Baby Development

Your baby may soon be walking, if he isn’t already. As he becomes more mobile, his interest in noisy, boisterous activities is likely to increase. At least he will be getting plenty of exercise!

Communication is becoming more two-way now and your baby enjoys these conversations. If you ask him where his nose is, he may be able to point to it. As his understanding grows you can start to teach him manners, such as saying please and thank you. You may be able to persuade him to help tidy up his toys, too.

Communication and Language Skills

• says “mama” and “dada” (specific to parents), plus one or two other words
• waves goodbye
• points to objects
• babbles with inflections that mimic normal speech
• understands simple questions: “Where is your nose?” or “What sound does a cow make?”

Movement and Physical Development

• bangs together cubes or blocks held in both hands
• stands alone
• walks with one hand held and possibly even walks alone
• can stack two blocks
• precisely picks up objects with thumb and forefinger
• during mealtime, uses hands to bring small pieces of food to the mouth

Social and Emotional Development

• enjoys peekaboo, pat-a-cake, and other social games
• likes being read to and looking at picture books
• cries when you leave the room
• feels proud when he or she gains a new skill like standing, walking, etc.

Cognitive Skills (Thinking and Learning)

• follows one-step commands (such as, “Please give me the ball.”)
• watches and imitates older kids and adults
• repeat behaviors that produce a desired effect, such as dropping a toy over a ledge so that you can pick it up
• will look at a book and turn the pages

1-Year-Old Weight & Height

How much does a 1-year-old weigh and how tall is she? The average weight for a 1-year-old baby is 21.9 pounds for girls and 21.3 pounds for boys. Average height (formerly known as length) is 29.1 inches for girls and 29.8 inches for boys.

Baby’s probably tripled her birth weight and is about 10 inches longer than she was at birth.

Sleep

Nap time gives you a little bit of downtime to rest and recharge yourself or to get jobs done. But as your baby approaches his first birthday, he may begin to resist taking naps. His growing independence may also mean that he makes a fuss at bedtime.

To help get your baby to sleep, follow a well-established bedtime routine, which may include a bath, or a massage. This may help him to settle and learn to sleep on his own without you soothing him to sleep.

It’s a good idea to go through this same pattern of activities every night in the lead-up to sleep. You can also read him a book, sing songs, or play some music before putting him in to bed. Whatever you do, make it a pleasurable, consistent routine with plenty of time for cuddles to help your baby relax.

Food

One-year-olds are notorious for not eating a lot, so don’t worry too much if baby’s appetite starts to lessen over the next couple months. You can expect your child to eat about a quarter of a cup of each food group at every meal. Don’t worry too much about having her join the clean plate club. One-year-olds are very good at judging when they’re hungry and when they’re full, so if she stops, she’s had plenty to eat.

Your 12-month-old baby can eat most things you do! So long as it’s nutritious and soft enough for her to gum if she doesn’t have many teeth yet.

Tips

Take baby to her 12-month checkup.

1-year-old vaccine schedule: At 1-year-old, vaccines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics are the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and chickenpox (varicella) immunizations. Baby’s doctor may also recommend the Hepatitis A vaccine and/or the fourth dose of the Hib and PCV13 vaccines, but those could also be given at the 15-month checkup.

Schedule baby’s 15-month checkup.

To help one-year old baby’s language development, read to her every day. If you speak a second language, use it around baby.

Check to make sure baby is in the correct car seat for his height, weight and age. In fact, Consumer Reports recommends a convertible car seat for a 12-month old baby. So it might be time to retire baby’s infant seat, in order to keep her safer.

Start weaning baby off the bottle (slowly switch to sippy cups) and the pacifier if she takes one.

Welcome to your baby’s eleventh month. Your baby is just one step ahead of transforming into a toddler. It will be a fulfilling month for you to see your kid getting independent as well as progressing in terms of his overall development.

Verbal Skills

Although your baby’s vocabulary may only consist of babbling sounds and basic words, such as “dada” and “mama,” her verbal skills and ability to comprehend continue to develop rapidly. She may, for example, be able to imitate inflections, sounds of words and follow basic directions, such as, “Please bring over that toy,” according to BabyCenter.com. She may also be able to point at body parts when you name them.

Motor Skills

Your 11-month-old is a moving machine. Although he may not walk for another few months, he should at least be able to roll around, crawl, scoot, pull himself up into standing position and walk while holding onto another person or a piece of furniture, according to Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service. He can also use small muscles to pick up objects with his thumb and fingers, point and poke with a finger and move objects between one hand and the other.

Growth

Your baby continues to grow at a rapid pace and will have just about doubled her height and tripled her weight by her first year, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, by his 11th month you may begin to notice that her growth has slowed down. This is especially true if she is active, because she burns off calories by moving around the house, according to the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Although she needs adequate nutrition to support her new active lifestyle, don’t be too concerned if she doesn’t finish all of her food and trust that she will eat when she’s hungry.

Playtime

Your baby’s playtime interests will align with many of his developing motor skills. According to BabyCenter.com, your 11-month-old likely has an attention span that lasts between two and five minutes for quieter activities. However, his favorite activities– pushing, throwing and knocking down as many objects as he can—may be a little less than quiet. He may also like to give and take toys from others, bang items together to create satisfying noises and place items in containers to immediately dump them out.

Encouraging Development

Foster your baby’s development by interacting with her on a regular basis. BabyCenter.com recommends reading simple books with your baby, counting objects, such as socks and stairs, and pointing out colors and names of items. It also suggests encouraging give-and-take by offering her a chance to respond. For example, you may hold up two shirts and ask your 11-month-old whether she would like to wear her yellow shirt or her blue shirt. Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service recommends offering your baby pots and pans to bang on, singing songs and moving with your baby to a musical rhythm.

