{"id":25385,"date":"2024-11-08T18:00:20","date_gmt":"2024-11-08T18:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/?p=25385"},"modified":"2025-07-31T13:44:38","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T13:44:38","slug":"8-month-old-baby-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/blog\/baby-6-12-months\/8-month-old-baby-what-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"8-month-old baby: everything you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>That&#8217;s it, your baby is now 8 months old!<\/strong> It\u2019s a good time to review what\u2019s happening with them right now: motor development, cognitive development, nutrition, sleep, and health.<\/p>\n<p><strong>8-month-old baby<\/strong>: May tells you everything.<\/p>\n<h2>Motor and Cognitive Development<\/h2>\n<p>At 8 months, your baby is going through <strong>a fascinating period of growth and learning<\/strong>. Let\u2019s look at these new milestones.<\/p>\n<h3>Motor Development<\/h3>\n<p>Motor development in a baby refers to <strong>the acquisition of new physical skills<\/strong> that allow them to move and interact with their surroundings. At 8 months, your baby is already beginning to experience <strong>a first sense of autonomy<\/strong> and freedom of movement. They are starting to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Move around<\/strong>: they crawl or get around on all fours (<strong>think about adapting their environment<\/strong> \u2013 by removing knick-knacks and covering table corners, for example \u2013 so they can explore safely).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Climb over small obstacles<\/strong>: like a cushion or a rug.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sit up<\/strong>: most children start to sit up between 7 and 10 months.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>They are also <strong>becoming more flexible<\/strong>; now your baby can grab their feet with their hands, bend sideways while on their tummy, and so on. Hypertonia (when their limbs were stiff from birth) is finally fading: <strong>their limbs and hips are loosening up<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>This allows them to be <strong>very mobile<\/strong>, to discover how to support themselves, and to explore their full abilities. Later, their legs will strengthen again to help them stand and eventually <strong>walk<\/strong>. Until then, we advise you <strong>not to try standing them up if they can\u2019t do it on their own yet<\/strong>. Their back may not be ready for that position.<\/p>\n<h3>Cognitive Development<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Their relationship with others is evolving<\/strong> and they <strong>seek the attention<\/strong> of those around them. They\u2019re particularly drawn to other children (whom they can now clearly distinguish from adults) and will seek out contact with them.<\/p>\n<p>Also, <strong>their attachment to familiar people is growing stronger<\/strong> and they begin to <strong>prioritize their attachment figures<\/strong> (primary, secondary, etc.), meaning the adults whose presence reassures them.<\/p>\n<p>They also <strong>express their emotions more clearly<\/strong>. So, it\u2019s completely normal if your baby cries when you drop them off at daycare in the morning or seems uncomfortable in unfamiliar settings (like on vacation): they are growing up!<\/p>\n<h3>When to Worry?<\/h3>\n<p>The development milestones mentioned above are just <strong>general guidelines<\/strong> for how a baby might progress. But <strong>every child develops at their own pace<\/strong>! So don\u2019t worry if your baby progresses a bit more slowly or quickly than others.<\/p>\n<p>However, if you notice <strong>a sudden halt in their development<\/strong>, don\u2019t hesitate to contact your healthcare provider.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to learn more? Feel free to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/app.adjust.com\/1pblulz8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">download the May app<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where you&#8217;ll find plenty of resources to support and guide you throughout your journey as a new parent.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>The 8-Month Anxiety: Myth or Reality?<\/h2>\n<p>Long known as the \u201c8-month anxiety,\u201d based on the early research of Ren\u00e9 Spitz, this period marks <strong>a crucial stage<\/strong> in a baby&#8217;s <strong>emotional development<\/strong>. In reality, <strong>the term is not entirely accurate<\/strong> because it&#8217;s not truly anxiety in the clinical sense, but rather a <strong>prioritization of attachment figures<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>What happens: between 6 and 9 months, your baby begins to <strong>rank the people around them<\/strong>. The primary attachment figure\u2014often the parent who spends the most time with them\u2014becomes essential for their <strong>sense of security<\/strong>. This is why your baby may <strong>show distress<\/strong> (e.g., crying) <strong>when separated from their main attachment figure<\/strong> or when encountering unfamiliar people.<\/p>\n<p>This behavior is completely normal and <strong>will eventually fade<\/strong>. Over time, they\u2019ll learn to <strong>let go<\/strong> and <strong>open up to others<\/strong>, but this might take <strong>some adjustment<\/strong>. Again, every baby moves at their own pace! It\u2019s also possible that your child is very <strong>curious about meeting new people<\/strong> and <strong>does not exhibit any separation anxiety<\/strong>, which is not a required step in development.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8482\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/young-loving-mom-lying-on-bed-with-her-6-months-ol-2023-11-27-05-16-46-utc.webp\" alt=\"8-month-old baby: everything you need to know may app health\" width=\"1080\" height=\"720\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/young-loving-mom-lying-on-bed-with-her-6-months-ol-2023-11-27-05-16-46-utc.