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I believe, immersion is advised when the facility allows for it. It is, of course, easier to immerse a baby. I may be wrong, but various Eastern Catholics probalby baptize by immersion only, as do Orthodox. Most often, Latin Rite Catholics pour the water over the forehead over a portable basin of water, which is put near the altar. Some churches have a permanent structure, baptistry, resembling a fountain, near the entrance to the church. The newly baptized steps into the water which is only deep enough to cover his ankles, and the priest reaches to the pedestal in the senter of the baptistry, scoops water from the basin on top, and pours it over the head of the baptizee, who in this case becomes quite wet. This posture is most often reflected in icons of baptism of Christ, where Jesus is standing partly inthe water and St. John pours the water over his head, scooped up from the river.

Number 8 is associated with the structure of the baptistry. It has to do with the symbolism of the Resurrection happening on the first day of the week, which is also the eighth day of the previous week. For that reason, the baptistry is usually of eight sides. Baptismal garments

Baptistry in Pisa

This is one instance where the Catholics seem to be the least sensitive to the ritual form, and the Baptists -- the most sensitive.

I doubt that inmmersion was practiced exclusively by the Early Church, simply because the Middle East is a dry place. Besides we have this curious turn of the phrase by St. Peter: "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost?" (Acts 10:47). Admittedly, St. Peter may be using the expression rhetorically, but the literal meaning here is "refuse to give water", which suggests water brought in rather than the baptised going down to a pond or stream.