Physical Development

I was folding laundry while she played, and I turned around for two seconds and she was gone! Sound familiar? Many moms of 8-month-olds share your experience. Your formerly placid infant may have turned into a little tornado, on the go from dawn until dusk. Long naps are a thing of the past as baby resists your attempts to make her slow down. Dressing, diaper changing, meals--and anything else that constrains the growing urge to explore--may result in battles.

The reason for all this activity is simple: because she can. With each passing day, your baby gains new tools for discovering and making sense of her environment. She's got skills to perfect, and a whole world to explore. Imagine suddenly finding yourself, after six months of inactivity, in an exciting and beautiful locale filled with every sort of amusement. Would you sleep?

Social Development

Enamored as your child is of her brave new world, she still hasn't adapted to the fact that it's full of new people. When a stranger comes into the house, she may be frightened or overwhelmed by the unaccustomed hugging, holding, and noise. Eager friends and relatives, for their part, may be hurt when baby bursts into tears at the sight of them. Minimize the stress by introducing newcomers gradually, having them wait until baby reaches out to them before making physical contact. Hold your little one on your lap while you talk to the newcomers (perhaps clueing them in on stranger anxiety), and let her see that there is nothing to fear.

Intellectual Development

Sometimes baby's high energy level finds a peculiar outlet: She'll bang her head rhythmically against the crib or wall. Not surprisingly, most parents find this behavior frightening, believing that baby will hurt herself or that it indicates some sort of disability (it doesn't). In fact, no one knows why some babies are head bangers, any more than we know why some suck their thumbs and others won't go anywhere without their teddies. All three may be ways of releasing tension, and all three are harmless and will be outgrown. Extra cuddling at bedtime seems to eliminate the need for head banging in some babies. If yours persists, don't try to stop her--it will raise the tension level. Just line her crib with a quilted padding and let her bang away.

Note: The information above offers general guidelines, but all babies develop differently, and few hit their milestones precisely when the conventional wisdom says they should. If your child was born prematurely, you may want to use your due date as a baseline for following baby's development.