You
By the eighth month, baby is mobile and active and all those lost hours of sleep have been replaced with busy days chasing him around trying to keep him safe and out of trouble. If you have returned to work, fatigue may still be a problem as baby no longer sleeps most of the evening away like he did just a few short months ago.

One important thing to focus on now is intuition. You are the one who is with baby most of the time. You understand how he acts on great days and horrible days. If you have a feeling something is wrong; baby is sick, not acting right or doesn’t seem to be catching on to something he should be catching on to – do not hesitate to speak with his pediatrician.

Your Baby’s Development
A new development may arise this month. Baby may start to test your resilience when you say no. This new attitude is nothing more than curiosity, but it feels like disobedience. Baby’s have a memory of only a few seconds, so when you tell him no he is not going to remember no a few minutes later. Instead of getting angry or upset that baby is not listening to you, repeat no and remove baby from the offending situation or simply distract him.

Your Baby’s Food
With the introduction of finger foods comes a new adventure in feeding – the sippy cup. Finding just the right cup with just the right flow can be struggle, but you will succeed. Baby’s first sippy cup should have two handles, to improve control. There is a slow valve and fast valve included with most sippy cups. If he seems frustrated by the slow valve, try switching it around so liquid flows faster out of the sippy cup nozzle. Once he has mastered the sippy cup you are on the track to weaning from the breast or bottle, but mastering the skill can take several months.

Your Baby’s Health Issues
There is no well visit this month, but your baby’s diet is changing, so take notice of any changes in urination, bowel movements, energy and/or overall health. Breast milk and formula provide all the nutrients a baby needs, but as you move to solid food and, in some cases, whole milk, baby isn’t getting all the nutrients he once was. Try to offer a well-balanced diet and remember it can take up to 20 tries for baby to like certain foods.

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