At 8 months old, your baby is starting to become more mobile and interactive. They are also becoming more aware of their surroundings and developing their cognitive and social skills.

Here are some typical developmental milestones that you can expect your 8-month-old to achieve:.

Physical Development

Crawling: Many 8-month-olds start crawling at this age. Some babies may still be scooting or rolling to get around, while others may be crawling on hands and knees.

Sitting: Your baby should be able to sit upright without support for several minutes at a time now.

Standing: With help, your baby may be able to pull themselves up to a standing position.

Movement: Your baby will start to move their arms and legs more intentionally, reaching for toys and exploring their environment.

They may also start to use their hands to support themselves and reach for objects while sitting or crawling.

Cognitive Development

Object permanence: Your baby is starting to understand that objects still exist even when they can’t see them. They may start to look for a toy that has been hidden or covered up.

Imitation: Your baby may start to imitate your facial expressions and movements, such as clapping or waving.

Cause and effect: Your baby is starting to understand that their actions can cause things to happen. They may start to bang objects together to see what happens or drop toys to watch them fall.

Memory: Your baby may start to remember where objects are placed and look for them later.

Social and Emotional Development

Attachment: Your baby is developing a stronger attachment to you and other caregivers. They may start to get upset when you leave the room.

Separation anxiety: Your baby may start to become anxious or upset when separated from you or other familiar caregivers.

Playing with others: Your baby may start to enjoy playing with others more. They may be able to take turns playing with toys or imitate the actions of other children.

Eye contact: Your baby is starting to make more eye contact with you and recognize familiar people.

Language Development

Babbling: Your baby may start to babble more and make new sounds, such as “mama” and “dada.”.

Gestures: Your baby may start to use gestures, such as waving bye-bye or pointing at objects.

Understanding: Your baby is starting to understand more words and commands. They may respond to simple requests, such as “come here” or “give me the toy.”.

Feeding and Sleeping

Solid foods: Your baby may be ready to start trying new foods, such as mashed fruits and vegetables and soft meats.

Sleep: Your baby may be sleeping more through the night and taking more regular naps throughout the day.

Remember that all babies develop at their own pace, and these milestones are just a general guide. If you have any concerns about your baby’s development, talk to your pediatrician.