Infant Development: 7 to 9 Month Old Milestones and How to Support Your Child's Development
And just like that, your baby is 7 months old and already more than halfway to his first birthday! Gone are the days where you could introduce him to strangers without much of a fuss—you may find he’s clingier than you’re used to and doesn’t like to be separated from you. 7 months also marks a more mobile and inquisitive time—say goodbye to letting him play quietly in one spot while you go about your day. Baby proofing the house becomes a must at this stage if you haven’t already. Pro tip: get on your hands and knees to see things from the baby’s vantage point to make your home as safe as possible for your little one.
And just like that, your baby is 7 months old and already more than halfway to his first birthday! Gone are the days where you could introduce him to strangers without much of a fuss—you may find he’s clingier than you’re used to and doesn’t like to be separated from you. 7 months also marks a more mobile and inquisitive time—say goodbye to letting him play quietly in one spot while you go about your day. Baby proofing the house becomes a must at this stage if you haven’t already. Pro tip: get on your hands and knees to see things from the baby’s vantage point to make your home as safe as possible for your little one.
Infant Development: Your Baby From 7 to 9 Months
Fostering an environment that encourages safe, age-appropriate learning and play is vital for your infant’s development.
The Joys of Exploration (and How to Do It Safely!)
Baby is on the move! Around this age, they might scoot, crawl, or roll to get from point A to point B and it will be fun to witness. Make sure to babyproof sharp corners and cabinets within reach (especially ones with toxic cleaners or other chemicals), secure furniture, cover electrical outlets, and use a baby gate to block off stairs.
At this age, your baby will sit on their own, reach for toys (and other objects they shouldn’t grab, like your dangly earrings or the kitty cat’s tail!) and want to explore the world. All things colorful and textured will capture their attention as their eyesight continues to improve.
Around 8 months old, your baby will start to comprehend object permanence—meaning if you hide a toy under a blanket, he will know to look for it. He may even try to pull the toy out of its hiding place! Another exciting thing to look out for is when baby passes a toy from one hand to the other. What a beautiful display of hand-eye coordination! Make sure to not leave small objects around as baby’s ability to pick them up and put them in his mouth is improving.
Is It Normal for My Baby to Cry Around Strangers?
Your in-laws or beloved babysitter used to come over all the time with no protests from your infant. But now your 7-month-old cries and screams when you try to do the hand off—and you’re starting to wonder if date night will ever be possible again.
Sound familiar?
Around this time, your baby may start to display anxiety or wariness of strangers. As distressing as this is (for both you and baby,) this is actually a normal part of their development!
You may be wondering, but why now?
Because your 7-month-old is now able to recognize faces. And they strongly prefer their parents’ or caregivers’ faces over anyone else’s.
Anxiety around strangers is common and expected in children this age. (It’s common through age 2!) This is not a sign of emotional issues. It’s part of your child’s cognitive development—and a normal part, at that!
Here are some tips for dealing with stranger anxiety:
Allow your baby to meet strangers in a safe and familiar environment, such as your own home. This will help them feel more comfortable and secure.
Hold and comfort your baby when introducing them to someone new.
Act friendly and calm. This sends a message to your baby that the person they’re meeting is safe and trustworthy.
Distance yourself temporarily from a visitor if your baby becomes upset around them. Comfort and soothe your baby and when they’ve calmed down, you can try the introduction again by engaging in an activity together.
If you’re going somewhere unfamiliar where you’ll be around a lot of new people, bring a transitional object such as a favorite toy or blanket to offer extra comfort.