11 month old’s sleep

At this age, most 11 month olds can sleep through the night, without a feeding, and take two naps for a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours per day plus 11-12 hours at night. A very small percentage transition to one nap as early as 10 months, but not many, so assume 2 naps unless you are certain. My eldest son did transition to one nap one week before his first birthday, so it was in the 11th month that I started seeing his morning nap get later and later. Most babies get very very overtired and sleep can spiral out of control, so I always recommend keeping two naps as long as possible. The average age to transition to one nap is 15-18 months. My younger son seemed to start to transition to one nap around the same time, but went back to two naps within a week or two and continued taking two naps until 15 or 16 months. It makes me think my older son would have gone back to two naps, too, had I given him more time to try. Learn from me. Your 11 month old should be taking 2-3 naps per day for a total of 2-3 hours per day plus 11-12 hours at night. If you’re having trouble with naps, you might be interested in helping your baby nap.

Although many babies can go all night without a single feeding, in my experience, some do better with one feeding after 4 or 5 a.m. and sleep longer than not feed and get an early wake-time. I would need to know your specific situation to make a recommendation, but just recognize that all babies are different. By this age I would not expect more than one feeding, typically, if any at all. I would recommend at least an attempt at night-weaning because it is a chicken and egg problem. It’s hard to encourage more eating during the day when he is eating at night and it’s hard to discourage eating at night when he isn’t eating more during the day.

All babies vary, but here are some rough schedules you can use to make your own for your unique baby. I should warn you that I am in the camp that breast milk or formula should be the primary nutrition for the first year and solids come secondary.

Snack Foods for an 11-Month-Old Baby

Allowing your 11-month-old baby to experiment with healthy snack foods not only fosters independence, but also offers him an extra boost of nutrition.

Fruits

Fruits are not only packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, but they are also low in fat and sodium. By this age, your baby has a few teeth and should be getting better at chewing and swallowing — but fruits that are tough to chew still remain a choking hazard. Choose soft fruits such as oranges, peaches, watermelon, kiwifruit, pineapple and bananas. Cut grapes and berries into smaller pieces. Harder fruits such as apples or pears can be diced and mashed for an easier-to-manage texture.

Vegetables

Rather than serving raw veggies, steam them until tender before serving them to your baby. Steaming allows you to maintain their high nutritional content while making them easier for your baby to chew. Carrots, peas, zucchini and mushrooms are good options. Your baby might also enjoy broccoli and cauliflower — just watch him closely the first few times you serve it, as these veggies tend to be a bit harder to chew. If you don’t have time to steam a few veggies, serve diced avocado or thin bell pepper strips — these foods have a naturally soft texture.

Protein

The BabyCenter website recommends not serving cows’ milk until after 12 months of age — so consult your baby’s physician before serving cheese or yogurt made from cow’s milk to your 11-month-old. Goat cheese and soy yogurt are good alternatives. Other protein-packed foods include boneless fish, finely diced meats, soft cooked beans and eggs. Eggs are extremely versatile — and you can sneak a number of other healthy foods into them. For example, try scrambling eggs with soft black beans, diced tomatoes, shredded zucchini and mushrooms. Serve a small amount of the egg scramble as a snack now and refrigerate the remainder for a later snack or tomorrow’s breakfast.

Grains

Grains serve as the foundation for many typical baby snack foods. Rather than just relying on the same iron-fortified cereal you’ve been feeding your baby for a few months, consider serving spiral whole wheat pasta or lightly toasted whole wheat bread wedges. Wheat crackers can also be a fun snack for your baby to gnaw on. Bite-sized wheat cereal pieces are another baby-friendly snack — just make sure it’s low in sugar.

Allergy Concerns

The potential for allergies is always a concern when introducing new foods into your baby’s diet. Allowing at least three days before you introduce new foods can help you accurately assess any food allergies in your baby. Be particularly cautious about serving your baby foods that cause allergy symptoms in any immediate family members.

Your baby will keep you on your toes in the next few months. Infant development milestones for a 10- to 12-month-old include crawling and improved hand-eye coordination.

Some pretty weird behavior problems may pop up around now, including head banging, rocking, rolling, teeth grinding, and hair pulling. While no one’s exactly sure what’s behind such (generally nonhazardous) behaviors, they may simply be a way of blowing off steam and are often triggered or increased by stress. What else is baby up to? She may be biting you or Daddy or her big sister — definitely a habit to nip in the bud. She may also become fearful of things she never feared in the past, like the vacuum cleaner or your neighbor’s pooch. As for you and Daddy, now’s a good time to build a united front when it comes to discipline as your baby’s desire to do her own (possibly dangerous or hurtful) things will only grow as she does. You’ll no doubt get plenty of opinions on spanking and determine that physical punishment is never an effective way to discipline a child.

What to expect

From ages 10 to 12 months, your baby is likely to enjoy:

Improved motor skills

Most babies this age can sit without help and pull themselves to a standing position. Creeping, crawling and cruising along the furniture will eventually lead to walking. By 12 months, your baby might take his or her first steps without support.

Better hand-eye coordination

Most babies this age can feed themselves finger foods, grasping items between the thumb and forefinger. Your baby might delight in banging blocks together, placing objects in a container and taking them out, as well as poking things with his or her index finger.

Evolving language

Most babies this age respond to simple verbal requests. Your baby might become skilled at various gestures, such as shaking his or her head no or waving bye-bye. Expect your baby’s babbling to take on new inflection and evolve to words such as “dada” and “mama.” You might hear certain exclamations, such as “uh-oh!”

