{"id":26038,"date":"2025-01-08T18:00:31","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T18:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/?p=26038"},"modified":"2025-08-20T15:28:36","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T15:28:36","slug":"7-month-old-baby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/blog\/baby-6-12-months\/7-month-old-baby\/","title":{"rendered":"7-month-old baby: everything you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At <strong>7 months<\/strong>, your baby is <strong>in full exploration mode<\/strong>! They are starting to <strong>manipulate objects<\/strong> and are <strong>more and more comfortable on their tummy<\/strong>. What are the major milestones at this age? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>7-month-old baby<\/strong>: an overview of this new stage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Motor and cognitive development<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Motor development<\/strong> in babies involves learning <strong>physical skills<\/strong> and <strong>mastering body movements<\/strong>. At <strong>7 months<\/strong>, your baby is in full exploration mode.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Motor development<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your baby <strong>is starting to control their wrists<\/strong> and to <strong>use their thumb and index finger<\/strong> to <strong>grasp objects<\/strong> by pinching. The \u201cpincer grasp\u201d is essential because it will later allow them to hold a pen, a spoon, and to dress themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But your <strong>curious baby<\/strong> also dreams of <strong>going exploring<\/strong>! This is the time of the <strong>first movements<\/strong>. More and more comfortable on their tummy, they will experiment with <strong>rolling over<\/strong>, <strong>pushing with their feet, knees, arms<\/strong>, etc. Even if they are often frustrated at not being able to go where they want, this <strong>phase of experimenting with their body<\/strong> is crucial before discovering verticality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are <strong>three tips<\/strong> so your baby can get the most out of this period:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Let them go barefoot<\/strong> whenever possible. This will allow them to use their toes and push better on the floor.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Place them on a hard floor<\/strong> (tiles, linoleum, parquet, foam mats) so they can really experiment with their supports. You can also <strong>remove the play mat<\/strong> which may get in the way.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Choose clothes that give them freedom of movement<\/strong>. So opt for shorts or leggings (depending on the season) rather than a dress or jeans.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good to know: if your baby tends to <strong>move backwards<\/strong> rather than forwards, it\u2019s because they haven\u2019t yet fully coordinated their arms and legs. Your baby <strong>moves by pushing off the ground with their supports<\/strong>. If they push with their arms but forget to push with their legs, they move backwards! This can be frustrating and irritating for them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>To encourage them to move forward<\/strong>, you can <strong>place a toy in front of them<\/strong>: far enough that they need to make one or two movements to grab it, but not too far or they\u2019ll think it\u2019s unreachable and won\u2019t try.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Cognitive development<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your baby is <strong>becoming more and more sociable<\/strong>. You may have noticed that <strong>your baby prefers company<\/strong> when playing. <strong>Their relationship with others is evolving<\/strong> and they seek to <strong>attract the attention of people around them<\/strong>. They are <strong>drawn to other children<\/strong> (whom they now clearly distinguish from adults) and will seek contact. They try to touch them, in a kind way or sometimes a bit aggressively (hitting, biting&#8230;)! They <strong>are not aware that it hurts<\/strong>. It\u2019s simply a way to get a reaction, an <strong>experiment<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>When to worry?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <strong>developmental milestones<\/strong> mentioned above are only <strong>general guidelines<\/strong> regarding a baby\u2019s progress. <strong>Each child develops at their own pace<\/strong>! So don\u2019t worry if your baby is moving faster or slower than another.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, if you notice a <strong>sudden stop in development<\/strong> in your child, <strong>don\u2019t hesitate to consult your healthcare professional<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to learn more? Feel free to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/app.adjust.com\/1pblulz8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">download the May app<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where you&#8217;ll find plenty of resources to support and guide you throughout your pregnancy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Language and communication<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At 7 months, it\u2019s time for the first babbles!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBababa, mamama\u201d: <strong>your baby repeats certain syllables endlessly<\/strong>. Behind this <strong>early language<\/strong> that may seem simple lie <strong>major cognitive abilities<\/strong> that already allow them to <strong>understand simple phrases<\/strong> (\u201cwe\u2019re going to eat\u201d, \u201ctime for bed\u201d) <strong>or instructions associated with a gesture<\/strong> (\u201ccome\u201d, \u201cgive\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your baby <strong>quickly learns to distinguish between two kinds of words<\/strong>: <strong>function words<\/strong> (the, in, on\u2026), which are identified as <strong>structuring<\/strong>, and <strong>content words<\/strong> (doll, pur\u00e9e, flowers\u2026) which are identified as <strong>changing<\/strong>. This second type, which makes up <strong>vocabulary<\/strong>, soon becomes their <strong>playground<\/strong>: first learning words from their daily life (blankie, bottle, cat, bed), then from broader areas (animals, fruits, tractors, jobs\u2026).