Your 8 Week Old Baby – Development, Milestones & Care

It’s been nearly two months since you gave birth, and you must be having many questions about how fast your baby should be growing, how much he should weigh, and what is expected of him in general. This is a wonderful and exciting time, but it can also be filled with uncertainties and concerns. Every baby is unique, and their development can vary widely. Here is everything you need to know about your 8-week-old baby, from growth milestones and weight expectations to developmental behaviors and health tips to ensure your little one is thriving and happy. Read on to learn more about an 8-week-old newborn.

8-Week-Old Baby Development

Your baby is nearing two months of continuous change and development. By now, you would have understood his moods and behaviour, and have an established routine of feeding, bathing, and playing. Try not to compare yourself and your baby with other moms and their kiddos. Though you may not feel all that confident with what you are doing, your baby is the best judge of how well you’re doing! Babies are fairly content as long as they get plenty to feed, sleep well, and have their diapers changed on time.

Your 8-week-old baby’s weight should have increased between 900 grams to 1.3 kilograms since he was born. He would also have grown about 5 cm, and started showing some volume on the pads of his cheeks, tummy, arms, and legs. An important milestone that your baby should have attained by now is a social smile (meaning that when someone smiles at him, he smiles back), and his neck holding should be better than what it was when he was born. You would also notice that the 8 week old baby growth spurt makes him cluster feed more in the evenings and have some fussy feeding at night.

[Also Read: 2 Months Old Baby Development]

Eight-Week-Old Baby Milestones

Following are the 8-week-old baby milestones that you can expect to see in your little one:

• Your baby will now start showing curiosity towards things around him. He’ll watch people and moving objects, and express interest towards unfamiliar objects.
• Babies start realising that smiling is fun. You’ll see him smile whenever you cuddle him, or when he hears your voice or sees people he likes.
• He will start favouring some toys over others, and smile when he sees his favourite toy.
• His vision has improved, and can now look at objects that are about 20 cm in front of him.
• He has now become more aware of his arms and legs, so expect a lot of kicking and reaching with the hands. His movements may be a bit jagged at first, but you’ll see that they become more controlled in no time.
• 8 week old teething is very rare, but your baby’s salivary glands are developing fast. So, expect plenty of drooling from now on.

[Also Read: 2 Months Old Baby Milestones]

Feeding

Your baby would still need at least 6 feeds every 24 hours at 2 months old. At this stage, he will often go through growth spurts, and cluster feed around the evenings to meet his growing demand for nutrition. Cluster feeding can seem concerning to first-time moms if they are exclusively breastfeeding, as they tend to doubt if they have enough milk. A good way to tell if the baby is getting enough is a steady growth rate of 150 to 200 grams a week, and 6 or more pale or wet nappies a day. Also, when your baby has had enough, he will seem happy and alert.

If you are bottle feeding you may find that your little one’s appetite is a little larger, and he’d finish one bottle and look for more. Speak to your doctor about the correct quota of milk for his age and weight. It’s also important not to alter the ratio of formula and water in the mix – feed him as instructed, and throw away the excess.

[Also Read: 2 Month Old Baby Food]

Sleeping

Your 8 week old baby’s sleep will last between 11 to 15 hours a day, unlike the 18-hour total sleep time he had in his first few weeks. Although babies still wake up in the middle of the night at this stage, they should start sleeping in solid chunks of 5-6 hours at a stretch. Some babies sleep more and have a regular sleep routine that is predictable. Other are more alert, and refuse to sleep when their parents try to put them to bed. In general, there is not much control over your 8 week old’s sleep schedule, and you need to tailor your responses to his rhythms.

It’s worthwhile, however, to place babies in their cot at this stage, so they can learn how to fall asleep on their own over the upcoming months. Babies who are always asleep when they go into their cots become dependent on their parents to fall asleep. They would not develop the skills involved in self-settling when they go through lighter phases of sleep and wakefulness.

[Also Read: 2 Month Old Baby Sleep Basics]

Behaviour

At 8 weeks, most of your baby’s movements would still be a little random and flinging. Babies do not yet possess enough control to hold a rattler or a toy, but that milestone is on the horizon. Babies will also start losing their grasp reflex to soon be replaced by a conscious grab and hold. It’s a good idea to frequently talk to your baby even though he can’t understand what you’re saying. You’ll see that he will soon begin to react with smiles and “coos” to what you say. Research shows that baby babble follows the rhythm of speech they hear from their surroundings, and especially from you.

If you have older children, allow them to interact with the baby. Gentle play and loving, positive stimulation will help build the baby’s social skills. You’ll also see that your baby can recognize different faces; he may even stare longer at people who wear glasses.

Crying

It shouldn’t be surprising if you find that your baby is still unsettled and has fits of crying now and then. Crying for long periods of time can be hard on babies, as it might tire them out and get them cranky to the point where they are hard to soothe. Crying can peak around mid-morning or the late afternoons, so anticipate a fit, and ensure the baby is well fed and comfortable as a precaution. Sometimes, parents might see that the baby is unsettled for a few days straight, and can get anxious about the underlying cause. If you suspect that it might be colic, a condition that affects many infants, contact your paediatrician about how to deal with it.

Products That Your 8-Week-Old Baby Needs

Taking care of an 8-week-old baby involves ensuring they have the right products to support their growth and development. Here are some essential items your baby will need during this stage.