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/young-loving-mom-lying-on-bed-with-her-6-months-ol-2023-11-27-05-16-46-utc-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/young-loving-mom-lying-on-bed-with-her-6-months-ol-2023-11-27-05-16-46-utc-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/young-loving-mom-lying-on-bed-with-her-6-months-ol-2023-11-27-05-16-46-utc-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Language and Communication<\/h2>\n<p>Between 7 and 10 months, it\u2019s <strong>babbling time!<\/strong> \u201cBababa, mamama\u201d: your baby delights in repeating the same syllables over and over again, <strong>like vocal exercises<\/strong>. They&#8217;re training their voice in preparation for <strong>speaking their first words<\/strong> later.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind that, just like separation anxiety, <strong>babbling is not a required milestone<\/strong>. Not all babies babble, and that doesn\u2019t prevent them from speaking later. If you\u2019re concerned, <strong>don\u2019t hesitate to consult your healthcare provider<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>At 8 months, your baby is already able to <strong>understand simple phrases<\/strong> like \u201cit\u2019s time to eat\u201d or certain instructions when paired with a gesture like \u201ccome\u201d or \u201cgive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As for <strong>vocabulary<\/strong>, they will first learn words from their everyday environment like \u201cblankie\u201d or \u201cbottle\u201d and later move on to more distant concepts like animals, fruits, and professions. To encourage vocabulary acquisition, here\u2019s <strong>a tip<\/strong>: if they show interest in an object or action, <strong>don\u2019t hesitate to name what they\u2019re looking at or doing<\/strong>. For example, if your baby points to food, name it out loud.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/young-mother-holds-beautiful-little-daughter-in-ar-2023-11-27-05-29-24-utc.webp\" alt=\"8-month-old baby: everything you need to know may app health\" width=\"1080\" height=\"720\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/young-mother-holds-beautiful-little-daughter-in-ar-2023-11-27-05-29-24-utc.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/young-mother-holds-beautiful-little-daughter-in-ar-2023-11-27-05-29-24-utc-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/young-mother-holds-beautiful-little-daughter-in-ar-2023-11-27-05-29-24-utc-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/young-mother-holds-beautiful-little-daughter-in-ar-2023-11-27-05-29-24-utc-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Feeding and Nutrition<\/h2>\n<p>At 8 months, <strong>your baby\u2019s diet<\/strong> is evolving and becoming more diverse with the introduction of new textures and flavors, which they\u2019ve been exploring since the start of <strong>solid food introduction<\/strong>. To meet their nutritional needs, you can start offering <strong>varied foods in addition to pur\u00e9es and compotes<\/strong>, mashed or gently crushed with a fork.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a list of suitable foods:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Fruits<\/strong>: applesauce, pear, or banana pur\u00e9es are ideal. You can also offer well-mashed pieces of ripe fruit to encourage chewing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Vegetables<\/strong>: carrot, zucchini, or sweet potato pur\u00e9es are great for introducing <strong>vegetables<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Proteins<\/strong>: chicken, well-cooked fish, or lentils\u2014served in small portions and thoroughly mashed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cereals<\/strong>: cereals can be added to baby food or pur\u00e9es to boost nutritional intake.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You may have already introduced many of these foods during early stages of food diversification: that\u2019s okay\u2014<strong>at 8 months, discovery is more about texture<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8479\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/baby-6-months-old-gnaws-the-ball-holding-it-with-2023-11-27-05-25-42-utc.webp\" alt=\"8-month-old baby: everything you need to know may app health\" width=\"1080\" height=\"720\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/baby-6-months-old-gnaws-the-ball-holding-it-with-2023-11-27-05-25-42-utc.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/baby-6-months-old-gnaws-the-ball-holding-it-with-2023-11-27-05-25-42-utc-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/baby-6-months-old-gnaws-the-ball-holding-it-with-2023-11-27-05-25-42-utc-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/baby-6-months-old-gnaws-the-ball-holding-it-with-2023-11-27-05-25-42-utc-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Sleep at 8 Months<\/h2>\n<p>An 8-month-old baby\u2019s sleep <strong>starts to resemble that of an adult<\/strong>, with <strong>more structured sleep cycles<\/strong>. At this age, your baby usually falls asleep during quiet sleep, followed by deep and REM sleep phases. <strong>One sleep cycle lasts about 70 minutes<\/strong>, and although they may still wake up during the night, they are <strong>often able to fall back asleep on their own<\/strong>. Daytime naps gradually decrease to one in the morning and another in the afternoon.