Your 2 Months Old Baby Growth and Development

All your efforts and hard work as a doting parent will begin to show during your baby’s second month. Your baby isn’t quite capable of providing you with feedback about how he is currently doing, but this month can be a bit more rewarding; therefore, you may expect more smiles and a lot of cooing as your baby becomes animated. You are sure to develop an emotional connection stronger than earlier as you revel in the joys of motherhood this time around.

Video: Your 2-Month-Old Baby’s Growth and Development

Growth of a 2-Month-Old Baby

An important factor of your two-month-old infant’s development is his growth and weight gain during this period. It is likely to gain about 150-200 grams of weight every week during the second month. However, do not get worried if the weight gain fluctuates more one week than the other. It is also important to remember that weight is one of the growth indicators and there are other factors to be considered – your child’s length, head circumference, general health, appetite growth and sleep patterns. These are as important as his weight. It is best to measure your baby’s weight over a few weeks and not every week.

Development of a 2-Month-Old Baby

The growth of a 2-month-old baby can be divided into four weeks to understand it better.

1. Baby Development at 8 Weeks

During this period, your baby will show growing interest towards slightly more complicated designs than the bright colours it preferred earlier. Introduce him to stuffed toys, softballs and animal-shaped cushions by allowing him to touch and interact with them.

The baby is also able to distinguish your voice from other sounds and will follow the noise source, too. Keep talking to your baby; although you may not get a response, he will watch your movements and expressions intently.

2. Baby Development at 9 Weeks

At this stage, your baby will want to put everything he can see, into his mouth, beginning with his fingers and toes. He will also begin to drool as there is more saliva to contend with than he can swallow. However, teething is at least three months away, so drooling is simply because of his eagerness to put things into the mouth. Baby drool is packed with disease-preventing proteins, which gets coated on to the toys and other items he puts in his mouth.

Expect your baby to sleep for longer periods instead of waking up in a couple of hours. Two or four sleep sessions and 10 hours of staying awake should be the norm during this time.

During this week, you will love the efforts the baby takes to move from the back to the side and vice versa. Since the baby’s neck and arm muscles haven’t developed completely, he won’t be able to roll over yet. However, since she can move around a bit, you will have to be careful not to leave her alone on the bed.

3. Baby Development at 10 Weeks

Your baby may not have mastered all the smooth moves yet, but he sure has overcome the awkward, uncoordinated movements during this time. Give him a lot of space to stretch his arms and legs around. Place him on a mat or a blanket to give him the freedom. His strength is growing, and these movements will develop those tiny muscles further. It is around this time that he will turn on his tummy and try to push ahead using his legs.

Watch that beautiful smile light up when someone wants to hold him or makes an attempt to talk to him. As your baby is very receptive during this time, it becomes an ideal time to start introducing him to people, especially those who are going to spend time with him later.

4. Baby Development at 11 Weeks

It is discovery time for your baby as he is downright fascinated by his own hands. He will be gazing at them intently, putting them in his mouth and sucking at them. These activities will become his favourite ones until he comes across other activities. Do not worry if he seems too obsessed with his digits as this will not only allow you a break from the routine but is self-comforting for the baby, too.

At 11 weeks, you will notice your baby is able to hold up his head for a little bit longer than earlier. He will also hold the head a lot steadier and erect when you support him into a sitting position.

A 2-Month-Old Baby’s Health

Your baby is now ready to be immunised when he is two months old, so it’s time to mark that calendar and set mobile reminders to ensure you do not miss the dates. Your little one’s first immunisations are critical; therefore do not overlook them. There are quite a few free immunisation drives that are conducted by the Government and Municipal Corporations which you could take advantage of. Alternatively, your doctor can administer them, too; you may check with him/her also. It is best to create a personal health diary to record and track vaccination dates and future appointments. You may also use your mobile calendar to do this job and set alerts accordingly. It is also important to check your 2-month-old baby’s weight at regular intervals and report any unusual changes to the doctor.

A 2-Month-Old Baby’s Milestones

It is time to reap the fruits of those trying months of pregnancy and sleepless nights after delivery as your baby will reach the following milestones:

• You will be rewarded with your tiny tot’s first smile around this time. It is a genuine smile and not the previous wind-induced ones, so it’s time to rejoice.
• The baby will now grip toys or your hands with a sense of purpose than the involuntary reflex some time ago. Gradually, introduce him to rattles or small soft toys that are safe.
• The discovery of his own hands and feet will be a huge one, and it will keep your baby engaged for long periods. Holding up feet and studying fingers will become a regular pastime.