New cognitive skills

As your baby’s understanding of object permanence improves, he or she will be able to easily find hidden objects. Although your leaving the room might lead to crying, your baby will begin to realize that you still exist even when you’re out of sight. You might find your baby imitating you by brushing his or her hair, pushing buttons on the remote control or “talking” on the phone.

Food

Around now, or very soon, your baby should be reaching the third stage of weaning, which involves three balanced meals a day and food that’s minced or chopped rather than puréed, to aid development of their chewing and swallowing skills, and speech, too! Giving your baby a wide variety of foods now – including lots of different sorts of fruit and vegetables – will make your baby more receptive to different tastes as they gets older, and might even help you avoid ‘fussy eater’ syndrome later on! There’s lots more info in our guide to weaning

Your baby may be less inclined to drink milk with all this solid food they’re getting, but they still need their daily quota of milk – 500 to 600ml of formula, or a couple of breast feeds. If you’re worried they’re not getting this, don’t forget that you can include any milk (or milk products) used in cooking in this quota. And if they’re getting much more than that, and it’s affecting their appetite for solid food, aim to cut down to the recommended limit – you might have to offer cuddles or some other distraction in place of one or more milk feeds, if it’s a habit your baby is reluctant to drop. Current guidance suggests some babies are getting too much milk which may be a contributing factor in rising obesity rates in children, so do not exceed 1 pint a milk a day, including milk added on or in food (eg. cereal).

As well as meals and regular milk feeds, your growing and increasingly active baby will need some healthy snacks to keep them going in between. As most mums know, a well-timed snack can make the difference between a grumpy baby and a happy baby, so don’t go anywhere without something edible in your bag. Healthy options are fruit and raw veg, rice cakes, bread sticks and pitta, cheese, and oatcakes. Dried fruit, whilst it has some nutritional value, is also very high in sugar and, for the sake of their teeth, best given with meals rather than as snacks.

Abilities

Play and Social Skills

• Is interested in interacting with others (such as peek a boo)
• Maintains eye contact with people during playful interactions
• Raises hands to be picked up
• Turns head in response to name being called
• Points to objects of interest by 12 months
• Enjoys playing with toys of varied textures
• Enjoys playing and banging musical toys
• Enjoys various types of movement, such as being gently swung in the air by parents
• Frequently explores the environment when placed on floor
• Enjoys moving to get a desirable toy

Coordination

• Moves in and out of various positions (e.g. crawling, climbing, cruising, and walking) to explore environment and get desired toys
• Keeps head forward when being pulled to sitting from lying on back
• Is able to pull self to stand
• Is able to hold head upright while crawling by 11 months
• Primarily crawls or walks to get desired objects
• Puts weight through hands or feet when moving in and out of positions and while supported in standing
• Is able to sit unsupported and turn head to look at objects without losing balance
• Is able to throw balls and maintain balance
• Uses both hands equally to play and explore toys
• Is able to clap hands
• Enjoys and seeks out various ways to move and play

Daily Activities

• Usually enjoys bath time
• Is able to self calm in car rides when not tired or hungry
• Is usually able to tolerate diaper changing without crying
• Is not fearful of tipping head back when moving from sitting to lying on back
• Is able to use fingertips to pick up small objects, such as small pieces of food
• Is eating an increasing variety of food
• Can usually participate in dressing without becoming upset
• Has an established sleep schedule
• Is usually able to calm self to fall asleep

Self-Expression

• Is comforted by cuddling and a parent’s touch
• Has grown accustomed to everyday sounds and is usually not startled by them
• Is generally happy when not hungry or tired
• Is able to calm with experiences such as rocking, touch, and calm sounds
• Is able to enjoy a wide variety of touch, noise, and smells
• Cries and notices when hurt
• Is able to self soothe when upset

Playtime with your baby

Now that your baby is old enough to really make the most of them, you might be on the lookout for new toys and activities to stimulate and entertain your little one. Don’t bother to buy new – check out your local toy library charity shops, boot sales. You could also look on Freecycle, a great community website that allows people to give and receive unwanted stuff rather than taking it to the tip. Be sure to check second-hand toys regards safety.

Sometimes though, the best fun of all can be had with nothing more than a little imagination and stuff that you’ve already got lying around at fun. There’s more on playtime with your baby here or how about creating your own treasure baskets, a wonderful way to keep little ones entertained.

At nine months, babies are also becoming experts at quickly changing position. They can push up to a crawl position, sit back down, and pivot to pick up a toy. Your little one may even be able to pull to a stand, and may soon start cruising around the room while holding onto furniture.

Although those tiny baby shoes might look enticing on the store shelves, you don’t need to invest in shoes until your baby actually starts to walk or is spending lots of time outdoors. For now, barefoot is best when indoors. Standing and walking in bare feet helps him develop the muscles and tendons in his feet. It’s also easier to grip the floor in bare feet. When it gets cold outside, socks with non-skid bottoms will keep your baby’s feet warm.

In addition to getting ready for walking, 9-month-old babies are also improving their fine motor skills. With their pincer grasp, they’re able to pick up smaller toys, and they can better coordinate the movement of both hands. These little sleuths will use their newfound motor skills to try to figure out how everything works — which peg fits in the round hole, how cups fit inside one another, and which end of the toy telephone goes over their ear. Just make sure the toys they are playing with aren’t a choking hazard.

What Should My Child Be Doing at 9 Months Old?

Emotional/Social Development

At 9 months, a baby is usually very attached to her parents and caregivers. She may fuss if a parent leaves the room. She may draw away from strangers and be resistant to what others want her to do. Around this time, the baby will start to imitate others in her behavior. She does not always play nicely with other babies. This is because she does not recognize others as equals. At this age, she needs to feel that someone is there to care for her. She enjoys social games such as peek-a-boo.

