Medically Reviewed by: Dr Amanda Gummer PhD
Your 8-week-old baby is growing rapidly and you may notice a difference in their sleeping and eating habits. If they've not flashed you their gummy smile yet, you can expect it this week as most babies usually smile around the two-month mark. Say cheese!
To find out exactly what 8-week-old baby milestones you can expect, we spoke to research psychologist and child development expert Dr Amanda Gummer as well as Susan Hogan, midwife and co-founder of The Baby Academy.
Development milestones for 8-week-old baby
Physical By two months old, your baby will have grown about two inches and their brain is on the way to that milestone too. All the growing and maturing will be showing on their body, which means fat pads may be forming in their cheeks as their muscles get used to feeding. Changes in your baby’s hair are also a real possibility, whether they were born with some and it’s falling out or born without and it’s growing.
"As your baby approaches the two month mark, you'll notice they become more alert and responsive to their environment." Dr Amanda says. Notice how your baby discovers their arms and legs and figures out how everything works way before baby milestones such as baby rolling over or sitting up, which means lots of reaching and kicking. You may even spot them bringing their hand to their mouth or even suck their hand as a way to self-soothe.
Muscle control "Your 2-month-old baby may start to hold their head up for short periods of time when on their tummy or being held upright," says Susan. Make sure you still support baby's head as much as possible through, until they can support themselves for longer stretches.
The more tummy time you offer, the better muscle control your baby will have. Using a baby wrap or baby carrier can also help strengthen neck, back and core muscles for your little one.
Growth Your baby will likely have gained between two to three pounds weight since birth but growth follows individual patterns and can vary and no two babies are the same. "On average, babies at this age weigh between 4.5kg-6kg however this will always be led by their initial birth weight," reminds Susan.
Sensory and cognitive development for 8-week-old baby
Language While your baby won't exactly start talking yet, "at 8 months old, baby will begin to start humming, cooing and gurgling," says Susan. "Now they are beginning to communicate with these noises, they tend to cry less often." It's important to respond to their noises and facial expressions as this encourages their social interaction and language development. Dr Amanda offers suggestions saying "engaging your baby in sensory experiences like playing with texture toys or listening to soft music can help stimulate their senses."
Smiling If your baby has started smiling, they will likely be showing off their gums to everyone, whether it’s you, their siblings or strangers in the street. "Babies may start to recognise familiar faces," says Dr Amanda, "they might also show preferences for certain toys or activities."
Hearing Your baby's hearing should also be improving, and they will soon be able to distinguish between different voices. They may even turn their head to try to look at you when they hear your voice. and will start to recognise familiar voices. Being around lots of people will help your baby’s social skills, especially if they have family members who can play gently with them. However, don’t overstimulate them and ensure they get some peace and quiet too.
Vision Their eye movements are becoming stronger and more focused so they'll be able to track an object if you move it from left to right slowly. Since they’re also more alert for longer, they’ll be fixated on different colours and patterns.
Sleep patterns and routine for 8-week-old baby
While every baby's sleep needs are slightly different, most babies are still likely to be waking up in the middle of the night, but starting to sleep in solid blocks of five to six hours at night. At 2 months, you can't expect their sleep schedule to be predictable or consistent, but their daytime naps should be less frequent around 4-6 a day and last between 1-2 hours.
"Your 2-month-old baby may sleep for about 14-16 hours in total per day, with some naps lasting longer than others," says Susan. This is notably less than the 18 hours they slept in those first precious few weeks.
Below is a sample sleep schedule for an 8-week-old baby that assumes your baby naps for one hour during the day.
Remember to not over stimulate your baby before bed and save those baby toys for daytime play. If they are struggling to sleep at night, they may be spending too much time awake during the day, leading to longer daytime naps.
Feeding and nutrition for your 8-week-old baby
"Your 8-week-old baby will likely feed 8-10 times a day," Susan explains. "They will feed well at these feeds if being breastfeed. And if formula feeding they will feed approximately 4-6 oz per feed.
As your baby is now at the 2 month mark, they will likely have gained between 2-3 pounds, which means all that feeding has been paying off. They will continue to have growth spurts and need more food, but they’re still in control of how much they should and shouldn’t eat so it’s important to continue to follow their lead. A good guideline is 150-200ml per kilo of their weight.
If you’ve started using a breast pump to express your milk, you can keep a better track of how much your baby is eating. However, if you’re mainly breastfeeding, follow your baby’s lead.
