7 month old baby: all the progress made by the baby at this age
For a 7-month-old baby it's all a new discovery: the first teeth appear and solid foods are introduced (discovery of new flavors). This is "the age of the so-called" separation trauma ", that is the first awareness on the part of the child that he is not one with his mother.
In this article we tackle the topic together, but first a video in which we explain the rules for the hygiene of the little ones.
The abilities of a newborn at 7 months
A 7 month old baby is able to control his body and in particular gestures and movements. He can easily sit alone, so his perspectives also change and improve with the discovery of new objects, colors, etc. You will notice that the child will tend to crawl, so he will autonomously approach everything that attracts him; with his hands free, he will be able to explore and touch his toys and everything he can reach more easily. The next step will be to learn how to move from sitting to prone, and then start crawling.
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The motor skills of the 7-month-old baby improve day by day: he can grab objects, move them, throw them, handle them with his hands and fingers. If an object is out of his reach, he will make every effort to reach it, which will allow him to better control his movements and gain more confidence in his abilities.
Very often, at 7 months of age, babies look for the eyes of their parents to give them the courage to face new challenges. It is therefore essential to encourage them, having patience and giving them time to succeed in their efforts, avoiding rushing to do things for them.
How big is a 7 month old baby?
To know how the body of a 7-month-old baby is evolving and developing, we must first observe the weight. The baby should have grown about 500 grams by the 7th month of life. If the weight goes up more slowly, it is because he moves more and more and because he consumes a lot of energy in the various phases of his day.
In general, a 7-month-old baby weighs between 6 and 9 kg; a child on the other hand weighs between 6.8 and 9.8 kg.
And what about height? How tall is a 7 month old baby?
If we talk about height, at 7 months a girl can reach between 64 and 72 cm; a child instead, between 65 and 74 cm.
The measurement of the head circumference can vary between 41.5 and 46.5 cm.
How does a 7 month old baby express himself?
For a 7-month-old baby the stuttering phase continues: the baby is able to pronounce many sounds and combine vowels and consonants, he enjoys repeating verses such as "ba-ba", "da-da" (without attributing a particular meaning to the sound ). Play with her voice and try to repeat the sounds she hears. His interaction with the world and with the people around him becomes more and more diverse and full of emotions.
If your baby is 7 months old and he doesn't do all of this, fear not! Each child progresses at their own pace and develops motor and cognitive skills differently from other children. It will be enough to have patience, to give him a lot of love and above all not to be overwhelmed by any worries.
7 month old baby: feeding
During the seventh month the weaning phase begins and the end of breastfeeding can also begin (weaning and breastfeeding can also coexist). But how much does a 7-month-old baby eat and especially what does he eat?
To answer this question we must specify that the use of the hands and the strength in the arms at this age are much more vigorous than in the previous months: the child will be able to drink independently from a glass with the handles or start eating alone with a spoon suitable for his age.
It will be absolutely more natural for him to use his hands both to test the consistency of the food, and to actually bring it to his mouth. Leave him alone, try not to interfere, this is precisely the moment he is discovering the world; rather offer him small pieces of bread, fresh fruit, cheese, steamed vegetables. This does not mean that she will completely abandon her breast milk, on the contrary she will continue to ask for the breast as well.
Gradually he will learn to manage his food (without others doing it for him) and will develop good eating habits. In addition, he will practice holding objects or food with his thumb and forefinger.
Teething in a 7 month old baby
The baby will begin to put on the first teeth around 6-7 months, but consider that the factor of familiarity greatly affects: if the mother and father as children have delayed or anticipated teething, it is very likely that this will also happen for the children. , so it is important not to be alarmed.
The first teeth to grow will be the incisors (the lower central teeth). Then the four upper incisors arrive, the two remaining lower incisors, the four premolars, the four canines. This first phase of teething can be completed at two years, even in a different order.
As is normal, the baby will then have a tendency to drool more than usual and chew on his toys during teething to relieve itching and sore gums. In addition, he may be very nervous, irritable and cry easily, he will also have a hard time falling asleep.
