Your baby is 8 months old! Time to explore!
This is when parents start feeling the need for a pair of eyes in the back of their head. Don’t be surprised if you turn around for just an instant only to find your child standing up, holding on to furniture, or throwing some expensive decoration to the ground.
Changes during the 8th month
The first months of your baby’s life are full of changes that are more and more notable as time goes by. By the time your baby is 8 months old, she already has a lot of strength in her legs as well as strength to pull herself up.
The 8th month of a baby’s life stands out for several reason:
Exploring the entire house
If your baby is starting to crawl, it’s normal for him to want to move around the whole house. Without a doubt, he’ll follow you around wherever you go.
He’ll also love to look for hidden objects. Try hiding a favorite toy and letting him find it. This activity will be a lot of fun for him!
Your child will eat 4 times a day
This month you will start including dinner in your child’s routine, thus completing her complementary diet.
There’s no specific rule for this step. Rather, your child will be your guide. Many enjoy milk and cereal, while others easily adapt to eating meats and vegetables.
Tantrums and outbursts
This stage of your child’s life is full of activities and things to discover. Your little one might have a hard time understanding when it’s time to go to bed . Therefore, you should prepare your child ahead of time by establishing a nighttime routine.
Otherwise, you’re prone to have to deal with things like crying, screaming, and tantrums when you try to put your baby to bed – because for your little one, fun time’s not over yet.
Weight and size
The average weight and size of an 8-month-old baby can vary according to sex. On average, boys tend to be larger. The weight range tends to be between 16 and 21 lbs 8 oz. As for height, at this age babies average between 26 and 29 inches.
How should 8-month-olds be fed?
At 8 months, it’s best to leave pureed or processed foods behind. You can start working semi-solid foods into your child’s diet. Make sure the foods are soft enough for you baby to chew.
If you’ve been putting your baby’s veggies through the blender or food processor, now you can start giving him larger, but still well cooked, pieces of veggies.
Your baby may already have started teething. However, if no teeth have poked their way through yet, don’t worry. For some kids, teething starts later on. It’s nothing out of the ordinary.
You can start adding cooked eggs, white bread, soft fruits, fresh tortillas and turkey into your little one’s diet. However, you shouldn’t introduce new foods at dinner time. This is because you won’t be able to detect a possible reaction while your baby’s sleeping.
Recommendations for month #8
You’ve seen your baby grow and develop so much in the past 8 months, and you see how she moves around. You can even read her body language…
She opens her arms for a hug, she clings onto you when she sees strangers, and she wiggles with excitement when she sees a beloved relative.
“At 8 months, your child will weigh between 16 and 21 lbs 8 oz and measure between 26 and 29 inches”
Help your baby reach his full potential – there’s so much to do! Here are some recommendations to help you out:
- Buy didactic toys, like colored blocks, large building bricks, etc.
- Help your little one understand his routine. Let him know what’s about to happen, saying things like “it’s time to eat”, “it’s bath time” or “time to go to sleep”.
- It’s time to start teaching your baby the meaning of the word “no”. At this young age, there are things your baby shouldn’t do or touch, and places he shouldn’t go. It’s important to teach him these things.
- If your child already sits up on his own and can maintain the position for several minutes, encourage him to stand himself up. Take him by the hands and raise him up into a standing position, then help her walk from one piece of furniture to another.
- Remember to offer new foods during the day and then watch out for any unfavorable reaction. Once you’re sure your little one tolerates the new food, you can start offering it at dinner time.
As you can see, the eighth month of your baby’s life is full of new experiences. From now on, your baby will begin to start establish his own individual style.
It’s important that you reinforce his abilities as well as his physical and emotional development.
