As your baby enters his seventh month of life, his language, recognition, and social skills are at an important stage of development. Help ensure that your baby's development stays on track by continuing to engage him in some of the following activities:

• Chat with your baby every time you’re together.

• Expose him to a variety of sounds, and help him try to locate them.

• Imitate the sounds your baby makes, and try to get him to make those sounds back to you.

• Provide some quiet time when the radio and TV are not on.

• Read children’s books or make your own with bright pictures from magazines. Point to and name objects and people as your baby looks at them.

You may also want to make a photo album of familiar family members, and point to and name objects and people so your baby absorbs new words. He may stay interested only a few minutes at a time, but try to do this every day.

Once your baby can sit on his own in a high chair, mealtime becomes a party. He wants to grab the spoon, put it in his mouth, and bang it on the tray, creating his own special baby song.

Eating comes with other surprises as well. Some time in the sixth or seventh month, he may be ready to eat a cracker or dry cereal by himself. Not only does this introduce him to "grown-up" food, but it also lets him practice his fine-motor skills.

Keep in mind that even though he’s eating solid foods, breast milk or formula is still his primary source of nutrition. 

And remember, while it’s difficult to never leave the room while your baby eats, it’s important to stay with him to prevent choking or tumbles from the high chair.

It’s safer and more developmentally successful for your baby to learn to walk on his own than to use a walker. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly urges parents not to use baby walkers for these reasons:

• Walkers can lead to high-speed, dangerous falls, because they allow your baby to travel to unsafe places that he wouldn't be able to reach on his own.

• They slow down your baby's progress when he's learning to walk.

• They may also decrease your baby's desire to walk on his own.

It’s more developmentally sound to let your baby progress from crawling, to cruising, to standing, to walking at his own pace.

As your baby plays more with other babies and children, he’s more likely to pick up colds and viruses. While every baby gets these illnesses, talk with your baby's health care professional if you notice any of the following symptoms:

• Runny nose or congestion that interferes with eating or sleeping or lasts longer than a week to 10 days

• Cough that is associated with vomiting or that interferes with sleep

• Wheezing

• Unusual fatigue and crankiness

• Diarrhea or vomiting

• Decreased appetite

• Fever

• Pulling at his ears

Regular “well-baby appointments” during this time will also put your mind at ease, reassuring you that your baby is reaching developmental milestones and getting the recommended vaccinations that protect him from serious childhood illnesses.

It’s also an excellent time to get information about:

• Month-to-month changes in care and feeding

• Strategies for protecting your baby from common health issues

Ask your health care professional for an immunization record, so that you can keep it for the lifetime of your child. You never know when, years from now, a university will ask for your child’s immunization record as an entrance requirement!

Baby’s first tooth can arrive as early as three months or as late as 12, but the average age for babies to begin teething is seven months. How will you know? Your little one may start drooling more heavily and biting on his hands. He may also develop a rash on his chin from saliva, and he may get irritable from the discomfort and inflammation of his gums. It can also keep him up at night.

You could try giving him a frozen teething ring or other teething toy, or even a frozen wet washcloth to chew on to help relieve the discomfort. You may also want to replenish your stock of bibs, and try to keep cloth diapers close by to help keep his clothes and face dry.