Month seven Energetic, manipulative, anxious and communicative

I am pretty sure you would be so taken aback if you woke up one morning and saw your baby standing in his crib staring right back at you. I would, no doubt. Now, as a mum, you had better start getting used to such surprises, because such are the skills and abilities that come with month seven.

Energy, energy and more energy
Your baby’s development milestones include sitting, standing, moving around and making noise. He is definitely aware of how strong he is and would want to keep moving. He may even be able to roll over in any direction that pleases him or get into a sitting position all by himself. He does this by pushing himself up with his arms. With time, you will realize that he is able to pull himself to a standing position as well. This is the time most babies begin to crawl or move from point A of the edge of a chair, table or bed to point B while on their feet. Your baby will also be able to transfer objects from one hand to the other or directly to their mouth. This helps a lot in improving eye to hand coordination.

Testing and manipulation
The manipulation game begins here. This is because your baby has studied you and learned that a mere squeak from him will send you running to him. The baby knows that your love and acceptance are unconditional and he will sometimes want to test your patience by pushing the limits in all his activities just to see how far he can go.

A practical example, which most mothers can relate to, is how your little one is an angel, at his best behaviour and feeds well when you are not around. However, as soon as you appear the story completely changes. Encourage your baby to learn to entertain himself. You could do this by minimizing the amount of time you spend with him to help him know that you are available just for limited time.

If your baby begins to fuss when they are satisfied, appropriately dressed and they have had their nap, change the atmosphere by, for example, replacing his toys. Talk to him; explain that you need to attend to other things as well. This is how they start learning.

Communication
Your baby will communicate with you through sounds, gestures and facial expressions. He will laugh and squeal a lot. Your baby may respond when his name is called out and even repeat what he hears. To encourage this, speak to him chain words such as ba-ba-ba, ma-ma-ma or sing to him repetitive songs. It is advisable to avoid shouting at your baby. Talk to him softly and reassuringly because, at this age, he is able to differentiate tones in the voice.

Stranger anxiety
Like many others this age, your baby may get wary of strangers. He may even resist staying with anyone else but you and may cry when you leave. This should not worry you. However, resist the temptation to sneak away. Explain to your baby that mummy is leaving. Hug and kiss him goodbye reminding him that you will be back soon. Most times, your baby will stop crying as soon as you are out of sight. Since babies are easily distracted, plan ahead with your helper to distract your baby. In situations where a visitor comes to the house, give your baby some time to adjust so that he slowly begins to bond with the visitor before he carries him.

Tips to promote his development
Talk to your baby, explain to him what you are doing and allow him time to respond in the best way he knows how. This will encourage a back and forth conversation as he grows.

Teach your baby ’cause and effect’. For example, you can push the button of a musical toy and dance to the tune. This plays a huge role in developing your baby’s self confidence because your baby grows knowing he can make things happen.

Take time to play with your baby and read him a story loudly. You can use interesting facial expressions, sound effects and change voices for different characters. You can also sing to your baby or play music from the radio.

Allow your baby to have comfort objects like the blanket and teddy bears among others. However, this should not replace your holding and cuddling him.

To encourage fine motor (movement) activity, place a toy out of your baby’s reach. Encourage him to reach out for it. Keep encouraging him if he can’t reach it as fast as he wishes.

Ensure all unsafe objects are tucked away out of your baby’s reach. Cover any electric outlets in order to create a safe environment for exploration.

END: BL 34/28

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