Sleep, food, health, awakening and development of baby… Here is what you need to know about the typical day of a 2-month-old baby, with the advice of Doctor Noémie Nathan, pediatrician in Montreuil.
At two months, baby has already evolved a lot compared to his birth. He has grown, gained weight, and above all he is beginning to show his feelings and sensations. You now clearly know when he is disgusted or in pain, or if he is happy. Because now, baby smiles voluntarily! He always sleeps a lot eat more, but less often. the baby’s second month is also the beginning of mandatory vaccines.
What is the development of a baby at two months?
Two months after birth, baby has already evolved a lot. His progress is daily. his waking phases are longer, and in his own way, he starts communicating with you.
On the engine side
Watch out for your hair: it’s at two months that he begins to fall in love with your mane, which he likes to pull with all his might… and out of the blue, it can hurt a lot in this case a two-month-old baby!
Gross or fine motor skills, babies realize their first noticeable changes at two months. The muscles in his neck and neck are firming up, and when you wear it, its head no longer falls to the side. In a seated position, even if he obviously has to be held, baby is also more upright. With the hands, baby gradually abandons the reflex grip to consciously hold objectsand hit them together if he has one in each hand.
On a sensory level
Hearing and smell are the most developed senses at two months, and baby recognizes voices and smells, especially those of his parents. Nevertheless, he is also able to recognize them, because his eyesight has improved considerably. He can follow you with his gaze, fix his attention on a color that attracts him, and recognize shapes that are not too far away.
In terms of communication
At two months, baby is now able to communicate and exchange, with his own language of course, but he loves being talked to. In return, baby will not be stingy with chirpingsmall sounds with well-chosen tones (plaintive, furious or playful), and even less in smiles. This is when you discover the real baby smiles, the ones he intentionally gives you, and which will make you melt!
How big is a two month old baby?
On average, baby gains three centimeters in the second month, to measure about 57 cm. Weight level, baby weighs around 5 kg. Obviously, these are only averages, the main thing being that during his monthly visit, your pediatrician observes a harmonious and upward evolution of his growth curves.
What is the rhythm of a two-month-old baby?
At 2 months, your newborn can sleep from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., but it still has its own cycle. As Dr Nathan points out:Unlike his parents, the baby will be in great shape when he wakes up in the middle of the night! To hold on, you have to try to sleep at the same time as him, to take naps during the day. Carrying can also be a great help at the end of the day when baby needs to be reassured, especially if you need your arms to manage the elders! “
At two months and up to a minimum of six, babies must sleep on their backs. The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome (IMD) begins to enter its most propitious period (the peak being between 2 and 4 months). It is therefore imperative to respect the instructions governing baby’s sleep concerning his position, but also the equipment. Bed bumpers are in this sense not recommended, and cushions and quilts are strictly prohibited.
At two months, baby always sleeps a lot, but maybe a little differently. His days are divided between waking times, meals and sleep phases. His nights are not yet rhythmic and he may cry a lot before falling asleep, this is called the crying discharge. There’s nothing wrong with that, baby just needs to release the tension from all the new information he’s picked up during the day.
Breastfeeding, bottle… How much milk for a 2 month old baby?
Whether breastfed or bottle-fed, baby still needs to be fed on demand
To make all this progress, the baby needs to gain strength. He eats less often, but more. He now drinks about every four hours during the day, and about every five hours at night. If he is bottle-fed at 2 months, he takes five to seven per day, of 150 ml on average. Don’t forget to clean the bottles well with soapy water and rinse them with clear water. You can prepare them in advance, provided you keep them in the refrigerator, but not for more than a day. If your baby doesn’t finish one of his bottles, don’t save the rest for the next meal.
What vaccines should a baby have at two months?
On the second visit, the pediatrician will make sure that your baby is growing well, by taking his measurements: height, weight and head circumference. He will probably ask you questions to see how he evolves on a daily basis. Thus, he will ensure that he hears correctly and that his sight develops well. Feel free to ask him any questions that come to mind.
