2 Month Visit
You made it all the way to 2 months! You may be getting a bit more sleep now. But if you’re not, you’re jealous of all your friends who’s babies are ‘sleeping all night’! (Don’t worry, they’re probably fibbing.) Your little one is smiling at you and that keeps you wondering what that little smile will look like in a kindergarten photo. But don’t get ahead of yourself, you’re not ready for kindergarten just yet. The next steps have to do with interacting more and developing just a bit of strength.
What most babies do by this age:
Social/Emotional Milestones
- Calms down when spoken to or picked up
- Looks at your face
- Seems happy to see you when you walk up to her
- Smiles when you talk to or smile at her
Language/Communication Milestones
- Makes sounds other than crying
- Reacts to loud sounds
Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
- Watches you as you move
- Looks at a toy for several seconds
Movement/Physical Development Milestones
- Holds head up when on tummy
- Moves both arms and both legs
- Opens hands briefly
Source: CDC – Learn the Signs, Act Early
Next, work on…
Reaching, hitting and grabbing
This is a great time to start playing with activity gyms and playmats. At this age, babies are learning to use their hands and arms more purposefully and will be learning how to reach for, hit at, and grab some of their favorite toys. Let them spend time under activity gyms and playing with grabbing toys or rattles throughout the day.
Tummy time
Two and three month olds are constantly working on using their hands and arms. Tummy time helps strengthen their upper body strength and is a really good exercise. Put your baby on their tummy several times a day with the hands in a “pushup” position and let them stay there for several minutes or until they’re just too mad to make any progress.
Laughing “out loud”
Your baby is probably already smiling in response to your face. The next step in social development is for them to learn to laugh out loud. If there are older siblings, you will quickly learn that babies find other children much more funny than adults! If so, lean into this and encourage your older children to entertain the baby. If this is your first, it seems that at least one of the parents will need to act “childish” to see if they can help the baby start to laugh out loud!
Illness – Oh no!!!
This is the age when illnesses may start developing. Don’t worry when that happens. Unfortunately, most babies will have up to ten upper respiratory infections (colds) by one year of age. If you think that your baby is sick, please send a message to our nurse or make an appointment to have him checked. Babies at this age should be seen if they have a fever (temperature greater than 100.4 degrees measured rectally). Thankfully, you’re past the point where any fever means you should go straight to the hospital.
Safety
- An approved car seat should be used on all car rides. Make sure you’re comfortable with securing your car seat in the car as well as securing your baby in the seat. Ask if you need help.
- At this age, infants will soon begin rolling over. Assume that your baby can roll when you’re not looking and make sure that you don’t put them in a position to fall off of a bed or chair.
- Avoid holding your infant while cooking, smoking or drinking hot liquids.
- If you are interrupted when your child is in the bath or on a bed or changing table, move the baby to a safe location or hold them until you can pay full attention to them.
- Do not put an infant seat on anything but the floor when the baby is in the seat. Always buckle your child while he is in the seat.
- To protect your child from burns, reduce the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 degrees F or less.
Feeding
During these months your baby should continue drinking breast milk or formula exclusively. They do not need “extra water” or juice. Most babies are eating 24-26 oz per day at this age. Typically, they are eating about 7-8 times a day which means most feedings are 3-3 1/2 ounces. This will likely increase to about 32 ounces per day by 4 months.
Immunizations
Today your child will receive four separate immunizations: Pediarix, Hib, Prevnar and oral Rotavirus.
- Pediarix is a combination vaccine containing DTaP, IPV and Hepatitis B. This vaccine protects against diphtheria (a severe throat infection), tetanus (lock- jaw), pertussis (whooping cough), polio (paralysis), and hepatitis B (a liver infection).
- Hib is a vaccine against Haemophilus influenza type B, a bacteria which causes meningitis (infection of the spinal cord and/or brain) and severe respiratory infections.
- Prevnar is a vaccine against Pneumococccus, a bacteria which causes ear infections, meningitis, sepsis (blood infections) as well as pneumonia.
- Rotavirus is a vaccine against a virus that causes severe diarrhea and dehydration.