1. WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SEVEN MONTH OLD BABY

This is a really wise point - the child is growing by leaps and bounds! This is precisely the thought that often visits loving parents when they look with tenderness at their 7-month-old baby! This article will help you manage your diet as an infant. , and the baby, gradually moving to a more varied diet. We will also tell you that The baby should already be able to do it himself and how to help him sit up without assistance.

Many children at this age can already pronounce syllables quite clearly. , and some babies (especially little girls) pronounce short words (mom, dad).

At 7 months, babies crawl quite quickly on the floor and can sit without support. Clinging to a crib or sofa, a child can stand on his feet and take a couple of steps . The baby happily picks it up from the floor and carefully examines the small objects found - a thread, a piece of fabric, a crumb.

A seven-month-old baby is very curious and enjoys exploring objects that are within his reach. little hand while crawling on the floor . Therefore, very carefully collect all objects that are dangerous to the baby’s health from the floor and remove things that he can reach. In addition, it is necessary to isolate all sharp and protruding corners, carefully close the drawers, and also close the sockets in those rooms where the child is.

Let the box with children's toys is within sight and reach of the baby. The more often a baby plays with his toys, pours them out of the box, rearranges them, tastes them, the more actively his thinking, hand motor skills and tactile sensations develop. By the way, by 7 months the child may already have first teeth appear - incisors on the upper and lower gums.

3 useful tips for mommy:

Tip 1. Take your baby out of the crib often and let him crawl on the floor under your watchful supervision. When he plays on the floor with toys, lay down a thick, wide blanket. Play finger games with him, and also teach him to press buttons in toys, show him how to correctly sort toy parts different shapes.

Tip 2. Play different games with your child while bathing - with water pistols, with plastic containers, make foam with bubbles, just clap your palms with your baby on the surface of the water. You can place a special rubber mat on the bottom of the bath so that the baby can walk with his feet without slipping when you hold him by the arms.

Tip 3. A 7-month-old baby should already understand concepts such as Possible and Impossible well. Be sure to try to teach your child to understand them as early as possible. If he pulls the handle towards the stove or tries to grab something heavy, then the “magic” word cannot prevent trouble.

IT IS IMPORTANT!

Dangers awaiting a seven-month-old baby:

Toys with sharp or very loud sounds can greatly frighten the baby, after which he will not be able to sleep for a long time

The baby can swallow any small objects! Rattles and other toys with small balls inside must be made of reliable and safe material so that their body does not break after another fall to the floor.

Some soft toys also pose dangers for small children. For example, long faux wool hairs or poorly sewn parts can get into your baby's mouth or ear.

Strings, bows, buttons on children's clothes and on dolls' clothes must be firmly sewn to the material, since the baby will certainly try to bite them off with his teething teeth.

Children's dishes made of plastic can be very reliable and durable, but carefully look at the information on the packaging of the dishes so that they do not contain the substance melamine, which is dangerous for children's bodies!

Substances that are dangerous to a child’s health also include substances such as lead and cadmium, which are often added to the varnish and paint of cheap Chinese toys!

Do not put synthetic underwear on your baby's naked body, as it causes skin allergies, prickly heat and diaper rash! To avoid greenhouse impacts synthetics on your child’s skin, buy underwear only made from natural materials (for example, 100 percent cotton or linen).

2. WHAT A CHILD SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO AT 7 MONTHS INDEPENDENTLY

▪ get up on your knees and sit down with minimal assistance;

▪ purposefully crawl on all fours (that is, to the object that you chose at the beginning of the “start”);

▪ take at least a few steps with the support of your arms;

▪ distinguish one familiar object from another.

SOME CHILDREN AT THIS AGE ALREADY CAN:

√ stand, holding the elevated platform with your hands and sit without support;

√ at 7-8 months the baby is able to pick up a small object using the thumb and index finger;

√ pronounce syllables and some short monosyllabic words;

√ when saying goodbye, wave your hand;

√ play simple role-playing games, as well as pats and peek-a-boo;

√ try to imitate surrounding sounds and actions;

√ move toys either with two handles or with each one separately;

√ sort simple toy figures ;

√ show objects named by adults that surround him in the children's room;

√ express emotions and desires with facial expressions.

3. HOW TO CORRECTLY ORGANIZE YOUR BABY’S DIET

Option 1 - infant menu:



Option 2 - menu for a small child at seven months:


Option 3- menu for a 7 month old baby (complementary feeding without breast milk):



6 important tips for organizing feeding of a seven-month-old baby:

Tip 1- Most babies are still fed breast milk at 7 months. If you do not have problems with lactation , then continue to feed your breastfed baby with your milk, which is excellent regulates the balance of microflora in the intestines baby and helps strengthen the immune system. It is not advisable to give your child cow's or goat's milk at this age;

Tip 2- Gradually introduce other foods into your baby’s diet. Special children's cottage cheese, rich in calcium and other important substances for the development of the child's body, is very useful;

Tip 3- it is also advisable to include protein foods in the supplementary nutrition complex for a seven month old baby. But start not with meat products, but with egg whites mixed with baby puree;

Tip 4- to ensure that your baby’s diet contains a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals, give him fruit puree daily, which can be prepared at home from fruits to which the baby is not allergic;

Tip 5- You can diversify the menu of a 7-month-old baby with baby cereals. Porridge made from pumpkin and rice is very beneficial for children;

Tip 6- closer to 8 months can be included in the baby’s diet some meat dishes.
It is recommended to start with chicken breast broth and lean beef tenderloin. But you need to prepare the broth correctly. First, cook the meat in a saucepan for 10 minutes, then drain the water when it boils. And then fill this meat with clean water again and cook for 2 hours. Give the meat broth to the baby one teaspoon at a time.

