Month 8 - BimBubble

The 8th month

You and your baby already know each other really well and have got used to living together. And at this stage in particular, your baby only wants to be surrounded by the people they know best: this, dear parents, is the well-known shy phase!

The 8th month in brief

Many babies are shy at this point: this is an important development step. When meeting new people, you should proceed with caution and support your baby with lots of patience.
Most babies at this age find simple hide-and-seek games such as “peekaboo” very funny.
Your baby will become more and more active and may even try to pull themselves up.
With a second spoon at mealtimes, your child can practise while you are feeding them.
As soon as the first teeth appear, dental hygiene should also be started. Special baby toothbrushes and finger toothbrushes are suitable for this.

A lot of patience and consideration is required

So it may well be that your baby suddenly only wants to be with their closest confidants and bursts into tears when they are held by a friend or uncle – even though they felt very comfortable there until recently. And sometimes all it takes is for someone you don’t know to just look at your baby. This is a completely natural process and this rejection must be respected. Your child needs your reassurance and they may warm up to people in time from the safety of your embrace. But don’t force anything: Some children are simply more shy than others. This is not always met with understanding, which is why it is sometimes necessary to explain and show consideration for the baby.

“peekaboo!”

An important developmental step also takes place during this time: object permanence. The somewhat unwieldy term means that your child realises that something is still there, even if it’s not visible – for example, if you’re hiding behind the blankie. Most babies find such simple games of hide and seek very funny! But beware, some are not yet ready and are more frightened than delighted by it. So always pay attention to the baby’s reaction and don’t overwhelm them with stimuli.

And, of course, they are still busy practising seals, crawling and exploring: Your baby is becoming more and more active and wants to be everywhere. Some are particularly cheeky and are already starting to pull themselves up on the sofa or chairs.

There is also a lot of experimenting and “playing” with food. This should not be seen as negative, but as an important way for the baby to engage with food. Sometimes it helps to place an easily wipeable plastic mat under the chair so that it can be tidied up more quickly afterwards. And if your child doesn’t want to be fed but wants to eat by themselves, a second spoon is worth its weight in gold: the baby can practise on their own and you can still feed them in between.

Discovery moment of the month: “mirror”

Mirror, mirror on the play mat … Of course you know who the cutest baby is. But it can be wonderfully entertaining for your baby if you set up a mirror for them or place them in front of a mirror in which they can see themselves clearly. They will not recognise themselves yet, but they may be delighted by their cute counterpart and babble excitedly and try to play.

BimBubble tip

Many babies have now had their first teeth come in or are just about to. It is important that you make dental care part of your routine now: even if their baby teeth are going to fall out anyway, they still need to be cleaned. If this is not done, the not yet visible permanent teeth that are already growing in the jaw can be damaged. In addition, the baby learns at such an early age that brushing teeth is a fixed part of the routine. It is best to use a small, soft toothbrush or special finger toothbrushes: you can put it over your finger to clean their little teeth.