Your 2-month-old baby will continue to gain weight fast and become more alert. You will see your baby moving more and making more sounds. Here are the specific 2-month-old baby development milestones you can expect during this period.
How Your Baby is Growing
General Development
Your 2-month-old baby development milestones include a growth spurt since babies usually put on a lot of weight and grow bigger during this period. They will look longer and chubbier as they gain about 900 grams and grow 2.5-3.8 centimeters longer. This means that they will be hungrier than during their first month. Be ready to feed your baby more.
Developmental Milestones
It is an exciting time as parents as you will get to see and experience many 2-month-old baby development milestones.
Motor Skills. Babies will develop “grabby” hands as they discover what fingers and hands are for. So they will try to grab anything they can see, either with one or both hands. Once they hold on to something, they will not let go! They will also likely bring any object to their mouth and suck on it.
Their necks will be stronger each day so they will start to lift their heads and move them from side to side. Some babies even manage to lift their whole torso while lying on their tummies.
Babies growing during this period will also start to move more smoothly as they wriggle their bodies and kick legs. Some babies may learn to roll over faster than others so don’t leave your baby alone on the bed or the changing table.
Cognitive. Your baby’s eyes will continue to focus more and will be able to track and recognize familiar objects and faces.
Communication and Language Skills. Your baby will also gurgle and coo more. Some of these sounds will sound like regular vowels like “aaah” and “oooh.” Your baby will also turn to the sources of sounds.
Social and Emotional Development. Your baby will also begin to fuss and act bored, but will learn to briefly calm herself or himself. You will also start seeing your baby smiling at familiar objects and faces.
Feeding & Nutrition
A growth spurt will lead to a more hungry baby. Some babies become fussy because they want to eat more than usual. Some of them will stick out their tongues or suck on nothing when they are hungry. When they are full, they will be able to sleep or turn their heads away from their food.
Your baby will continue to need an all-liquid diet—breast milk, formula, or a combination of both. Expect to feed your baby 4-6 ounces of milk 6-10 times a day. That’s worth about 6 bottles of milk each day.
Despite an increase in milk intake, your baby may poop less because the body’s intestines will develop and lengthen, allowing for longer digestion. Of course, your baby may still poop a lot. That is okay, too.
Baby Care Tips
Baby Care
Since your baby is starting to be aware of the surroundings, encourage this cognitive and social development by providing objects that will stimulate the brain. Attach a mobile with brightly-colored, varying items above the crib. Place soft toys beside your baby’s sleeping space. Create an infant play gym with a mat, hanging items, and colorful toys.
Be careful, though, of overloading your baby’s senses. When you notice your baby starting to fuss, that may mean that you need to take away the toys and let your baby take a nap.
Sleep
Your baby’s sleep patterns will vary. If you are lucky, your baby will be able to sleep for 8-10 hours through the night by the second month. But, even if your baby does not do this, your little one will still sleep a lot throughout the day. Add in some short naps and your baby will be snoozing for a total 14-16 hours within a 24-hour period.
Baby Health & Safety
By the second month, your baby should have vaccines against these diseases:
- Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP)
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
- Inactivated poliovirus (IPV)
- Pneumococcal (PCV)
- Rotavirus (RTV)
- Hepatitis B (HepaB)
Make sure that you bring your baby to the doctor for these life-saving vaccines. Not all of these are immunization shots, so you will not have to endure your baby crying for some of them. Then again, a momentary hurt could mean the development of lifelong antibodies against certain illnesses.
What Can I Do to Help My Baby Grow?
Taking care of a baby can be stressful. But stress can be contagious and you might unknowingly be exposing your baby to a high level of stress. To avoid this, remember these tips:
- The power of touch and physical affection is potent for babies so give a lot to your little one. But remember that your baby may have sensory overload so learn what your baby likes and dislikes. Carrying your baby and walking in different places can also be an effective method of stopping a baby from crying or fussing.
- Put yourself in your baby’s tiny shoes and understand what it might be like to be vulnerable, dependent, and unable to move or communicate what you want and feel.
- Your baby can sense your emotions so be aware of what you might be projecting to your little one. If you continuously feel negative emotions like depression, then it may help you and your child if you seek help.
- Since your baby is starting to distinguish sounds, encourage this development by engaging in one-on-one “conversations.” This can be a good way for your baby to also recognize your voice.
- Even though your baby is only 2 months old, a dark and quiet sleeping space may feel scary. Being with your baby during bedtime may lessen the stress of sleeping at night.
