Eight weeks have whizzed by, and now suddenly, you have an adorable 2 month old baby. Now that you’ve had the pleasure of getting to know your newborn a bit better and have probably started to get the hang of parenthood, you might notice your 2 month old baby’s emerging personality.
What further developments can you expect this month? You can find out in this article, also keeping in mind that every child is unique and so may hit their baby milestones at different times.
Table of Contents
2 Month Old Baby Development and Milestones: Is Your Baby on Track?
2 Months Old: Physical Developmental Milestones
Your 2 month old baby is gaining more control over their body. You’ll notice that they hold their head up a little steadier during tummy time or when you carry your child upright.
At this stage, your child’s median length and weight* should be around this range:
- Boys
– Length: 58.4 cm (23.0 inches)
– Weight: 5.6 kg (12.3lb) - Girls
– Length: 56.1 cm (22.1 inches)
– Weight: 5.3 kg (11.7 lb)
And your child’s head circumference* should be:
- Boys: 39.1 cm (15.4 inches)
- Girls: 38.3 cm (15.1 inches)
Your baby’s leg and arm movements will be smoother, less jerky and slightly more coordinated. Also, watch out for cute baby push-ups during tummy time. Be extra careful during diaper changes, especially if your 2 month old is on an elevated surface, as they are more mobile now.
As your baby continues to have a strong sucking reflex, you might notice them sucking on their fingers or fist to self-soothe. Your baby’s salivary glands might be in overdrive this month, so expect lots of drooling. This doesn’t mean they are teething, as that usually occurs after four months.
You may have noticed that your baby naturally has a grasping reflex. But it’s only now that they are beginning to figure out how to unclasp those little fists and might even attempt to wave their hands.
How to support your 2 month old’s physical development
- Your baby might spend a lot of time in the car seat or carrier. Give them plenty of opportunities to move around in different positions so they can exercise different muscles.
- Give baby toys like soft squeeze balls and teethers to help them practice grasping skills. Though they don’t have the coordination needed to play with toys, they can now bat at colourful objects or hold them briefly in their hands.
- Invest in a good baby gym mat for your bub’s tummy time with lots of different features like a bright and colourful design, dangling toys, toys that make sounds, a baby-safe mirror, a soft textured padded base, lights, and music. Help your baby explore the different features and interact with them by showing them how to play (bat at the dangling toys, shake the rattly toys, feel the textured cloth, etc.).
Consult a doctor if your baby:
- Is unable to hold their head up even briefly when placed on their tummy.
- Is stiff or floppy.
Cognitive Development
As your baby can now see about 60cm from their face, they can distinguish between different colours and be drawn to bright primary colours or clear, bold designs and shapes.
As the month progresses, your baby will get even better at following objects with their eyes and might even start recognising faces from a distance. Make sure your baby’s room is bright and full of pictures and baby-safe mirrors.
Your 2 month old baby can now see brightly coloured objects in front of them.
How to promote your 2 month old’s brain development
- You can introduce your baby to object permanence by playing a fun peek-a-boo game.
- Although your baby might have some difficulty distinguishing between similar tones like red and orange, you can show them toys, books and black and white pictures or high-contrast patterns.
- Play music. As your baby’s listening skills develop, they will enjoy hearing different sounds and types of music. You’ll notice that the baby will kick their legs while listening intently – like a baby dance!
- Let your baby watch fish in a tank. As your baby’s eyesight is quickly developing, this simple game of watching colourful fish swim around in a tank is a good way for your baby to track them with their eyes. The different sizes and colours of fish will also be fascinating to your baby.
- Take your 2 month old baby outside when it’s not hot. They will love the fresh air and all the interesting sounds and sights around.
Consult a doctor if your baby:
- Does not notice their hands or bring them to their mouth.
- Is not responding to loud or sudden noises (door slamming, car alarm, dog barking, etc).
- Does not watch things as they move or track them with their eyes.
Emotional and Social Developmental Milestones
You will notice that your 2 month old baby now starts to pay attention to faces and will even recognise familiar people at a distance. Be prepared to melt your heart when your baby flashes their first smile. No, it’s not just gas this time!
Believe it or not, your tiny bub will start crying or fussing to show that they are bored with a certain activity or if they feel under-stimulated. So if you pick up on these cues, you can tend to the baby’s needs, play with them and show them some love. This will help them reach their baby milestones.
How to nurture your 2 month old’s emotional development
- Hold and comfort your baby when they are upset. Don’t worry about spoiling your baby when you do this – at this age. Babies don’t cry to get attention. They cry because they need you.
- You can encourage the baby to show you that adorable toothless grin by constantly smiling at and talking to them.
Consult a doctor if your baby:
- Is not smiling at people, even those they recognise.
- Does not respond to you.
Speech and Language Development
Although your 2 month old baby mainly communicates by crying, you may start to hear a few gurgles, grunts and sweet coos at this stage. It is important to talk to your baby, even if they can’t talk back. This will encourage your baby to start forming their own first words, and soon, they will become quite the little chatterbox!
Although your 2-month-old is still unable to talk or tell you what they like or dislike, you can learn to pick up on your baby’s cues as parents.
Positive cues include looking at your face, smooth movements of arms and legs, reaching out to you, smiling, and cooing. Negative cues include turning their face away, crying, fussing, coughing, back arches, squirming, frowning, and yawning.
When your baby hears something, especially your voice, they will respond by turning their head towards the source of the sound. At two months, your little one will be able to tell the difference between voices heard more frequently, such as yours and your partner’s, and become a better listener.
