Your 8-calendar month-old infant is busy, busy, decorated — busy exploring, learning, moving around and engaged in more than sophisticated interactions and play.

That ways you'll be plenty busy keeping up with your footling i too. Milestones similar crawling are on the horizon if he isn't scooting around on all fours already, and he'south probably baby-talking up a storm. Plus playtime is more fun all the time.

Here'due south what's coming up for your viii-calendar month-onetime.

Your 8-month-old babe'southward development

At a Glance

Sleeping nuts

At this age, babies typically sleep about 11 hours at dark (many straight through) and have ii daily naps that add upwards to iii to four hours.

Feeding basics

Your babe should get 24 to 30 ounces of breast milk or formula a mean solar day and four to 9 tablespoons of cereal, fruit and vegetables daily, too every bit 1 to vi tablespoons of protein foods.

Did you know?

Even at viii months, babies will wait away from something that's also easy — or too difficult — for them to understand.

Your babe's ability to communicate is expanding daily, and you'll notice him attempting to apply sounds, gestures and facial expressions — not to mention those ambrosial laughs and squeals — to get your attention and let you know what he wants.

As he strings together more vowel and consonant sounds, you'll start to hear "existent" words — including the all-important "Mama" and "Dada."

You are certainly the most important people in his life right now, which makes information technology unsurprising that your little one has probable adult a fearfulness of strangers.

Why has your social butterfly all of a sudden become antisocial with strangers? This social snubbery isn't snobbery — it'southward a sign of maturity, and it's perfectly normal at this stage of development.

This sudden shyness and newfound clinginess will pass. And then give your little one the infinite to socialize at his ain step, and on his own terms.

Speaking of clinginess, you may too discover your cutie has get more fastened to a comfort object, like a blanket or stuffed animal. This, as well, is perfectly developmentally appropriate.

With independent mobility comes the realization that he can separate (or be separated) from you at any time, and that epiphany is partly exciting and partly unsettling.

A comfort object acts to fill in equally a Mommy or Daddy substitute, assuasive your babe to bring that comfort along wherever he goes. For now, let your infant take the security he craves.

Your 8-month-one-time baby's growth

Your 8-month-former infant daughter will hit the scales somewhere between thirteen and 23 pounds, while your infant boy will be weighing in at fourteen to 25 pounds. On the length charts, await for your infant to autumn somewhere betwixt 25 and 30 inches.

To continue upward with that growth, babe will be interested in expanding his food repertoire and trading in that spoon for finger foods and cocky-feeding.

Sure, the transition from spoon to fingers volition be messy and frustrating on both sides of the high chair. But as your baby perfects the pincer grasp as he nears his kickoff birthday, his power to hold smaller objects, similar peas and small-scale pasta shapes, volition improve — considerably expanding the bill of fare and the amount of self-feeding that tin practically exist washed.

For at present, stick to finger foods that can be gummed before swallowing or that will deliquesce hands in the mouth: whole grain bread or waffles, rice cakes, oat circle cereals, cubes of cheese or tofu, avocado, banana, pear, melon or mango slices, minor chunks of cooked carrot, sweet potato, or cauliflower florets, baked or poached fish, meatballs, chicken, pasta, smashed beans, or scrambled or hard-cooked eggs.

Avert uncooked raisins, whole peas (unless they are smashed), hot dogs, nuts or popcorn, grapes, hard or gooey processed, chunks of peanut butter, raw, house vegetables or fruit, and large chunks of cheese, meat and poultry.

Your 8-month-old baby's wellness

Baby won't accept a well-visit for another calendar month, but you probably have plenty of questions almost how your baby's growing and developing.

Poisonous substance-proof your dwelling house

Medicines, cleaning products, furniture polish, antifreeze fluid, windshield wiper fluid — all of these are unsafe poisons, and should be locked abroad out of babe's attain (and out of sight). Read More than

Allergy medicine for infant?

Just considering your babe has allergies (which are rare in babies only can happen) doesn't mean you lot need to keep him within all solar day long. Talk to the pediatrician about what allergy meds may be prophylactic for baby to help minimize symptoms such every bit sneezing, itchy optics and an itchy, runny olfactory organ. Read More than

Leaving baby in the automobile

Don't do it. Always. Car temperatures can soar to dangerously high levels in but a few minutes. In fact, heatstroke — which occurs when torso temperature rises to 104 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit — is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths among children. Read More than

Tummy trouble?

Vomiting in older babies can exist acquired by motility sickness, nutrient allergies, a stomach bug or nutrient poisoning. While nausea and bouts of airsickness normally get away on their own, don't hesitate to phone call the doctor if y'all're concerned. Read More

Acupuncture for babies

Studies propose that this ancient Chinese medical do tin can ease illnesses like colds, fever and coughs (peculiarly when combined with Western medicine). If you're interested in trying it for your little one, talk to your kid's dr. first, and ever make sure y'all choose a licensed acupuncturist. Read More than

Postpartum & new infant tips

Stimulate your eight-month-old's senses

Stimulate your 8-month-quondam by describing how things work, how they are used and how they are different.

For example, "When I turn on the faucet, water comes out," "The motorcar will aid us get places faster than walking with y'all in the stroller," "The doggy says 'woof' and the kitty cat says 'meow'".

