Physical Development

Does your baby take a couple three-hour naps every day, or is he on the go from dawn until dusk? At this age, most babies nap in the morning and afternoon, from one to three hours at a stretch. If your child falls into this group, let him nap as long as he wants. If he has trouble sleeping at night, gradually cut the length of his afternoon nap so he'll get more tired in the evening.

If your child isn't a big napper, chances are he sleeps longer at night. Or he may simply need less than the daily average of 13 hours for babies this age. Unless they're teething or otherwise in pain, babies generally get as much sleep as they need until around the age of 9 months, when they learn to keep themselves awake deliberately. A soothing, predictable routine (bath, pajamas, bottle, story, bed) can help make settling down easier.

Social Development

He may still be a long way from ordering his own pizza, but your baby is showing signs of independence at mealtime. He likes some foods and hates others, may want to hold his own bottle, and is starting to prefer foods he can pick up by himself to the ones you give him. Since his abilities haven't yet caught up with his desires, you'll both have to compromise to give him the nutrition he needs. Let him hold one spoon while you feed him with another; spread bits of banana or Cheerios on the tray of his high chair for him to play with while you spoon-feed him; and give him juice diluted with water in a spill-proof cup to drink with his meal. He'll also want to join the rest of the family at mealtimes, so try to make something (rice, soft vegetables, or noodles) that he can eat--or at least throw around.

Intellectual Development

From 6 months on, babies develop at such unpredictable rates that it's difficult to say what's "normal". Your little one is absorbing and analyzing so much information that long periods may go by with no apparent progress. Then, seemingly overnight, he'll make an enormous developmental leap. What's a worried parent to do?

The best response, in most cases, is to relax--and pay attention. Although there is no prescribed learning order or speed, the path of your baby's development can provide important clues about his personality. For instance, an introspective child may spend hours looking and listening, while an outgoing one tries to interact with every object he sees. Your baby's level of tolerance for frustration, his view of the world as being exciting, scary, or somewhere in between, and his sense of humor are among the many character traits that are beginning to emerge.

Note: The information above offers general guidelines, but all babies develop differently, and few hit their milestones precisely when the conventional wisdom says they should. If your child was born prematurely, you may want to use your due date as a baseline for following baby's development.