After a few days, you can give your baby meat. You can prepare it in the same way as described above for making broth. Add the chopped meat to the vegetable puree (or pumpkin puree) and feed the mushy mass in small portions.

4. GROWTH AND WEIGHT INDICATORS OF A 7 MONTH CHILD

▫ Weight ▫

There is an indicator that can be used to fairly accurately determine the weight norm for your baby. . To find out the level of accumulated subcutaneous fat, you need to sum up the circumference of the large part of the lower leg, the circumference of the upper thigh and 3 circumferences of the child’s shoulder. From this amount we subtract the baby’s height in cm.
If this indicator is 19-21, then the baby’s weight is normal.

At 7 months the boy gains an average of about 8.3 - 9 kg

The weight of a girl at this age is 7.6 - 8.7 kg

Premature babies may gain weight somewhat more slowly, but a proper diet and daily parental care for physical development will help babies quickly catch up with their peers in this indicator.

▫ Growth ▫

Average height seven month old boy - 67-69 cm

Average height girls - 64-67 cm


By eight months The baby's growth slows down somewhat.

5. HOW TO TEACH A CHILD TO SIT WITHOUT SUPPORT

Your baby is already 7 months old and still cannot sit? In this video lesson they will tell you and clearly demonstrate how to teach your baby to sit without support and play with toys while sitting:

Seven-month-old babies are incredible fidgets and active explorers. At the beginning of the second half of its life, the baby continues to make daily progress. The baby tirelessly crawls and stands up in the crib, pulling himself up on the railing. By the end of the seventh month, he should be able to sit without your support. Your efforts during this period will be aimed at strengthening the baby’s muscles and preparing him to begin learning to walk.

The baby’s communication with his parents becomes longer, the child enthusiastically combines vowels and consonants and repeats them for a long time. In the seventh month of life, the baby continues to actively grow teeth, and in an effort to eliminate the itching of the gums, he puts into his mouth absolutely all objects that come his way.

Comparing a seven-month-old baby with what he was like in the first half of the year, you will certainly notice the changes that have occurred. But now is just the beginning of a long journey, and you have a lot of work ahead. The Baby Development Calendar will tell you what a baby should be able to do at 7 months and how you can help them acquire those skills.

Skills

The physical development of a child at 7 months continues to progress actively. But children's doctors, analyzing the progress of a baby, will pay attention not only to the work of his muscles and the ability to crawl. To assess the compliance of a seven-month-old baby with the norms and standards determined by the development calendar, specialists will also take into account the mental and psychological progress of the baby. Here is a basic list of what a child should be able to do at 7 months:

• the child must be able to crawl forward and backward, this process occurs absolutely consciously: if you beckon him with a bright toy, he will actively crawl in your direction;
• the baby can already stand up in the crib, pulling himself up on the sides, and, holding on to them, take several steps;
• a baby at seven months of age has fairly strong back and arm muscles, which allow him to sit down or kneel down from a lying position on his own;
• a child in the seventh month of life can show you a named object and know the names of frequently used toys and objects;
• A seven-month-old baby’s hands are quite well developed, he can already hold a bottle on his own and pick it up if it falls; lying on his stomach, he can lean on the surface under him with one hand, and take some object with the other;
• if you hold a baby under the armpits, he will walk; it is important to develop this reflex, so that later the baby begins to walk earlier.

If in the first six months, in order to see something or move, the baby needed your help, now he has gained a little mobility and can move independently. The baby will cry less often, calling for your help or trying to get rid of boredom. All you need to do is spread a blanket on the floor, sit your child on it and surround him with interesting toys that will develop the baby. The play space, of course, should be completely safe for a seven-month-old baby.

Care

By the seventh month of life, babies should already have normal bowel movements; they appear at approximately the same time every day. Such changes are due to the fact that nutrition has changed significantly. As a rule, a child of this age should eat fruits, vegetables and cereals. These products not only promote active peristalsis, but also give the stool its usual dense consistency.

Due to the normalization of stool, you will significantly reduce the number of water procedures during the day. Continue to bathe your baby every evening and show him how to play with the available toys.

In the seventh month of life, children continue to cut their baby teeth; use special gels to relieve pain and antipyretics to bring down the temperature.

You can start trying to put your baby to sleep without a diaper for a nap by placing an oilcloth or disposable diaper under him.

Such a release from a convenient but harmful hygiene product will be especially useful if you have a boy, since overheating will negatively affect his reproductive system.

Emotions and behavior

The psycho-emotional development of a child at 7 months of age is also progressing at an active pace. The baby really needs your communication, so try to spend all your free time with the baby, talk to him, expect feedback from him.

The baby already knows the names of all the household members and rejoices at their appearance. The child still treats strangers with open apprehension, but when they stay in the apartment for a long time, he gradually takes a closer look at them, gets used to them, and in the end can even allow himself to be picked up.

The appearance of close people triggers a revival complex: a seven-month-old baby begins to make active movements with his arms and legs, smiles and may even babble something joyfully.

A baby at seven months of age already has a fairly developed long-term memory; if you take away some complex toy for a while and then show it to the child, he will continue to play with it in the same way as you showed him, for example, a week ago.

