Baby Milestones in 8-Month-Olds
Seems like the more time baby spends on his tummy, the more time you spend on your tummy. He's working on his creeping and crawling ability. You're working on your photography skills. (Who knew you'd get so good at snapping eye-level action photos of a mobile kid?!)
What You're Thinking: "These pictures are so going on the blog!"
Baby Milestones
- Your baby may be starting to learn to creep on her belly or even crawl on all fours by now; but don't stress if she never marks that baby milestone. Some kids skip crawling—they just get up one day and start walking. (So much for an early warning!)
- Your baby's fine and gross motor development are making big improvements and she may now be able to pass an object from one hand to the other. Give her a block or a spoon in one hand and see what she does. Then try it with the remote control to see if she really does take after her father!
- For many months, your baby thought the stuffed bunny that fell behind the couch was gone forever, disappearing into some fuzzy-tailed ether. Having recently developed object permanence, however, your baby is no longer as easily duped. So when you say there's no more cereal as you sneak the box back in the cabinet, beware ... she's on to you!
- A new reflex called the parachute reflex also emerges around this time. To test it out, pick up your baby and pretend she's flying, then bring her swooping down and watch her spread out her hands as if she's trying to break her fall. (Yes, it sounds a little scary to you, but to baby, it's a day at the theme park—without the $50 admission fee.)
Mommy Milestones
- You have two new mommy friends that you like (and you'd like them even if your kids weren't the same age and you didn't live on the same block).
- You are starting to regret having white furniture ... after somebody managed to get their sweet potato hands on it.
- You let your baby play in the sandbox. Hey, it was going to happen at some point.
- You sang "The Wheels on the Bus" enough times to entertain your baby as you tried on half a dozen pairs of pants ... in a store, not at home.
- You remember your baby's height and weight from every doctor's appointment so far (funny, you couldn't remember those two items you needed to buy at the store yesterday).
Home Front
Before you know it, your kid will be clamoring for meals that come with toys in brightly decorated paper bags. In the meantime, taking baby to a restaurant doesn't have to be traumatic. Take advantage of the fact that she doesn't get a say in restaurant choices ... and that she isn't big enough to climb out of a high chair and dash across a dining room. Read more ...
Everything you ever wanted to know ... and were just about to ask ...
Do It:
Busy Box
Give baby's budding senses a workout and clean out your junk drawer in one fell swoop!
Buy it: Picture Me Growth Chart
Keep a record of what Junior looked like when he was 2½ feet tall.
Cook It: Broccoli-and-Carrot Baby Food
Let baby "veg" out on a homemade meal.
Discuss It: Chat with other new mamas and papas on our Baby Board.
BACK: Baby Development: Month 7 / NEXT: Baby Development: More Month 8
All babies grow and develop at different rates. So please don't compare your kid with so-and-so's baby from across the street—you'll just drive yourself nuts. If you have any concerns, bring them up with your pediatrician at your baby's next checkup.
report abuseGive baby's budding senses a workout and clean out your junk drawer in one fell swoop!
Buy it: Picture Me Growth Chart
Keep a record of what Junior looked like when he was 2½ feet tall.
Cook It: Broccoli-and-Carrot Baby Food
Let baby "veg" out on a homemade meal.
Discuss It: Chat with other new mamas and papas on our Baby Board.
BACK: Baby Development: Month 7 / NEXT: Baby Development: More Month 8
All babies grow and develop at different rates. So please don't compare your kid with so-and-so's baby from across the street—you'll just drive yourself nuts. If you have any concerns, bring them up with your pediatrician at your baby's next checkup.
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