In the first year, baby develops faster than she does for the rest of her life. Babies develop at a rapid pace, learning new things every week. Naturally, this can be overwhelming, and can manifest itself in the form of so-called baby tiger jumps.
Read when you can expect baby's tiger jump further down in the text
Table of contents
What is tigerspirng?
The Tiger Leap is a baby's mental leap. Tigerspring comes at specific points in a baby's life.
The term tiger jump was first mentioned in the book "Wonderful Weeks" by Dr Frans Plooij and Hetty Van de Rijt. The book deals with baby's mental development and when baby takes the big mental leaps. During these periods, baby may be particularly cuddly, seek the breast more often and sleep fitfully. In short, some periods that can be really tough for parents. So it's good to have an explanation to support baby through these exciting but tough times.
How does baby react during its tiger jumps?
When baby goes through his tiger jumps, he will typically react by being more fidgety than usual. The world has gotten bigger and it can be overwhelming, or downright scary for baby.
- Baby sleeps more restlessly / wakes more often
- Baby seeks breast more than usual
- Baby is upset and cries more often
Of course, it can be really hard to be the parents of a baby who is in the middle of a tiger jump. It can help a lot to know what's causing it. It's just a period that you have to go through. By the time baby has gone through his tiger stage, he has learned new skills and is again in a calmer period.
Tiger leap - when?
When you can expect your baby to be in full term depends on your due date. This is because your baby's brain is also developing in the womb. That's why the due date is used as a starting point, not the date of birth.
1. Tigerspring - 4½ - 5½ weeks
In this tiger jump, your baby experiences a lot of new emotions and starts to be more alert and curious.
2. Tigerspring - 7½ - 9 ½ weeks
Around two months, baby discovers his own body parts, like hands and feet. She also starts to be conscious of looking at lights or exploring her own voice.
3. Tigerspring - 11 ½ - 12 ½ weeks
A lot is really happening in this jump. Your baby becomes much more aware of the world around them, and their own movements.
4. Tigerspring - 14 ½ - 19 ½ weeks
Baby learns more about events around him. For example, that a ball will come back down if you throw it up.
5. Tigerspring - 22 ½ - 26 ½ weeks
When your baby is about six months old, he will really start on many new things. Baby will become more mobile, and may learn to crawl. That's a big thing, and it can cause a lot of nighttime worry.
6. Tigerspring - 33 ½ - 37 ½ weeks
Baby begins to explore the details of the world around him. She gradually masters tweezers, and can pick up small peas, or mash food between her fingers.
7. Tigerspring - 41 ½ - 46 ½ weeks
In this jump, the ability to put together is developed. Building blocks, stacking blocks and the like would be great toys at 8 months.
8. Tigerspring - 50 ½ - 54 ½ weeks
A month after your baby's first birthday, he's gradually more of a child than a baby. You will discover more personality and understanding.
9. Tigerspring - 59 ½ - 64 ½ weeks
In this leap, physical play and language development really start to take off.
10. Tigerspring - 70 ½ - 76 ½ weeks
The age of independence has begun and your child can now start to distinguish between right and wrong.
Wonderful Weeks - App
You can buy an app with an easy overview of all your baby's tiger jumps. You can enter your due date to be notified when you can expect your baby to go through a tiger jump. The app is available on both the App Store and Google Play. It costs around €11.
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