Height and weight

During the seventh month of life, children continue to grow actively and gain about 600 grams of weight. The child's height increases by 2 centimeters. The circumference of the head and chest is approximately equal and is each 44 cm. The difference in indicators remains in children of different sexes: a boy, as a rule, is larger than a girl.

Speech

A seven-month-old baby continues to combine different sounds and pronounce the resulting syllables repeatedly with different intonations. The child responds with his baby babble to calls to him and listens carefully to the conversations of adults.

To develop speech skills, continue to read books with your baby, learn poems that should be accompanied by simple movements, as well as new combinations of sounds.

Feeding

Breastfed children, as a rule, eat frequently - they can eat up to 10 times during the day and 4 at night, while the nutrition of bottle-fed children is more orderly, both in time and in quantity.

Nursing mothers in the seventh month of their baby’s life begin to face the problem of their baby biting the breast with his teeth. In such a situation, you need to show your baby that you are in pain and stop feeding.

In the seventh month of life, the baby's table continues to be enriched with new products. Depending on the pediatrician’s recommendations, the baby can already eat fruits, vegetables and cereals. Since, starting from six months, the value of milk is not enough for the baby to gain height, weight and actively develop, new nutrition allows the baby to replenish strength. If the introduction of complementary foods in the first six months began early, from 4-5 months, now egg yolk, meat and fish can enter the baby’s diet.

Dream

Due to the fact that the baby's day at seven months is filled with new discoveries and exciting events, at times he may be overexcited. This condition often prevents children from falling asleep peacefully. Since pediatricians recommend that infants at this age sleep 14 hours, try to stick to a previously established daily routine. An hour before bedtime, do not let your baby run wild; choose quieter activities.

You can also develop certain rituals that will subsequently precede sleep - read a book, give your baby a light massage, or, after dimming the lights and turning on the music quietly, stroke him gently.

It is not recommended to maintain complete silence when the baby falls asleep, otherwise later, when his hearing is fully formed, he will wake up from any noise.

Games and toys

Babies at seven months are enthusiastically engaged with educational toys, they like to explore them. Also, children after six months are interested in books that have bright pictures, inserts from different materials and buttons, after pressing which the baby will hear music.

A seven month old baby will love playing with the ball. You can put your baby on the floor, sit opposite him and roll the ball in his direction. The baby is already quite capable of both catching objects and throwing them back.

A baby at seven months should already be able to assemble a pyramid; now you can complicate his task and learn the colors and sizes using rings from it. Show him two different parts, pay attention that one of them is large and the other is small. Pick up a ring of a certain color and, together with your baby, look for toys of the same shade.

Any success of a child must be supported by exaggerated delight, this will stimulate him to further work. If something didn’t work out for the baby, and he was very upset, calm him down, show him in a gentle tone and smile that nothing terrible happened, and help him finish the job.

Since babies at seven months are not yet assiduous enough, you will have to have quite a lot of toys to keep the baby's attention. Babies really like to throw objects, so you can put all the baby’s “dowry” in boxes. The baby will enthusiastically take out toys from there and throw them on the floor. You may be able to persuade him to put them back together.

Not only a boy can play with cars, you can buy a similar toy for a girl, she will be happy to sit and roll it on the floor. Everyone likes to be a winner, especially little researchers. “Hide” the switched-on musical toy from the baby (just cover it with a pillow or handkerchief) and ask him to find it. The child will try to find the singing pet by sound, and when he finds it, he will be full of delight and pride. Any success of your baby that you approve will encourage him to move on and develop himself.

Reading time: 7 minutes

Caring mothers daily notice the achievements of their baby in the first year of life and are afraid of missing out on something in his development. It is important for them to understand that everything is fine with the child. This is normal. There is an approximate list of skills for each age. Parents need to know the norms of weight and height for a boy and a girl, whether there are any deviations, what a child should be able to do at 7 months.

What does a baby look like at 7 months?

Parents of the baby notice changes in the growing baby every day. This is no longer a six-month-old baby, but a small, full-fledged member of the family. The development of a child always occurs individually, but the limits of indicators are defined, deviations from which are determined by the pediatrician. Basic physiological norms:

• The weight of a seven-month-old baby is between 7.4 and 9 kg. In many ways, this indicator depends on hereditary factors, so an experienced doctor will not always focus on accepted standards.
• Height is in the range of 67 - 69 cm and depends on whether you have a boy or a girl.
• Head circumference, in comparison with the previous month, should increase by 0.5 cm and be in the range of 42.8 - 44 cm.
• The volume of the chest increases on average by 1.4 cm and ranges from 44.6 to 45.5 cm. This figure in healthy children should always exceed the head circumference.

Baby development at 7 months

The girl is ahead of the boy, both in emotional and speech development. The reason lies in the emergence of a connection between the hemispheres of the brain, which in the former is established immediately, and in the latter only by 7-9 months. No special features were identified in the physical development of sons and daughters. Other factors play a role here, for example, heredity, parameters at birth, nutrition, and the atmosphere in the house.

What should a child be able to do?

Having crossed the 6-month mark, a sharp leap occurs in the baby’s development, new movements appear, and emotional and social skills are formed. Butuz can no longer lie quietly in his crib, wasting time sleeping, but is constantly on the move and studying something. By comparing the skills of their baby and what a child should do at 7 months, attentive parents can be sure that everything is fine with the little one, or consult a doctor in time if there are deviations.

