Two Weeks

Development

  • Infants of this age can usually focus on faces or objects best at a distance of 8-10 inches. (The normal distance between a baby’s eyes and mom’s face when nursing) 
  • Babies have daily fussy periods which may last from 1 to 4 hours, and are usually most pronounced at about 6 weeks. 
  • Sibling rivalry should be expected, and special time should be allotted for the other children at home. 
  • Normal infant behavior includes frequent sneezing and hiccupping. Bowel movements are often accompanied by grunting, turning red or apparent straining. 
  • Infants need to suck their thumbs or a pacifier. 
  • Remember, parents need time for themselves also!

Diet

  •  Babies should be fed generally every 2 to 4 hours. Breast fed infants may feed a bit more often than formula fed infants, but still should not eat more often than every 2 hours. 
  • Do not put the bottle in the bed with the baby. 
  • If feeding with formula, make sure that you are using an Iron fortified formula. 
  • Spitting small amounts after feeding is common. To minimize this, burp frequently and keep your child in an upright position for 15-30 minutes after feeding. When you lie your infant down, prop her on her side. 
  • Do not give honey (until 1 year of age).

Hygiene

  • Use a mild soap such as White Dove or Neutragena, or Baby Magic for your baby’s body. Wash the face with water only. 
  • Clean the umbilical cord with alcohol 4 times a day. Be sure to clean all the way down to the base. As the cord starts to detach, it may develop a yellow discharge. This is normal, but if a large amount of discharge or redness occurs, the baby needs to be checked. 
  • After the cord is detached the baby may begin to take tub baths. 
  • Baby lotion may be used on the skin if it is excessively dry, but avoid the face and scalp. 
  • Do not put Q-tips in the ear canal. The outer ear may be cleaned with a Q-tip or wash cloth.

Safety

  • Never take your child in any car unless he is properly restrained in an infant car seat. The infant should continue to face rearward. Always restrain your baby in an appropriate infant car seat. (Besides being common sense, IT’S THE LAW!). Remember this applies to when riding in someone else’s car. 
  • Infants may roll over or scoot long before they will truly master these skills. Never leave your infant on a surface (including a bed) from which he could fall. 
  • Crib slats should be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. Make sure that the crib rails are up at all times when the baby is in the crib. 
  • Never leave your baby unattended in the tub, even for an instant! 
  • Never eat, drink, or carry anything hot near your baby. 
  • To protect your child from scalds, reduce the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 degrees F., avoid holding your infant while cooking, smoking, or drinking hot liquids. 
  • Do not put an infant seat on anything but the floor when the baby is in the seat. 
  • Never use a pacifier on a string or put any strings or ribbons in the crib. 
  • Install smoke alarms on every floor and check batteries monthly. 
  • Never jiggle or shake the baby too vigorously. This may result in head injuries.

Illness

If an infant less than 2 months of age develops a fever (more than 100.5 degrees rectally), it is important to call us right away. For this reason, it is important to have a rectal thermometer available. If your baby develops any other symptoms that you think indicate illness, please call the office and arrange for us to see her.

Stimulation

  • Infants like to look at faces (especially eyes) and colors (reds, yellows, and black / white contrasts) 
  • If it is possible, both mother and father should be actively involved in caring for the baby.
  • Babies love to suck their thumb or a pacifier. 
  • Babies also love to be sung to and talked to while being cuddled. Is is not too early to start reading to your child.

Toys

  • Mobiles, bells, hanging unbreakable mirrors, music boxes are all good ideas but must be well out of reach. 
  • Newborns will give close attention to figures which more closely resemble the human face.