Baby’s development at just eight weeks old is astonishing.
Your baby’s growth is noticeable, even though the past eight weeks have most likely flown by.
Your baby’s head control has improved immensely, especially during tummy time. The baby’s vision is vastly improved, and you may even begin to see your baby act excited when they see you or another family member enter the room.
Most babies have hit a few developmental milestones by the time they are two months old, and your child’s development has most likely moved ahead in leaps and bounds compared to the tiny newborn you had just eight short weeks ago.
8 week baby milestones
While each 8-week-old baby progresses at different rates in terms of milestones, the Center for Disease Control, also known as the CDC, has used professional medical advice from experts and doctors in coming up with milestones that should be present.
While it may not mean anything if your baby’s development is slightly ahead or behind according to this milestone chart, it’s a great place to start to see if your eight-week-old baby is on track.
1. Infant crying more
While no one wants their little one to cry, you may have noticed that your little one is reacting more and seems much more alert than they did just a couple of short months ago.
Tummy time may elicit screams of protest; hunger has a specific cry, as does fear, loneliness, sleepiness, and agitation.
As far as developmental milestones go, this one is a great way to understand just how far your little one has come in such a short amount of time.
2. Starts to self soothe
Can a baby learn to relax by themselves by eight weeks of age? The answer here is yes.
Just two short months ago, as a newborn, your baby’s ability to calm themselves was nearly nonexistent.
Now you may notice that your baby is fine for more extended periods if they can soothe themselves by making sounds, sucking on their hands, or when being swaddled.
They may even be able to go to sleep without any interference from parents at a routine bedtime.
3. Reacts to loud noise
If your child jumps or makes sounds that seem fearful when you vacuum or when someone drops something heavy, or another older child makes a loud noise, it’s because the babies at this age are starting to notice the world around them.
This is most noticeable when your child makes sounds other than crying, reacts to loud or unfamiliar noises with curiosity, or even cracks a smile at what they have noticed.
4. Adjusts to a regular feeding schedule
At birth, babies don’t care about something so insignificant as a schedule for feeding. They want to eat when they feel hungry, and there is no rhyme or reason as to when hunger might strike.
At two months, babies start to adjust to a routine and probably eat on a fixed schedule. While you may still have to deal with a bout or two of cluster feeding, you can most likely feed your child, put your child down for a night of sleep, and even predict when naps will be.
5. Focuses on bright colors or faces
Children at the age of 8 weeks will often start to focus on your smile, your face, or older kids. They also tend to pay attention to other things, like colorful pictures in books, the television, and other bright items.
You can expect this to continue to develop as they get older.
6. Starting to roll
Some babies at this age will start to roll from side to side. This is a normal developmental milestone and one that many parents get excited about because it’s the beginning of independent mobility.
To be safe, you should stop swaddling when your baby can roll. Giving your child freedom to use their arms so that they can use them for balance and support is important when movement begins.
The two-month checkup
An 8-week-old baby will be due for a well visit or checkup by your family doctor or pediatrician. Depending on the kind of parenting you have decided on regarding vaccinations, a few things will occur during that appointment.
1. Vaccinations
While some parents choose to use a delayed vaccination schedule, it is typical at this appointment for a baby to get a 6-in-1 injection that protects against several diseases.
This vaccine protects against tetanus, polio, haemophilus influenza type B, whooping cough, Hepatitis B, and diphtheria. They will also get a rotavirus vaccine that is administered orally.
The shots are usually given in the legs or buttocks, resulting in little crying. Talk to your pediatrician about what each vaccine does if you are uneasy, and always ask your doctor about any health concerns you’ve noticed in these first few months of life with your infant.
A second dose will need to be given, which is often uncomfortable for a parent to witness. Be sure to ask a support person to be there with you if you feel the need.
2. Length, weight, and head circumference
Your infant will be measured while at this appointment as well. This is done to be sure that there is growth and weight gain.
Use the time to talk to your doctor about any parenting questions, retrieve the information they offer, and ask about things you may be on the fence about, such as sleep training, how to feed better, and sleep concerns.
Advice for supporting the development of your child
No two babies are the same, and just because your friend, coworker, or family member may have a baby doing more or less, it doesn’t mean there is any real reason for concern.
Nurturing your baby and encouraging growth and developmental milestones to occur at their own pace is essential to your child’s happiness and success.
You can take the following steps to make the most of this time with your baby so that your children have a great shot at good health and development.
1. Don’t prop the bottle
It can be very tempting to prop up the bottle when it’s time to feed your baby so you can get something else done around the house.
However, doing this may increase the risk of choking, gas, and recurrent ear infections. Your baby cannot tell you that their ears hurt, so if you have been feeding this way and notice that your baby has started to pull on its ears, cry profusely, or is restless more often, you may need your baby checked for ear infection.
2. Safe sleep guidelines
While we understand what causes SIDS each day, it is still a good idea to remove all risks theorized to contribute to infant death by adhering to safe sleep guidelines, as outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
These include:
- Never putting loose articles or blankets in the crib with your baby.
- Putting your baby to sleep on their back.
- Securing the arms and legs with a sleep sack rather than a swaddle if your baby’s started rolling.
- Giving your baby their own space to sleep in at night.
3. Talk to and interact with your baby
Signs that your baby is paying attention to you are most noticed when you spend time with your baby.
Each night before bedtime, interact with your baby. Look at books, sing songs, cuddle, or play peek-a-boo.
Interacting with your baby will help you notice any health concerns or development issues you think your baby may be having. Early intervention is critical in getting the health issues you’re concerned about addressed and then treated.
Plus, who doesn’t love time with a baby and some sweet baby cuddles?
Milestones at two months of age
At this point, your child should turn their head when they hear you talking, get startled at unfamiliar sounds, sleep several hours per night, and make a sound that is noticeably different from crying.
If you are concerned about your infant’s health or development, or if they show any signs that they may be impaired, ill, or delayed, you should contact your healthcare provider or go to the nearest pediatric medical site in case of emergency.