Speech skills

The baby's muttering moves to a new level; he manages to babble complex combinations of sounds. The baby experiments, changes his intonation, and listens to his voice. To improve the skill, it is advisable to comment on what is happening around, learn to pronounce syllables and listen to other people’s speech. Sensory speech is also developing rapidly. A girl or boy is able to understand the meaning of some words and look for the desired object.

Physical activity

Having reached the age of 7 months, little people are already actively developing, they can crawl in the right direction and roll over easily. The ability to crawl opened up a new field of activity for them. Kids can independently get to the place that interests them. However, the technique differs from one child to another: some move forward, others move backward. Fidgets can move on all fours or rest on their stomach.

The baby can move independently for a long time and accompany his mother throughout the apartment, if he is not limited in this. It is important to remember that now there is a high probability of injury, so try to secure the space as much as possible, but do not keep the baby in the playpen all the time. Crawling benefits the entire body, as it strengthens the vestibular apparatus and promotes full development.

By the beginning of the 8th month of life, children can sit up independently without the help of support and, turning in the right direction, reach a toy. In this case, the baby confidently maintains its balance and does not fall. Special craftsmen try to stand on their feet, while holding onto the sides of the crib, and take their first steps. Not everyone succeeds, but there is no need to be too upset.

Mental development of a child at 7 months

Young mothers are concerned with the question of what a child must be able to do at 7 months. The growing body is interested in everything, from a hot mug on the table, small beads and, ending with bright objects. Your child’s horizons gradually expand and the baby’s development occurs at 7 months. Butuz begins to become interested in educational games. An illustrated book that feels pleasant to the touch can evoke positive emotions. Consider it together, it promotes the development of memory and thinking. An alternative to a book can be a tumbler or a colored pyramid.

Psycho-emotional development and perception of the world

By this age, it is important to have full communication with the adults around you. The baby is already beginning to understand that the reaction of adults depends on his actions. Parents may smile, praise or get angry at the little one. At this time, attitudes towards people, communication skills and gradation between friends and strangers are formed. The baby may cry because his uncle took him in his arms and rejoice uncontrollably when he sees his beloved mother. Children feel affection and distinguish between close and strangers.

How to develop a child

The first half of your child’s life is behind us, and each time activities and games reach a new level and become more interesting and difficult. It is important to spend more time with the growing baby, paying attention to what a child should be able to do at 7 months. Children already understand a lot, enjoy learning new things and are physically active, so it’s easy to get them excited about something.

Games and toys

Counting rhymes and rhymes spoken by the mother arouse the baby's interest. At this time, palms become a favorite game, during which the baby can touch his own hands and those of adults, and also try to repeat his mother’s words. The toddler begins to show interest in sand molds, because they can be taken apart and tried to be put back together, which develops perseverance and develops fine motor skills. An effective way to engage a child in a useful way is to provide a special box in which you can put unfamiliar toys and interesting objects:

• Household items (spoons, wooden plates, plastic cups) that can be examined and compared. This is very useful and necessary for a growing baby.
• A mirror and photographs will allow you to get to know yourself or see your reflection.
• Rubber squeakers, pressing on which will strengthen your fingers.
• Large development centers will teach your baby simple but important actions: hold, press, twist.
• Regular rattles will develop the sense of touch.
• Sensory sets or objects with different surfaces will develop tactile sensation. Nuts, cereals, patchwork balls, shells, sand, and plasticine can be used.

According to Komarovsky, in this age period the connection between the baby and mother is strong, so do not deprive the children of attention and find time to communicate. One of the game options is to repeat actions with toys. The adult shows the process, and the child, to the best of his ability, tries to repeat it. You can take out the cars, roll them around and put them in a box, or arrange the cubes into 2 colors. The baby learns opposite actions, such as taking and giving, putting and putting, so he will be happy to join in the process.

Such a young age cannot be an obstacle to playing hide and seek, which will help develop the search skills of a child at 7 months and introduce him to the nooks and crannies of the apartment. For the first time, hide a bright toy in front of your child, and then ask him to find it. After a successful attempt, turn the child away and remove the object so that it is slightly visible. At the end of the game, be generous with your praise.

Physical exercise

It is useless to force a 7-month-old baby to do anything, you can only get him interested. Alternate gymnastic exercises with game moments and do not forget to praise the little athlete for successes, even minor ones. A positive attitude will do the trick in this case. A set of physical exercises should include new and familiar elements.

• Children's boxing involves the use of wooden or plastic rings, which the baby must firmly grasp in his hands. After grabbing, spread them apart so that the baby's elbow joints straighten. At the end, return your arms to the starting position.
• Perform circular movements with your legs while placing your baby on his back. Fix his legs with your palms and, bringing your knees closer to his stomach, begin moving in a circle. Try to do it carefully without causing discomfort.
• By taking out the toy you can complete the workout. Take something interesting in your hands and show it to your baby, let him try to get it from a sitting position.

What you should pay attention to

Parents, knowing what a child can do at 7 months, should carefully monitor the baby’s behavior. How the baby reacts to his mother after separation, how he feels, whether he is attached or indifferent to his loved ones. Show, for example, how to knock with a toy and give it to your baby. If he repeats the movement, great, if not, take a closer look, maybe the little man is just in a bad mood or tired. If the baby does not understand, do not delay visiting the clinic.

