Your Baby At Eight Months
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1. Weight: An eight-month-old baby weighs an average of 8.2 kg, knowing of course that each baby is different and develops at their own pace.
If you have a little girl, her weight should ideally be between 6.5 and 10.5 kg at eight months old. For an eight-month-old boy, the lower weight limit is a bit higher: ideally, they should weigh between 7 and 10.5 kg. The size of a 8-month-old girl usually ranges from 65 to 73 cm, and that of a baby boy from 66 to 75 cm. Just like in the previous month, baby should ideally gain at least 500 g during the 8th month.
2. Feeding an eight-month-old baby: Since they started their dietary diversification at around five to six months, baby has already discovered many flavours but until now, it was necessary to reduce everything to puree. Now, baby can start eating more solid foods.
Another great novelty: your eight-month-old baby can eat with you at the table, properly placed in a highchair adapted to their age, as soon as they manage to sit properly with a support. Other foods are also added to their diet, in the order recommended by your pediatrician. For example, an 8-month-old baby can usually start eating beans, lentils, and some exotic fruits like pineapple. As for milk, baby should still have at least 500 ml a day (breast milk or infant formula).
As a general rule, an eight-month-old baby takes 4 meals a day. For instance: baby bottle at breakfast, a "solid" lunch (vegetable purée + 20 g of animal protein + fruit compote or yoghurt), a snack (fruit compote or yoghurt) and a bottle at dinner time.
3. Sleeping pattern of an eight-month-old baby: Usually, an eight-month-old baby still has three naps during the day (morning, early afternoon, and late afternoon), but you will probably find that they are becoming shorter and shorter: this is normal, because baby's sleep needs are decreasing.
Babies have been sleeping for some time now, but some factors can disturb their sleep like teething or the famous '8th month anxiety': this transitional phase, during which baby refuses to be separated from you (they cry or scream as soon as you pretend to be away), is a normal stage of their psychological development.
It is actually a good thing, even if it can be annoying when you put baby to bed. Do not hesitate to ask your pediatrician for tips to help baby fall asleep - such as a cuddly toy or games of peekaboo.