Learn to recognise your 2 month old baby’s cues to know whether she’s happy or sleepy.
How to encourage your 2 month old’s speech and language development:
- Hold conversations to teach your baby how to listen and respond – even if the replies are mainly coos, gurgles, nods or grins.
- Speak slowly and clearly, and allow your little one to study your mouth and tongue as you articulate your words.
- Imitate your baby’s words, even if it’s just “Ba ba” or “Na na”.
- Even if you don’t understand babies’ language, pretend that you do and respond to them.
- Babies also communicate by gestures, so you can imitate your bub’s gestures like clapping and waving.
- Copy the baby’s facial expressions and smiles to reinforce communication.
- Talk and sing to your baby. They can also feel comforted by hearing familiar voices. These voices can help to soothe or calm them down when they are fussing. The more you talk and sing to your baby, the more your baby will learn to recognise your voice.
Consult a doctor if your baby:
- Does not watch your face when being spoken to.
- Does not react to sounds.
- Cries for long times every day.
How Much Breastmilk Should a 2 Month Old Baby Eat
Image Source: iStock
It can be hard to know what to expect when you’re a new mom. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you understand how much breastmilk your 2-month-old should be eating.
This is just a general guideline, so don’t worry if your little one doesn’t eat exactly this much! Also, remember that the amount they need will change as they grow older, so be sure to check with your paediatrician if you have any questions about how much breastmilk your baby needs at any age.
How Much Breastmilk Is Enough for a 2 Month Old?
At 2 months old, your baby should eat about 1/3 cup of breast milk or formula per feeding. This is about 3 to 4 ounces of milk.
If your baby is drinking less than this amount at each feeding, you can also talk to the doctor about it. Babies not getting enough breast milk or formula may have trouble gaining weight and become dehydrated. They also may have trouble sleeping and poor digestion.
If your baby is getting more than this amount at each feeding, consider lowering the amount they eat by 1/2 an ounce each time until they’re meeting their nutritional needs without overfeeding them.
By now, your breastmilk would have well and truly come in. It is still all that your baby needs in terms of nutrition. While you’re still feeding on demand, you might notice a nursing pattern emerging already. If you cannot breastfeed for any reason, then formula milk is the only other form of nutrition your baby should get.
If you have a baby boy, he needs around 573.4 calories a day to fuel his growth. A baby girl needs 546.7 calories every day.
Your baby needs 15 to 16 hours of sleep per day. And he will usually wake up for a feeding every three hours. But at this age, your baby probably won’t sleep through the night yet, although some babies do (lucky parents!).
Sleep cues include frowning, making grunting noises, whimpering, yawning, eye-rubbing, jerky limb movements suddenly followed by slow movements, ear-scratching or rubbing, clinginess, and asking to be fed.
How to support your 2 month old baby’s health:
- Be patient and help your baby learn how to fall asleep alone by putting them back inside the crib when you notice they are feeling drowsy rather than when they are already fast asleep.
- Remember to let the baby drain your breasts at each feeding to prevent engorgement, which could lead to issues like blocked ducts or mastitis.
- Eat a balanced diet, mummy. This will pass on to your baby via your breast milk.
- If you struggle with breastfeeding, speak to your doctor or a lactation consultant for advice.
Consult a doctor if your baby:
- Still has trouble feeding or if he refuses to eat.
- Is underweight or experiences rapid weight loss.
Vaccination and Common Illnesses
You should visit your doctor in your baby’s second month for a routine checkup and immunisations. At this age, your baby should get their vaccinations against DTaP (Diptheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis), Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b), polio, pneumococcal, and rotavirus.
Your baby should also get their second hepatitis B vaccine if they haven’t gotten it. You can check your baby’s immunisation schedule by clicking this link.
Your baby’s immune system is still very immature. This, combined with an incomplete vaccination schedule, makes them very vulnerable to common illnesses like the common cold. While a cold is not a big deal in an older child, it could lead to even more severe consequences in a newborn.
This is why you and all others who handle your baby must practice strict hygiene, which must include frequent hand-washing. Wear a mask if you have a cold or cough, and any other family members or friends with colds or who are sick should stay far away from the baby until they are better.
Nobody should ever kiss your newborn on their face, mouth, hands or feet as this could potentially transmit the fatal HPV virus to your little one.
Treating Common Illnesses
If your little one gets a cold or other common illness, you should bring them to the paediatrician immediately. At just 2 months old, your baby is too young for any home remedies.
- Try breastfeeding your baby while they get vaccinated. This will help soothe the discomfort of the jab.
- It is important to note that all babies should be put to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
- You should also remove all soft objects from your baby’s crib, such as pillows, blankets and stuffed animals, as such items might accidentally cover your baby’s face while he’s sleeping.
- Never give your baby any medicine before checking with your doctor.
Consult a doctor if your baby:
- Has trouble breathing
- Is excessively cranky or sleepy
- It gets a temperature of 38ºc (100.4ºF)
- Vomits excessively or has diarrhoea
- Has rashes
- Grabs at the ear (could be a sign of an ear infection)
- Has upper respiratory tract infections like the common cold
Image Source: iStock
Your baby’s previous month: Baby development and milestones: your 1-month-old
Your baby’s next month: Baby development and milestones: your 3-month-old
*Disclaimer: This is the median length and weight, and head circumference according to WHO standards)
Updates from Pheona Ilagan
Sources: WebMD, University of Rochester Medical Center, BBC, Mayo Clinic
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