Infant Development: Milestones From 7 to 9 Months
According to the CDC, there are a few milestones to watch out for at this age:
Social/Emotional Checklist:
May display anxiety or fear around strangers and be clingy with adults they know
Has favorite toys
Language/Communication Checklist:
Understands what the word “no” means
Babbles with varying sounds
Points to things
Copies the gestures or sounds others’ make
Movement and Physical Development Checklist:
Stands up by themselves while holding on to something
Pulls themselves up to stand
Sits down by themselves without support
Crawls
Cognitive Checklist:
Able to track an object
After seeing you hide something, looks for it
Plays peek-a-boo
Can transfer an object from one hand to the other
Picks things up between index finger and thumb
What You Can Do to Encourage Healthy Development in Your 7 to 9-Month-Old
Encourage Crawling
Play and movement continues to be vital for your baby’s development. Continue to do supervised tummy time, and position toys out of reach so he’s encouraged to army crawl or creep toward them.
Babyproof Your Home
Children are naturally curious, and as your child becomes more mobile, it’s important to keep him safe. You’ll want to encourage exploration in an environment that is properly babyproofed. He’ll be tempted to explore and get into just about everything, so creating a safe environment free from choking hazards and other dangers is key.
Explore Cause and Effect
Your baby’s confidence will grow as he discovers he has an influence on his environment. Build a short tower of blocks and then push it over. Play with toys together to show your baby that his actions can cause a reaction.
Read Often
Reading aloud for a few minutes every day is an effective way to positively influence your baby’s language development. Use sound effects, make facial expressions, and read from colorful picture books to keep your child engaged.
Keep Talking
Narrate parts of your day to your baby! Say something and then give him time to respond by repeating sounds. Ask him questions. Even though he isn’t using words to respond back to you, the imitation of a back-and-forth conversation is crucial for his language development.
Don’t have a 7-month-old yet? Don’t miss the post on infants from 0 to 6 months!
References
(2021, October). Important Milestones: Your Baby By Nine Months. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-9mo.html
Bielecki, C. (2019, October). Baby Growth and Development: 4-7 Month Milestones. Parents. https://www.parents.com/baby/development/growth/4-7month-milestones/?slide=slide_596033b9-b18b-4905-aa79-c02590b1ab64#slide_596033b9-b18b-4905-aa79-c02590b1ab64
Parents’ Guide to Crawling. Pathways.org. https://pathways.org/watch/parents-guide-to-crawling/
(2020, June). Infant development: Milestones From 7 to 9 Months. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/infant-development/art-20047086
Bowers, E. (2014, July). 10 Ways to promote baby development. Everyday Health. https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/your-developing-baby/ways-to-promote-baby-development/
Infant Development: 0 to 6 Month Old Milestones and How to Support Development as a Parent
If you’re a parent or caregiver, you’ve probably heard about childhood developmental milestones from doctors and teachers or other professionals who work with kids. Everyone who spends time with young children on a regular basis is looking for evidence that their development is on track.
Maybe you’ve already spent a lot of time reading about infant and early childhood development. Or maybe the idea of age-appropriate milestones is new to you. Keeping track of milestones—when there are so many of them to look out for—can feel overwhelming. But monitoring your child’s development—and engaging with them in ways that contribute to their learning and growth—is so important.
If you’re a parent or caregiver, you’ve probably heard about childhood developmental milestones from doctors and teachers or other professionals who work with kids. Everyone who spends time with young children on a regular basis is looking for evidence that their development is on track.
Maybe you’ve already spent a lot of time reading about infant and early childhood development. Or maybe the idea of age-appropriate milestones is new to you. Keeping track of milestones—when there are so many of them to look out for—can feel overwhelming. But monitoring your child’s development—and engaging with them in ways that contribute to their learning and growth—is so important.
The 4 Important Areas of Early Childhood Development to Look Out For
Children are truly amazing learners. They absorb so much from the interesting world around them. (And they grow up so fast!) You as a parent or caregiver play a vital role in your child’s emotional, language, physical, and cognitive development.
