Hello, moms and dads, and welcome to Month 7 with your baby and Month 7 with my baby, Bracey. Bracey is now 30 weeks old, but only 20 weeks old in terms of his corrected age, so in terms of milestones he’s closer to a 5-month-old baby than a 7-month-old. Yet, with each passing day, he is catching up. With premies, doctors advise calculating a “corrected age” by subtracting the number of weeks by which a baby was premature from their actual age. The corrected age provides a better guideline for developmental milestones until 2 years of age. Doctors hope that by age 2, premature babies will catch up and be on track with other babies who share their birth date.

Growth and Development of a 7 Month Old Baby

Bracey’s 7 Month Checkup with the Pediatrician

Most babies will not see their pediatrician for a 7 month old checkup. Bracey did, however, since he was born 10 weeks premature. At his appointment, Bracey’s doctor checked his ears and throat, measured his length and the circumference of his head, weighed him, and then assessed his back and neck strength and responsiveness by sitting him up. The doctor was thrilled with Bracey’s progress, as was I. 

Growth of a 30 Week Old Baby

Between six months and one year, weight gain for babies slows down a little. Most babies double their birth weight by five to six months of age and triple it by the end of year 1. The average 7-month-old baby boy weighs 18 pounds 5 ounces (8.3 kilos) and the average baby girl weighs 16 pounds 14 ounces (7.6 kilos). At his 7 month checkup, Bracey weighed 6.3 kilos (13.86 pounds), up from 1.490 kilos (3.278 pounds) at birth, so he has gained 4.9 kilos or 10.6 pounds since birth. Bracey’s position on the Spanish growth charts shows him inching up towards the bottom of the curve with a trajectory that is steeper than the curve. This indicates that Bracey is catching up!

Developmental Milestones for a 7 Month Old Baby

Baby’s Neck, Back, Chest, and Leg Strength at 7 Months

By 7 months, most babies are holding up their heads securely and turning them 180 degrees without wobbling. Many babies are rolling from tummy to back and back to tummy. Some can get to a sitting position from their tummy and stand while holding onto someone or something. Some babies are beginning to creep, crawl, or cruise, with the average age for crawling being between 6 and 7 months.  Since the amount of time babies spend in Tummy Time varies tremendously, many babies do not crawl until 9 months. 

Baby’s Vision and Coordination at 7 Months

By 7 months, your baby likely will be getting better at holding their own bottle and reaching and grabbing for things, and will have perfected playing with their own hands and feet — what better toys could there be? Many babies can pass objects from one hand to another and others can reach out and grab objects. Practice doing this with your baby throughout the day allowing them to reach for, grip and grab whatever comes their way (including your hair — ouch!). 

How Much do Babies See, Talk and Hear at 7 Months 

Seven-month-old babies can see much further than they did a few months ago, and will tend to observe their larger surroundings with more interest. Your baby will begin smiling at your from further away, perhaps when you enter the room. Seven-month-old babies can see a wider away of colors and visually digest more complex patterns. Read books with large, brightly-colored pictures and patterns to your baby. While doing household chores, keep your baby beside you in a bouncer seat and talk to them, pointing out the household objects you use and narrating what you do. Take note of colors and textures, describing the look and feel of the objects you use in your everyday life.

At 7 months, babies continue their babbling with sounds like “ba-ba” or “da-da.” Some babies will employ only vowels at this point and others will begin pulling in consonants. Although the vast majority of babies will not be associating these sounds with actual people or things (they cannot yet comprehend that sounds have meanings) they are, in fact, developing an the important awareness: that when they emit sounds, others respond. To encourage this awareness, talk back to your baby as if you are having a real conversation, employing animated facial expressions. Your baby will hear and observe your responses and will counter back with new expressions and sounds of their own. Although your baby cannot exchange words with meanings as of yet, this back and forth of sounds and expressions (the cornerstone of communication) constitutes your baby’s first experience of language.

In terms of hearing, between 7 and 12 months, some babies will respond to their own name, look or turn in the direction of sounds, listen when spoken to, respond to simple requests like “come here,” look at things you talk about and begin to repeat sounds.

How do I play with my 7 Month Old Baby?

Including your baby in your every day activities by narrating what you do remains a terrific activity. Reading books and playing with large wooden blocks, stackable toys and different colors, patterns and textures will stimulate your baby. Tummy Time remains a must. Continue to practice sitting up with your baby and hold your baby up, encouraging them to put weight on their feet. Hold you baby under the arm pits and begin walking around with them gently placing a small amount of weight on their feet.

Wooden Baby Blocks 

Opt for wooden baby blocks and baby building blocks with your 7 month old. They are safe, environmentally-friendly, and will last a lifetime. You might even hang on to them for your eventual grandchildren, as I have!  

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What Solid Foods do I Give a 7 Month Old Baby?