What else you need to pay attention to:

• The child's inability to sit. Young mothers are often worried for this reason, but pediatricians assure that children are individual and there is no particular reason for concern. Just try to teach your child a new technique, for example, placing the baby in a child seat or taking him on your lap.
• The baby doesn't crawl. If an examination by an orthopedist reveals no abnormalities, do not worry. To make it clear to your child, invite another baby to visit or get on all fours yourself and demonstrate the technique and, looking at you, your baby will also learn to crawl. Make sure that the floor is comfortable and that clothes do not restrict your child’s movement.
• The baby doesn't make any sounds. However, this time too, experts assure that the baby will speak, it’s just not the time yet. In this case, methods such as reading books, clearly pronouncing words and describing objects help.
• Refusal to eat also occurs. Your children grow up and their taste preferences change. There is no need to be upset - pay attention to your diet and review the foods in your diet. You can use a trick and add your unloved carrots or pumpkin to your desired soup. If the baby holds a spoon on his own and knows how to drink, do not limit the baby in this.

Video

your child

Nutrition and baby care

Sleep and safety

Educational games

A game that will teach your baby to crawl

Game 1. “Partisan”

At this age, babies try to get up on all fours, but not everyone can crawl in this position. To gradually master this skill, the child needs to learn to crawl on his belly. Having mastered the alternating work of arms and legs and strengthened the muscles, the baby will soon be able to please his parents with “real” crawling.

You will need

Carpet (play mat) or playpen, toy on wheels, thin rope 50 cm long.

Game plan

1 Place the child on his stomach on the floor of the playpen or on a play mat and sit opposite him at a distance of 50–70 cm. 2. Tie a rope to a toy on wheels and place it in front of the baby so that he cannot reach it. 3. Slowly roll the toy from side to side by pulling on the string. When your baby tries to reach for the toy, roll it towards him and then pull it back to encourage crawling.

Note to parents

1. Be prepared for the fact that the baby may express dissatisfaction with the fact that he has to get the toy on his own. Do not give in to his demands and try to make him crawl at least a few centimeters. 2. Make sure that the child is wearing clothes that are comfortable for crawling, and that the folds of pants that are too wide or too long do not interfere with him. 3. For many babies who are just starting to crawl, movements on one side may be more dexterous than on the other. If your baby is unable to pull up any of his legs or extend his arm while crawling, gently help him. The game was prepared by Maria Baulina, a neuropsychologist, candidate of psychological sciences, specialist in child neuropsychology and problems of development of child psychological functions.

Development: watching the baby

At this age, boys weigh 7.4-9.2 kg with a height of 65.5-69.8 cm, the corresponding figures for girls are: 6.7-8.6 kg and 65.0-69.6 cm*. In most children, by 7 months, 2 lower middle incisors have already erupted.

The baby sits more confidently and can spend a lot of time in this position. He no longer needs to lean on his arms, and he uses them for other actions. The child can swing, leaning on his arms and legs, or crawl on his tummy, helping himself with his hands. The most active children learn to stand on their feet, holding on to support - or even without it. But the baby has not yet learned to sit back from a standing position; to do this, he has to call his parents for help.

Regardless of whether the baby can crawl or still prefers to sit in one place, he strives to thoroughly explore all the territory available to him. At this age, the child is better oriented in space and can estimate the distance to an object.

Now children's games can involve several toys at the same time. The baby compares them, trying to understand which properties are best used during the game. He can focus his attention and solve problems that arise during the game: for example, a bunch of keys, if shaken and thrown, behaves differently than a cube, which means he needs to choose which toy is best to play with at the moment.

Children begin to understand how things are connected in three dimensions. If you suddenly appear next to a child studying his reflection in the mirror, most likely he will turn to you, since he already understands that you are not actually in the mirror, but in the real world. The baby already knows that one thing can be on top of another, and they can be separated, although from the outside it seems that this is one whole object. If the saucer is placed on a large plate, the baby will realize that he can take the saucer and leave the plate in place. Round objects now arouse constant curiosity in a child: he will twirl a ball or ball in his hands, trying to understand where its edges or corners are, and how to determine where is up and where is down.

Every day the baby “talks” more and more actively: new syllables appear in his “dictionary”, consisting of a vowel and a consonant. The child's facial expressions become more expressive.

Don’t worry if your baby doesn’t know how to do something yet: all children grow and develop at different speeds, and soon you will catch up with your peers.

*Based on data provided by World Health Organization (WHO) experts based on the results of the Multifocus Growth Reference Study (MGRS).

It involved children who were cared for in accordance with WHO health guidelines, such as breastfeeding and maternal cessation of smoking. Today, the results of the MGRS are recognized international standards with which the development of children can and should be compared, regardless of their place of residence, type of feeding and belonging to different ethnic groups and cultures.

Behavior: we understand the baby

The child’s attention switches very quickly: he curiously studies the world around him, including the reaction of adults to his actions. For example, a baby may throw a toy and immediately look at his parents, waiting for their approval.

The baby begins to respond to his name. He likes to listen to his parents' conversations, and he can calmly play nearby, provided that mom and dad will contact him from time to time. When the baby hears his name, he will stop playing and look at the person who called him.

Now the child himself offers adults different games. He can easily “voice” his desire using sign language: for example, by jumping up or tugging an adult’s hand, the baby wants to attract his attention and start playing. The favorite game of seven-month-old children is “you give me - I give you”: the baby brings and gives the cube to the mother, and then reaches out his hand to get it back, and again offers it to the mother. The game will continue as long as the mother shows interest in it. If the mother gets bored with playing with the cube, the child will bring her another toy to resume the “exchange.”