• At two months, your baby’s vision will allow him to follow you, recognise your face and notice movements around. Hold up fingers or a colourful toy to check if both his eyes work unitedly.

A 2-Month-Old Baby’s Behaviour

When your baby is two months old, he will break all previous records of crying aloud. Most parents feel worried about this excessive crying, but there is no reason to get worked up over it. There could be many or simply no reason behind this behaviour even though you may feel all your child’s needs have been taken care of. It could be that your baby is tired or simply wants to be held close for some reassurance. Since the nervous system is also maturing, your baby may find solace in crying. During this time period, it is best to follow your instincts about the baby’s needs. As a mother, you will know what is right for your baby, whether it is plain simple cuddling to calm him down or to put him in a pram to show the outside world. Your baby will frequently need your reassuring touch and familiar smell to remain calm and quiet.

Activities for 2-Month-Old Babies

Try the following activities when your baby is two months old:

1. Sing Songs: Through this simple activity, your baby will develop listening skills and understand language. Vary your voice pitch and see if he responds to your voice.
2. Dance: For emotional bonding and development of listening skills, put on a peppy number at a decent volume, hold your baby against your chest and dance to it. Ensure the volume isn’t too loud, and the music is soothing.
3. Show Toys: Bring a colourful toy or stuffed animal within your little one’s visual range. Make movements to grab his attention and slowly move it from one side to another. This helps in visual development and tracking.
4. Massage: This activity can turn out to be very relaxing for the baby and also help him feel its mother’s touch. Gently massage your baby’s tiny feet, hands, arms and belly. You may also do the cycling activity by holding your little one’s ankles, lifting his legs gently and moving them in a cycling motion.
5. Read Together: Although your baby may not understand a word of all that you read, holding a book, showing images and introducing him to colours is very important at this stage. Pointing out the words and images helps build your child’s cognitive skills.

Baby Care

It is important to follow the tips given below at this juncture:

• Keep small objects and toys away from the baby as the baby is prone to putting things in his mouth.
• Since the baby’s movements are on the rise, ensure there are no sharp edges or corners in his periphery.
• Keeping the pets away is important as your baby’s immune system hasn’t fully developed, and he is susceptible to allergies.
• Note his reactions to external stimulus like sound, touch or light and take necessary steps if you find any gaps.

Feeding a 2-Month-Old Baby

As your baby steps into his second month, he may show growing demands of hunger and thirst, which will mean more feeds during the day. Your baby will prove to be your best guide to feeding times, so keep your trust and feed accordingly. It is now time to offer both breasts to the baby if you have been breastfeeding him using one all this while. If you are hoping to catch up on lost sleep for all the previous sleep-deprived nights, this should be the ideal time to do so. Although the night feeds may still continue for a while, his sleep period may be longer, around 5 to 6 hours. This long sleep duration will give you and your partner a chance to sleep longer, so go for it.

Sleep Pattern of a 2-Month-Old Baby

During this month, you will notice a fairly defined sleep pattern being developed for your baby. He will sleep between 1 to 3 hours in addition to his regular day sleep. The best time to put your baby to sleep will be 30-60 minutes after he has had his feed. During this period, he will show signs of tiredness, and this is the right time to place him in his crib/bed for a snooze. At two months, he will sleep between 10-18 hours, but it will vary a lot over 24 hours. However, it is considered normal at this age.

Tips for Parents

• Touch is an important medium of communication between the mother and the baby during the first few months. Experts highly recommended skin-to-skin contact through baby massage, but gentle rocking while holding the baby close to you is good enough, too.
• There are many different soothing techniques you should use when your baby cries. Singing, playing soft music or white noise (switching the vacuum cleaner on or listening to the continuous pitter-patter of rain) are some ways. You can provide a pacifier at this time if you haven’t done so already.
• The experience is new for the child as well as the parents. Do not hesitate to ask for help when you need it. Your paediatrician is your best bet for reliable advice while your parents or friends can provide a lot of practical information.
• The internet is a massive source of information, but it needs to be used selectively and carefully. Choose websites where data is reliable and reviewed by experts on a regular basis.
• Since people travel a lot today along with their babies, a lot of time is spent in baby carriers and car seats. If you are one of them, ensure your child gets a lot of space to develop those muscles which will be needed for crawling, rolling and later on, walking. Hold the baby in your arms, cuddle him, ensuring he does not regularly spend time confined to car seats.

Remember that your baby is unique, and your baby’s development may not be identical to that of your neighbours’ or friends’. Do not compare your child with another, and things will be fine. However, if you do notice major gaps in your baby’s growth and development, you must consult a paediatrician immediately.

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