Your Baby's 7th Month

Separation Anxiety

Also, around this time, your baby may seem to have a harder time separating from you. Separation anxiety can appear anytime after 6 months, but usually peaks closer to 12 months.

Separating from Baby is a huge milestone for parents, too. If your baby is upset or clinging, it can be heartbreaking. This raises questions for parents such as "Is my baby insecure?" "Is she too dependent?" "Why can't she trust others?" "Am I a bad parent for leaving her?" Hard as it may be, try not to worry. This is a normal stage in her development, and there are specific strategies that you can use to help you and Baby separate more easily.

• Leave her with a caregiver that you and she know and trust. Stranger and separation anxiety often go hand in hand. Spend some time with this caregiver together, so she can feel your own trust in this person.
• Communicate to the caregiver about the specific ways to support your baby. Does she have a special blanket? Does she use a pacifier? What is her napping schedule? How does she like to be held? Does she have special words to signify special objects?
• If you are separating from your child regularly, try to establish a routine. Children thrive in predictable, responsive environments. If they know what comes next, they feel safe.
• Always, even if Baby is happily playing, say goodbye. Tell her that you will be back and you want her to have a good time with _____ (name of caregiver). Drawn-out goodbyes are hard on everyone. Be confident! Your baby will have a much easier time if she knows you feel good about leaving her with the caregiver.

See what separation anxiety may actually look like, here.

More Development Help

As you're considering your child's development, keep in mind that all babies are unique. Whether your baby reaches milestones early or late, she has her own developmental path to follow. The dividing lines between these months are very fuzzy. If you have any concerns or questions about your baby's development, please check with her healthcare provider.

• Use our Development Tracker to check off Baby's 4 to 7 month milestones.
• What's the most common medical concern for babies this age? Check it out!

Now...Let's Take a Closer Look at Each Week

• Week 27: Reading Emotions
• Week 28: Following Items Out of Sight
• Week 29: Learning About Moving & Stationary Objects
• Week 30: Finding Partially Hidden Objects

Remember what was happening last month or learn what to expect in Baby's 8th month.