Developmental changes in babies 6-8 months old
Today's post is all about common developmental milestones/changes that take place in babies between 6 - 8 months old. It’s not uncommon for these changes to throw a wrench in your baby’s sleep and cause sleep disturbances. But don’t worry, these disturbances are temporary, lasting anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks at most. We’ll discuss what they are and how to navigate through them when they occur.
So what to expect?
1. Separation anxiety (Social):
This is a big one! Your baby is now understanding the concept of object permanence, he gets that when you leave the room you didn’t just disappear and he is aware that he can be separated from you. What a scary thought! He's also beginning to recognize familiar faces and places and the unfamiliar ones can cause some anxiety for your little one, as your face is the ONLY face he’ll want to see while he is experiencing separation anxiety. So how does this affect sleep? When you put your baby to sleep in his crib he may cry initially because he knows he can be without you, hence the term ‘separation anxiety’.
Start encouraging your baby to play independently, whether on the floor or near you as you go about your business in the house. Check in on them every so often, play and interact with them to reassure them that you’re there. This is a great way to get them used to the idea of you coming and going. You don’t have to throw in the towel because your baby’s sleep has been temporarily disrupted so do what you can to keep your routine and your baby’s sleep intact. Give your child a lovie or a security blanket and offer lots of extra support and comfort to help him cope through this stage.
2. Communication (Language/Speech).
Your baby is starting to show a lot of emotion and expression. This is such an exciting and also crucial time in your baby’s life as they start venturing through the world of communication.
Start talking to your child and model facial expressions so he can become familiar with them and mimic them back to you. Your baby is beginning to show you what he likes and dislikes, and will communicate this through body language, with verbal sounds and facial expressions. A great way to let your baby know that you hear and understand him is to describe the sounds he’s making out loud and put his feelings into words. Do this even if you think he doesn’t understand what you are saying because It’s enough to start by communicating his own feelings back to him to show that you understand him. It’s a great time to talk your little one through big transitions like sleep training or if you are leaving him with a sitter for the first time, or starting daycare, etc…Show him that you are there for him and will support him through the process.
3. Rolling (Gross motor):
Babies at this age are developing lots of new mobility such as sitting and rolling. They are starting to roll both ways naturally, if they haven’t done so already, and this can cause a big sleep disturbance as they experiment with their new tricks in the crib. It’s cute at first, but not so cute when you find yourself in your baby’s room flipping them back over and repositioning them an entire night.
Start encouraging lots of tummy time during the day by teaching them to roll both ways. Letting them get all of that practice will help them become superstars at this newfound activity.
4. Sitting up (Gross motor):
Babies start to sit up at this age and while it’s another exciting activity, it can also cause a lot of frustration when they get stuck in this position-especially in the crib!
Start teaching them how to get from a seated position to laying down with lots of practice during the day. You can maneuver their arms and legs to show them how to do it and you can even showcase how to do this to them so they can try and mimic your movement.
5. Pincer grasp (fine motor):
Babies develop the pincer grasp somewhere between 6-8 month (usually closer to 8 months). They now have the ability to pick up small pieces and objects with their index finger and their thumb and move them around, placing them where they want them to go. This will be especially helpful for babies who take a pacifier, because when it falls out during their sleep they can find their pacifier and put it back in their mouth.
Start practicing with your baby by helping her pick up the pacifier and directing it toward her mouth. Repeat this until she is more comfortable doing it herself. A great little activity is to sit with your baby on the floor, placing a few pacifiers around and encouraging her to pick them up and put them down.
6. Growth spurts (General):
Babies have growth spurts at around 6 and 8 months. Every baby is different and there’s a range for this but typically 2 growth spurts occur in this timeframe. Some babies will be ravenous during a growth spurt, demanding more food. If your baby turns into a hungry bear, go ahead and offer an extra feeding or two, but try and do this during the day, unless you have a young infant who requires an extra feeding at night during this time. Some babies are extra sleepy during a growth spurt and may need a bit more sleep and this is okay and often necessary. Let them clock in some more zzz’s to help them sail through this growth spurt with a bit more ease. A little extra sleep won’t hurt!
Start paying extra attention to your baby’s sleep and hunger cues during this time, and know that you can tweak her schedule accordingly, yet still keep her routine and sleep intact.