The baby is ready to make new friends - play partners, but continues to be distrustful of strangers. Not everyone manages to win the baby’s affection even after quite a long time of communication. Children at this age are good at distinguishing between familiar and unfamiliar faces. They are excellent at reading facial expressions and understanding voice intonations. Hearing a strict “no,” the baby may stop his actions for a few seconds, without even knowing the meaning of this word.

Nutrition

Mother's milk is the main source of nutrients the baby needs, but with the appearance of the first teeth, the feeding process can become quite painful for the mother.

The baby already understands the word “no,” so be sure to interrupt feeding if you feel a bite, tell him that you can’t do that, and only then continue feeding. The word “no” may have to be repeated several times before the child stops biting, but feeding will again bring joy not only to him, but also to the mother.

At this age, children need to receive about 500 g of mother's milk daily (or adapted milk formula if breastfeeding is not possible). It is better for the baby to receive two main servings (180-200 g each) early in the morning and late in the evening. During the day, you need to supplement your baby with breast milk, combining breastfeeding with complementary feeding.

For breakfast, a seven-month-old baby can prepare buckwheat or rice porridge with breast milk. For lunch, offer him vegetable puree from broccoli, cauliflower or potatoes. Fruit puree made from apples or pears is good for an afternoon snack. Carrots and other brightly colored vegetables can be added to children's menus no more than three times a week.

Approximate menu for a baby at seven months: breakfast - breast milk 180-200 g; second breakfast - milk porridge 150 g, fruit juice 50 ml, supplementary feeding with milk; lunch - vegetable puree 150 g, supplemented with milk; afternoon snack - fruit puree 50 g, supplemented with milk; dinner - breast milk 180-200 g.

Note:

WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Breastfeeding is the best way to provide ideal nutrition for healthy growth and development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for maternal health.

Baby care

If your baby has already cut his teeth, it’s time to think about caring for them, because he will have to use his baby teeth for several more years. Healthy baby teeth are a strong foundation for strong molars.

Talk to your pediatrician about which brush and paste to choose for care. It will be easier for your baby to follow the rules of hygiene if from a very early age you accustom him to daily care of his teeth and gums.

If juices and boiled water have appeared in your child’s diet, it’s time to buy a sippy cup. Fruit juices contain sugar, which has a strong effect on the fragile enamel of children's teeth. To prevent the occurrence of caries, it is necessary to minimize the time of contact of the juice with the baby’s teeth. When a baby drinks from a bottle with a nipple, the liquid may remain in his mouth for a long time. When drinking from a sippy cup, the contact time between the juice and the teeth is reduced.

The baby will get used to the new household item faster if you pour expressed breast milk into the sippy cup. At first, it is better to use models with a soft silicone spout. It will be more convenient for an older baby to use a sippy cup with a hard spout. A model with two handles and a removable lid will allow the child to show independence: hold the sippy cup with both hands and learn to drink “like an adult” (sip over the edge of the sippy cup), rather than sucking water through the spout.

Education and communication: working with your baby

A seven-month-old baby can distinguish primary colors and begins to be interested in the different properties of objects, their sizes, shapes. Help him understand that one item can be placed inside another by using cardboard boxes or plastic molds of different sizes. At this age, you can start playing with toys designed for sorting shapes. If the child is already trying to get up, then it will be interesting for him to play in different positions - both standing and sitting. Place toys on the floor and on the child's table to encourage him to play at different levels.

The kid has already begun to guess that hidden objects do not disappear completely. Help him make sure of this. Place a small toy on your palm, show it to your baby and squeeze your palm. Let him look for the loss. If it is difficult for the child to understand what is happening, show where the toy is again. Don't forget to praise your child when he completes the task.

One of the favorite games of children of this age is “tug of war.” Give your baby one end of the scarf in his hands, grab the other and pull lightly. Give your child the opportunity to “pull” the scarf and admire his strength and dexterity out loud. Show your baby how to bang two toys together: soon he will be able to repeat these movements himself. To make the game more interesting, give your child maracas or make them yourself by filling two small plastic jars with tight-fitting lids with buckwheat or peas.

Try to use simple names when discussing his toys with your baby. You shouldn’t call the stuffed pig “Piggy Ivanovich”; let him just be “Piggy” for now. It is easier for a child to remember individual words than phrases.

Every child at this age must have a picture book. Turn the pages and look at the illustrations with your child, clearly pronouncing the names of the objects and animals depicted. Read poems to your baby and sing children's songs: babies remember repeating rhymes and melodies well, enjoy familiar music and words, and even try to “sing along” or “read poetry” with their parents.

Dream

Babies at seven months usually sleep 15 hours a day*, but there is no single sleep norm for children. Try to plan walks and trips with your children so that they can fully relax without breaking out of their usual routine.

Now that the baby has learned to sit, roll over and crawl on his own, children's sleep may become more restless. Even a soundly sleeping baby will try to crawl or stand up in his sleep, and some movements may be much better for him than during wakefulness.

Give your child the opportunity to calm down on his own. In the semi-darkness and silence it will be easier for him to fall asleep again. At this age, children get excited very quickly: it is enough for the baby to see his mother’s smile - and he will immediately wake up completely, ready for new games and adventures.

