They’ve studied it since birth, modeling their expressions on yours, and now, eight months later, they know it pretty well. But with a strong-willed bundle of joy running around the house, brace yourself for the battles of bedtime and dinnertime. Though he might be more of a handful, take it as a sign that he’s developing well. If you ever need professional guidance, don’t be shy about calling your pediatrician. As your baby starts getting more independent, get ready for a workout. Sticking to an established bedtime schedule can help your little one through a sleep regression.

As a general guideline, most 8-month-old babies consume around 2-4 tablespoons of each type of food per meal. Over time, they will start to consume more solid foods and less milk. It’s important to pay attention to a baby’s hunger cues and adjust their feeding as needed. And just like that, you have an 8 month old baby on your hands and boy are they on the move.

He loves to get a response to his actions, and you might see your little one dropping his bottle or toy very frequently. Constantly on the move, your baby will detect and investigate everything from household items to toys. Your baby will grab things, probe deeply to understand their functionality and try to decipher things (1). Babies at this age are still developing their immune systems, so they may be more susceptible to illnesses such as colds, ear infections, and gastroenteritis.

Setting a routine throughout the day, factoring in his age-dependent wake windows, nap times, and mealtimes, can also make him more secure and know when it’s time to say night-night. Whether or not your baby begins to show signs of separation anxiety at 8 months, start experimenting with giving him space. Initiate short periods of separation to teach him that he’ll be OK when you’re out of sight. With your baby’s hands becoming more dexterous, he’ll interact more with the world around him. He’ll also be able to grip onto objects like small spoons for eating. Make sure to baby-proof the house as your 8-month-old baby is becoming more mobile.

Place toys just out of reach, invite your baby to crawl toward you, and ensure large, hazard-free floor areas for practice. Your baby will also learn how to wave his wrist side by side or up and down. Encourage him to wave to family members and repeat that action in response to verbal cues given by family members, such as “goodbye” or “see you later”. We’ve broken the development down into weeks for a better understanding of each milestone. Later, boost his gross-motor skills by stacking the blocks and letting him knock them down with his arms or legs. Or show him how to toss the blocks at a safe target — the sofa, say, or the rug.

Growth of Baby

They also continue to explore the world around them by bringing things to their mouths and are likely delighting in their newfound abilities. They also may be more persistent about getting into things they shouldn’t. You’ll have to wait until the 20-week ultrasound to be certain, but there’s no harm in guessing baby’s sex with the Chinese gender predictor. During pregnancy, your cervix becomes tender in preparation for childbirth. Those changes could cause you to feel extra sensitive during sex, leading to light bleeding.

Your 8-month-old’s newfound independence doesn’t mean just physically exploring his environment. Remember that your baby is just beginning to eat solids, so he’s more at risk of choking. Plus, with very few (if any) teeth, he’s going to need some extra help making food small and soft enough to swallow and digest. Babies at this age frequently check in with their parents’ and caregivers’ reactions as they try new things, which helps them gauge their progress.

How to keep your 8-month-old healthy and safe

We understand that and take our responsibility of creating credible content seriously. To understand how we go about creating content that is credible, read our editorial policy here. Your 8-month-old baby is busy, busy, busy — busy exploring, learning, moving around and engaging in more sophisticated interactions and play. Keep in mind that your baby loves being able to move around and explore.

At this age, your baby doesn’t link cause and effect, so don’t be alarmed if your little one starts to chew on your household pet or bite when you least expect it. Spend time talking, singing songs and reading books to boost his language skills. And play games that help explain concepts like cause and effect (fill a cup babu 888 of water in the bath and let baby turn it over) and object permanence (play peekaboo).

• The amount of solid food a baby needs can vary depending on their appetite and growth rate.
• Your baby will be rapidly developing his cognitive, social and emotional skills during this time.
• And even though your baby has not developed the pincer grasp—where they can pick things up with their thumb and finger—they are likely more efficient at using their hands.
• His curious little mind will raise his awareness of the environment around him, and his antics will leave you amused on more occasions than one.
• His true eye colour will also be slowly emerging, and besides vision, he may start developing the pincer grip (immature pincer grasp at 9 months).

If you are a parent to an 8-month-old baby, below are some of the landmarks that you can expect in the coming weeks. Reading and understanding these milestones will help you prepare yourself, especially to deal with any challenges that may come across. From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations.