August 19, 2016Stullster

All Things Month 8

Information is for month eight of baby’s life.  I am in no way a doctor, medical professional, or even experienced in child care.  This is just information that I have gathered from books, websites, my pediatrician, and hearsay.  The time schedules and suggestion of eat/wake/sleep cycles are from Babywise.  The progression of development is from What to Expect the First Year.  Feeding amounts are the recommendations from my doctor.  Everything else is from various websites and friends.

Feeding/wake/sleeping:

  • Baby should have been introduced to pureed vegetables, fruits, and maybe meats.  Eight months is a good age to get baby used to meats and cereals.
  • Baby should be self-feeding.  Small bites such as puffs and yogurt bites are specifically made for infants.  Baby can also have small bites of table food such as avocado, bananas, milk-soaked cheerios, etc.
  • Can start introducing a sippy cup with water in the tub or outside (to avoid much mess) to get baby used to drinking from a cup.  The goal is to have baby off the bottle at one year old.  It is strongly advised NOT to feed infants juice, especially if they have teeth.
  • The first and last feeding of the day are the two strategic feedings.
    • It doesn’t matter what schedule your baby is on, all other feed-wake-sleep cycles will fall within those two “fixed” feeding times.
    • Need to remain consistent
  • Between 24 and 39 weeks, the 5 feeding cycles will merge into 4
    • Evening nap is eliminated
    • Afternoon nap may be shortened to a catnap if needed
      • Will be eventually eliminated, and cycles can range between 3.5 to 4.5 hours each day
    • Below is an example schedule

24-39

  • Between 28 and 40 weeks, the 4 feeding cycles will merge into 3
    • The afternoon nap (third nap) is dropped
    • Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a liquid feeding at bedtime
    • Below is an example schedule

28-40

By the end of month eight, baby may be able to:

Activities you can do with baby:

  • Read!
  • Kick start
  • When leaving the house, allow baby to push the garage door opener.  This will start teaching baby cause and effect.
  • Shove a scarf into a paper towel tube and encourage baby to tug on the end until the scarf is out.
  • Where’s that noise
  • Place a couch cushion on the ground.  Allow baby to play with knees on the floor and hands on the cushion.  This will strengthen stabilizing muscles.
  • Roll a ball through a tube.  Baby will follow the motion and be delighted!
  • Peek-a-boo picture
  • Place baby in an empty inflated baby pool or in the bath with a pan full of water and colorful sponges.  Let baby squeeze water out of the sponges.  This can also be done at bath time.
  • Give baby a toy for each hand, and then try to hand baby a third.  Baby may try to hold it all, but eventually problem solving will take over and baby will set down one toy to grab the one you are holding.
  • Today’s greatest hits
  • Place baby in an empty inflated baby pool.  Tape a piece of paper down on a tray and blob some paint on the paper.  Allow baby to finger paint.  The tub will help contain the mess and can be wiped down for clean-up.
  • Play patty cake with baby and show him how to clap.  Encourage baby when he claps.
  • Rattle and roll
  • Fill a basket with kitchen items that baby can safely explore: measuring cups, wooden spoons, rolling pin, whisk, baster, sauce pan, mixing bowls … you know, all the things that baby tries to play with when you are using them!
  • Sing itsy bitsy spider and other hand-motion songs.  Baby will be intrigued by the movement of your hands.  You can also just play the radio and make up your own hand motions!  This gets very silly, but baby is equally entertained.
  • Tug-a-lug
  • Place baby belly down on a mattress with close supervision.  The soft surface will allow baby to get knees underneath her and encourage crawling.

  • Show baby different picture cards (or pictures in magazines) and name the item.  Also make the sound that goes along with it (roar like the lion or Choo-Choo with the train whistle).
  • Highchair art
  • Put a hat or something silly like baby tights on your head and allow baby to pull the item off your head.  Place items on baby’s head for her to grab.  This could also be a toy balancing on your head or baby’s head.
  • Use a small ball (baseball size seems to work best) and cover it in masking tape (sticky side out).  You can make one or two of these balls for baby to play with.  Stick it in baby’s hand, and baby will try to unstick it by grabbing with the other hand.  This will encourage baby to pass the ball back and forth between her hands.  You can also stick it on a foot or anywhere else.  You can name the body part you stick the ball to, and encourage baby to grab.
  • Diaper change of pace
  • Take baby on a magic carpet ride.  When baby is on her tummy or all fours on top of a blanket, gently pull the blanket across a slick surface for a fun ride around the house. For carpet, you can set baby in a box and push her around. My girl loves this so much, she waits in her box to be pushed!

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