As they're growing and feeding more, nature would dictate that they are therefore pooing more too. Remember that between one and ten poos per day is still normal. If they’re going less than three times a week, and are clearly in pain while filling their nappy, this could be a sign of constipation and should be taken to a doctor.
Health and safety tips for an 8-week-old
Colic: A condition that affects up to half of young infants, colic in babies is a pattern of crying that is defined as as repeated episodes of excessive and inconsolable crying. Colic is not harmful to your baby although it can be distressing to deal with. There are some things you can do to help your baby cope with colic, such as making sure you burp them after feeding, baby tummy time, or using a specifically designed colic bottle if you bottle feed.
Nappy rash: A common problem for babies that most will experience at one point or another, nappy rash is caused when your baby’s skin becomes irritated due to prolonged contact with poo and wee. Thankfully, it can easily be helped with a nappy rash cream which you can pick up online or pharmacies.
Ear infections: Ear infections occur when bacteria or a virus gets inside the middle ear, which then becomes inflamed and painful. As your baby can't tell you their ear hurts, look for symptoms such as a raised temperature, refusing feeds or tugging at their ear.
It's important to monitor your baby's health and seek medical attention if you have any concerns.
Practical parenting tips - looking after yourself
Postnatal depression If you're feeling overwhelmed by guilt or feelings of failure or like everything could go wrong and it’s all your fault, then you may be experiencing postnatal depression. It’s very normal, with one in ten women suffering. It’s important to understand the signs and have a chat to your GP if you recognise any of the symptoms mentioned.
Helpful reminders
It’s finally time for the 8 week vaccinations! In this first appointment, your baby will receive their first dose of the 6-in-1 injection against diphtheria, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b, polio, tetanus and whooping cough. Your baby will need a booster of this vaccine at 12 weeks old and 16 weeks.
They’ll also get their Rotavirus vaccine (which is a common cause of diarrhoea and sickness) and Meningococcal Group B (MenB) which protects against things like meningitis and sepsis.
They will receive all these vaccinations by injection apart from rotavirus which they will have orally (a few drops of liquid in their mouth). The injections are given in their upper thigh, one injection for each leg. Despite sounding traumatic, it will only take a few seconds.
If your baby has a cough or cold, the immunisations can still go ahead, however if they have a fever, diarrhoea or are very unwell the vaccinations may be postponed.
Your baby may get a fever from the meningitis B vaccine. The nurse giving the immunisations may advise you to give them infant paracetamol afterwards.
Conclusion
Your 8-week-old baby will now be able to focus more and more on objects and your face. Now you can playfully encourage their visual development and social engagement by interacting more and more with them. They are still too young to establish a solid sleep pattern or routine but you can still help them by introducing a simple bedtime routine into their daily life. You may be anxious about their upcoming jabs, but these will be over in a few seconds and they'll soon forget why they were crying.
FAQs 8-week-old baby
What should my 8 week old be doing during tummy time?
Your young baby will round their back slightly, and lift to raise their head. Lay near them or try and place a bright toy or book near them to help encourage them to lift their head. Let them do this for a few minutes a day.
What to teach a 2 month old baby?
Interact and engage with them as much as possible. Talk, sing, read and speak to them excitedly especially as a reaction to them cooing or gurgling. Spend time cuddling and holding your baby too.
When should a baby roll over?
This is another milestone they will reach but not yet! Babies typically start rolling over between 4 and 7 months of age, but some may roll a little earlier.
What should I do with my 8 week old baby?
As your baby starts touching and reaching, play with their hands, gently massage them or stretch their arms and legs over them. Pick a toy and let them track it as you move it slowly, play peek a boo, you can also shake a rattle for your baby to hear and find.
About the expert
Susan Hogan is a midwife and co-founder of The Baby Academy. Her main mission in all of the work she does is to support new families and help them to feel confident and in control during their pregnancy, their birth and as they grow as a family unit.
Dr Amanda Gummer is the MD and Founder of FUNdamentally Children and Dr Gummer's Good Play Guide. She is a research psychologist and parenting expert and author who promotes the value of play and positive parenting in child development.
About the author
Emily Gilbert is the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby and has written for the website and previously the magazine for seven years. Emily writes about everything from the top baby products to pregnancy, fertility and maternal mental health. Specialising in product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases in the parenting industry.