Your Baby, Week 17

Besides trying to grasp pretty much anything within his reach, including your glasses and hair, your baby will slowly begin to grasp some concepts—namely, cause and effect and object permanence.

• He’s learning that if he shakes his rattle, it makes a sound.
• And he’s starting to understand that if he drops his rattle out of sight, it isn’t actually gone forever.

At first, babies think their world consists of only what they can see. After a while, babies will look for something they’ve dropped, instead of believing it’s vanished.

Playing peek-a-boo and hiding games with your baby are fun ways to reinforce this concept.

Bedtime for baby

Which sleep methods work best? How do you establish a bedtime routine?

Dental care for infants

Taking care of your baby's teeth starts before you can even see them! Learn about dental care for your baby.

Your baby's growth 4 to 6 months

What are the milestones for your baby's growth in this stage? How can you help? Follow our guide for your baby's stage of life.