Spend time talking, singing songs and reading books to boost his language skills; play games that help explain concepts like crusade and effect (fill a cup of water in the bath and let baby turn it over) and object permanence (play peek-a-boo).

Signal out sounds (the burn truck) and smells (the flower) and give your child a chance to experiment and explore — even if it ways smearing yogurt in his hair or pulling upward tufts of grass in the 1000.

The "oopsie" game

The scene: Your dinner table. Your viii-calendar month-old is in his high chair with an enticing array of foods earlier him. Your baby has his bib and his spoon. And then, is he eating? No!

Instead, your infant is merrily tossing his spoon overboard — over and over and over again — and giggling with glee every time you selection information technology up and render it to him.

Is your infant simply enjoying watching you lot stoop down to the floor? Is he trying to drive you crazy on purpose? Nope. Your infant'due south brain is just busy working on two large concepts: crusade and effect ("When I throw this, Mom picks information technology upwards! Absurd!") and object permanence ("I tin can't run into this while it'south under my chair, simply wow! There it is again!").

Equally annoying — and hard on your dorsum — equally it may be, this driblet-information technology-again-and-again routine is a sign of the crucial cognitive evolution of memory and abstruse-thinking skills.

Finger nutrient prophylactic

Finger foods are especially welcome now, since babies this age like to feed themselves — or try to. Information technology's non pretty, and it'due south non corking, simply it'southward gotta happen.

Simply make sure you're always supervising when y'all graduate to finger foods.

And call up, even babies who have teeth aren't ready for steak yet: Those first teeth aren't for chewing, just for biting. Make sure everything you give your babe tin be hands gummed, for safe's sake.

More reasons to exercise

Do boosts free energy along with immunity. Shoot for at to the lowest degree xx minutes of sustained action three times a calendar week, although 30 minutes, four or more than times per calendar week, is amend in the long run for stronger bones.

How? Now that your baby is older than 6 months, strap him in a jogging stroller and go for a run. Or use a front pack or backpack if he tin sit unsupported and take a brisk walk (no jogging with your baby in a pack).

If yous're inside, try an do video or mini-trampoline. Or only put on some music and boogie — your infant will find watching you endlessly entertaining!

Best fruits for baby

Turn your babe into a fruit fiend by giving him squished blueberries or small pieces of soft fruits like bananas or very ripe, peeled and skinned pear.

To make information technology easier to choice up glace banana pieces, try dusting them in crushed Cheerios first.

Ripe mangoes, peaches, apricots, kiwis, honeydew and cantaloupe are too likely to appeal to your infant'south sweet molar (or gums), only make sure to take off any skin first.

Not all fruit is baby-friendly, though. Avert pieces of apple tree, fifty-fifty without the peel, for now. Ditto any other harder-textured or unripe fruit that could get stuck in the windpipe.

Why babies beloved soft blocks

There'southward a reason why blocks have been around forever — they tin do so many things. Earlier your little i learns to stack them, they'll be good for grabbing, holding and mouthing, and then get elementary cubes that are made of cloth simply can still exist easily stacked.

The best ones have colorful pictures and make a soft, jingly sound when squeezed or shaken. Early on, before he's sitting up, you can show him the pictures on the blocks and talk about them and permit him listen to the blocks as you clasp or milk shake them.

Later on, heave his gross-motor skills by stacking the blocks and letting him knock them downwards with his arms or legs. Or prove him how to toss the blocks at a rubber target — the sofa, say, or the rug.

Your 8-month-quondam's mobility

Your baby'southward big-motor skills will exist tested as he learns to sit upwards comfortably and steadily and work on pushing himself up into a seated position from his tummy.

Some babies brainstorm to pitter-patter or crawl this calendar month, or even find that they can move around quite well by scooting on their bottoms.

If your baby was an early on crawler, he may now move on to standing (pulling himself upwards the sofa — or your legs — to get upright).

Encourage this new view of the globe, and possibly even those first wobbly steps, by arranging the furniture (similar chairs and low-lying tables) in a row so he can inch his way across with steady support — a motor skill chosen cruising.

From the What to Wait editorial squad and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Look When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only apparent sources, such every bit peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how nosotros go along our content authentic and up-to-appointment by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

  • What to Expect the First Year, 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff.
  • WhatToExpect.com, The 9-Calendar month Well-Baby Visit, March 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Is Your Baby Grasping the Pincer Grasp, November 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Seasonal Allergy Medications That Are Safe for Babies and Toddlers, October 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Types of Airsickness in Babies and Toddlers, July 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Acupuncture for Babies, January 2019.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Why Leaving Your Child in the Car Is Then Dangerous, Oct 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, How Much Should My Infant Eat?, April 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Here's How Much Sleep Babies Need, June 2020.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Starting Solid Foods, October 2020.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Baby Nutrient and Feeding, 2020.
  • American University of Pediatrics, Transitional Objects, August 2009.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Recommended Immunization Schedule for Children and Adolescents Ageds 18 Years and Younger, 2018.
  • Centers for Disease Command and Prevention, WHO Child Growth Standards, Nov 2009.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Kid Growth Standards, November 2009.

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