Physical and Motor Milestones

A baby at 9 months is able to crawl and may begin to walk. He may take steps while holding onto a table or sofa. He may also try to climb up stairs. At 9 months, an infant will put hands forward while pointing head down, to keep from falling. Typically, he can sit for long periods of time and can pull himself up to a standing position. He learns to let go of objects with his hands and puts everything in his mouth. He can pick up small objects with his thumb and index finger, which allows him to feed himself. He will shake or throw toys.

Neurodevelopmental Skills

The 9-month-old child will make sounds such as “da-da.” Such babbling, which is a combination of consonant and vowel sounds, later leads to formal words. A baby at 9 months will respond to her own name, and understands the word “no.” She will cry in different ways to communicate such things as, “I am hungry,” or “I am hurt.” At 9 months, the baby will look for a ball that has rolled out of sight and will search for something hidden beneath a container or blanket. The baby’s depth perception is beginning to develop around this age. She will spend a long time observing what’s going on around her.

Developmental Screenings

The American Academy states that early identification of developmental disorders is critical to the well-being of children and their families. They recommend that all children should receive developmental screenings using a standardized test. In the absence of risk factors or concerns from parents or guardians, a general developmental screening is recommended at the 9-, 18-, and 30-month doctor visits.

Developmental Delays

Talk to your pediatrician if your 9-month-old infant has not as yet put together simple sounds like “ba-ba,” does not sit by herself, can not roll from one side to the other and does not shift a toy from one hand to another. Also talk to your child’s doctor if she uses only one side of her body, has trouble crawling or does not crawl at all or her legs do not take on the weight of standing when assisted.

9 Month Old’s Sleep

At this age, if you are not lucky enough to have a baby who sleeps through the night, most 9 month olds can sleep all night without a feeding and take two naps. However, some babies, in my experience, do better with one feeding after 4 or 5 a.m. and sleep longer than not feed and get an early wake-time. I would need to know your specific situation to make a recommendation, but just recognize that all babies are different, but by this age I would not expect more than 1 feeding, typically, if any at all. Your 9 month old should be taking 2 naps per day for a total of about 2-3 hours per day plus 11-12 hours at night. If you’re having trouble with naps, you might be interested in helping your baby nap.

All babies vary, but here are some rough schedules you can use to make your own for your unique baby.

I should warn you that I am in the camp that breast milk or formula should be the primary nutrition for the first year and solids come secondary. Below are the amounts we recommend. For more information on starting your baby on solid food, visit our sister site, Your Baby’s Start To Solid Foods. It includes recommendations about how and when to start solids, as well as helpful information on food allergies, recommended products, baby-friendly recipes, and more.

Amounts per day:

• At least 3-4 nursing sessions per day or 26-32 ounces formula or combination of both
• 2 servings (1 serving = 1-2 Tablespoons dry) baby cereal
• 1-2 servings grain (1 serving = 1/2 slice bread, 2 crackers, 1/2 cup Cheerios, or 1/2 cup whole grain pasta)
• 2 servings (1 serving = 2-4 Tablespoons) fruit
• 2 servings (1 serving = 2-4 Tablespoons) vegetable
• 2-3 servings (1 serving = 1-2 Tablespoons) protein
• 1 serving Dairy (1 serving = 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/3 cup cottage cheese or 1 oz grated cheese)

The first schedule is what I call a “staggered” approach. My first son did better nursing fully and then having solids a bit in between nursing sessions. He was a little hungry but not famished. He just didn’t do well with stopping nursing mid-way to eat solids.

Sample 9 month old schedules

7:00 – Wake and Breast milk or Formula

9:00 – Breakfast

10:00 – Morning Nap (at least 1 hour)

11:00 – Breast milk or Formula

1:00 – Lunch

2:00 – Early Afternoon Nap (at least 1 hour)

3:00 – Breast milk or Formula plus snack

5:00 – Dinner

6:15 – Begin bedtime routine

7:00 – Breastmilk or Formula and Bedtime (goal to be asleep at this time)

If your baby doesn’t mind a more “consolidated” approach to eating, like my second son, here is another type of schedule:

Schedule 2

7:00 – Wake, 1/2 Breast milk / Formula feeding, breakfast and other 1/2 BM / Formula

10:00 – Morning Nap (at least 1 hour)

11:00 – 1/2 BM/Formula, Lunch, and other 1/2 BM/Formula

2:00 – Afternoon Nap (at least 1 hour)

3:00 – BM or Formula Feeding plus snack

5:00 – Dinner and 1/2 BM / Formula feeding

6:15 – Begin bedtime routine

7:00 – Small BM/Formula feeding and Bedtime (goal to be asleep at this time)

Note: When giving any feedings during your bedtime routine, be careful not to create sleep associations.

The typical eight-month-old is off to as many corners of the world as she can reach and playing like a madman once she gets there. (One result may be a pretty messy house, though there are ways to contain the chaos without constraining her spirit.)

Her vastly improved dexterity, ability to focus, and language skills make playtime more exciting than ever. Expect plenty of baby conversation and possibly a distinct “ma-ma” or “da-da” in the coming weeks. And while her comprehension is still limited, your tiny troublemaker will soon get the meaning of the word “no” as she hears it (a lot) over the next decade or so.

Baby signing may help bridge the communication gap between the two of you, so if you’re interested, now’s a good time to get started.

Another exciting discovery around the eight-month mark: the genitals, which seem to provide endless fascination whenever they’re available for self-inspection. That’s normal, as is utter exhaustion for Mom as you try to cope with action-packed days and (possibly still) sleepless nights.

Make sure to take time to recharge your batteries; taking a break and clearing your head is good for you and, therefore, good for your baby.

What to Eat at 8 to 10 Months of Age?

