My Baby This Week --Your 7 month old

At this age, a simple game of peek-a-boo can absolutely fascinate your baby. He's starting to understand object permanence (things don't go away forever when they leave his sight), and he loves games where people or things appear and disappear. In fact, one of the easiest ways to keep a seven-month-old occupied is by hiding an object under a blanket for him to discover. If you get tired of peek-a-boo, try other classic baby games such as pat-a-cake, rolling things backwards and forwards, or banging different things together to hear the sounds they make.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 6 month old, first week

This month your baby's hand-eye coordination is becoming much surer and he may really learn to put his hands to good use. He'll become an expert in raking objects towards himself - and he'll work out how to move something from one hand to the other. And once he learns that he can hold something in each hand, he'll quickly realise how much fun it is to bang them together. He'll want to practise this new skill, so if you think you can stand the noise, set aside one kitchen cupboard and fill it with baby-safe pots and pans for him to play with.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 5 month old, fourth week

Many babies are happy and outgoing at this stage. If yours is, then this an ideal time to show her that other people can love her almost as much as you do. Try letting her spend some time getting accustomed to warm, trusted caregivers and babysitters. The experience will help her feel more secure a couple of months down the road, when separation anxiety makes its entrance and your little extrovert becomes more reluctant to leave your side.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 5 month old, third week

Your baby's ability to interact with his surroundings, you and other people grows daily. For instance, he may start playing little games as he begins to understand cause and effect and the results of simple actions. He may drop objects just to watch you pick them up, or he may throw something to see where it lands. Take a deep breath - games like this will only amuse him more as time goes on. Don't tell him "no" - he doesn't understand the word, and he needs to experiment and explore. But do praise him when he does something a little less frustrating for you.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 5 month old, second week

If she hasn't already, your baby will soon laugh at funny expressions and try to make you laugh, too. She's showing her emotional side in other areas, as well - a sharp contrast to when she was a newborn and didn't have all the physical and mental skills to let you know how she felt. At this age, she may demonstrate her strong attachment to you by raising her arms when she wants you to pick her up, crying when you leave the room, and giving you hugs and kisses. Although a true crawl before the age of six months is rare, many five-month-old babies spend time trying to get their chests and bottoms off the ground at the same time... with a wonderful see-saw effect!

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My Baby This Week -- Your 5 month old, first week

Many five-month-olds delight in adding new sounds to their repertoire and blowing a raspberry is a perennial favourite. In fact, he may love it so much that he'll do it over and over again. That's a normal pattern. Most babies like to practise one skill before they move on to the next.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 4 month old, fourth week

Now's a good time to help your baby develop equal strength and flexibility on both sides of her body. How? It's easy: alternate which side you breastfeed or bottle-feed on, and place her head at one end of her cot one night and at the opposite end the next night. Both techniques will help her become comfortable turning her head in both directions. That full range of movement leads to greater muscle control, which she'll need to develop good eye-hand co-ordination sometime around her ninth month.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 4 month old, third week

Looking for a way to make your baby laugh? Try to mimic his facial expressions and sounds. Not only will he be tickled pink, but also he'll learn something about communication, as imitation and repetition are key ingredients in early brain development. If he hears you say the same words often enough, he may even begin to make some almost recognisable noises, including ones that sound suspiciously like "Ma-ma" and "Da-da". While some babies this age like to spend some time lying on their tummies, others grumble as soon as they're put into that position. If yours is like that, don't worry. It doesn't mean he'll be late crawling; it's just that he'd prefer not to try crawling until he's almost ready to succeed at it.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 4 month old, second week

Your baby knows she's the star of the show and like all great stars, she'll want your eyes on her at all times. She thrives on your attention. Don't be surprised if she deliberately tries to get it by dropping things, banging objects, or even crying out when you turn away. She's not being naughty, just discovering the principles of cause and effect -— when she calls, you jump!

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My Baby This Week -- Your 4 month old, first week

Your baby may amaze you (and himself!) around this age by rolling over from his back onto his front or vice versa. You can encourage this new ability by placing him on his back and wiggling a toy on the side he usually rolls to. Babies love praise, so congratulate him and smile when he manages to roll. When he's on his stomach, you may find that he sometimes rests from his "head-up" position by putting his head down and drawing his knees up under him so that his bottom goes up. He will practise getting both ends of his body up into the air so that he can eventually achieve the hands-and-knees position he'll need for crawling.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 3 month old, fourth week

Try this with your three-month-old: put on your dancing shoes, hold your baby close and move to your favourite music! Support her head gently but firmly as you sway backwards, forwards and from side to side. Dance lets her experience smooth, fluid movements - something she's working on developing but hasn't yet managed. Plus, it's great exercise and a mood lifter for you.