Note:

(*) The above norms are average; the duration and time of sleep depends on the baby’s temperament. The main criterion for the “norm” is always the baby’s good health, smiles and cheerfulness. If you still have any doubts, consult your pediatrician.

Safety

Do not leave your baby unattended unless you are sure the premises are safe.

Take another look at the room where the baby lives. Put away or secure in place all things that could fall: flower pots, paintings in heavy frames, photographs and posters under glass and other interior items.

A baby who is learning to stand will definitely try to find support for himself, so it is better to remove tablecloths from tables and tuck blankets and bedspreads under the mattress or furniture base. Check that your curtain rod is secure enough. If possible, instead of long curtains, hang short curtains that the child cannot reach.

Remember: plastic bags, ropes, cords, foil and balloons are very popular with children, but can become a source of danger, so they should only be played with under parental supervision.

A child at the age of 7 months becomes more active and independent. He is tirelessly engaged in “research” activities that require adult attention and absolute safety. Intensive growth and development against the background of constant mobility require additional nutrients, which no longer replenish the previous feeding norms. What should you feed a seven-month-old baby, and how should this relate to his daily routine?

A seven-month-old baby surprises and delights his parents with new skills every day.

1. Just recently he began to sit unsteadily, but at 7 months he can already stand up on his own from a support, step with his legs, sit on his knees and squat.
2. Interest in the world around him is manifested in the desire to get acquainted with all the objects that are in his field of vision. The child grasps large toys well and confidently transfers them from hand to hand.
3. He begins to crawl, and equally well both forward and backward. This method of movement opens up new opportunities: independently take an object of interest, get acquainted with the space of the room.
4. Interest in the surroundings is not limited to contemplation, and at the first opportunity, the little researcher always checks everything that comes to hand.
5. The child is happy to find familiar objects at the request of adults, and turns towards the speaker when he hears his name. At this age, attachment to family is especially pronounced. The baby recognizes loved ones and is happy to meet them even after a short sleep. Warning towards strangers appears.
6. Waking time is accompanied by babbling - repeated syllables that adults mistakenly perceive as conscious speech.

Baby babble is the first attempts at communication, expression of emotional state and imitation of adults. From a listener, the baby turns into an active interlocutor, willingly repeating not only syllables, but also intonation.

Features of feeding

The ability of a seven-month-old baby to sit and confidently hold objects in his hand allows him to organize meals throughout the day in a new way:

• Feeding the child should be done in a sitting position, and it is better if he takes a seat at the common table in a high chair;
• feed only from a spoon, and to gain skills in using cutlery, give a spoon to the baby;
• drink from a cup and invite the child to drink from a sippy cup or Avent sippy cup;
• allow you to get acquainted with the contents of the plate in a not very neat, but very educational “manual” way;
• set a personal example of behavior at the table, which will form the rules for eating in the future.

What, how much and when?

The feeding regimen for children over 7 months of age includes 5 meals a day. A distinctive feature of nutrition is the formation of meals that correspond to future full breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

Day after day, new products are replacing mother's milk, which is now given only in the morning and before bedtime.

Intervals between feedings of 4 hours correspond to the physiological capabilities of the child's body, without causing discomfort from the digestive system.

Existing food consumption standards are offered by pediatric nutritionists as recommendations. But the amount of food eaten largely depends on individual characteristics:

• constitutions;
• speed of metabolic processes;
• physical activity.

An approximate diet for a child during the 7th month of life is presented:

• breast milk or infant formula;
• vegetable puree;
• porridge (milk or vegetable broth);
• egg yolk;
• cottage cheese;
• meat puree;
• canned or freshly prepared fruit purees and juices;
• crackers (cookies or crackers);
• bread.

The method of calculating the total amount of food used by pediatricians is called “volumetric”. It is quite simple: a child of 7 months should receive a daily amount of food equal to 1/8 of his weight. For example, a baby weighing 8 kg needs 1 kg of food, taking into account the milk base in the form of mother's milk or infant formula. Having divided the daily amount of food by the number of meals, we focus on the volume of one feeding: 1 kg/5 = 200 g.

The increased need for energy with increasing physical activity is also reflected in the ratio of carbohydrates, proteins and fats (CPF) in the diet - 4:1:1, and the daily calorie content is 110-115 kcal per 1 kg of body weight.

There is a classic order of introducing complementary foods to the menu of a 7-month-old child: vegetable purees, after a month porridge is offered, after 2 weeks - egg yolk, butter, cottage cheese, meat, and closer to 8 months of age - kefir.

Breastfed

The introduction of complementary foods performs 2 key tasks - it compensates for the lack of mother's milk and prepares the child to receive adult food.

There is an opinion that if the mother has sufficient lactation, the timing of complementary feeding can be postponed to a later time.

But there is another point of view - in favor of the mandatory introduction of complementary foods:

• acquaintance with new products stimulates the enzymatic and motor functions of the digestive system;
• helps to master chewing skills in a timely manner;
• provides the child with additional sources of energy, building material, vitamins and minerals that compensate for the costs of increasing physical activity, growth and development.

Now let’s see what determines the presence of certain dishes and products on the menu of a 7-month-old child.

Porridge is a source of energy for kids

Preference is given to rice and corn cereals. They are low-allergenic, gluten-free, easily digestible and supply the growing body with B vitamins and slow carbohydrates. Gradually digested and absorbed from the digestive tract, they maintain a feeling of satiety for a long time.