I’m here to demystify the developmental stages babies and young children go through so you know:
What developmental milestones to look for at what age
Specific things you as a parent can do to help your child learn and grow
Developmental milestones refer to the skill sets most children demonstrate competency in within a certain age range. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) separates milestones into four primary areas (1):
Social/emotional
Language/communication
Movement/physical development
Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
All children develop at their own pace. But each age range comes with important milestones to look for. As parents, there are developmentally appropriate things you can do to help your child engage with the world around them. By understanding your infant or toddler’s development, you can provide the type of environment your child needs to grow and thrive. Every parent wants to support their child to the best of their ability. Being equipped with the knowledge of what your child is going through every step of the way as they grow and learn will help you do that.
Infant Development: Your Baby From 0 to 3 Months
Let’s talk about newborns! You’ve just had a baby. They’re—quite literally—a bundle of joy. When your baby is first born, their body will continue to fold slightly. Their fingers and feet naturally curl inward and their arms and legs fold toward their body, mimicking the position they held in the womb (2). Over time their body will begin to unfold and lengthen.
The One Major Thing to Help Your Newborn Develop
(Hint: you’ve probably already heard of it.)
Tummy time—or the time your baby spends on his or her stomach while awake and supervised—is a vital exercise for your newborn to develop motor, visual, and sensory skills as well as strong neck and shoulder muscles. (3) The muscles your newborn develops during tummy time will (eventually) help them sit up, roll over, crawl, and (ultimately) walk! (3) Tummy time also helps prevent positional plagiocephaly—flat spots on the baby’s head—which results from too much time spent on their back. (4)
Infant Development: Milestones From 0 to 3 Months
According to the CDC, there are a few milestones to watch for in your newborn.
Social/Emotional Checklist:
Tries to look at parent
Shows an interest in faces and begins to smile at people
Can briefly calm him or herself (i.e. by sucking on their hand)
Language/Communication Checklist:
Makes gurgling sounds, coos
Turns their head toward a sound or voice
Cries differently to express different needs
Smiles or quiets down in response to a sound or voice
Movement/Physical Development Checklist:
Lifts and holds up their head
Begins to push up when lying on their tummy
Cognitive Checklist:
Pays attention to people’s faces
Begins to recognize people or objects from a distance
Begins to follow moving things with their eyes
Acts bored (cries, fussy) if the activity doesn’t change
What You Can Do to Encourage Healthy Development in Your 0 to 3 Month Old
Take Time for Snuggles
Babies need a lot of physical touch to feel safe and secure. Cuddling and holding your baby not only makes him or her feel loved, but also regulates the baby’s heartbeat and breathing. Skin-to-skin contact is important as it releases oxytocin, relaxing both you and the baby. Develop a strong bond with your newborn and nurture his development by cuddling, playing with, and talking to him.
Talk to Your Baby Often
Whether you’re feeding, changing, bathing, or dressing your baby, talk to him. Even though your newborn can’t talk back, talking to your child is so important. It not only helps him get to know the sound of your voice, which can be soothing, it also helps with language development over time. Reading or singing to him are also great ways to bond with your newborn.
Answer Cries and Soothe Him
Answering your baby when he’s crying isn’t going to spoil him. It’s going to teach him that he can rely on you to get his needs met, and help you develop a strong bond. Attend to your baby when he’s crying and attempt to soothe him so he knows you’re there for him.
Mirror His Smiles by Smiling Back at Him
Mirroring conveys to your baby that he is heard and understood. Babies need psychological mirroring in order to understand that they exist in the world and have valid, real experiences. Mirroring your baby’s behavior is crucial for you and your infant to develop a strong bond.
Infant Development: Your Baby From 4 to 6 Months
And just like that, you no longer have a newborn. You now have an infant! In this stage, your baby will begin to understand the concept of action and reaction. When your baby does something like smile at you—and you smile back—he begins to understand that he can influence his environment. Because of this, a 4 to 6 month old will begin to model the facial expressions or behavior of the people around him.
Infant Development: Milestones From 4 to 6 Months
Around 5 months, your baby will probably have developed color vision. (5) Prior to this, babies only see in black and white! It’s easier for your infant to see bright colors, so it’s useful to introduce colorful toys as opposed to muted shades.
