Week 8: Many babies now feel like tiny housemates with opinions – they beam at familiar faces, kick with real energy, “chat” back with little sounds, and then suddenly flop into sleep again once their busy brain and tummy have had enough.

• At around week 8 many babies still feed often, both day and night, and responsive feeding – offering the breast or bottle when they stir, root, or suck their hands – continues to fit well with their small stomach and steady growth.
• Some parents notice their baby has “big appetite days” or evening spells where several feeds come close together, which are often linked to growth and comfort rather than anything parents have done wrong.
• Regular wet nappies, a familiar poo pattern, and routine weight checks with a midwife, health visitor, or paediatrician are often looked at together to see how feeding is going over time.

• At eight weeks many babies still sleep for a large part of each day, but this is usually in short chunks, and it is common for them to wake several times at night for feeds, warmth, or reassurance.
• Parents are often advised to place their baby on their back in a clear, flat sleep space in the same room as an adult, keeping pillows, duvets, and soft toys away from the face and keeping the room smoke-free to support safer sleep.
• Some families gently show the difference between day and night by having daytime naps in normal light and household sounds, and keeping night-time care quiet and low-light, without expecting strict routines or long unbroken nights yet.

• By this stage many babies have a fairly steady rhythm of wet nappies and soft poos, which might be mustard yellow, brown, or slightly green, and noisy squirts or very serious “poo faces” are still very common.
• Some babies poo several times a day, while others poo less often but in bigger amounts, and parents usually recognise what is typical for their own baby and spot changes quickly.
• Contact your midwife, health visitor, paediatrician or local emergency service if wet or dirty nappies suddenly become very rare, or if you see very pale poo, blood, or other changes that worry you.

• Around week 8 many babies are practising early social skills, such as holding eye contact for a moment, copying simple expressions, and making little coos or squeaks when you speak or sing.
• Several times a day, for a few minutes when your baby is calm and awake, you might sing a favourite song, tell a tiny story, or move a simple high-contrast toy slowly from side to side so they can try to follow it with their eyes, then pause when they look away or seem tired.
• Short, watched bits of tummy time on your chest, across your lap, or on a firm surface help your baby practise lifting and turning their head and using their arms, and many families weave this into daily life, such as one song or rhyme’s length a few times a day.

Sources

• NHS – Caring for a newborn baby (0 to 12 weeks)
• NHS – Your baby’s sleep patterns
• Wirral Community NHS – Your baby’s sleep at 0–3 months
• HealthyChildren.org (AAP) – Emotional & Social Development in Babies: Birth to 3 Months
• HealthyChildren.org (AAP) – Movement Milestones: Birth to 3 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.