Your baby should now be eating (or at least trying) 3 small meals a day. This can be any thing from chips to mashed carrots and potatoes. Encourage your baby to eating little snacks also such as crisps rusks this will make up for what he doesn`t eat at meal times. Although sweet foods is OK in moderation be careful he doesn`t develop a sweet tooth or he may refuse to eat proper foods instead try him with bananas, and mashed fruit and veg. His drinking should now be a few bottles of milk and a few bottles of baby juice.

He will be able to sit up now without any support. His legs are stronger and will take steps when held up right. Now is a good time to get him a baby walker to encourage him to use his feet. If you lie him on his front he will attempt to lift himself and turn himself onto his back.

Playing will be the only thing on your baby`s mind now. Playing-turn-games is a favorite with all baby`s. Let him start and mimic his noises then in return make babbling and animal noises not only are you teaching him but you are making him laugh.

Attention seeking is second nature to him now. He picks up on all your reactions to the things that he does. If you leave the room and come back as soon as he begins to cry he will expect this all the time and for years to come.

His communication skills are soaring including squeals, babbles and may even repeat one syllable words like ma, ba, da. This is the age where you will hear his first word usually ma or da which will leave you fighting over which one of you he spoke to first.

Your baby`s sleep pattern will have improved greatly this month spend less time sleeping during the day and more at night sleeping through the night more regularly