Infant Development: 2-month-Old Baby Care and Tips

Congratulations, you have successfully achieved 2 months of parenting. Your itsy-bitsy sleepyhead of a newborn has grown up a lot within just 2 months. Even though it will take a few more weeks for your little one to sleep through the night, at least by now she has started to sleep for longer stretches at night.

Your baby will also be more alert and social by now. Your baby’s improved memory and ability to focus are going to make you find new ways to keep your little one entertained.  

What can you expect in the 2nd month?

• Your baby’s neck muscles are strengthening, owing to all the supervised tummy time. 
• Your baby can now keep its head lifted for a longer time, as compared to the first month while lying on its tummy.
• Get ready for all the soccer practices that your little one will be doing this month. 
• Your baby’s movements are no longer jerky and there is more strength in all its limbs. 
• Your baby will try to kick the air with its legs.

What are some of the milestones of your 2-month old?

• Your baby can now, albeit for a few seconds, hold onto objects that you may place on its hands. Even though its coordination skills have a long way to go, your baby will try to grab and tug objects that you bring close to her.
• Your little one can recognize you and the other caregivers. That smile, which your baby seems to reserve for you, is no longer due to gas but because your baby loves to see your face and it is her actual “social smile”.
• Your baby’s hearing is fully developed. Your baby will also try to chat with you by cooing and grunting.
• Your baby has become a self soother and has started to suck its thumb for comfort.

Your baby’s developments in the second month

• Crying- 

In the second month, babies tend to have their first real growth spurt. During the spurt, your baby will be fussier and will be crying more, especially during the evenings. Once the growth spurt is over, your baby will cry lesser.

• Weight & Length- 

All the babies vary in their size and weight. Don’t get stressed about the weight and size as long as your doctor is happy is your baby’s growth. On average, -month old girl babies weigh around 11.3 pounds and that of the baby boys is 12.3 pounds. The average height of 2-month-old girls is approximately 22 inches and that of boys is 23 inches.

• Head- 

The circumference of your baby’s head has increased by about 4 cms. The soft spot on your baby’s head is known as posterior fontanelle and typically it gets closed by 2 months old. However, for some babies, it remains open till the third month.

• Vision- 

Your baby’s ability to focus, eyesight, and attention span will improve this month. Your baby will be able to move its head from side to side and will be able to see horizontal movements. Your baby will keep its eyes on you and will track your every movement when you are around. Your baby will love complex patterns and colorful objects. 

Play with your little one by placing soft toys and hard toys near its hands so that your baby can explore various textures. Your baby will love to spend its time looking at the hanging objects over its crib. This month is a good time to start playing “Mirror, Mirror” as your baby will perceive its reflection as another baby and will also love to see your face in the mirror.

• Auditory senses- 

Your baby’s hearing is fully developed by the second month. Your baby will enjoy doing music sessions with you. Play different types of songs to understand what your baby loves and what song makes your baby calm. The baby finds your voice soothing now.

Chat up with your little one whenever she is alert. You will notice your baby cooing and gurgling to take part in the conversation. You will find that your baby is very attentive during your conversations. This is the right time to make sure that you know the different types of parenting styles. 

• Teething- 

Two months olds can start teething. If you notice that your baby is crying, drooling, unnecessarily losing sleep, or suddenly having problems during nursing, your baby might be teething. However, ask your doctor about the same to rule out any other underlying causes of such symptoms. Your doctor may also suggest baby safe gum gels for your teething baby.

 

Bowel movements of your 2 months old

Generally, formula-fed babies poop almost once or twice every day. If you have been exclusively breastfeeding your baby then it might not mean that your little one is unhealthy if she goes up to a week without any bowel movement.  After the growth spurt ends, your baby will have lesser wet diapers than the previous weeks.

• In case of constipation, the stools of your little one will be like hard or rigid balls.
• In the case of diarrhea, check diapers for bowel movements that are more runny and watery than usual. 
• Be wary of the diaper rash. Try changing the diapers more frequently and remember that your baby must go at least a few hours without any diaper. Your doctor may also suggest diaper rash creams for faster healing. If the rash is not clearing up or if the area has turned to bright red, she might have a yeast infection and the doctor will prescribe anti-fungal creams.  

