7-Month-Old Milestones: On the Move

You’re survived the first half of the year of parenting your newest addition, and now you’re steadily moving toward that one-year milestone. At seven months, your baby is changing quickly: He’s probably starting to eat more food and move around more, testing out all your careful baby-proofing.

Nowadays, you’re probably just trying to keep up, but don’t worry—we’re here to help. Here’s everything you should know about 7-month-old baby milestones and what to expect from your little one.

Hey Mama, You Have a 7-Month-Old!

At seven months old, your baby is definitely out of the infant stage, and more interested than ever in the world around her. At this age, babies are learning more about how to process information from their senses and interact with the world around them. Your baby now sees in full color, can follow objects with his eyes, and her ability to see objects that are far away is increasing every day. With their eyes developing quickly, many 7-month-old babies love looking at themselves in the mirror.

You might also notice that your baby is responding more to language. She’s been looking for your voice for a while now, but at 7 months, you’ll notice her responding when you say her name, or when you say “no.” That will soon come in handy as she begins to move around and cause mischief!

Your baby is likely moving more and more at seven months. By this age, most babies roll in both directions. Your little one might be starting to sit up unsupported, which opens up a whole new world of play with balls, blocks, and books. Baby should reach for these objects, and pass them back and forth between his hands. At seven months, your baby should also be able to support her weight on her legs, although she won’t be standing independently for a while yet. Don’t worry mama—just enjoy the time you’re not yet spending chasing after your little one!

Roll, baby, roll

By 7 months, most babies have control of their ability to roll from their tummies to their backs, and back again. You might even find your baby rolling across the floor to reach her favorite toy.

To encourage your baby to roll, you can try placing him on a blanket surrounded by his favorite toys — just out of reach. As he reaches for the toy he’ll likely find himself rolling around, without too much fuss. For most babies, it’s easier to roll from their tummy to their back, so that skill will be perfected first, with back-to-tummy rolling coming after.

Of course, the quick ability to roll off her stomach can make it harder to encourage tummy time, but as long as your baby is on the move, that’s a good sign that she’s getting all the exercise and muscle development that she needs. Using a mirror to let your baby look at herself might entice her to stay on her belly for an extra few minutes. After all, who could resist staring at that face?

Playtime, clap, sleep, eat, repeat

This month sparks the beginning of more “playtime” from your little one. You might even notice that your baby is developing a preference for certain toys. Since your baby is better able to interact with the world around him now, your days can focus on getting him to play and explore.

Set up a soft, clean play space for the baby, like a blanket or play pen with a few toys slightly out of reach. Then, sit back and watch your little one explore. Remember—lots of that exploring will involve putting things in her mouth, so make sure that everything is safe to be chomped on.

This is also a good time to make sure your little one is developing on schedule (which, of course, varies for every baby). If your little one doesn’t reach for objects and track them with his eyes by seven months, let your pediatrician know.

You’ll notice that your seven-month-old baby picks up toys and objects using a raking grasp, using the finger, but not the thumb. That’s totally normal. The more sophisticated pincer grasp (using the thumb and index finger) will emerge over the next few months, helping your baby pick up smaller items like pieces of food. For now, encourage baby to pick up objects and pass them between her hands.

Your Growing Baby

Babies grow fast. One minute they’re nine pounds, the next your arms are getting a workout simply by lifting them up.

How much should a 7-month-old weigh?

The average 7-month-old baby boy weighs 19 pounds and the average 7-month-old baby girl weighs 17.4 pounds, according to data from the World Health Organization. Of course, that’s just an average, and your baby might weigh much more, or less.

As long as your baby is eating well and having plenty of dirty diapers, you don’t need to be too concerned about their weight. However, if you notice any sudden changes, reach out to your pediatrician.

How Much Should a 7-Month-Old Sleep?

At seven months, your baby should be getting a total of 14 hours of sleep during a 24-hour period. For many babies, that looks like 10-11 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 hours of napping during the day. If your baby isn’t yet sleeping through the night don’t fret—unfortunately, it’s common for 7-month-old babies to wake for feedings or even experience a sleep regression.

At 7 months, some babies are changing their nap schedules. If your baby starts taking short naps, it might be time to eliminate a nap, switching from 3 naps to 2. That will give you a bigger chunk of time to yourself while baby sleeps, and we know all moms could use that!

As your 7-month-old baby becomes more comfortable moving around, she might start playing in her crib when you lay her down. It’s entirely fine to let the baby move around, babble and even fuss a bit at nap time and night. Just make sure that you’re following safe sleep regulations, with a crib that has nothing in it but a tight-fitting sheet. If you haven’t yet lowered the crib mattress, now is a great time to do that, before baby becomes too confident pulling himself up to a standing position.

Speaking of standing, it’s common for babies to get themselves stuck in uncomfortable positions in the crib as they start moving more. You might need to go rescue your little one if he rolls himself into a corner, or figures out how to pull up but not sit back down. If you have to go into your baby’s sleeping area, gently lay him back down without giving too much attention—babies are smart, and calling for help from mom can quickly become a favorite game!

Embracing Your Baby

At 7 months, babies are doing more and more. That means you might be noticing differences between your baby and other 7-month-old little ones. Just keep in mind, there’s no need for comparison (and hey, that’s a lesson even us adults should keep in mind).

Don’t worry if your child can’t do something that your friend’s baby can do, or vice versa. Babies grow and learn at different paces, and in different orders. That’s what makes them so fun. Well, that, and the no sleeping part, right?