You may also find that your baby now enjoys being gently pulled to a sitting position after she's been lying on her back. As the weeks go by, you may find that your baby "asks" to be pulled up so that every time you put your hands out to her, she grabs them. She can't sit up yet but she's thinking about it! A baby of this age changes so fast. Don't forget to keep your memories safe in a photograph album.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 3 month old, third week

You can't see it happening but the areas in your baby's brain that control hand-eye coordination, hearing, language, smell and the ability to recognise objects, are developing now. That's why your baby often turns towards you and starts gurgling when he hears your voice - he's making definite attempts at socialising. If you talk and read to him often, that's the best way to spark his communication skills, even if he can't understand what you're saying just yet.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 3 month old, second week

Who's the cutest baby in the world? If you hold a mirror in front of your little one this week, you'll know she thinks she's number one by her big smile and happy gurgling. Most three month olds love to look at themselves - and their parents and brothers and sisters. Babies are drawn to faces more than any other image until around six months.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 3 month old, first week

Your baby may be strong enough now to do a mini push-up when he's lying on his tummy. Over the next few weeks you will notice that as his muscles strengthen, he will be able to lift his head and shoulders clear of the floor and look around as he does so. You can encourage him by letting him spend short periods every day on his stomach on a play mat on the floor. Gradually he will learn to transfer his weight from his forearms to his hands to lift himself even higher. Remember though, this head-up position is tiring and he won't be able to hold it for long at first, no matter how much he wants to see what's going on around him.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 2 month old, fourth week

Cooing is your baby's way of showing she's happy. This pre-speech exercise lets her play with sound just as she plays with her fingers and toes. You can show that you've heard her by cooing or talking in response; see if you can have an extended conversation. While you're at it, why not record her voice and preserve her first sounds for posterity? In a few years, both of you will love listening to that early baby talk.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 2 month old, third week

Your baby is busy absorbing the sights and sounds around him. How? By looking, listening and touching. You can help keep those brain cells multiplying by letting your baby handle a wide variety of objects such as soft teddy bears, light rattles and rubber balls. Just make sure they're too big for him to put in his mouth and choke on. If your baby has a che che or abang or any older siblings or cousins in the same house, you'll need to take extra care that he or she isn't passing marbles, small bricks or buttons to your baby.

Find out more fascinating facts about your two-month-old's development

My Baby This Week -- Your 2 month old, third week

Your baby is busy absorbing the sights and sounds around him. How? By looking, listening and touching. You can help keep those brain cells multiplying by letting your baby handle a wide variety of objects such as soft teddy bears, light rattles and rubber balls. Just make sure they're too big for him to put in his mouth and choke on. If your baby has a che che or abang or any older siblings or cousins in the same house, you'll need to take extra care that he or she isn't passing marbles, small bricks or buttons to your baby.

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2 month old, second week

Your baby is developing new skills every day and building on the ones she's got. By the end of the second month you may be able to tell from your baby's expression when she is excited, unhappy, pleased or surprised. When you talk to her, she may move her arms and legs and make little noises back at you. Your baby may hold objects for a few moments, but without looking to see what's in her hands, and she may swipe at things with her fists. Babies like batting practice - with a balloon or a ball of wool - but this game needs you to be watching her all the time to make sure she's safe.

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My Baby This Week -- Your 2 month old, first week

Your baby may start gaining almost as much as 1kg - around 2lb - a month at this stage (although this will slow down as he gets closer to his first birthday). Your paediatrician will use standard growth charts to track your baby's weight gain but don't get too obsessive about these measurements. As long as your baby has a good appetite, is growing at a steady pace and your doctor says all is well, it doesn't matter what percentile she's on. If your baby has just started smiling, you can take advantage of her new ability to show joy by making her grin and giggle. Silly faces, funny noises and blowing bubbles are all tried-and-tested hits with tiny babies.

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My Baby This Week - your 7 week old

Your baby's head is fairly steady now and she's able to exercise more control over her feet and hands instead of just swinging them wildly. To see this new skill in action, hold a toy or rattle up in front of her and see if she makes a grab for it. Don't forget to cheer her when she gets it. She'll thrive on your encouragement for the rest of her life! While babies have their own timetables, and some will do things earlier and some later, there is one major development around this stage that's irresistible - when your baby looks you straight in the eyes and gives her first true smile. Some experts believe that it's no accident that smiles appear just as the chaos of the early weeks is beginning to get everyone down - that smile gives parents renewed energy to go on caring for a baby who so obviously appreciates their efforts!

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My Baby This Week - your 6 week old

Does your baby coo at you when you pick him up from his pram or his cot? Researchers say 50 per cent of babies this age can recognise their own parents. Recognising mum and dad is just one sign that your baby is becoming more attuned to what's going on around him. He will have a six-week check around now and your paediatrician will assess his development. Take the opportunity to ask any questions about your baby that you may have.

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My Baby This Week - your 5 week old

This week, you may find that your baby discovers her hands and feet. As strange as it sounds, she's just beginning to realise they're part of her body. You can add to her fun by playing "This Little Piggy" with her, or giving her wrist and sock rattles to wear. Also, don't be surprised to hear more gurgles, coos and grunts as your baby gradually learns to express herself with sounds beyond crying. Soon you will have your six-week postnatal check. This is a good time to ask any questions about your body's healing and recovery, so you may like to think through your questions in advance.

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4 week old (5 August - 12 August 2009)

Most babies can now track a moving object with their eyes for longer than a couple of seconds. Try passing a colourful rattle in front of your baby's face. You may be rewarded with coos and gurgles of pleasure. Her head is steadier now, too, and she may even be able to lift it up when lying flat on her stomach on the floor or a changing mat. Short periods of time on the floor will help her strengthen her neck muscle but stay close by, she can easily get tired.

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3 week old (28 July - 4 August 2009)

Many babies love listening to the sound of human voices, especially high-pitched ones. You're probably using singsong baby talk to communicate with her without even thinking about it. Watch how she turns her head in your direction when you coo over her. Soft music and the sounds of a musical toy will also keep her engaged, but steer clear of very loud environments. Too much noise will either cause her to tune out sounds altogether or start wailing.

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