Does a 7 month old understand 'no'?

[alishaflorrick]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with stopping behaviours at this age with a low toned, firm 'no'?
DD is 7 months and thinks it's great to do a fake cough. Trouble is, it makes her sick if she does it a lot!
We've tried ignoring it, which just hasn't worked, and also distraction, which didn't work.
I'm just concerned that she won't make the connection between the action and mummy and daddy saying 'no'. If she's not likely too, there seems little point. On the other hand, she's got to learn it at some point!
Any thoughts? Thanks.

I wouldn't bother tbh. She will learn what no means, but she is just too little to follow an instruction even if she wanted to

Just distract/ignore. I saved no for climbing on the table etc rather than a little quirk, she is just experimenting with making new noises

She won't understand at all at this age. You could start saying No and stopping her from doing something, and she'll gradually learn to connect the word with you preventing her from doing something. But I don't think you can do anything to stop her making noises (or should try tbh). If it makes her sick, she'll soon spot that connection and stop doing it herself anyway.

No, not at all. Distract distract distract.

Will continue with the distraction. I'm loving the rest of the noises she is making, especially the one that sounds exactly like she is saying 'blah blah blah', which she likes to do when we are talking!
Thanks for the benefit of your experience.

I started using the word "No" in a quick, low voice when my DD was 8 months and then remove/distract. Every time she moved to touch something she shouldn't, I did this without fail. She very quickly learned what she could touch and what she couldn't. I was very lucky about this though, so may not work for all babies. As a result we didn't have to do much child proofing of the house - from 8 months she got to know that she could not touch ornaments or DVD player or electricals or open drawers.

Try it and see if your baby responds - but be consistent and do it routinely.

Oh yes, I remember all those noises DD made at that age!

She has no understanding of cause and effect - so she won't make the connection between you saying 'no', the coughing and the being sick. She'll get past that by herself so I wouldn't worry. I'd really try and save the no's for later on - there's little you can do to change behaviour at this stage and you'll need them all for toddlerhood!