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9561 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/the-charming-baby-boy-of-7-months-is-learning-to-g-2024-10-17-03-49-44-utc.webp\" alt=\"7-month-old baby: everything you need to know - May App Sant\u00e9\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1385\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/the-charming-baby-boy-of-7-months-is-learning-to-g-2024-10-17-03-49-44-utc.webp 2000w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/the-charming-baby-boy-of-7-months-is-learning-to-g-2024-10-17-03-49-44-utc-300x208.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/the-charming-baby-boy-of-7-months-is-learning-to-g-2024-10-17-03-49-44-utc-1024x709.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/the-charming-baby-boy-of-7-months-is-learning-to-g-2024-10-17-03-49-44-utc-768x532.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/the-charming-baby-boy-of-7-months-is-learning-to-g-2024-10-17-03-49-44-utc-1536x1064.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Food and nutrition<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For a few weeks now, <strong>your baby has been discovering food<\/strong> through diversification. They <strong>still drink a lot of milk, but the amounts decrease<\/strong> slightly: 500ml to 800ml per day spread over <strong>2 or 3 bottles<\/strong> (for example one in the morning, one at snack time or in the evening, or both). As for the <strong>texture of the foods<\/strong> to introduce, here are the main stages: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From 4 to 6 months, give your baby <strong>very smooth foods<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From 6 to 8 months, you can <strong>coarsely mash foods<\/strong> with a fork (grainy pur\u00e9e), and <strong>add textures<\/strong> to their pur\u00e9e (alphabet pasta, semolina, well-cooked rice&#8230;)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Around 8 months, you can <strong>encourage them to pick up small pieces of soft food<\/strong> with their hand (ripe or cooked fruits, cooked vegetables, etc.). This is another step towards independence and improving fine motor skills.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between 9 and 12 months, your baby can <strong>start eating small pieces<\/strong>. However, avoid peanuts and whole nuts, hard candies, olives, dates, and cherries with pits <strong>until the age of 4<\/strong> because of the <strong>choking risk<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9559 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/cute-8-months-baby-boy-playing-with-knitted-toy-on-2023-11-27-05-17-15-utc.webp\" alt=\"7-month-old baby: everything you need to know - May App Sant\u00e9\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/cute-8-months-baby-boy-playing-with-knitted-toy-on-2023-11-27-05-17-15-utc.webp 2000w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/cute-8-months-baby-boy-playing-with-knitted-toy-on-2023-11-27-05-17-15-utc-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/cute-8-months-baby-boy-playing-with-knitted-toy-on-2023-11-27-05-17-15-utc-1024x681.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/cute-8-months-baby-boy-playing-with-knitted-toy-on-2023-11-27-05-17-15-utc-768x511.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/cute-8-months-baby-boy-playing-with-knitted-toy-on-2023-11-27-05-17-15-utc-1536x1022.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Health and vaccines<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Pediatric check-ups<\/strong> help <strong>monitor your child\u2019s growth and development<\/strong>, but also detect potential <strong>medical issues early<\/strong> and <strong>keep their vaccination schedule up to date<\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vaccination plays a key role in <strong>strengthening your baby\u2019s immune system<\/strong>, protecting them from potentially serious childhood illnesses. At 7 months, <strong>it is important to ensure that your child is up to date with the recommended vaccines<\/strong>. Don\u2019t hesitate to contact your pediatrician for more information.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8485 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/unnamed-1.png\" alt=\"7-month-old baby: everything you need to know - May App Sant\u00e9\" width=\"379\" height=\"512\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/unnamed-1.png 379w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/unnamed-1-222x300.png 222w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 379px) 100vw, 379px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At <strong>7 months<\/strong>, your baby is <strong>more and more comfortable on their tummy<\/strong> and <strong>seeks to explore their surroundings<\/strong>. They are also starting to <strong>control their wrists and pincer grasp<\/strong> by picking up objects with their thumb and index finger. <strong>They are growing every day<\/strong> and this is just the beginning!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>**<\/p>\n<p>Photos: Sandsun | ImageSourceCur | GalinkaZhi<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This text was translated from French by an artificial intelligence. The information, advice, and sources it contains comply with French standards and may therefore not apply to your situation. Make sure to complement this reading by visiting the May US\/UK app and consulting the healthcare professionals who are supporting you.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At 7 months, your baby is in full exploration mode! They are starting to manipulate objects and are more and more comfortable on their tummy. What are the major milestones at this age? 7-month-old baby: an overview of this new stage. Motor and cognitive development Motor development in babies involves learning physical skills and mastering [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":13471,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[197],"tags":[160],"class_list":["post-26038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-baby-6-12-months","tag-baby-awakening"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26038"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26038\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26041,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26038\/revisions\/26041"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}