Week 38: Tiny Explorer, Expanding World
At 38 weeks — about 8 months and 2 weeks — your baby is deep into discovery. They’re not just moving through the world; they’re interacting with it more purposefully. Crawling, cruising, pointing, babbling — everything is an experiment. They’re learning how objects behave, how people respond, and how their own actions make things happen.
With each new milestone, your baby’s independence grows — but so does their need for reassurance. They’re venturing further, but still checking back with you, their secure base.
Development
Your baby may be:
Crawling faster or in new ways (backwards, sideways, over objects)
Cruising along furniture with growing confidence
Pulling up to stand more often — sometimes on everything, including you!
Pointing or reaching to indicate interest or desire
They’re also:
Beginning to understand object permanence (things exist even when hidden)
Showing early signs of problem-solving — moving around obstacles, trying new angles
Watching your reactions closely and adjusting their behaviour accordingly
This week’s motto? “I wonder what happens if…”
Sleep
Sleep patterns may still feel unpredictable. Your baby’s brain is busy, and that can interrupt both falling asleep and staying asleep.
You might notice:
Resistance to naps or bedtime, especially when they're mid-skill
Night waking and wanting closeness
Shorter naps or changing nap needs (some babies start shifting their schedule around now)
Keep sleep routines consistent and low-pressure. Offer comfort as needed — this is a time for reassurance, not independence.
Feeding
Feeding is a full-body experience:
Your baby might want to feed themselves everything
They may get frustrated if you try to help too much — or if food isn’t ready fast enough
There’s lots of tasting, mashing, throwing, and experimenting
Continue to:
Offer a mix of textures, colours, and flavours
Include your baby in family mealtimes
Offer breastmilk or formula as desired — it’s still the main source of nutrition
Don’t worry if solids intake varies from day to day. Trust your baby’s instincts and appetite.
Play and Interaction
Play this week is exploratory and sensory. Your baby loves:
Cause-and-effect toys (push a button, something pops up)
Banging, dropping, or rolling objects
Textures — soft, crinkly, bumpy, sticky
Repetitive games like peekaboo, “so big,” or “uh oh!”
Support this phase by:
Offering safe items to explore — pots, wooden spoons, boxes
Describing what they’re doing: “You dropped the spoon! It went bang!”
Responding to their sounds and gestures as communication
Shared attention is growing — they look at something, then check to see if you’re looking too. Celebrate that connection!
Top Tip of the Week
“Every moment your baby plays is a moment they’re learning how the world works — and how they work within it.”
Real Life Reflections
It’s tempting to rush through this stage or to focus on teaching your baby more, faster. But your baby is already learning at full capacity. They don’t need flashcards — they need freedom to explore and you beside them.
Even when they’re glued to your leg or frustrated that the toy won’t do what they want, your calm presence says: you are safe to try again.
That’s what secure attachment looks like.
Looking Ahead
Soon you may see:
Standing without support for a few seconds
Using gestures more deliberately (e.g., reaching up, pointing to favourites)
Increased social play — mimicking your actions, offering you toys
Emotional responses becoming stronger and more nuanced
Their world is expanding — and so is their understanding of relationships, communication, and self.
Further Reading:
Infant Sleep Development Explore how developmental milestones, such as crawling and increased mobility around 8–10 months, can impact your baby's sleep patterns, leading to more frequent night waking.
Nighttime Breastmilk Learn about the unique properties of nighttime breastmilk and how it supports both your baby's and your own sleep cycles.
Distraction and Breastfed Babies Understand how developmental changes around 9–10 months can lead to increased distraction during breastfeeding, and discover strategies to maintain effective feeding sessions.