It is also to two months old that he is administered his first mandatory vaccines.
- DT Polio (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Poliomyelitis): the first dose is compulsory from two months to protect him from diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis, the second dose is carried out at 4 months, then at 11 months
- whooping cough (same vaccine as DT Polio and 1st dose at 2 months of baby);
- HIB (haemophilis influenzae type b): first dose at 2 months against certain meningitis, laryngitis,
- Hepatitis B: 3 doses according to the vaccination schedule 0, 1 and 6 months
- Pneumococcus: first dose at 2 months, then at 4 months and 11 months
Source : VS2022 vaccination schedule and vaccination recommendations
These vaccinations can cause some small reactions, including fever about 48 hours after the injection. Don’t worry, this is completely normal. This proves that the body is reacting to the vaccine and developing its immune defences. Make sure his temperature does not exceed 38° and give him paracetamol. Vaccines also cause skin reactions. Again, no need to panic if they are not important and if they do not persist beyond a few days. If the child has received BCG (not mandatory), it is not uncommon for a small lump to form at the injection site. However, some children may have allergic reactions to certain components of vaccines. If you notice that your child develops hives, has difficulty breathing or has a high heart rate, contact your doctor.
What to do if a two-month-old baby suffers from constipation?
Be careful, a baby who does not have a bowel movement is not necessarily constipated! This is the case for breastfed babies, who can go several days without bowel movements. On the other hand, if you see him painful and winded, the first option is to offer him a little Hépar. There are a multitude of grandmother’s tricks that it is better not to try without a doctor’s recommendation. Whatever happens, it is important to seek advice from your pediatrician if you notice persistent constipation in your baby. It can not only be a symptom of a possible disorder, but the effort can also cause in the long term small fissures or tears in the anus, which are very uncomfortable.
Baby has a stuffy nose, what to do?
At 2 months, your baby begins to be in contact with more people. He has already visited the pediatrician’s waiting room and therefore may have a cold. As he still only breathes through his nose, these symptoms are very uncomfortable. It is rare that they have a pulmonary origin, but it is nevertheless necessary to supervise the evolution of the cough and to observe if a respiratory gene settles. If your baby is crying, seems really embarrassed to breathe and his condition does not seem as usual to you, it is better to consult to make sure it is not a bronchiolitis.
Why is baby drooling?
It is perfectly normal for the babies drool at two months ! It is simply a normal stage of motor development, when he starts putting his hands in his mouth and licking his fingers. It is not, as parents sometimes think, dental pain. In addition, the real first teething occurs between 3 months and 1 year.
Baby cough: what is it due to?
At 2 months, the digestive system is set up. Apart from a state of flu or a cold, a cough may be linked to a reflux problem. If you have any doubts and the symptoms persist, talk to your pediatrician.
What activities to do with a two month old baby?
Your baby’s progress is daily. He is more and more attentive to his surroundings and tries to communicate. It’s time for first “real smiles”those that are not automatic, but addressed to a person or an object. He also starts to chirp. It is important that you talk to your baby because these are all these steps that lay the foundations of languagewhich will develop in a few months. Talk to him, play with him, let him discover what surrounds him. Do not hesitate to take him out because he likes to discover new things. To do this, cover him well and put him in a pram or a baby carrier, in which he will find the rocking he experienced in utero. Know that the very small baby likes his daily life to be well organized and that the same people take care of him. It makes him feel safe.
- His motor progress is also impressive. When held in a sitting or standing position, it holds his head for a few seconds. On the other hand, he loses the reflex of automatic walking. When he is on his back, his legs unfold. His hands open. If given an object, he is able to hold it for a few moments.
- At two months, his eyesight begins to improve.. He clearly recognizes the faces of his parents. He follows you with his gaze when you move. In addition, you now know how to interpret his different cries: hunger, need for comfort, etc.