The AAP recommends that an infant not be started on solid foods until after 6 months of age. Many pediatricians still start babies on solids around 4 months of age.  This chart accommodates all ages and stages up to 12 months.

Cereals

Try mixing together the grains that your baby has had without any reaction(s). Begin offering breads and muffins when baby has mastered mashing more textured foods. Pasta makes for great finger foods.

Fruits

Begin making your own fruit combinations once baby has had several fruits without any reaction(s). Venture into Papaya and Melon Swirl. After 8 months old – you may wish to try offering raw ripe fruits. Soft cooked fruits make for great beginner Baby Finger Foods.

Veggies

Soft cooked veggies make for great beginner Baby Finger Foods. Try mixing up a veggie medley now. Add some grated cheese for extra temptation & yumminess. Saute or roast some onions or peppers to add to baby’s food or serve as finger foods. Make a Leek and Chicken Potato Mash.

Protein

Once your baby has reached 8 months old, try an Egg Yolk Omelet – the perfect chance to slip in some veggies.

Dairy

Get adventurous with Cheeses and Yogurts now. Soft Cheeses such as Brie pose health risks so hold off on those. Avocado mashed with a bit of cream cheese – YUM.

Baby Development

What developments to expect from your baby at 8 months old

Crying

You may notice your baby cries or whimpers when they see another baby crying – this is called ‘reflexive crying’ and is the beginnings of feeling empathy for others, something that will develop slowly over the next few years.

Favourite toy

Some babies may have chosen a favourite soft toy by now and will use it as a security object, dribbling on it and dragging it around everywhere. If so, this is definitely the time to scour the shops for a second one just in case it gets lost or you want to sneak it into the washing machine. Many babies just aren’t fussed about a favourite toy; either way is absolutely normal.

Vision update

Your baby’s eyesight is now pretty much as good as an adult’s: watch them spot something across the room and either point to it insistently or try to crawl towards it. If you are worried about their eyesight or they have a squint in one eye – even a small one – it’s really important to see your GP or health visitor and arrange a sight test.

Talk the walk

Babies are so different in what they can do at this age. It’s easy to worry you’re surrounded by baby Einsteins and get a bout of baby development anxiety. Your baby may already be saying ‘mama’ and ‘dada’, or they may be just baby-babbling. Either is fine: the key is to keep talking to them, don’t get anxious and they will talk in their own good time. It’s the same story with moving: for some babies, crawling is seriously yesterday’s news and they’re already pulling themselves up to standing. Others are still sitting happily and showing little inclination to move at all. Again, don’t panic – they’ll do it when they’re ready.

Tips for Your Baby’s Eighth Month

If you haven’t done so already, you definitely need to baby-proof your house now that your little one is crawling. Put away all cleaning products, cosmetics, and poisons; lock up your bathroom and kitchen cabinets; install gates across the stairs; and cover open outlets. Make sure there are no blind cords dangling, and no cords from electrical appliances hanging down. Clear out any small objects that are lying around, including pieces of toys and coins. Keep doors to bathrooms and bedrooms closed.

Now that your eight-month-old is active nonstop, you might be tempted to plop your baby in front of the TV so that you can take care of some much needed household projects. Although a few minutes of watching an educational video probably won’t hurt your baby, the Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting to turn on the tube until your child is at least 2 years old. Reading, singing, and talking are much better ways of keeping your baby entertained at this age.

From age four to seven months, the most important changes take place within your child. This is the period when he’ll learn to coordinate his emerging perceptive abilities (the use of senses like vision, touch, and hearing) and his increasing motor abilities to develop skills like grasping, rolling over, sitting up, and possibly even crawling.

Here are some other milestones to look for.

Baby Development

Lunging—and Maybe Crawling

Sitting becomes a favorite pastime for babies in their seventh month. Most babies can now sit unsupported—although consider keeping those cushions nearby in case she topples!

When your child sees an interesting object out of reach, she may try to get it. Lunging forward from a sitting position is a very important movement. In time, as she continues lunging, she may pivot up onto her knees for an extra long stretch. She’ll learn that she can hold herself up on all fours. She may rock back and forth with this new position, practicing for the next big movement: crawling.

Crawling in itself is not a milestone: Seeing an out-of-reach object and figuring out how to get it is a milestone. Some babies creep on their bellies, some crawl, others scoot on their bottoms. Some babies skip this stage altogether and start pulling up to a stand and walking. But your baby is probably very content right now to sit and observe the interesting sights around her. Enjoy this time, because she will soon be in constant motion.

Stranger Anxiety

Sometime between month six and 12, your baby may show the first signs of being wary of strangers. She can now clearly distinguish between people she knows and people she doesn’t. It is a normal phase and affects children in varying degrees.

You play a very important role in helping her deal with strangers. First, you never have to apologize to anyone for her reactions. Her response is not an indicator of insecurity or a reflection of your parenting skills. Instead, talk to your baby about the stranger: “This is your Uncle Peter. He has heard a lot about you. He looks very happy to meet you.” Your baby will accept the stranger must faster if she can feel your own acceptance. If you like this person, then maybe he is safe.

From the safety of your arms, Baby will watch the stranger’s face and listen to the tone of the conversation between you and the mysterious, new person. Give her the space to become more comfortable. If your baby is more sensitive to strangers, it may not be a good idea to hand her over to the new person to be held. In time, she will warm up and engage the stranger in her own individual way. (Click here to see other social and emotional milestones in Baby’s first year.)

