Your baby is beginning to understand a lot about how things in his world work. One example is "object permanence" — understanding that an object continues to exist even after it disappears from sight. That's why peekaboo is a favorite game. Similarly, if your baby drops a toy out of her crib or highchair, she may look for it, whereas in the past she cried for the object because it had gone missing.
If your baby is like most at this age, she's showing signs of separation anxiety. Far from being a cause for concern, stranger anxiety is a sign of your baby's growing understanding of the world around her.
Earlier, when you left the room, your baby was hardly phased. Now she knows that you're gone — and she's able to picture you and miss you — and may begin to cry as soon as you're out of her sight.
Your baby's reluctance to be separated from you may delight you or just plain frustrate you at times. If you head out to do an errand and your baby's staying home, shower her with loads of hugs and kisses before you head out the door and tell her you'll be back shortly. She won't understand that you'll be returning in an hour, but the love and affection might comfort her and tide her over until she sees you again.
Also, try to have a ritual of leaving that she can rely on each time you go and leave her with someone she's familiar with. That way, if she can't have Mom or Dad, at least she'll feel happy with her temporary caretaker.
Note: Even if your baby has been sleeping soundly through the night, she may now wake up periodically if she's experiencing separation anxiety — the two seem to be connected.
Teething can start as early as 3 months or as late as 12 months, but most babies sprout their first white caps (typically the two middle teeth on the bottom) between 4 and 7 months of age. Don't be alarmed if your baby has gaps between her pearly whites. Teeth often come up through the gums at odd angles, and spaces commonly disappear by age 3, after all 20 baby teeth have broken through.
Once your baby starts teething, you can expect more drooling and experimenting with sounds as she adjusts to having these strange new things in his mouth.
To ease your baby's discomfort, give her something to chew on, such as a firm rubber teething ring or a cold washcloth. She may also get some relief from eating cold foods such as applesauce or yogurt (if she's eating solids) as the cold may temporarily numb the pain. Giving a baby a hard, unsweetened teething cracker to gnaw on is another time-honored trick. You can also try rubbing your finger over his sore gums or applying an oral pain relief gel.
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