Feeding your 2-month-old 

Feeding this month will continue to be on-demand. By now, you have become well versed in your baby’s feeding cues. Look out for those to understand whether your baby needs to be fed. Your baby will automatically stop nursing once she is full. During this month’s growth spurt, your baby will be feeding more than usual.

Sometimes babies also start cluster feeding during this month. Your baby will slowly start to form a feeding pattern from this month.   

• Bottle feeding:  

Your bottle-fed baby will be feeding every three to four hours. In each session, your baby will be having four to five ounces of formula. 

• Breastfeeding: 

If your baby is exclusively breastfeeding, you will be nursing almost every two to three hours. From this month, you will no longer have to wake your sleeping baby up at night for feeding sessions. Your baby will automatically wake when hungry. Ensure that you understand this properly, as it will help when you plan to have a second baby. 

Sleep of 2-Month-Old

• Your baby will start developing a sleeping pattern this month. You will notice that your baby sleeps for longer stretches at night and will be taking fewer naps during the day. A 2-month-old baby typically sleeps around 15 hours each day. Your baby will have a maximum of 4 naps during the day and will have interrupted sleep of around 8 hours at night. Some babies start sleeping for 5 to 6 hours at a stretch. 
• Don’t expect your baby to have consistent sleeping patterns yet. Even though you can’t start sleep training your baby just yet, you can help the little one distinguish day and night from this month onwards. Don’t tiptoe around her while she is taking day-time naps and don’t make the room darker during the day to help your understand that it’s daytime. Before nighttime sleep, you may give the little one a relaxing bath and put her to sleep in the crib while she is awake but sleepy. 
• You can continue giving a pacifier to your baby to help her fall asleep. Don’t overstimulate your 2-month old as it may make her overtired and cranky and then it will be harder to put her to sleep. If you find your baby to be suddenly extra sleepy for a few days, it would be a good idea to visit the doctor to rule out any complications. 

Common ailments

Some ailments that 2- month olds may have- 

• Sneezing: During this month, babies tend to sneeze more than usual. Try using a humidifier in the baby’s room to keep the air fresh and humid. Saline nose drops can be put to use if your baby’s nose is running.
• Thrush: If your baby has white patches on the inside of their cheeks and tongue which is not getting cleared, your baby may have thrush. It’s a very mild yeast infection which is common in babies of this age. Your doctor will provide you with medications to clear up the thrush.
• Baby acne: It will still take a few weeks for your baby’s skin to clear up completely. Infants don’t need any treatment for their baby acne, rashes, or flaky skin. If your baby has dry patches on her skull, comb her hair gently using mild soap and comb during bath time. 

If you are raising kids around animals and you spot some allergies, make sure you are talking to the pediatrician. 

Tips and reminders for the second month

• Your baby will have her 2-month doctor’s checkup. You can discuss all your concerns during this checkup. Your doctor may also provide Vitamin D drops for your baby.
• Your baby will get the second round of vaccinations during this month. The vaccines will be that of pneumococcal, DTaP, poliovirus, Hib, and Rotavirus immunizations. Your baby may also get the second dose of Hepatitis B vaccine.
• Visit your doctor if your baby has a fever of over 100.4 degrees, can’t recognize her mother, lacks horizontal vision, if losing weight or not gaining weight, is projectile vomiting, or is unable to lift her head at all while on tummy.
• Do not forget to schedule the checkup.
• Click lots of photos of your 2-month-old baby.

Takeaway

Enjoy this phase as soon this time will fly away and you will miss your roly-poly cuddly baby who loves to smile at you and loves to hear your voice. Your baby will continue by leaps and bounds in the upcoming months. Each day you will keep learning more and more about your baby’s patterns and personalities.

Frequently Asked Questions on the 2-Month Development of the Babies

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