<\/p>\n<h3>Common Sleep Issues<\/h3>\n<p>At 8 months, <strong>several factors can disrupt sleep<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Night wakings are common and can be related to <strong>routine changes<\/strong>, <strong>illness<\/strong>, or learning <strong>new skills<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Your baby may also have <strong>trouble falling asleep or linking sleep cycles<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Tips to Improve Sleep<\/h3>\n<p>To help your baby sleep better, here are <strong>some practical tips<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Establish a bedtime routine<\/strong>: a calm, consistent routine\u2014like reading a story or singing a lullaby\u2014can help your baby feel secure and fall asleep more easily.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create a sleep-friendly environment<\/strong>: a quiet room with soft lighting and a <strong>comfortable temperature<\/strong> promotes restorative sleep.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Encourage independence<\/strong>: help your baby rely on self-soothing tools like a nightlight so they can fall back asleep on their own.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Be patient and consistent<\/strong>: your child\u2019s sleep habits can take time to develop. Try to remain consistent in routines and in your responses to night wakings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/cute-8-months-baby-boy-playing-with-knitted-toy-on-2023-11-27-05-17-15-utc.webp\" alt=\"8-month-old baby: everything you need to know may app health\" width=\"1080\" height=\"719\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/cute-8-months-baby-boy-playing-with-knitted-toy-on-2023-11-27-05-17-15-utc.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/cute-8-months-baby-boy-playing-with-knitted-toy-on-2023-11-27-05-17-15-utc-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/cute-8-months-baby-boy-playing-with-knitted-toy-on-2023-11-27-05-17-15-utc-1024x682.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/cute-8-months-baby-boy-playing-with-knitted-toy-on-2023-11-27-05-17-15-utc-768x511.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Health and Medical Care<\/h2>\n<p>In the early years, <strong>regular check-ups<\/strong> are important to monitor your baby\u2019s healthy development. At 8 months, a check-up is generally scheduled to assess <strong>weight gain<\/strong>, motor and cognitive development, diet, and <strong>mandatory vaccinations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3>Vaccinations This Month<\/h3>\n<p>At 8 months, there are <strong>no mandatory vaccinations scheduled<\/strong>, but feel free to discuss upcoming vaccines with your pediatrician during your next visit.<\/p>\n<p>Vaccination plays a key role in <strong>protecting your baby from serious illnesses<\/strong>. It\u2019s important to make sure all scheduled vaccines up to this age have been administered. These vaccines help prevent diseases like <strong>measles<\/strong>, mumps, and <strong>rubella<\/strong>, which can have <strong>serious consequences for infants<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Common Illnesses at 8 Months<\/h3>\n<p>Among the most common illnesses at 8 months is <strong>gastroenteritis<\/strong>. If your baby shows symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea, <strong>contact your healthcare provider promptly<\/strong> and <strong>monitor hydration<\/strong>, for example by using oral rehydration solutions (ORS).<\/p>\n<p>Medical visits are also the perfect time to <strong>discuss your baby\u2019s diet<\/strong>, especially if you have <strong>questions about food diversification<\/strong>. Feel free to bring up any feeding behavior changes, if your baby refuses the bottle, or if you\u2019re unsure how much milk to give.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, at 8 months, your baby is going through <strong>an exciting phase of motor and cognitive development<\/strong>, marked by the exploration of new foods and <strong>(almost) independent movement<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8481\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/nominated-cute-baby-8-9-months-on-his-dad-s-2024-10-11-19-31-20-utc.webp\" alt=\"8-month-old baby: everything you need to know may app health\" width=\"1080\" height=\"720\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/nominated-cute-baby-8-9-months-on-his-dad-s-2024-10-11-19-31-20-utc.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/nominated-cute-baby-8-9-months-on-his-dad-s-2024-10-11-19-31-20-utc-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/nominated-cute-baby-8-9-months-on-his-dad-s-2024-10-11-19-31-20-utc-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/nominated-cute-baby-8-9-months-on-his-dad-s-2024-10-11-19-31-20-utc-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&#8211;<\/p>\n<p>Photos: OlhaRomaniuk | Sandsun | innasap | SabrinaBracher | GalinkaZhi<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This text was translated from French by an artificial intelligence. The information, advice, and sources it contains comply with French standards and may therefore not apply to your situation. Make sure to complement this reading by visiting the May US\/UK app and consulting the healthcare professionals who are supporting you.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>That&#8217;s it, your baby is now 8 months old! It\u2019s a good time to review what\u2019s happening with them right now: motor development, cognitive development, nutrition, sleep, and health. 8-month-old baby: May tells you everything. Motor and Cognitive Development At 8 months, your baby is going through a fascinating period of growth and learning. Let\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":12549,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[197],"tags":[160],"class_list":["post-25385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-baby-6-12-months","tag-baby-awakening"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25385"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25385\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25388,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25385\/revisions\/25388"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}