The “first” porridge must be liquid and always one-component. Only after its successful introduction into complementary foods can other ingredients be added. This will make it easier to determine which product the child has an allergic reaction to. You can prepare the porridge yourself or take advantage of store offers.

For preparation, they use one of two methods: grind the cereal before cooking, or grind the already prepared porridge in a blender. It is diluted to the desired consistency with breast milk, formula or vegetable broth.

• To make a liquid 5% porridge, take 1 tsp per 100 ml of liquid. cereals
• After a couple of weeks, you can switch to 8% -10%, adding 1.5 or 2 tsp to the same amount of water. cereals

A new dish for a baby is introduced from a teaspoon. If well tolerated, portions are increased daily, reaching 120-150 g by the end of the second week and completely displacing breast milk from one feeding. The best time to take porridge is second breakfast at 10 am.

Eggs – only yolk and only boiled

Eggs appear on the menu of a seven-month-old baby after the introduction of porridge.

There is no fundamental difference in beneficial properties between chicken and quail eggs. But both are dangerous in their raw form due to the risk of salmonellosis. Pediatricians constantly insist on following the rules for their preparation: wash thoroughly before cooking, check for freshness (stale ones float in the water or “stand” upright), cook for at least 10 minutes.

Like egg white, yolk can cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is administered with extreme caution.

During the 10 o'clock breakfast, they offer an yolk ground with a small amount of milk on the tip of a teaspoon. In the absence of allergies, after 2-3 days the amount of yolk is increased to 1/4 tsp, gradually increasing to the age norm of 7 months - ½ yolk no more than 2 times a week.

This valuable product will provide the growing body with vitamins A, E, D, group B, selenium and phosphorus. If the baby refuses to eat the yolk offered in its pure form, the product is mixed with porridge or vegetable puree.

Butter and vegetable oil

From 7 months, they begin to add vegetable oil to vegetable purees, and a small amount of butter to porridge.

If the child’s reaction is normal, the amount of butter is increased to 5 g, and vegetable oil (it is better if it is extra virgin olive oil) is increased to 5 ml.

Cottage cheese and kefir - classic “milk”

By the end of the 7th month, kefir and cottage cheese appear in the baby’s diet. The introduction of kefir requires the same rules as for any new product - starting with a small amount (1-2 tsp per day).

After introducing kefir to your baby, it is easy to introduce cottage cheese into the diet. 1 tsp. dilute with kefir to a homogeneous consistency, doubling the amount daily. To track the reaction to a new food product, it is offered to the child for second breakfast. If well tolerated, the intake of cottage cheese and kefir is transferred to the second half of the day, i.e., during the afternoon snack, when these products are best absorbed.

To feed a 7-month-old child, purchasing market cottage cheese and “adult” kefir in stores is unacceptable. Products from specialized children's departments or obtained from a dairy kitchen are considered truly healthy and safe. When purchasing, you should always ask about the date of manufacture and composition.

Fermented milk products can be given to a child daily, observing age norms. By the end of the 7th month of life, cottage cheese in the baby’s diet is 25-30 g, and kefir – up to 170 ml.

You should temporarily give up kefir if you experience unstable stools, and you should give up cottage cheese if the fontanelle quickly becomes overgrown and if you have kidney disease.

An example of a menu for a 7 month old breastfed baby.

For an artificial child

Artificial feeding (IF) does not, like breastfeeding, meet all the needs of a growing body. Even high-quality adapted formulas cannot provide the baby with the required amount of important nutritional elements. Therefore, the introduction of complementary feeding in this category of children is 1-1.5 months ahead of schedule.

Products unfamiliar to infants have long been present in the diet of formula-fed children - porridge, pureed meat, egg yolk. According to indications, meat, cottage cheese and kefir may be introduced earlier into the menu.

Meat broths and purees

From 7 months, meat appears on the baby’s menu in the form of pureed lean beef, veal, turkey, chicken fillet, and rabbit.

The range of baby food departments is ready to offer a wide selection of products from foreign and domestic manufacturers (Heinz, Hipp, Gerber, Babushkino Lukoshko, Tema, Agusha, etc.). It is important to pay attention to the age recommendations that are indicated on each jar.

It’s easy to prepare meat puree at home:

1. Boil the meat, cut into pieces, until cooked.
2. Grind with a blender or mince twice.
3. Before feeding, dilute the prepared broth to a soft puree consistency.
4. If the child refuses the proposed dish, add it to porridge or vegetable puree.

Starting with 1/2-1 tsp, after 7-10 days the baby will reach the daily norm of 30 g per day. Meat products take longer to digest, so they are given lunch time in the children's menu. Non-rich light broths are used to prepare porridges and vegetable puree soups. They stimulate the digestion process, increasing the activity of the secretory glands.

At the age of 7 months, a bottle-fed baby masters new types of cereals, gets acquainted with pureed vegetable soups in meat broth, and multi-component purees of fruits and vegetables. Meat puree can replace liver puree once a week.

An example of a menu for a 7-month-old bottle-fed baby.

Regardless of the type of feeding, infants aged 7 months should be offered solid foods. Crackers, baby cookies or snacks for an afternoon snack are an opportunity to stimulate the chewing process in a timely manner. From homogeneous purees, a slow transition begins to food containing small pieces and lumps. To prepare puree from fresh fruits and vegetables, it is used, and boiled vegetables are chopped with a regular fork.