Week-by-week library · about 7 weeks old
Week 7
Quick answer
What is my baby up to at about 7 weeks old?
This week, longer alert stretches mean more time to actually play.
What's developing
Attention
Awake, alert periods often lengthen a little this week, giving more real windows for interactive play rather than just feeding and sleeping.
Senses
High-contrast patterns, mobiles, and slow-moving toys tend to hold attention longer than in earlier weeks.
Try this together this week
- A black-and-white mobile or patterned card during an alert period, moved slowly to invite tracking.
- Short call-and-response coo sessions, several times through the day rather than one long one.
- A change of scenery, a different room or a short walk, during an alert stretch.
- Gentle infant massage after a bath; many babies enjoy the touch and it can support a calmer wind-down.
What parents often notice
Parents often notice their baby seems more "there" this week, more watchful and present during awake time, which many find is when the bond starts to feel more two-way.
Sourced to
- Zero to Three, Early Development guides
Last reviewed by the This Week Baby editorial team.