Normal Weight

Growth Patterns

Identifying an ideal weight for a 7-month-old usually means identifying a desirable range. According to KidsHealth, babies come in many different shapes and sizes, and if your baby is in the 5th percentile for weight, that does not mean she is any less healthy than a baby in the 50th or 95th percentile. What is important is that she follow the same pattern of growth. For example, a baby girl who is born in the 50th percentile and jumps up to the 60th percentile at her 1-month well-baby checkup ideally would be around the 60th percentile at following checkups. During the first six months of life, an infant gains about 1.5 to 2 pounds a month, according to KidsHealth. At around 6 months, the weight gain can slow to 1 to 1.25 pounds a month.

Ideal Range

An average 7-pound newborn could weigh about 17 to 18 pounds at the end of the seventh month, according to KidsGrowth. The 50th percentile weight at 7 months is 17 pounds for a girl and 18.5 pounds for a boy.

Games and Activities

Encourage curiosity through playing games. Ideas to help promote motor, sensory, communication and feeding development are listed below.

Motor Games and Activities

• Put a toy or book inside an empty cardboard box. Wrap it with colorful paper or newspaper comics. Clap your hands when baby yanks it open then announce what is inside.
• Encourage movement by placing toys around baby where they must move to reach them
• Encourage baby pushups during Tummy Time by raising and lowering a rattle over baby’s head
• Engage baby in activities like reading or playing with a ball while in sitting
• Gently push baby back and forth on a swing in the park, but make sure baby can sit up and hold head steady with no problem
• When baby is holding a toy in each hand offer a third toy; watch as baby figures out how to grasp the new toy without letting go of the other two
• Punch holes in lid of empty food container and fill with water to make a fun bath time toy
• Get an empty plastic bucket and have baby throw toys into it
• Use different household items , like squeeze toys or newspapers to make different noises for baby

Sensory Games and Activities

• Use your hands to make shadow puppets for baby
• Gently touch baby on the feet and tummy to make them giggle
• Play with a jack in the box or windup toy with baby to show motion
• Use animal sounds when playing with or reading to baby; point out an image of an animal then associate the sound that animal makes with the picture
• Walk with baby in a carrier or baby backpack
• Play with baby in many different positions
• Take baby on a walk in a stroller or jogger
• Use slow, rocking motions for calming and more vigorous motions for play time
• Give baby space to explore environment, while staying close to supervise
• Introduce new textures while baby is eating, sleeping, dressing, or playing outdoors, use a variety of sponges, soaps, and lotions during bath time
• Provide plenty of skin-to-skin contact with a parent or caregiver
• Encourage baby to play on the floor with toys of various colors, sizes, and shapes
• Allow baby to grab and explore items within reach

Communication Games and Activities

• Draw a picture of baby’s face and then point out the different parts
• Play with a pretend phone; talk into phone as you would a regular call, then offer it to baby to do the same
• Read short stories with baby
• Start using hand movements along with associated words to teach baby to communicate with gestures
• Describe your actions throughout the day as you dress, feed, and bathe baby. This gives baby an opportunity to listen to the sounds and rhythms of speech
• Respond to baby’s sounds and encourage two-way communication
• Play music throughout the day – lively, upbeat music during playtime, and quiet melodic music for naps and bedtime
• Read picture books together to help baby connect words and images
• Give baby frequent face time
• Point out objects while you walk and talk with baby

Feeding Games and Activities

• Try introducing pureed foods to baby. Puree a small amount of whatever you are having for dinner in a food processor, but be sure to avoid honey, cow’s milk, salt, and artificial sweeteners
• Introduce new foods gradually and watch for baby’s response
• Do not force food or show stress over a baby’s dislike for certain foods
• Change the texture of food if baby refuses food
• Provide baby with a healthy diet – avoid artificial ingredients, sugars, and preservatives

At six months old your baby has turned into a real socialite, interacting with mum, dad and just about anyone who comes into view, here’s what else to expect:

Her language has come on leaps and bounds, with long sentences of babble punctuated by cooing and giggling. She will love games of peek-a-boo and any toys she can shake and make a noise with.

She will be fascinated by your face so grin and bear it while she pulls and prods at you as she continues to explore.

Your baby is also learning that her behaviour engages you, so starting now (and for years to come) your child will do just about anything to get your attention.

By now, she will be working hard to get you to notice her by wriggling and making noises. Six-month-olds also love turn-taking games.

Let your baby be the leader and mimic her vocalisations. When it’s your turn to lead, a good way to teach your child is to make animal noises.

Sixth Month Baby Milestones

Growth

During the first few months of life, your baby was growing at a rate of about 1 ½ to 2 pounds a month. By now, she should have at least doubled her birth weight. At six months, baby’s growth will slow to about 1 pound a month. Height gain will also slow, to about a half-inch each month.

Motor Skills

Your baby may be starting to sit up alone by six months. To get ready, babies first prop themselves up with their hands, but over time they can start to let go and sit unsupported.

Your 6-month-old can probably roll from his back to his stomach and vice versa. Some babies can propel themselves around the floor using this rolling method. Or, they may creep forward or backward — sliding around on their tummies while pushing against the floor. You may notice your baby rise up on hands and knees and rock back and forth.

Sleep

Most babies are sleeping six to eight hours at a stretch by six months. When babies at this age have trouble falling or staying asleep, some parents turn to a method developed by pediatrician Richard Ferber. The Ferber Method, as it is known, involves putting your baby into the crib while she’s still awake. If your baby cries, wait for a progressively longer period of time each night before going in to provide comfort. This method works well for some families, but you may need to experiment with several different sleep methods before you find the one that works best for you.

Now that your baby can roll over independently, don’t be alarmed if you put her to sleep on her back and she wakes up on her tummy. The risk of SIDS is much lower at six months than it was in the first few months of life. Still, it’s a good idea to keep stuffed animals, pillows, crib bumpers, and other soft items out of the crib for now.

