the important thing isn’t to compare exact methods with other babies.

Keep reading to learn more 8 Development Exercises for 7-to-9-Month-Olds

Feeding

Feeding 7-month-old babies is still complementary, so breastfeeding is the main avenue for baby nutrition. We’ll highlight some important issues below:

Since the sixth month, your baby has incorporated other foods, such as pureed fruits and vegetables, which are part of complementary feeding.
In line with their new motor skills, your little one can manipulate soft finger foods and even begin to pick up spoons or other utensils.

When you start giving your baby solid foods, you may notice changes in the color and consistency of their stools. Of course, check with your pediatrician to make sure your baby’s nutritional needs are being met. This will help you determine what you can include in your baby’s diet and in what proportions. The professional will also reinforce the importance of breastfeeding at this stage.

Also, at this stage, you may notice your baby drooling more than usual and chewing on almost anything. This is due, in part, to the teething experience. Don’t worry if you don’t notice teeth during this month; you probably will by the eighth or ninth month.

Sleep

It’s common for parents to worry about sleep hours during this stage. Keep in mind that the hours are only an estimate, so it’s normal for your baby to sleep a little more or a little less within the spectrum. Some highlights at this stage are as follows:

Nighttime sleep is lengthened with fewer awakenings.
Sleep hours in a 24-hour period range from 12 to 14 hours.
The child can take two to three daytime naps. Naps usually occupy between 2 and 5 hours of daytime sleep, although the time varies according to the hours of nighttime rest.

That said, remember that developmental milestones are relatively accelerated during this stage. Therefore, sleep patterns can change in a matter of weeks. It’s normal for your little one to wake up early, eliminate their third nap, or want to stay up a little later as the days progress during this month.

Cognitive, Psychological, and Emotional Development

During this period of development, what’s known as separation anxiety appears. In parallel, anxiety, fear, or distrust of strangers when you’re not present is manifested. Other highlights during this stage are the following:

They’re able to respond to the word “no.”
They’re attracted to social play.
They recognize their name when called.
They often respond with sounds and babbling.
Their vision system matures to full color.
The baby is known as an “imitator” because they’re able to reproduce what you say to them with babbling and syllables. For example, “ma-ma,” “pa-pa,” or “da-da.”
They can distinguish emotions by tone of voice, which is evident in their reactions: If you show anger, your baby will notice and may cry or stop what they were doing.

The development of a 7-month-old’s memory translates, among other things, into the concept of object permanence. In simple terms, it refers to the infant’s ability to know that objects continue to exist even though they can no longer see or hear them. This also happens in regard to people, not only with objects.

Recommendations for the care and stimulation of your 7-month-old baby

There are many activities you can use to encourage or enhance the developmental milestones of a 7-month-old baby. Of course, it’s always advisable to consult your child’s pediatrician to orient the actions to the specific behaviors that your baby shows. Below are some general tips.

General and motor development of babies at this stage

The recommendations to keep in mind are the following:

Whatever the surface where the baby is lying down on (changing table, a bed…), it’s important to make sure that they don’t fall. Because they can roll over, you mustn’t neglect them for a second; they’re very active, attentive, and fast! In the case of leaving them alone, the use of railings or some element of protection is essential.
Organize a play area where they can sit safely and securely with elements within their reach. This way, they can continue to practice their coordination.
You can also give your baby some objects to chew on to help soothe the discomfort in their gums.

Feeding 7-month-old babies

The keys to accompany their development are as follows:

You can offer them small portions of food with a spoon after nursing. This way, they’ll begin to associate both moments with food. It’s a good idea to start with half a spoonful and be attentive to your baby’s demands. As they grow, the portions should be increased.
If you haven’t yet incorporated a highchair or chair at mealtimes after the sixth month, this may be a good time. This way, both the baby and the feeder will be at ease. The chair should allow your baby to sit upright and be comfortable to enjoy mealtime.
Be patient when it comes to your baby’s acceptance and rejection of certain foods. It’s not a good idea to pressure your baby or force them to eat, as this could lead to refusal at mealtime. If they refuse one food, you can experiment with others.
As for hygiene, it’s likely that the feeding area will always end up with spills everywhere. Don’t worry! It’s good for your baby to explore and discover foods with their five senses.

Your 7-month-old baby and sleep

The recommendations are as follows:

Daytime naps can be divided throughout the day. Shorter naps are recommended. On average, during the day, a baby should sleep about three hours.
To promote restful and longer periods of sleep, a relaxing routine in the evening usually works very well. For example, listening to soft music or reading a story, among others. In addition, a restful environment is always a positive factor. For example, soft lighting, a pleasant temperature, and silence.

Cognitive, psychological, and emotional development

The tips to follow are as follows:

Call your child by name when you talk to them.
Interaction, interaction, and more interaction. Talk to your baby, vary your tone of voice when addressing them, make gestures, etc.
Offer different-colored items to stimulate their visual development. For example, when showing your little one a red object, you can indicate what color it is. You can also offer textural and sound elements.

Don't go without reading 5 Ideas to Encourage Your Baby's Cognitive Development

Know how to act and accompany your 7-month-old baby

The objective of knowing the developmental milestones of a baby, in this case, a 7-month-old baby, isn’t to generate anxiety or encourage comparisons between children. On the contrary, the aim is to provide a deeper understanding of the stage that each child is going through, thus allowing parents to prevent or identify possible problems and promote their healthy development.

In this regard, it’s crucial to take your child to see their pediatrician regularly. These professionals not only provide guidance on physical growth but also offer valuable advice to stimulate your baby’s cognitive, emotional, and social development.