Your 7-Month-Old Week 4 BabyCenter

Join now to personalize
BabyCenter for your pregnancy
1 LOG
IN
Baby Baby Development Month by Month
Your 7-month-old: Week 4

By Marcella Gates | Medically reviewed
by Kelley Yost Abrams, Ph.D.,
developmental psychologist | Jan 20, 2022
Your little cutie may be waving and

trying to clap (or at least working
on mashing those chubby hands
together). Expect big emotions –
your maturing 7-month-old may
start responding to your moods
and even crying when someone
else does. To help your baby feel
secure, keep a regular, predictable
bedtime routine that you both
enjoy. This week, get some tricks to
make your days easier and learn
how to cope with baby diarrhea.
IN THIS ARTICLE
• When your baby will clap and wave
• Big emotions
• Bedtime routines
• Making life easier
• Baby diarrhea
• Your individual baby
When your baby will clap and

wave
At 7 months, your baby may be working on
waving hello and goodbye, and may even
flap a hand at you in a rough (and super
cute) attempt at waving. You may also
notice your baby bringing their hands
together in a clapping motion. Most babies
need a bit longer to really start clapping – it
takes some serious hand-eye coordination –
so expect to see it around 9 months old.
Encourage your baby's efforts by singing
songs together that have clapping motions.
("If You're Happy and You Know It," for
instance.)
These types of gestures are important signs

of language and social communication
development. Also, clapping involves
bringing both hands together at the body's
midline, which strengthens coordination
between both sides of the body. These skills
support later achievements such as getting
dressed, reading, and writing.
Advertisement | page continues below
Big emotions
By now your baby's emotions are becoming
more obvious. Over the next few months,
your baby may learn to assess and imitate
moods and might show the first stirrings of
empathy. For instance, if they hear someone
crying, they may start crying, too.
Even though your baby's just beginning to

learn about their emotions, they're picking
things up from you. Over the many months
(and years) to come, your baby will likely
copy the way they see you treat people.
Get into the habit now of naming your

feelings and your baby's feelings out loud
throughout the day. Over time, this will help
strengthen their emotion regulation skills
and may even cut down on tantrums later.
Baby sleep: Tips for napping
2:07 min
Learn how many naps your baby needs and how to create a
soothing nap ritual.
Bedtime routines
If your baby sleeps in a separate room and
gets anxious about nighttime separations,
spend some extra cuddle time reading,
snuggling, and playing mellow music before
you put them to bed. Having a
regular bedtime routine they can count on
will give them the security they need to
make falling asleep easier.
Your baby will appreciate the consistency

and predictability of a set pattern every
night, and even better, they'll be more
relaxed and more likely to go to bed easily.
Just make sure you choose something that
helps calm your baby instead of riling them
up.
While you can certainly start your ritual in

the bathroom or the living room, it should
end in your baby's bedroom or wherever
they sleep. It's important to teach your baby
that their sleeping area is a nice place to be,
not just somewhere they're "banished" at
bedtime.
If your baby gets upset as they see you walk

out the door after you tuck them in, tell
them you'll be back to check on them in a
few minutes. In all likelihood, they'll be fast
asleep by the time you return.
Even when you're away from home, stick to

your routine as much as possible. It can
make it easier for your baby to settle down
in an unfamiliar environment.
Making life easier

Everybody loves a shortcut. Here are a few to
make your life easier:
Prep your food. Some parents swear by

preparing servings of formula, baby food,
snacks, and meals ahead of time and then
drawing from the supply (and replenishing
it) as needed.
Organize supplies. Keep things you use

regularly in fixed locations so they're there
when you need them. Have a diaper bag
stocked at all times so you can just grab it
and go. Sometimes it helps to double up: Set
up diaper-changing stations in different
places in your home, and consider keeping a
backup diaper bag in your car.
Involve your baby. Taking a bath or shower

with your baby saves time and can be fun.
Make a game of some household chores –
such as folding laundry (babies love to crawl
in the pile) or tidying up your baby's room.
Baby diarrhea
Diarrhea refers to liquid stools (the term
comes from a Greek word meaning "to flow
through"). Your baby has diarrhea if they
poop more often than they normally do and
the stool is watery or streaked with mucus
or blood. It may be clear, yellow, green, or
dark and will probably smell worse than
usual.
The most common causes of diarrhea in

babies are gastrointestinal infections, viral
respiratory infections (colds), food
intolerances or food allergies, and antibiotic
treatment. Too much fruit juice or fruit in
your baby's diet can also cause diarrhea.
If your baby has diarrhea:
• Call your doctor if your baby appears to be

dehydrated, if they vomit or reject food or
drink, if you see blood in their stool, if their
abdomen is distended (swollen and
protruding), or if they have a fever that
lasts more than 24 hours. Infrequent
urination (less than one wet diaper every
eight hours), dark urine, sunken eyes, a
sunken fontanel (the soft spot at the top of
their skull), a dry mouth, crying without
tears, and irritability or lethargy are
symptoms of moderate to
severe dehydration.
• Give your baby plenty of fluids to prevent

dehydration, but avoid fruit juices and
fluids that are high in sugar. Water, breast
milk, and formula are better choices. You
might also have them drink a pediatric
rehydration solution.
• Make your baby as comfortable as

possible. Keep their bottom dry and use
diaper cream to protect their skin from
irritation.
• Try to determine the cause. Does your

baby have other symptoms? Did you
introduce any new foods recently? Have
they been given any antibiotics lately?
• Help prevent future episodes of diarrhea

by thoroughly washing your hands (and
your baby's hands) regularly and by
washing the fruits and vegetables you
feed them.
Your individual baby

