28 Week Old Baby Development

Learn everything you need to know about your 28 week old baby. Track important developments and milestones such as talking, walking, growth, memory & more.

Published on June 12, 2017

Your Growing Baby

Your On-the-Go Baby

"Is he crawling yet?" Friends and family tend to ask this question eagerly, as though failure to do so by now is a sign of developmental delay. In reality, while babies start to crawl sometime between 6 and 7 months on average, crawling is so unpredictable that many child development experts don't even consider it a true milestone. And no wonder: Many complex actions have to sync up for crawling to occur. The higher brain (or cortex) activates the controlled movement of muscle groups from the top down, starting with shoulders and arms and eventually proceeding to the legs, so young babies often pull with their arms to try to move forward, letting their legs hang behind like dead weight. By the time a baby can control his lower body, he might have become so proficient at rolling or creeping that he doesn't feel the need to crawl. Or he might crawl for a few days, then amaze everyone by standing up and cruising around the furniture.

In fact, some developmentally normal babies do skip straight to standing and walking. Bottom line: Your baby should show some signs of mobility by the time he's 1 year old, whether he's creeping, crawling, cruising, standing, or walking. You've got a while to go before you need to worry or bring it up with the pediatrician.

Of course, many babies do crawl, some at NASCAR speeds, starting over the next few months. So now's the time to install gates at the top and bottom of the stairs and finish baby-proofing the furniture (wrapping the sharp corners of low tables in styrofoam padding, for instance).

Health and Safety Info

How Much Should You Feed Your Baby?

By this point, your baby might need three square meals a day rather than just two, but don't get discouraged if you offer your baby a new food and he immediately spits it out. It's not that it tastes yucky—it's just that it's new. Wait a day or two and try it again. Experts say that it can take up to 20 tastes before your baby truly gets used to the idea of a new food, enough to open wide for it. Some research also suggests that the wider variety of flavors a child experiences at a very young age, the broader his palate will be as an adult. As your little one gets older, there's no reason to shy away from offering curry, spicy soup, or other foods you enjoy, as long as they don't contain choking hazards or potential allergens such as peanuts. If you and your family love it, your baby just might love it, too.

5 Biggest Baby Food Frustrations

From Crawling to Walking

Now that your baby is spending more time on all fours creeping, rolling, and possibly even crawling, his delicate knees might need extra protection. So make sure they're covered, even in summer. If he hasn't really worn shoes yet, you might want to pick up a pair of ballet slippers or thicker socks to keep the tops of his feet from getting chafed as he shimmies about.

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Must-Knows

Playing Favorites

Is your baby starting to play favorites? It's common for infants this age to show a stronger attachment for one parent or the other. While it's developmentally normal, when your little one screams at the sight of Dad or refuses to be put to bed by Mom, it can feel awful for the less favored parent. Try not to take it personally. Repeat this parenting mantra: It is just a phase. Your baby's not rejecting your partner (or you), and it doesn't mean he loves you (or him) more. He's simply exploring relationships and sussing out how he feels about everyone in his life, as well as learning to assert his preferences, however temporary they might be.

When One Parent Is Favored

Bonding with Your Baby

If you're not the one in the spotlight, you can still bond with your baby, which is easier when the beloved partner or caregiver isn't around. Start a few parent-baby rituals all your own, such as snuggling up after a bath with baby's favorite books. Meanwhile, if you're the one whom baby can't get enough of, by all means, bask in your baby's adoration, but don't forget to carve out some time for yourself, too. Go to the gym or out to dinner with friends once in a while, and have your partner watch the baby. It'll give you a few hours of much-needed freedom and provide a great opportunity for the other two to bond.