Your 23 Week Old Baby's Development And Milestones

You officially have a 23 week old baby!

Your Greatest Cheerleader Has Arrived

In addition to gaining momentum and experimenting with babbling, your baby has been practicing and is getting very good at gripping objects and transferring them from one hand to another. Want to show off baby’s newly perfected skills? Of course you do. Humble-bragging is practically a new mother’s rite of passage, and what better way to do it than to give baby some toys and to snap away with the smart phone?

Your 23 Week Old Baby’s Development & Growth Milestones

Not only can baby grip and transfer objects, but he also might begin to clap and wave — at and to everyone you meet in public. It’s okay, though. There’s still plenty of time before you have to perfect your stranger-danger speech. In the meantime, enjoy his enthusiasm. His never-ending excitement at your mere existence kind of makes you feel like a celebrity, doesn’t it?

The 6 month mark is also when your baby reaches a major milestone: sitting. That’s right, first comes neck strength, then comes sitting, then you blink and it’s time for prom. Okay, maybe it’s not that fast, but most babies start sitting without support at around 6 months of age. Place them on a play mat surrounded by all their favorite toys and enjoy hours of babble conversations with your little bean.

Most six month old babies double their birth weight by this age, and will continue to grow at roughly a pound and half an inch of growth a month.

Your 23 Week Old Baby’s Physical, Social, And Cognitive Milestones

Your baby is also learning about a little something known as cause and effect. You might notice him marveling when he bangs objects on the table and rejoicing at the noises they make, or laughing when he throws his food and sees you get upset. In time, he’ll learn exactly which buttons of yours to push in order to get you riled up, but for now, be thankful he’s content merely tossing his toys on the ground and watching you pick them up on repeat.

Don’t limit your photo ops to just baby’s fine motor accomplishments. Now’s the time to document all those precious moments before he turns into an ungrateful, soul-sucking teenager. (Kidding! Sort of.)

Your 23 Week Old Baby’s Health

Your growing cuddle bug is due for a big check up for their first ever half birthday. In addition to taking stock of weight, length, and head circumference measurements, your pediatrician will also administer the following vaccines at your baby’s 6 month well visit.

• Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis) (DTaP)
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
• Polio (IPV)
• Pneumococcal (PCV)
• Rotavirus (RV)
• Influenza (flu)

As with all vaccines, be on the lookout for fussiness, soreness at the site of the injection, and low-grade fever a day or two after the appointment. Keep your little tot happy and comfortable until any side effects subside.

RELATED: Simple Ways To Treat Baby Drool Rash At Home

How do I know if my baby is teething?

If your little monster has turned into a lean, mean, drooling machine, then odds are he is teething. Other telltale signs of teething in babies? Biting (on hands, toys, your nose, anything), red or swollen gums, low grade fever, loss of appetite, sucking, fussiness, irritability, changes to sleep patterns, and a rash around the mouth. Offer chilled teething toys and consult your child’s pediatrician before giving fever reducers like Tylenol or Motrin.