All babies are unique and hit milestones at
their own pace. Developmental guidelines
simply show what your baby has the
potential to accomplish – if not right now,
then soon. If your baby was premature, keep
in mind that kids born early usually need a
bit more time to reach certain milestones. If
you have any questions about your baby's
development, ask your healthcare provider.
Look ahead to next week.
Learn more about your 7-month-old baby's

growth and development .
SOURCES
BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the
most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting
information in the world. When creating and updating
content, we rely on credible sources: respected health
organizations, professional groups of doctors and other
experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals.
We believe you should always know the source of the
information you're seeing.
Show Learn
moremore about our editorial
and medical review policies.
Marcella Gates
Marcella Gates is executive editor at
BabyCenter, the world's number one digital
parenting resource, and is an expert on
pregnancy and parenting. As a mom of
three, she loves that her professional life is
focused on supporting and empowering
parents and expecting parents. Gates lives in
the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.
Advertisement
Previous Next
Finger foods for your

baby
By Mary Sauer
Meeting other parents

By Nancy Montgomery
Baby on the move:

Cruising
Follow your baby's

amazing development
TRACK MY BABY
Download the BabyCenter app
Advertisement
Search BabyCenter
Get the BabyCenter

app
The #1 app for tracking
pregnancy and baby growth.
BABYCENTER IS YOUR
PARENTING PARTNER.
BabyCenter is committed to providing the

most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy
and parenting information in the world. Our
content is doctor approved and evidence
based, and our community is moderated,
lively, and welcoming. With thousands of
award-winning articles and community
groups, you can track your pregnancy and
baby's growth, get answers to your toughest
questions, and connect with moms, dads,
and expectant parents just like you.
ABOUT BABYCENTER
BabyCenter apps
About us
Awards
Careers
Advertise with us
Press Center
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Accessibility
Ad Choices
Do not sell my personal information
Freebies & Deals
Popular topics
Help Center
Contact Us
Community Guidelines
OTHER SITES
BabyCenter en Español
BabyCenter Australia
BabyCenter Brazil
BabyCenter Canada
BabyCenter Germany
BabyCenter India
BabyCentre UK
CONNECT WITH US
BabyCenter supports Group Black

and its mission to increase greater
diversity in media voices and
media ownership. Group Black's
collective includes Essence, The
Shade Room and Naturally Curly.
© 1997-2023 BabyCenter, LLC, a Ziff Davis

company. All rights reserved.
BabyCenter is designed for educational purposes
only. Consult with a medical professional if you
have health concerns. Use of this site is subject to
our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Track your pregnancy on our

free #1 Pregnancy & Baby
App!
Install

Your 7-Month-Old Week 4 BabyCenter

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Your 7-Month-Old Week 4 BabyCenter

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Your 7-Month-Old Week 4 BabyCenter

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Join now to personalize

BabyCenter for your pregnancy

Baby Baby Development Month by Month

Your 7-month-old: Week 4

Your little cutie may be waving and

• When your baby will clap and wave

• Making life easier

• Your individual baby

When your baby will clap and

These types of gestures are important signs

Advertisement | page continues below

Even though your baby's just beginning to

Get into the habit now of naming your

Baby sleep: Tips for napping

Your baby will appreciate the consistency

While you can certainly start your ritual in

If your baby gets upset as they see you walk

Advertisement | page continues below

Even when you're away from home, stick to

Making life easier

Prep your food. Some parents swear by

Organize supplies. Keep things you use

Involve your baby. Taking a bath or shower

Advertisement | page continues below

The most common causes of diarrhea in

If your baby has diarrhea:

• Call your doctor if your baby appears to be

• Give your baby plenty of fluids to prevent

• Make your baby as comfortable as

• Try to determine the cause. Does your

• Help prevent future episodes of diarrhea

Your individual baby

Advertisement | page continues below

Look ahead to next week.

Learn more about your 7-month-old baby's

Finger foods for your

Meeting other parents

Baby on the move:

Follow your baby's

Download the BabyCenter app

Get the BabyCenter

BabyCenter is committed to providing the

Do not sell my personal information

Freebies & Deals

BabyCenter supports Group Black

© 1997-2023 BabyCenter, LLC, a Ziff Davis

Track your pregnancy on our

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.