Baby Development: Your Baby’s 8th Month of Life

Now that your baby is 8 months old, learn how you can better care for them. Know more about 8 months baby food, nutrition, and other milestones.

How Your Baby Is Growing

At 8 months, your baby has grown considerably since they were born.

For a baby boy, they could be somewhere between 14 and 25 pounds, while for a baby girl, it is typical to weigh around 13 to 23 pounds.

At this age, you could expect them to be somewhere around 25 to 30 inches in length.

The rather timid, always sleepy bundle of joy is now quite active and curious. You have probably witnessed a lot of their firsts, their developmental milestones signaling their growth into a wonderful child. 

Developmental Milestones 

Motor Skills

For their motor skills, your 8-month-old baby now has a long list of things they can do with their body. Their hands, for example, are now more dexterous, and can now pass objects between their hands. This makes playtime more fun and exciting for them.

A few months ago, their head would be too heavy for their body to support, but with constant practice, their muscles have grown stronger, enabling them to easily sit without support.

Rolling to and from their backs is now easy, so it is a bit tricky to put them to sleep when they are still full of energy.

At this age, they are now able to crawl or are learning to do so. Even though they can not stand on their own yet, they can now bear more weight on their legs. They can grab onto furniture and pull up to stand, and are “bouncy” when they are standing upright.

Sight

When it comes to their sense of sight, your 8-month-old baby can see across their room well. At this age, their eyesight is nearing that of an adult, so recognizing faces, shapes, colors, and other items is quite easy for them.

They can now recognize faces clearly, they know who makes them happy or who is unfamiliar or scary for them. Thus, you can see them smile or laugh at people they know, or be quite apprehensive of those they do not recognize.

They love to look at themselves in a mirror and are fascinated by their own movement and face.

Talking

Their babble has greatly improved. From unintelligible sounds, you baby can now sound out more defined vowel sounds when they “talk” to people. The first few consonant sounds they learn to make are the “m” and the “b” sounds, so your baby’s first word is quite likely to be “mama.”

At this age, they now know and respond to their name. They now understand quite a few basic words, like the names of their toys, for example, or their bottle or blanket.

Attachment

At this age, they’ve probably formed a familiarity or bond with the people who are always with them. It is common to see them reaching back for their caregiver, or turning away from a total stranger. They can also respond to other people’s emotions, mostly with happiness or sadness. If you fake cry, for example, they will likely cry with you as well. They now understand the concept of “cause and effect,” especially involving their toys, food, and other items they like.

Feeding & Nutrition

Your baby at this age has more food options compared to when they were younger. They now do not subsist solely on milk, and have now tried several solid foods.

With improved dexterity, they are also learning to handle utensils and feed themselves little by little. At first, it would be very messy to let them eat on their own, as they are likely to play with their food first, as they would do to everything they touch.

But you will notice that the more you let them “feed” themselves, the more they learn to grasp small food items properly. They will learn to hold slices of fruits, pasta, or even peas.

Best First Foods for Babies at 6 Months

When it comes to 8 months baby food, you can explore variety and flavor for your growing baby. However, for food variety, even when you start feeding them solid foods, you should still go with those that are soft enough. The recommended types are those that they can chew using their gums, like soft bread, cubes of cheese, avocado, banana, baked fish, meatballs, and more.

Keep in mind there are some 8 months baby food you should avoid. Do not give them uncooked raisins and make sure the peas are properly smashed. Raw, firm fruits and vegetables are not good for them, and they cannot really properly chew on large chunks of beef, pork, or even chicken.

Baby Care Tips

Sleep

It is typical for your 8-month old child to sleep around 13 to 14 hours every day. The only improvement now is that they have a regular and predictable pattern of naps around this age. A typical nap would be 2 to 3 hours, though when they are not active, it is not unusual for them to doze off in their crib.

Also at this age, they’re likely to exhibit separation anxiety, especially towards their mothers and primary caregivers. This can last until they are 2 years old, and the common sign is them crying whenever they get separated from their caregivers.

This can be unsettling for first-time parents, but you will likely discover that a short time after they are gone, they can be distracted quickly with toys.

Baby Health & Safety

To help your 8-month old baby grow and develop properly, you should spend enough time stimulating their intellect.

Talk to your baby, let them babble along with your words as this is their way of “conversing.” And little by little, it can help them with their vocabulary.

Play with them using their toys, your limbs, make funny sounds, and try to make them laugh. They respond well to your happiness, and this makes them feel loved. Let them move and explore, but make sure to provide a safe, baby-proofed environment to move around in.

At this point, it is crucial to watch closely how their senses develop. Check if they are not making eye contact or following moving objects. Notice if they are babbling or making noises even when they are alone. Observe if they turn their heads towards sources of sounds or people’s voices.

Also check on their motor development, like rolling around or sitting up on their own. Check if they favor one side of their body, like using one hand a lot more than the other. 

Key Takeaways

At 8 months, your baby is now learning to be more independent. Even though their mobility is still limited, they have grown considerably strong in the past few months that sitting on their own is now possible. Giving them the right 8 months baby food and nutrition is crucial.

They are now more curious, and as their senses develop further, they will try to explore and learn more about the world on their own.

Learn more about Parenting here.