1. How much should an 8-month-old boy weigh?
The first few years of a child's life are when they grow the most. After that, the process of weight and height development will gradually slow down due to increased activity levels. Parents often pay attention to their child's weight and height. Many parents with young children at the crawling age often wonder what the standard weight for an 8-month-old boy is. The standard varies depending on the child's age and gender.
Generally, the standard weight for an 8-month-old boy is higher than that of a girl. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the normal weight for an 8-month-old boy is 8.6 kg. An 8-month-old boy weighing less than 7.7 kg is considered at risk of malnutrition, and below 7.0 kg is classified as malnourished. For example, an 8-month-old boy weighing 8 kg or 8.5 kg is within the normal range. If an 8-month-old boy weighs 7.5 kg, he is at risk of malnutrition. Conversely, an 8-month-old boy weighing over 9.6 kg is at risk of obesity, and over 10.5 kg is considered obese. The normal height for an 8-month-old boy is 68.3 cm, with a lower limit of 66.5 cm and an upper limit of 70.6 cm.
2. How to care for an 8-month-old baby
The nutritional status and health of a child will affect their weight and height development. Parents need to know what an 8-month-old baby can eat and how to care for them according to their age to enhance nutrition and healthy development.
2.1. Nutrition for the physical development of an 8-month-old baby
Nutrition is very important and always a priority for a baby's development. An 8-month-old baby who can crawl and is more active will consume more energy than before. Therefore, parents need to pay attention to the following care regimen for an 8-month-old baby:
- Continue breastfeeding the baby daily, alternating with 2-3 solid meals. Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for the comprehensive development of children under 24 months old, as it contains colostrum, which helps increase resistance and promotes healthy growth.
- An 8-month-old baby needs about 500ml of milk per day and 200ml per meal, with 2 to 3 solid meals a day consisting of porridge or cereal.
- Each meal should include the following four food groups: 50-60g of carbohydrates such as porridge, cereal, or green beans; protein found in 50-60g of lean pork, beef, eggs, fish, shrimp, or crab (if cooking porridge with bone broth, feed the baby the meat as well, as it contains a lot of protein); vegetables, fruits, and greens such as pumpkin, carrots, spinach, amaranth, apples, papayas, bananas, oranges, kiwis, etc., to provide fiber and essential vitamins and minerals; 10-15g of children's cooking oil (sesame oil, olive oil) or animal fat.
- Gradually increase the thickness of the food for the 8-month-old baby.
- Give the baby yogurt, fruit, cheese, and milk cream as snacks to supplement vitamins and minerals and provide beneficial bacteria for the baby's digestive system.
- Frequently change and diversify dishes, making them colorful and visually appealing to attract the baby's attention. This helps the baby get used to different foods and flavors, stimulating their appetite.
- Parents should cook each meal to ensure nutritional quality and limit reheating food, as it reduces the quality of the dish.
- Plan scientific and reasonable meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as snacks, to help the baby get used to meal times.
- Do not prolong meal times too long.
- Create a comfortable and happy atmosphere and praise and encourage the baby to eat.
- Do not force or threaten the baby to eat, as this can create stress and reluctance during meals, potentially leading to poor eating habits.
- Do not season food too salty and avoid buying pre-cooked food for the baby.
2.2. Oral care for an 8-month-old baby
Check and care for the baby's oral health daily.
Chewing and swallowing food will help the baby secrete digestive juices in the mouth to better taste the food. Support the formation and development of chewing-swallowing reflexes for an 8-month-old baby by gradually increasing the thickness of the food. At 6 months old, the baby eats thin food, then gradually thicker or thicker porridge, and then pureed porridge at 7-8 months old. By 12 months old, the baby can eat whole grain porridge, soft rice, or various noodles cut into short pieces and cooked soft.
Avoid giving the baby pureed food for an extended period.
Train the baby to grasp food by preparing food in the shape of sticks or long bars.
After each meal, parents can give the baby a little water to help clean the mouth.
Train the 8-month-old baby to drink water from a cup and limit drinking water from a straw or bottle to avoid affecting the development of the dental arch.
2.3. Developing intelligence for an 8-month-old baby
You can give the baby toys that develop intelligence, such as arranging small toys or stacking plastic blocks in a box.
Introduce the baby to the concept of giving and receiving so that they understand when parents ask for something, they can respond.
Play hide-and-seek games with the baby.
Allow the baby to freely explore in a safe environment, including rolling and crawling on the floor. Create conditions for the baby to focus on playing longer by alternating toys and allowing them to climb under close supervision.
2.4. Developing motor skills for an 8-month-old baby
Encourage the baby to play with both hands and maintain balance while sitting.
Place toys in the bathtub so the baby can sit and play while bathing.
Ensure a safe space for the baby to comfortably crawl and explore the surroundings. Cover electrical outlets, keep cords and tablecloths out of the baby's reach, and install stair gates.
2.5. Developing emotions for an 8-month-old baby
An 8-month-old baby will feel safe and comfortable when they eat, play, and sleep on schedule. The schedule for each activity should be consistent throughout the week. Therefore, parents should:
Introduce family members, familiar objects, toys, and natural phenomena such as rain, sunshine, and wind to the baby.
Wave goodbye to the baby when leaving the house.
Play alternating games with the baby, such as rolling a ball back and forth or stacking blocks, to help them get used to social interactions.
2.6. Hearing development for an 8-month-old baby
Music is very good for the development of hearing. Depending on the baby's developmental stage, it is best for parents to let the baby listen to gentle music to fully appreciate the sound. Avoid loud music as it is not good for stimulating the baby's hearing.
Additionally, parents should pay attention to giving the baby musical toys and instruments with different colors to help the baby remember the musical notes.
2.7. Developing touch for an 8-month-old baby
To help children develop their sense of touch, parents should pay attention to the following:
- Let the baby hold the mother's finger.
- Give the baby paper to crumple and tear as they like.
- Let the baby play games that require a lot of grasping, such as closing lids on boxes, putting small boxes into larger ones, or playing with balls.
- Put a bracelet or tie a ribbon around the baby's wrist.
- Hang dangling toys within the baby's reach so they can push, pull, and grab the objects in front of them.
2.9. Developing language and communication skills for an 8-month-old baby
Parents should spend time each day talking a lot with the baby to develop their language skills flexibly. The conversation should use simple, short, and easy-to-understand words.
Spend some time each day reading books with the baby. Whenever going out, parents can bring a book to read whenever the baby feels bored and has nothing to entertain them. Parents can read books with pictures of animals, point to each animal, say its name, and imitate its sound to help the baby remember. Additionally, parents can give the baby toys that develop language skills, such as voice recording toys and pronunciation toys, so the baby can learn while playing.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the normal weight for an 8-month-old boy is 8.6 kg. Parents can refer to this to assess their child's condition and take appropriate care measures to help the child develop comprehensively in terms of physical, emotional, and language skills.
Additionally, an 8-month-old child needs 5mg of elemental zinc per day to eat well and achieve the standard and above-standard height and weight. Zinc plays a role in almost all biological processes in the body, especially in the synthesis and breakdown of nucleic acids and proteins. A deficiency in zinc can lead to various health issues such as neurological disorders and irritability. Therefore, parents need to understand the role of zinc and how to supplement it appropriately for their child.
Besides zinc, parents should also supplement their child with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, and B vitamins to help the child eat well, have a good immune system, and increase resistance to common illnesses.
To arrange an appointment, please call HOTLINE or make your reservation directly HERE. You may also download the MyVinmec app to schedule appointments faster and manage your reservations more conveniently.
