At 8 months old, your baby will start getting around and into everything! Your little one will be curious at this age since they’re becoming more aware of their surroundings. In this guide, find out what baby milestones you can expect your baby to achieve at eight months old.

Motor Skills
At this age, your child will gain a lot of strength. He might pull himself to an upright position by holding onto a sofa or chair. Put cords away and secure TVs, lamps, and furniture. Also, make sure that your home is baby-proofed for your eight month-old. By now, your baby can pair up his motor skills with his senses. He will typically spot a toy from afar and crawl over to pick the doll.

Sleep
At this age, your child will sleep an average of 13 to 14 hours each day. Also, ’he’ll take two naps daily – one nap in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The average nap for an eight-month-old is an hour. But some babies feel satisfied with few 20-minute naps. Now, your eight-month old know that you still exist. This separation anxiety will subside in about two years old. Don’t get worried if he cries each time you leave him. The fussiness will only last for a few minutes. Remain consistent in your regime and it will help you and your little one to adjust.

Eating
Your baby will still be eating about 24 to 32 ounces of breast milk or formula every day. But you can include a variety of foods, during meal times. They include vegetables, fruits, baby cereal, and pureed meats. As you introduce other foods, your baby will stop taking breast milk gradually. Some eight-month-olds are so drawn by table foods that they no longer love breast milk or formula.  At this age, your child’s chewing skills and pincer grasp should be strong enough. So consider adding finger foods during mealtime. Some ideal first finger foods include pasta, toast, bananas, well-cooked cereal, and meat. Don’t serve foods that may choke your baby. These include popcorn, hot dogs, grapes, popcorn, raisins, and blueberries.

Communication
At this age, your baby will begin to expect daily routines — when I’m on a high chair, it’s time for food or when I’m in the cradle, it’s time to sleep. Also, babies understand that when they drop a towel, mommy picks it up. Further, the babbles your child’s had been making for a while may begin to make sense. ’You’ll get to hear a “da-da” and “ma-ma” aimed at you. Your eight-month old can now understand what “milk” and “bye-bye” means. They can respond to simple commands like “Wave bye-bye to daddy.”

Basic tips
• Put away all cosmetics and cleaning products. Also, lock up your kitchen, and bathroom cabinets
• Cover every open outlet and install gates over the stairs
• Remove every small object lying around, including coins and toys

While your baby is always active at this age, don’t be tempted to put your baby in front of the TV to take care of some household chores. Although allowing your baby to watch an educational video won’t hurt him, the Academy of Pediatrics suggests waiting until your baby is about 2 years old.  You can sing, read, and talk to your baby. These are ideal are ways of keeping your child entertained at eight months age.

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