When your baby has finally reached her 8th month, she begins to explore more of her world and become very active! As they become more curious about the world, she also becomes very interested in actively participating in the things that catch her attention. If you want to know more about her developments during this stage, read more below!

Motor skills:

• An 8 month old baby has already gained enough strength to be able to stand while holding on a support such as a chair or a sofa. A few more months to go, and she’ll be able to walk around while holding on some support.
• Also, 8-month old babies start to crawl, too. But if your baby is still not able to crawl by this time, there’s no reason to panic! Some babies take a little bit longer for them to be able to crawl just yet.
• By this time, your baby starts to work her motor skills together with her senses at the same time. Whenever they find a toy across the room, they’d most probably crawl to get it. They also start to maneuver on toys easily, such as tossing balls or fitting cups of different sizes into another.
• Children at this age also start to grab anything within their reach, and even put it in their mouths. So you should always guide your child while playing as to prevent swallowing small objects. Always keep small objects away from her reach to prevent accidents.

Sleep:

• During this time, 8 month old babies probably sleep an average of 13 to 14 hours a day. They also take a nap in the morning and another in the afternoon. It usually lasts for an hour but some babies go with 20-minute naps.
• Babies also have a sense of object permanence and learn that you exist even if you’re not around. This becomes very unsettling especially during bed and nap times. But every time your baby cries when you try to leave the room, it shouldn’t last for more than a few minutes.

Eating:

• Babies begin to consume 24 to 32 ounces of milk every day, formula or breast milk. But since they begin to develop their stomach, every meal should involve a variety of foods such as baby cereal, fruits and vegetables and mashed or pureed meat. Although sometimes your baby may be more interested on table foods, you should always consider that formula or breast milk is still an essential source of nutrients for babies.
• Since babies at this age grab whatever they find and put it in their mouths, it is a good idea to include finger foods during meal time such as bananas, toast, pasta, and cereal. Try to cut foods into tiny pieces so that they won’t choke. Most importantly, you should never leave your child unattended during meal times.
• For additional information, here is an 8 month old feeding chart.

As you can see, your baby is progressing in more ways than one.  Continue to give your baby the attention they need, and always put their needs first.  For more information on your 8 month old’s development, check out this chart!