If your baby has been on solids for one month, they can begin to expand their repertoire at 7 months. My doctor expanded Bracey’s diet to include meat, infant yoghurt and a wider array of fruits and vegetables. He also suggested popping in a fourth meal of oatmeal cereal mixed with breastmilk. My doctor said I could mix the cereal into a Bracey’s final “top-off” bottle. Some doctors don’t agree with this so check with yours.

Baby Oatmeal Cereal  

Traditionally, many doctors began babies only on rice cereal. Due to concerns over arsenic, the AAP now recommends that you introduce oatmeal to your baby instead. Many doctors now say that you can begin with solid fruits, vegetables, and poultry from the get go. In the US, it is recommended that you introduce one food at a time to allow you to immediately recognise what your baby could be allergic to. My Spanish doctor allowed for mixes from the get-go.

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How Much Solid Food for 7 Month Old Baby?

If you wondering what quantities of solids to give your 7 month old, the answer is that the amount of solids babies this age consume varies greatly. Generally, it is recommended that seven-month-old babies eat 4-9 tablespoonfuls of cereal, fruit and vegetables a day and 1 to 6 tablespoons of a meat of other protein (my doctor recommended chicken, beef and yoghurt but you can also introduce cottage cheese or egg). You can spread your baby’s food out between three meals; my doctor suggested four.

From the beginning, Bracey wanted a higher quantity of food that the one I set forth above. After a few tablespoons, he was ready for more. When feeding Bracey, I keep going until he pushes the food out of his mouth. Keep in mind that babies this age don’t gobble up every spoonful. Rather, they take the food in, swish it around and push out a bit. Keep sweeping up that food from around your baby’s mouth and putting it back in. To curtail the amount of waste, put small quantities of the solid food into a serving bowl before giving it your baby. Since your spoon will come into contact with bacteria from your baby’s mouth, once you dip it back into the food, the food is no longer sterile and cannot be stored and fed to your baby during another feeding. So always start with smaller quantities and then add more. 

As I advised last month, my biggest tip when it comes to solids, especially if you are breastfeeding, remains to always give the milk first. Your baby will be calmer because they won’t be starving and this entails a more relaxed feeding experience. And that way you ensure that baby is getting the quantity of breastmilk or formula they need. If you are formula feeding, your baby might fill up even too much on the formula, so try given a portion of the formula first or see how it goes with the solids before having your baby finish their bottle.

How to Feed Solid Foods to a Baby

Do I need a High Chair?

With my earlier babies, I put them in a high chair when I introduced solids. With Bracey, I tend to hold him in my lap since he is still so little. You can get an insert for your high chair or one with cushioning. We did purchase a high chair last week that eventually will make its way out of the box, but if you are short on space, you can feed your baby solids while holding him on your lap and then find an insert for one of your dining table chairs. High chairs are convenient since babies this age tend to eat and then put their hands into their mouths, so if you are not careful they will swipe all that lovely gushy food onto you.

Best High Chairs for Babies 

The best high chairs for babies this age are supportive and easy to clean. We’ve opted for a Stokke high chair that holds Bracey securely and easy to clean since there is no cushion (you can purchase an insert). For my older babies, I had a Graco high chair lasted me for 8 years! 

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Breastfeeding a 7 Month Old 

How Much Breastmilk should a 7 Month Old Baby Eat?

My pediatrician advised that given the introduction of solids, babies this age need less breast milk than previously. He advised that they need to consume between 16 and 24 ounces (480-720ml) of breastmilk a day divided between 4-5 feedings, so figure 4-6 ounces (120-180ml) per feeding if you are feeding four times a day, and 3.2-4.8 ounces (96-144ml) per feeding if you are feeding 5 times a day. He explained that babies naturally begin to make the transition from breastmilk as the primary source of nutrition to food once solids are introduced and that they self-regulate based on their needs. Remember that during the first year, breast milk or formula are the most important components of your baby’s diet. 

How to Breastfeed a 7 Month Old Baby

Breastfeeding comes with new challenges at every stage. During this month, I found myself struggling to keep Bracey, who was increasingly distracted, on the breast for long periods. Babies are different, moms are different, and each woman’s breastfeeding journey is unique. In my experience, the way to continue breastfeeding is to do your best to overcome each challenge when it arises. You’ll often find that your baby changes quickly and that something you worried about yesterday is no longer difficult. 

Baby Twisting and Pulling While Breastfeeding

Seven-month-old babies can get very distracted while nursing and can twist, pull, and easily come off the breast and look elsewhere. They tend to sip a bit, and then rip off the breast in order to examine the outside world. It’s hard to know whether or not your baby is getting a full feeding.

Is my Baby Self-Weaning from Breastfeeding?