The baby's first teeth are commonly referred to as "milk", but their scientific name is "deciduous", as they are destined to fall out (but this will happen around 6 or 7 years of life). In any case, they perform a very important function both for correct chewing and because their presence ensures the regular growth of permanent teeth that will emerge later.
Milk teeth must be perfectly cared for to prevent them from compromising the final teeth that will emerge later. What can you do as a mom? First of all, avoid giving the baby foods containing sugar, which is primarily responsible for the appearance of cavities; furthermore, you should take care of the cleaning of the teeth using a gauze wrapped around the finger to be passed over the entire surface of the tooth, at least until it comes time to let the child discover the toothbrush.
A clean and well cared for tooth does not become decayed: this is the message that must be transmitted to the child.
You can try to relieve gum discomfort from teething by doing a gentle massage with your fingertips. Or there are specific toys on the market to relieve itchy gums and you can give them to your child after chilling them in the refrigerator.
It will take some time, but with patience this phase will end and all these annoyances will disappear as well.
The sleep of a 7 month old baby
The development of a 7 month old baby is such that you think it's time to have a crib or bed to sleep on its own. If your baby still sleeps with you, you don't have to blame yourself, but you can gradually start it. moving to another room in the house.
There are parents who believe that, starting from six months, it is the ideal time to move the crib into the baby's room. Others, on the other hand, believe that it is better for the child to stay closer, even in the same bed as the parents (cosleeping).
Regarding this aspect, whatever the modality chosen, it is important that parents agree and feel comfortable.
The first diseases on the seventh month
During the first year of a child's life, it is practically certain that he will come into contact with viruses that can cause his first ailments. Don't worry, all this will also help him develop the antibodies necessary to strengthen his immune defenses and get sick less and less. What can happen to the 7 month old baby?
- Cold
In the 7-month-old baby, a cold is very common. Fortunately, this is nothing serious, what you will observe in your child may be copious mucus coming out of the nose, red eyes and watery eyes. There will be no fever. What to do in these cases? In the meantime, it is good to specify that the cold must run its course and cannot be stopped. You can try to alleviate the symptoms by keeping the baby's nose clean, sucking up excess mucus and avoiding exposing him to sudden changes in temperature. Nasal washes can also be effective in clearing the airways and facilitating breathing.
- Ear infection
When the external area of the ear remains exposed to wetness for a long time (or even just to humidity), a favorable habitat is created for the proliferation of microorganisms capable of triggering inflammation. So here is where otitis appears. How is it treated? First you have to contact your pediatrician, only he will be able to make the diagnosis and decide if it is appropriate to administer paracetamol. Furthermore, only on the advice of the doctor, you can use a preparation in drops to be inserted into the ear to relieve discomfort and pain.
- Fever or Flu
The 7-month-old baby may also have episodes of fever. Sometimes this condition is associated with teething, but in most cases it is not related at all. Fever can be the alarm bell for many things, therefore, without losing your temper, it is better to warn the pediatrician and measure it with a special thermometer.
The seven month old baby and his fears
At 7 months the baby realizes that he is an individual in his own right and therefore begins to come out of his state of symbiosis with the mother with whom he has lived up to now.
If on the one hand the acquisition of autonomy represents a great achievement for the child, on the other hand it triggers in him what is called "separation anxiety". The child becomes shy around people he knows little or nothing about and cries when his parents leave the room or leave him with someone else to go to work.
Little by little the child will understand that, even if mom and dad go away, they continue to exist and eventually come back. And it is precisely at 7-8 months of age that the need for a toy to cuddle arises when sadness takes over.
Obviously this is a transitional phase, the soft toy helps to reassure the child and to create a bond between his family and the outside world. The child will ask for his soft toy at night, when he is afraid that his parents will disappear forever.
If your baby wakes up crying, don't hesitate to comfort him for a few moments. He will then understand that even if you don't share the same room, you are not far away and are always there when he needs you.