What most babies do by this age

Social and Emotional

• Knows familiar faces and begins to know if someone is a stranger
• Likes to play with others, especially parents
• Responds to other people’s emotions and often seems happy
• Likes to look at self in a mirror

Language/Communication

• Responds to sounds by making sounds
• Strings vowels together when babbling (“ah,” “eh,” “oh”) and likes taking turns with parent while making sounds
• Responds to own name
• Makes sounds to show joy and displeasure
• Begins to say consonant sounds (jabbering with “m,” “b”)

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Looks around at things nearby
• Brings things to mouth
• Shows curiosity about things and tries to get things that are out of reach
• Begins to pass things from one hand to the other

Movement/Physical Development

• Rolls over in both directions (front to back, back to front)
• Begins to sit without support
• When standing, supports weight on legs and might bounce
• Rocks back and forth, sometimes crawling backward before moving forward

The fifth month is a time of transitions for your baby. You can expect him to make his first attempts at real speech. He’s also gearing up to start crawling, which means you need to be ready for your little one’s new mobility.

What can my baby do this month?

Your baby is becoming much better at expressing herself. She will show her affection by giving you hugs and kisses, and holding her arms up when she wants you to pick her up. She may even laugh when you make funny faces and noises.

You may find your baby watching you intently as you speak to her. She’s learning more every day about how language works. She may even turn her head towards you when you call her name.

Your Baby at Five Months

She should be able to:

• Distinguish between bold colours
• Raise her chest supported by her arms when on her stomach
• Roll over (one way)
• Amuse herself by playing with her hands and feet
• Bring both hands together
• Smile spontaneously
• Squeal in delight
• Reach for an object

She will probably be able to:

• Turn towards a new sound
• Turn in the direction of a voice (particularly mummy’s)
• Recognise her own name
• Razz (make a wet razzing sound)
• Keep her head level with her body when pulled to a sitting position
• SHE MAY POSSIBLY BE ABLE TO:
• Sit momentarily without support
• Pull up to a standing position from sitting
• Stand while holding onto someone or something
• Object if you take a toy away
• Work to get one out of reach
• Pass a cube or other object from one hand to the other
• Look for a dropped object
• Imitate speech sounds, for example; “mama”, “dada”
• May begin developing stranger anxiety
• Your baby’s probably showing more signs that she’s becoming ready for solids and is likely to be showing a keen interest in the foods you and other people are eating. However, breast milk is still all she needs until she is six months old.

How can I stop my baby fussing when we’re out and about?

Taking your baby out and about and introducing her to new experiences that will catch her interest is always fun. However, there will be times when your baby starts to fuss, usually because she’s over-stimulated, tired, hungry, or all three. Unfortunately, this often happens at inconvenient times, such as during the weekly trip to the supermarket!

If your baby starts fussing, distracting her for a short time may help. Try pulling funny faces or reciting her favourite nursery rhymes or lullabies. Clapping your hands or giving her something to hold, such as a favourite toy, or rattle, can work too.

Many supermarkets and shopping centres now have baby-changing and feeding facilities. Try giving your baby a feed or changing her nappy, to see if that helps to ease her fussiness. If not, take comfort from the fact that you won’t be the first parent to abandon a trolley full of groceries!

Can my baby show affection?

So far your baby’s only been able to let you know if she’s angry, upset, bored, or happy. But now she’s beginning to express love, affection and humour.

Your baby may show her feelings for you by raising her arms when she wants to be picked up, and crying when you leave the room. She may also be able to give you hugs and kisses now. And she’s beginning to get the joke. She may laugh at your funny facial expressions and try to make you laugh, too.

This is when the really rewarding, and silly, part of parenting kicks in. Since you’ll do almost anything to make your baby laugh, you’ll find yourself making silly faces, nonsense sounds and performing funny dances at a moment’s notice. And you won’t care who’s watching.

Dressed for success

As your baby starts becoming more active, he’ll appreciate wearing comfy clothes. Opt for soft fabrics that won’t chafe him as he’s moving around. Loose, stretchy, and breathable clothing is also smart as it provides your energetic little one plenty of wiggle room.

Avoid clothes with rough or scratchy seams; long ties, buttons, or bows (could be a choking hazard); and anything else that gets in the way of your baby’s sleeping, crawling, playing, or other regular activities.

In your baby’s diaper

Don’t be surprised if your baby’s stools change color and odor as soon as he starts eating even tiny amounts of solids. This is normal. If his stools seem too firm, switch to other fruits and vegetables and oatmeal or barley cereal. (Rice cereal, bananas, and applesauce may be constipating.)

By month four your baby has entered into what is often referred to as the “golden age” of babyhood; here’s what you can expect to see:

She will be all smiles during the day, sleeping more during the night and because she has limited mobility she will stay where you put her; keeping her out of mischief – enjoy this while it lasts.

Your baby has become quite a chatterbox by now and will be keen to practice her vocal chords and cooing conversation with you.

The more time you interact with your little one, the better her skills will develop so sing, coo and laugh along; you’ll have mastered all those long forgotten nursery rhymes before you know it.

Growth

By month four, your baby’s weight will likely have doubled from birth. If you’re concerned that your child isn’t eating well or isn’t gaining enough weight, talk to your pediatrician.

Motor Skills

Your baby is becoming more dexterous and doing more with her hands. Her hands now work together to move a toy or shake a rattle. In fact, those hands will grab for just about anything within reach, including a stuffed animal, your hair, and any colorful or shiny object hanging nearby. You might want to remove any earrings or necklaces if you don’t want to experience a painful tug.

Anything your baby is able to pick up will likely end up in her mouth — tasting is one of the ways she explores her world. It’s crucial that you don’t leave small items lying around that baby could choke on. Anything that can fit inside a toilet paper tube is too small to be within finger’s reach of your 4-month-old.