In my view, a distracted baby is not necessarily showing signs of self-weaning from breastfeeding. Rather, the baby is simply growing older and more curious about the outside world. I’ve seen across my six babies that once this curiosity subsides, the baby focuses more on the breastfeeding. 

When breastfeeding an older, distracted, baby, be patient and keep putting your baby back on your breast, making sure to burp frequently. Try feeding your baby privately with the lights dimmed without all the stimuli of the outside world. Also try shifting your baby into different positions to try to allow them to face the outside world. Although it’s better to feed from each breast until the richer hind milk comes, you might need to switch sides once or twice while you get the let down until your baby settles in. On occasion, I’ve even fed my baby while standing up, twirling around, or offering a book or toy. Try all sorts of things until you find a recipe that works for you. Other tips include feeding when your baby awakens from their nap, giving the solids meal after the breastfeeding sessions, and breastfeeding before the meal and then again after the meal before putting your baby back down to nap again. Babies tend to nurse better when they are sleepy, in my experience. Just as was the case with a newborn, aim to get that baby on the breast sucking as often and as much as possible so that you maintain your milk supply. Try not to go more than four hours without breastfeeding or pumping. 

Tips for Breastfeeding an Older, Distracted Baby 

Here’s a summary of tips when it comes to breastfeeding an older distracted baby:

• Breastfeed in a quiet space with dimmed lights 
• Position your baby to face outwards by turning your body while sitting in a chair 
• Stand up carefully and twirl slowly while securely holding the baby 
• Offer your baby a book or toy to look at while you nurse 
• Switch sides once you get the let down until your baby settles in (then try to drain that breast before going to the next breast)
• Feed right after and before nap time
• Feed before solids 
• Remind yourself that “this too shall pass” and that babies overcome the distraction 

How Long to Breastfeed on Each Side with 7 Month-Old Baby 

At 7 months, your baby will feed more quickly because they are stronger and more efficient, and they will tend to drink slightly less breast milk because of the introduction of solids. I would aim for a good 10 minutes from each side. This will vary tremendously of course. Try to keep breastfeeding until your baby is awake, burped, and rejecting more food.

7 Month Old Sleep Schedule with Solids and Breastfeeding 

During Month 7, you will continue incorporating solid foods into your daily schedule. Here’s the schedule that is working nicely for us. Following my doctor’s recommendations, I am giving Bracey a wider array of vegetables, fruits and proteins and more mixtures. I’ve adjusted the amounts below to comply with American guidelines. 

• 7am — sleep 9:30-11am.
• 11am – breastmilk then 2-3 tablespoons of single food vegetable puree. Sleep 1:30-3pm. 
• 3pm — breastmilk then 2-3 tablespoons of single food fruit puree. Sleep 6-7pm.
• 7pm — breastmilk then 2-3 tablespoons of corn or rice cereal mixed with breastmilk. Sleep 8:30-11pm. 
• 11pm — breastmilk with cereal or mix cereal into bottle. Sleep at 11:30pm. This can be called the “top off” feed.  

Bottle Feeding a 7 Month Old Baby

How Much Formula should a 7 Month Old Eat?

As is the case with breastmilk, at 7 months, the amount of formula your baby consumes likely will begin to decline based on the introduction of solid foods. Seven-month-old babies should be consuming about 6-8 ounces (180-240ml) of formula per feeding over four-five feedings (likely four) . Pay attention to your baby’s cues and if your baby is burped and rejecting more formula — as long as your baby has wet and dirty diapers and is gaining weight — you should not continue to feed them when they indicate they are full. 

Sleep Schedule for 7 Month Old with Formula and Solids

• 7am bottle — sleep 9:30-11am. 
• 11am bottle followed by 2-3 tablespoons of single food vegetable puree. Sleep 1:30-3pm. 
• 3pm bottle followed by 2-3 tablespoons of single food fruit puree. Sleep 6-7pm. 
• 7pm bottle followed by 2-3 tablespoons of multigrain cereal mixed with formula. Sleep 8pm.
• 11pm – bottle with cereal mixed in (check with your doctor). Right back to sleep

Over time your baby will drop the 11pm feeding, as well.

Bracey Update

At his 7 month appointment, Bracey weighed 6.3 kilos (13.86 pounds). He’s more interactive and strong and is beginning to sit up on his own for a few seconds at a time on his own. Burping him on my lap has been helping him gain neck and back strength. Bracey continues to smile and babble at us and appeared to say hi twice to my oldest, Hedley, the other day. He’s begun turning to the side while on his back and appears to be on his way towards flipping from back to front.

He is breastfeeding and feeding well and sleeping at night from around 11pm to as late as 9 and sometimes even 10 in the morning. Thank you so much for reading and watching and see you back soon for Month 8. 

Resources

VeryWellFamily

WebMD

Parents.com

Whattoexpect.com

Kidshealth.org