What You Need to Know About Wonder Weeks & Leaps

Wonder Weeks

A baby’s fussy behavior can make their parents anxious. In some cases, these mood changes are unpredictable. Thus, learning about wonder weeks is important.


After doing comprehensive research, doctors Van de Rijt and Plooij made charts for times when the babies may feel good or fussy. However, the wonder weeks patterns aren’t the same for every baby. So, don’t worry if it doesn’t work for your baby.

Wonder Weeks And Leaps

Wonder weeks describe periods of infant development. Research says that  during these periods, babies get physical and mental growth rapidly. Changing things quickly and learning new skills at a different pace may make your baby frustrated or scared. Thus, during this time, the baby should be well taken care of by their parents and caregivers.


The wonder weeks chart can be used by calculating your baby’s age in weeks (starting from the due date). In the first year, the baby goes through about eight leaps. And, each leap is associated with different milestones the baby may achieve. They may focus on different areas, such as motor skills, communication, etc.


Medical experts believe that babies sometimes learn the skill in one leap, but don’t utilize it in the next leap. That’s why they learn to crawl, walk and talk at different times.


If you have any concerns related to your baby’s development, talk to a professional pediatrician.

Tips For Parents

During the leap periods, getting through the day may be like running a marathon. You may not be able to complete simple tasks quickly. Also, babies wake up more during the night, which may increase chances of sleep deprivation in parents.


Here are some tips for parents on get through the fussies-

Use a Soft Carrier

Wear your baby a soft carrier, it will help reduce fussing and crying. According to a study published in 1986, researchers found that babies who were carried cried and fussed less. 

Give Your Baby a Bath

Bathing is a great way to start/end your child’s day. A bath soothes the baby, thus helping them sleep comfortably.

Lower Your Expectations

This is important. Always set realistic expectations. Don’t expect that you are able to finish the floor cleaning task of the whole house in the evening as you used to do a few years back. During the leaps, you need to take extra care for your baby, thus plan  your day accordingly. If there’s an important task, you can ask a family member or friend to help you finish it.

Plan in Advance

The wonder weeks chart describes different leaps of mental development. If the chart shows that a leap is coming, you should plan for it in advance. Check non-essential tasks off your to-do list and plan tasks ahead.



In conclusion, wonder weeks chart allow you to have a better understanding of the leaps of mental development your baby is likely to go through. Thus, you can plan things accordingly and set aside extra time to care for your baby during the leap weeks. For any professional help related to baby development, talk to a pediatrician.
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA

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