Week 35 - Your New Baby

At eight months old, babies usually range from 25.25 inches long and 15.25 pounds (10th percentile) to 28.5 inches long and 20.5 pounds (90th percentile).

Once your baby starts pulling up on furniture, it's time to inspect your home for rocking chairs, recliners, and anything else on wheels or that's unstable. If your baby tries to pull up on an item that moves, shifts, or falls over, he can go tumbling (and the item can fall on top of him too). Block his access to these unstable items as much as possible using baby gates or simply move the item to a room that is inaccessible to your roaming baby.

If you are still nursing, there may come a time when your baby just doesn't seem interested anymore. This is common in babies around this age. They are so interested in the world around them that they don't want to take time out to eat anymore - but it is generally just a phase and passes with time. When it's time to nurse, try moving into another room that is quiet and free of toys that could distract your baby. Turn off the TV and any other noises that might pique his curiosity. Also try nursing when he is sleepy - a tired baby might be more apt to stop playing to eat.

Your baby understands more of what you say and may comprehend common words like "ball" and "bottle." Satisfy his thirst for knowledge by reading lots of baby books to him and telling him the name for everything. He is taking in every word!