By now, your baby’s head should no longer be wobbly. Four-month-olds have pretty good head control while sitting supported, and they can hold their head and chest upright while lying on their stomach during tummy time. They also can kick and push with their feet. Some babies have even figured out how to roll from tummy to back at this point.

First teeth

Your baby can get their first teeth any time from three months to one year old, but they may start gnawing their fist and frantically rubbing their gums about now in preparation for the trials and tribulations to come. If they get red patches on their gums and are dribbling a lot you’ll know the first tooth (usually a bottom front one) is probably on its way.

Feeding less

In the first few months you’ll have been feeding more regularly than they are by month four. This is because your baby’s stomach is now bigger than before, meaning they can take on more milk during each sitting.

Weaning

Weaning is an exciting and fun development stage which should start when your baby is around 6 months old. At 4 months it’s a good time to start preparing for this development and thinking about the best weaning techniques for you and your baby. Think about which foods you will introduce to your baby first and if you’d like to try out spoon-led weaning or baby-led weaning.

How to help

Continue to make floor time part of your baby’s routine. “Tummy time should be something that is able to keep babies occupied for awhile,” Eshelman says. “They have enough strength to keep their head up for awhile and play with something and use their hands a little bit more.”

Your baby might be able to manipulate bigger and heavier toys by the end of this month. “There’s a lot more engagement of their arms and hands, so provide toys that have different textures, different sizes, toys that invite discovery,” Eshelman advises. Soft books and toys that make sounds when manipulated can reward a baby’s curiosity.

The fourth month can also be a good time to introduce swimming, Eshelman says. “When babies are in the water they can meet milestones much earlier than when they are on land,” she says. “They love it. It’s a great way to strengthen their muscles, especially the legs.”

When you should you worry

If a baby isn’t reaching for objects by the end of the fourth month, it could indicate a problem with vision or motor development, Dr. Wible says. As always, check with your pediatrician about any concerns that you may have.

Your 3-month-old is growing bigger and becoming more aware every day. By this age, your baby should be settling into a schedule, and giving you some much-needed rest!

What can my baby do this month?

Your baby is likely to be babbling away to you by now. You can help to develop her language skills by talking to her throughout the day. Try describing what you’re doing as you do it, even if it’s just loading the washing machine.

You may also notice your baby waving her arms and kicking her legs enthusiastically. And, if you hold her up with her feet touching the floor, she should push down on her legs now.

Your baby can also bring both hands together, open her fists, and play with her fingers. She may even use a closed fist to bat at dangling toys. You can help to develop your baby’s hand-eye coordination by holding out a toy to see if she’ll grasp it.

Sleep

Starting about now, sleep-deprived parents may finally get some respite. By three months to four months, your baby’s sleep patterns should hopefully start to settle down. Some babies this age can even sleep through, though most babies will still wake up for night feeds for at least a few months yet.

If your baby is still keeping you up at night, remember that this stage won’t last forever!

Bond

By the time she’s three months old, your baby will know that you’re special. She’ll probably still smile at strangers, especially when they look her straight in the eye and talk to her. But she’s beginning to sort out who’s who in her life, and she definitely has favourites.

The part of the brain that governs hand-eye coordination and allows your baby to recognise objects (the parietal lobe) is developing rapidly now. And the part of the brain that assists with hearing, language and smell, the temporal lobe, has also become more active. So when your baby hears your voice now, she may look directly at you and start gurgling, or even try to talk back.

Senses

You may notice your baby trying to reach out and touch things close by. You can stimulate her sense of touch by using a variety of materials for play. Try using fake fur, tissue, felt, velvet and towelling, or look for touchy-feely books with a variety of textures.

Your baby loves your touch. Stroking, carrying, massaging, lifting and rocking your baby may help her to relax and may even increase her alertness and attention span.

You and your partner can continue to have skin-to-skin time with your baby for as long as she enjoys it. If you breastfeed, you’ll have the opportunity at every feed to enjoy this close time with her. If you or your partner give your baby a formula feed, undoing your shirt and holding her close as you give her the bottle will also give both of you the benefits of skin-to-skin. You can also share a bath together or simply enjoy lots of close and loving cuddles.

3 Month Old Baby Baby Development

Each baby is unique and meets physical milestones at his or her own pace. These are simply guidelines to what your baby has the potential to do, if not right now, then soon.

If your baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy), you’ll probably find that she needs more time before she can do the same things as other babies her age. That’s why most babies born prematurely are given two ages by their doctors:

• Chronological age, which is calculated from your baby’s date of birth.
• Corrected age, which is calculated from your baby’s due date.

You should measure your premature baby’s development against her corrected age, not her actual date of birth. Your doctor and health visitor will also assess your premature baby’s development from the time she should have been born.

Other 3 month old baby developments

Second round of Immunisations

At 3 months old your baby can have a second round of immunisations which include the following:

Rotavirus

A highly infectious virus that can cause gastroenteritis in your baby

DTaP/IPV/Hib

Protects against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and haemophilus influenza

Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV)

This protects against pneumococcal infections including pneumonia, meningitis and bronchitis

How you can help your baby develop in month three

Try putting something brightly-coloured, like a rattle, into their hands – they may be able to hold it for a few seconds. If you try the same trick with a crinkly toy, see what they do when it makes a noise

If your baby didn’t like the baby gym last month and voiced their dislike by screaming the house down every time you put them under it (and this is pretty common), try again now. You might be surprised. Every toy has its moment

Read to your baby. Showing your baby simple board books even at this young age is fantastic for tuning their ear in to the sounds and rhythm of language. If you’ve settled on a bedtime routine, add story time in

Wrist rattles will help your baby develop more hand-eye co-ordination and muscle control as they work out how to operate it.