• Travel Crib: A travel crib is essential if you plan to travel with your baby. These convenient products fold up, including the mattress, making them easy to bring along whether you’re visiting family or staying in a rental. While hotels often claim to provide cribs, availability isn’t guaranteed, and the provided cribs may be old or heavily used. Having your own travel crib ensures your baby has a comfortable and familiar sleeping environment, giving you peace of mind.
• Baby Swing: Your little one likely wants to be held constantly, but they are now at an age where they can easily become bored. At some point, you’ll need your hands free, so having a safe and engaging place for your baby is crucial. This is where a baby swing comes in. These soothing, rocking seats have various features and can help alleviate fussiness during the witching hour. Ensure you follow all safety instructions, and remember not to let your baby sleep in the swing or spend excessive time in it—they still need ample opportunities to move and stretch their limbs.

8-Week-Old Baby Care Tips

• Babies at this stage still spit up during or after feeding, as they ingest air along with the milk. Ensure that you have lots of receiving blankets on hand to shield yourself!
• Offer your baby a range of objects to look at and feel. It lays down the foundations of his visual and tactile perceptions.
• Supervised floor time every day when your baby is awake will help him strengthen his neck, shoulder and chest muscles.
• Since babies often kick during their sleep, you’d find that the bed covers are usually kicked off. A baby sleeping bag can work well in such cases.
• If you wish to bottle feed your baby henceforth, now is a good time to switch and slowly introduce the feeding bottle teat. Also, have another family member or a caretaker feed the baby often with the bottle.

[Also Read: 2 Months Old Baby Care]

Tests and Vaccinations

Your baby needs a general check-up at 6 to 8 weeks to check for growth rate, weight gain, and infections. At 8 weeks, your baby will also get the first immunizations appointment to administer vaccinations against harmful germs. It can be daunting during the first time, so take along your partner, a family member, or a friend.

Babies are given their first dose of immunisation of a 5-in-1 vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, and Hib virus. They will also get a shot of the first pneumococcal vaccine, which protects against the bacteria that cause meningitis and septicaemia. An oral rotavirus vaccination is also given as drops, to protect against the rotavirus infection that causes diarrhoea and sickness.

Games and Activities

Here are a few simple games and activities for an 8-week-old:

1. The Swatting Game

Starting from two months, your baby will start swinging at objects within his reach, especially those that are bright and attractive. This can be used to develop his hand-eye coordination, and build strength in his arms. You’ll need a screw in ceiling hook, some string, simple toys that are soft and light, rattlers, and a coat hanger.

Put the hook in the ceiling over your bed or your baby’s cot, and using a strong string, dangle the coat hanger from the ceiling. You can hang a bunch of light and shiny toys on the coat hanger such that they are just within the baby’s reach to swat, but not low enough to grab.

2. Go Fish

There’s nothing like a bright, colourful object to capture your baby’s attention. Taking him to an aquarium to see the fish is a good exercise that builds his vision and a sense of object permanence. All you need is an aquarium in your house or at a friend’s place that has plenty of colourful fish. You can also visit a pet store to see a lot more fish!

[Also Read: 2 Months Old Baby Games and Activities]

When to Consult a Doctor?

Consult your paediatrician if:

• You notice that the baby feeds only a little, is having dry nappies, and is in pain. It could be dehydration and constipation. He should be taken to the doctor immediately.
• The baby’s fontanelles (the soft spots on the head) haven’t fused yet, and continue to remain soft for a while. They may bulge slightly when the baby is crying, or appear sunken when dehydrated. Consult your doctor if it persists for a long time.

FAQs

1. Is it normal for my 8-week-old baby to have a flat spot on their head?

It’s not uncommon for 8-week-old infants to develop flat spots on their heads, known as positional plagiocephaly, due to spending a lot of time lying on their backs. To help prevent or reduce flat spots, ensure your baby has plenty of supervised tummy time while awake, and try varying their head position during sleep. If you have concerns, consult your pediatrician for further advice.

2. When will my 8-week-old baby start smiling socially?

By 8 weeks old, many babies begin to show their first social smiles, responding to faces and voices with a smile. This milestone is a sign of developing social skills and cognitive abilities. If your baby hasn’t started smiling socially yet, don’t worry—every baby develops at their own pace, and some may take a little longer to reach this stage.

Congratulations – you’ve made it through your baby’s fussy phase! There are more exciting times on the horizon!

References/Resources:

1. Weight-for-age GIRLS; WHO; https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/child-growth/child-growth-standards/indicators/weight-for-age/wfa-girls-0-13-zscores.pdf

2. Weight-for-age BOYS; WHO; https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/child-growth/child-growth-standards/indicators/weight-for-age/wfa-boys-0-13-zscores.pdf

3. Your Baby’s Growth: 2 Months; Nemours Kids Health; https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/growth-2mos.html

4. How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat?; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/How-Often-and-How-Much-Should-Your-Baby-Eat.aspx

5. Yates. J; PERSPECTIVE: The Long-Term Effects of Light Exposure on Establishment of Newborn Circadian Rhythm (Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine); National Library of Medicine; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6175794/; October 2018

6. How to reduce pain during vaccination; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/11163/ID-Snapshot-How-to-reduce-pain-during-vaccination

7. When your baby or infant has a fever; Mount Sinai; https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/selfcare-instructions/when-your-baby-or-infant-has-a-fever

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