Physical Development

After seven months of watching everyone around him stand up, your baby is quite naturally wondering how it's done. While seated, he will spread his feet, draw his knees up, and grab onto anything that will support him (the side of his crib, a kitchen chair), trying to pull himself to a standing position. Some precocious babies accomplish this feat literally overnight--you'll come in one morning and discover him standing unsteadily in his crib, arms clutching the slats for dear life, with an enormous grin on his face. Others take a month or more. At 8 months, most babies can stand with support, and a month later more than half can pull themselves into a standing position.

While you'll want to encourage your baby to stand as soon as he's ready, the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly cautions against using a walker to help increase leg strength. According to the AAP, walkers help strengthen muscles in the lower legs but not in the thighs and hips, which are necessary for standing. They are also a safety hazard because they tip easily and may fall down the stairs, causing serious injury.

Social Development

The more mobile your baby gets, the greater the possibility that he will injure himself or wander into areas that are off limits. When that happens, the time has come to lay the foundation for discipline. Say "no" firmly and remove him from the situation. Although he may not understand the word, he'll respond to the disapproval in your voice. Save "no" for dangerous situations when you can't easily distract him or move him to another location. Be gentle but consistent, and instruct other caregivers to do the same. He will soon learn the meaning of "no" through repetition, although his irrepressible urge to explore may lead him to the same situation a few minutes later.

Intellectual Development

Around this time, you may start noticing that your baby has certain favorite activities. For instance, he may take a predictable route while crawling around the living room, stopping to investigate a pile of magazines but ignoring a stack of blocks. His motions are no longer random or accidental; he is beginning to demonstrate intention and goal-seeking, pushing an object off the coffee table or even knocking his head against the wall to make you come.

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.