44 Week Old Baby Development

Learn everything you need to know about your 44 week old baby. Track important developments and milestones such as talking, walking, growth, memory & more.

Published on June 14, 2017

mother reading book to baby son — Photo: Getty Images/ Jose Luis Pelaez Inc

Your Growing Baby

Increasing Vocabulary

By this age your baby might be able to say one or two words, usually to indicate the things that he loves or pays a lot of attention to in his daily life. You might be waiting to hear "Mama," but "Dada" is actually more likely to pop out first—not because your little one loves his father more, but because those hard D sounds are easier to make. He might also have more practice saying "Dada," since moms tend to chat more with their babies about Dad, as in "Daddy's home!" No matter what his first word is, once he spits one out—and sees how thrilled you are to hear it—he's likely to repeat it incessantly, as well as try his hand at others. And he'll often get them incorrect, by pointing to a cat and saying "dog," or calling his book "ba-ba." Such verbal flubs are completely normal, though you can nudge him in the right direction by gently telling him the correct name for the things he sees.

This is also the stage when your baby learns to point. That's his way of asking you what he's looking at so he can further expand his vocabulary. Let him know that yes, that is a duck, or that the thing he sees in the sky is an airplane. You might find yourself in a nonstop game of point-and-say, but remind yourself that you'll see the results when he starts to say some of those new words himself. If your baby's not pointing yet, hand over your cell phone. The irresistible urge to push the buttons will strengthen his little fingers.

Health and Safety Info

Water Safety 101

Water is fascinating to most babies, whether it's in the bathtub, the toilet, the dog's bowl, a pool, or a puddle. They love to splash in it, taste it, pour it, and get as wet as they possibly can. While it's great to raise a water baby, drowning remains one of the top risks for children. Here's how to keep your baby safe:

Never leave your child alone in water, even for five seconds, and even if the water is shallow. Babies can drown in as little as an inch of water, so whether he's bathing or swimming, always keep your little one within arm's reach.
If you have a pool, enclose it with a fence that's at least four feet high and that has a self-latching gate. When he's swimming, have him wear an actual life vest, not just arm floats or an inflatable swim ring, which won't necessarily keep him afloat.
Don't leave buckets of standing water around. A curious cruiser will be tempted to explore the mop water or the presoaking laundry tub, and he might tip in.
Make sure to leave the lid down on household toilets, or better yet, equip the bathroom doors with childproof handles so he can't get in at all.
Pick up a nonskid mat for your tub, if you don't have one already. It'll help baby stay upright.

Baby Bathtime Safety Tips
Best Bathtime Gear

Must-Knows

Playing Favorites

If you're a mom of more than one child, you try hard not to play favorites. But even if you admit it to only yourself, face it, you sometimes do. When your baby is being extra sweet, you might fancy a little more cuddle time with him than with her older sister. Luckily, the next day you might like hanging out with your preschooler more than with your cranky baby. As long as you're not playing favorites over the long haul, there's no harm done in being partial to one child one day, another child the next. Just be sure to avoid comparing two kids or being outright biased when you referee disputes or offer affection. That's something your children will be sure to pick up on.

Of course, just as parents sometime play favorites, your baby does too. Around this age, however, she'll be less all-or-nothing, favoring you while outright rejecting your spouse, and is more likely to prefer Mom for some things, Dad for others. For example, now she might run to you when she's hurt herself and wants comfort—but will beeline for Dad when she's excited and wants to play. Or she might want only Daddy to feed her dinner and you to read her stories—no exceptions. Not only are such preferences frustrating, they can lead to hurt feelings among parents. (Aren't you a fun mom, too?) Try not to take it personally. It's a normal phase that usually passes pretty quickly.