Life With An 8-10 Month Old Baby - The Highs And Lows

This age is a really exciting one for you and your baby. There are so many changes and so many new discoveries for you both. It might be the time you really start to have ‘fun’ with your baby as their personality develops more and they are more able to interact with your and the world around them. You are probably a bit more relaxed now as you are more used to looking after them and they seem a bit more robust now.

When your baby is playing you will see how much their co-ordination and motor skills are improving; there are a whole new load of toys labelled 9+ months for a good reason! They learn all about cause and effect with push buttons or rolling toys and repetition is the order of the day.

In their own way your baby will be getting more mobile. They might be a pro roller who can get anywhere with a roll and a spin, or can shuffle on their bottom to get what they want, or they might be a proficient crawler or commando crawler. You might even have a walker! If they aren’t there just yet they are probably trying to figure it out. Either way it’s a huge step forward in development and you will have seen all the little steps it took to get here from pushing up. rocking, backwards moves to finally nailing the co-ordination.

They are probably starting to get a little more independent with all this exploring and maybe they are eating more so less milk feeds needed and little less dependence on you?

It’s just all very new! And new means lots and lots of brain development, so much more awareness of the world around them and so many new experiences to process.

Remember last time your baby took a big developmental leap – around 4 months? You might be noticing a few similarities. All these new developments and experiences often need lots more reassurance and can be disruptive to sleep. Who wants to sleep when they can practice something new? Or perhaps their brain is just so busy it is hard to sleep for long spells – we know that feeling too; when you have lots on your mind you tend to have a wakeful night.

Around this time separation anxiety also starts to kick in. Your baby will have been realising that you and they are not one single entity, you are in fact a different person and one who can walk off. The might be mastering the new skills and gaining some independence but they still really, really need you and if you aren’t right there they haven’t quite worked out where you are.

Object permanence is when you understand the existence of things you can’t see. Your baby needs to learn that you still exist if they can’t see you and that you will come back. Trips to the bathroom or to grab a drink can become a real issue and if your baby is on the move they will probably be following you. Peekaboo games are brilliant for this; you hide, they hide, hide a toy under a blanket. All sorts of variations to help show things are still there. This takes time to learn fully, if you have ever played hide and seek with a toddler you will know they ‘hide’ somewhere in clear view but close their eyes. Because then you won’t see them!

There will be a range of other things going on as well, like teething or illnesses which can also all impact how your baby is sleeping or how they are behaving. I see it all the time in baby classes, usually they love it, they know me and the others in class but suddenly they won’t leave mum’s lap. Give it a few weeks and they are happy exploring again. If there is a week where they seem to need a few more cuddles we know they might be a bit under the weather or just figuring out some new stuff. They will be back to their usual selves soon enough.

It is also a time lots of parents are preparing to go back to work or sharing the leave. You might doing a few KIT days or starting some childcare settling sessions. It all just seems to come at the wrong time! It is another big adjustment and if you are already feeling anxious about work and leaving your baby it can be really hard for you both. It can take time to settle somewhere new and especially if separation anxiety is in full flow, but take it at your baby’s pace and they will soon be loving their new days.

The tricky thing is that things might have been going really smoothly for you. You’ve found a rhythm to your days, you know what your little one likes and doesn’t and suddenly it’s all change again. Just like the early weeks! It might even feel like taking backward steps, a baby who wants to be closer, wakes more…….

It is just another stage a of development, a transition for your baby that they need you to support them through. You’ve done it lots of times already and there will be plenty more to come!  

Beth x