Health & Baby

Baby Development: Your 8-Month-Old

By the time your baby is 8 months old, not only is she getting around, she’s also probably getting into everything! Babies are especially curious at this stage because they are becoming more aware of their environment.

In this portion of WebMD’s month-by-month guide, discover what baby milestones you can expect your child to achieve by the time she’s 8 months old.

Eighth Month Baby Milestones: Motor Skills

Eight-month-olds are gaining a lot of new strength. They may be strong enough to pull themselves up to a standing position while holding onto a chair or sofa. In another month or two, they should start cruising around using the furniture for support.

Most babies are starting to crawl by now, but don’t be panicked if your 8-month-old isn’t there yet. Some babies take a few extra months to get moving, and a few go straight from rolling to walking without slowing down to crawl.

At this age, your baby is figuring out how to pair up her motor skills with her senses. Babies this age typically can spot a toy from across the room, figure out they want it, crawl over to get it, and pick it up. They can also manipulate toys with relative ease, banging blocks together, tossing a ball, or fitting a series of different-sized cups into one another.

The pincer grasp - using thumb and finger -- is now well enough developed for babies to pick up very small objects. Because almost everything your baby picks up will end up in her mouth, be sure to put away any small toy pieces or other objects that are lying around. Keep in mind that if something is small enough to fit inside a toilet paper tube, it’s small enough to choke your child. If your child has siblings older than 3 years, it is a good idea to keep separate play areas and remind that child of the toilet paper tube rule.

Eighth Month Baby Milestones: Sleep

By their eighth month, most babies sleep an average of 13 to 14 hours a day. They’ll take two naps a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Naps average about an hour in length, but some babies can get by with a couple of 20-minute naps.

Now that your baby has a sense of object permanence -- the knowledge that you still exist even when you’re not around -- bedtimes and nap times may be more of a struggle. This separation anxiety should go away by the time your child is around 2 years old. Don’t be too worried if your baby fusses every time you try to leave the room. The crying shouldn’t last for more than a few minutes. Be consistent in your routine and that will help both you and baby adjust.