Around 6 months, your baby will probably sit on his own. And when you hold him upright, he’ll be able to start putting weight on both of his legs (an important pre-walking milestone.) And around 6 or 7 months, your baby will probably be able to roll both ways instead of favoring one direction. (5)
According to the CDC, here are some other milestones to watch for in your infant.
Social/Emotional Checklist:
Smiles at people
Begins to recognize familiar faces and knows if someone is a stranger
Likes to play with people, especially parents, and may cry when playing stops
Copies and responds to other people’s emotions by smiling or frowning
Language/Communication Checklist:
Babbles
Starts stringing vowels together while babbling, may begin to make consonant sounds
Copies sounds and enjoys taking turns “talking” with parent
Shows displeasure or joy with sounds
Responds to own name
Movement and Physical Development Checklist:
Lifts and holds head steady without support
Supports weight on legs to stand by pushing down when feet are on a hard surface
Rolls from tummy to back and back to tummy
Pushes up to elbows from prone position
Can bring hands to mouth and hold and shake a toy
Begins to sit up without support (pillows may be useful)
Cognitive Checklist:
Communicates happiness or sadness, responds to affection
Shows curiosity, looks around, tries to grasp out-of-reach toys with one hand
Passes things from hand to mouth or from hand to hand
Watches faces, recognizes people or objects from a distance
Moves eyes side to side to follow moving objects
What You Can Do to Encourage Healthy Development in Your 4 to 6 Month Old
Keep Talking to Your Baby and Repeat Words
Talking to your infant is important for language and communication development. Read colorful picture books, point to and name objects, and say the names of family members, friends, or pets to encourage growth and curiosity in this area. (6)
Around this time, your baby may start to recognize her own name as well. Keep repeating words to and speaking to your child—she’ll likely respond with babbling, and eventually will string a few vowels together. (6)
Make Time to Play Together
Try playing peek-a-boo! Though your baby won’t yet understand the concept of object permanence—the ability for something to exist even if she can’t see it—peek-a-boo can assist with your baby’s visual tracking and communication skills development. (7)
Your baby may also like looking at herself in the mirror! She won’t yet know it’s her own reflection, but she’ll likely be curious and enjoy having a baby-safe mirror around to interact with.
Continue playing and cuddling together and introducing her to trusted friends and family members.
Encourage Different Types of Movement
While doing supervised tummy time, put a colorful toy just out of your baby’s grasp to encourage her to turn her head and reach for it. Change positions often, helping your baby move from tummy time to standing to sitting up (pillows can be useful to offer back support).
Support Your Child Through All Stages of Development
You are your child’s first and greatest teacher. Contact with you—whether that’s snuggling, singing, speaking, reading, or some combination of all of those—is what promotes and supports your baby’s development. By responding reliably to your child’s cries, and other signs of distress, your baby learns that he or she can depend on you. Consistent (not perfect!) caregiving and routines help children develop into secure, independent people.
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References
(2021, August). Important Milestones: Your Baby By Two Months. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-2mo.html
(2021, December). How Your Newborn Behaves. HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/How-Your-Newborn-Behaves.aspx
Gavin, M. (2019, October). Tummy Time. Kids Health. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tummy-time.html
Hoecker, J. (2020, August). What’s the importance of tummy time for a baby? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/expert-answers/tummy-time/faq-20057755
Bielecki, C. (2019, October). Baby Growth and Development: 4-7 Month Milestones. Parents. https://www.parents.com/baby/development/growth/4-7month-milestones/?slide=slide_596033b9-b18b-4905-aa79-c02590b1ab64#slide_596033b9-b18b-4905-aa79-c02590b1ab64
(2021, August). Important Milestones: Your Baby By Six Months. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-6mo.html
4-6 Month Milestones. Pathways.org. https://pathways.org/growth-development/4-6-months/overview/