8-Week-Old Milestones

Your new bundle of joy will undergo rapid growth and learning during the first year of life. In addition to gaining weight and growing taller, your 8-week-old baby will take on new physical, social and sensory skills. Since all little ones develop at different rates, your baby's abilities at 8 weeks may not match those of any previous children.

  1. Physical Skills

    • As you prepare for your baby's 2-month checkup, it is important to take note of the skills she has already mastered. Your little one should be able to lift her head up while lying on her stomach and hold onto a rattle when it is placed in her hand, according to KidsHealth.org. A baby this age can also hold her head up for brief periods of time and follow objects around the room, according to Babycentre.co.uk. Though it may be obvious to parents by this point, baby also recognizes her parents' faces, voices and scents.

    General Development

    • Baby is finally responding to all of those pictures. As your little one reaches 2 months, he may smile, coo and laugh in response to other people, according to HealthyChildren.org. Your baby may also mimic sounds he hears and make other facial expressions besides smiling. During this period of growth, your baby will also develop a preference for sweet smells and soft textures.

    Advanced Development

    • Some babies may be ahead of the typical development curve. An advanced 8-week-old baby may be able to hold her head up for a long period of time and support weight on her legs, according to BabyCentre.co.uk. Your little one may also be able to turn toward sounds, reach for toys or roll over as she enters her 3rd month of life. Baby may also perform miniature pushups by lifting her head and shoulders from the floor.

    Additional Information

    • If you are concerned about your baby's abilities or development, you can talk to his pediatrician about your concerns. Keeping a journal chronicling your child's development can be useful for doctors in such situations. Remember that your baby is undergoing dramatic growth, and that changes to sleeping, eating and other habits and skills during this time may be normal, according to KidsHealth.

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