Month 8: many babies are curious, wiggly little scientists – they sit more steadily, stretch or shuffle to reach new objects, and may protest loudly with babbles and cries when you step out of sight, because they are starting to realise that you still exist even when they cannot see you.

• At around 8 months, many babies are having mashed or lumpy meals and soft finger foods from the main food groups, such as vegetables, fruits, starchy foods, protein foods and dairy, while still having breast milk or formula as their main drink.
• It is common for babies between 7 and 9 months to move gradually towards three small meals spaced through the day, with milk feeds and a few sips of water offered in between, and with appetite changing from day to day.
• Parents are often advised to let babies explore food with their hands, expect lots of mess, avoid adding salt or sugar, and watch for signs of swallowing difficulty, allergies or poor weight gain, asking a health professional for help if they are concerned.

• By this age, many babies have a clearer difference between day and night but still wake at least once, and sometimes several times, during the night for feeding, teething discomfort or comfort, even if they occasionally manage longer stretches.
• It is common for babies around 8 months to have a couple of daytime naps and to sleep for many hours across each 24-hour period, although the number and length of naps can vary widely between babies.
• New skills like sitting up or pulling forward on the mattress can sometimes disrupt sleep, so a calm, predictable wind-down routine and plenty of supervised floor play in the day may help your baby settle when it is time to rest.

• With more varied solids, many parents notice poos becoming thicker, smellier and more formed than in the early milk-only weeks, and it is normal for colour and texture to change depending on what the baby has eaten.
• Some babies poo several times a day while others go less often, so parents are often encouraged to look more at their baby’s comfort, usual pattern and the number of wet nappies than at a specific number of dirty nappies.
• Plenty of wet nappies, soft poos most of the time and a baby who is generally alert when awake can be reassuring signs; if nappies become very dry, very loose or very hard and painful, parents are advised to seek medical advice.

• At around 8 months, many babies enjoy games where objects or faces appear and disappear, such as peekaboo or hiding a toy under a cloth, because they are beginning to understand that things still exist even when they cannot see them.
• Short, frequent play sessions through the day work well at this age, for example a few minutes at a time of singing, looking at simple picture books, rolling balls, drumming on pots and pans, or letting your baby crawl or shuffle safely towards interesting toys.
• Many babies around 8 months are starting to use more varied babbling sounds and may reach, point or lean towards things they want, so talking back, naming what they look at, copying their sounds and doing a few minutes of tummy or floor time several times a day can support their language and movement skills.

Sources

• NHS – 7 to 9 months: Feeding your baby
• NHS – Your baby’s development from 2 to 12 months
• HealthyChildren.org – Movement: Babies 8 to 12 Months
• HealthyChildren.org – Cognitive Development in Infants: 8 to 12 Months
• HealthyChildren.org – Emotional and Social Development: 8 to 12 Months

This content is general information only and is not medical advice. If you are worried about your baby, contact your midwife, health visitor, paediatrician, or local emergency service.