Your baby is 2 months old. It is this period of life that pleases and surprises parents: just a couple of weeks ago the baby only ate and slept, but now he is more and more awake and begins to explore the world for the first time.
Two months is also the age when mothers, especially young ones, begin to worry. Not everything can be learned from books, and experienced grandmothers and new parents are concerned about a variety of questions: is the child developing correctly, what should a two-month-old baby be able to do, and whether it is necessary to strive for strict development standards.
If you are one of the parents who is concerned about the proper development of the child, you can remain calm. The development standards for children at 2 months have long been established by pediatricians, and you will be able to assess for yourself how well your baby meets them and, if necessary, help the baby.
Physical development
In the first year of life, the baby’s physical indicators are monitored especially carefully - height, weight, head and chest circumference primarily indicate compliance with developmental standards. But deviations from the average, up or down, are not a reason to assume that the child is developing incorrectly, especially if the baby was born prematurely or there is a genetic predisposition to a certain body type.
Average indicators of physical development of a two-month-old child:
| Measured parameter | Norm for boys | Norm for girls |
| Weight (in kg) | 4,2-6 | 4,2-5,5 |
| Height (in cm) | 53,8-59,4 | 53,3-59,3 |
| Head circumference (in cm) | 39,1 | 38,3 |
| Chest circumference (in cm) | 39 | 38,1 |
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Other norms for the physical development of a baby at 2 months:
- Even if a boy or girl’s weight is less or more than average, pay attention to a more important indicator - weight gain over the past month. Over the period from one to two months, the child should gain about 800 grams. The total increase, taking into account the first month of life, will be 1300-1500 grams.
- Average changes in other indicators: height over the past month increases by 3 centimeters, head and chest circumference increases by 2 centimeters.
- The total duration of sleep is reduced compared to the sleep of a newborn and is approximately 18 hours.
- The scalp changes: instead of a fuzz, a permanent bulbous layer begins to grow.
- The child begins to better recognize pain and other unpleasant sensations - for example, he experiences discomfort from wet diapers. This is why a previously silent baby at the age of two months sometimes begins to cry and scream a lot.
Differences between boys and girls
Significant differences in height and weight between boys and girls at two months have not yet been observed. On average, boys are larger, but a girl exceeding the average height and weight is not uncommon and is not considered a deviation from the norm.
According to the observations of both doctors and parents of children of different sexes, according to some indicators, girls develop faster than boys. This is true: fewer female babies are born than male babies, and girls have to learn different skills faster - this is how evolution ordered it to maintain a balance between the two sexes. Thus, by the age of two months, girls hear and see better and react more sharply to stimuli.
Physical abilities
What a two-month-old baby should be able to do - physical abilities:
- hold a toy or other object that an adult has placed in his hand;
- briefly, for about twenty seconds, hold your head upright and raise your shoulders while lying on your stomach;
- from a position lying on his stomach with his head raised, try to turn his head from side to side, especially if something has attracted his attention.
Behavior
Many babies peak in crying episodes at 2 months, leaving parents almost as upset. There are many reasons why a baby cries even when it seems like all his needs have been met. Maturing of the nervous system, overwork, or simply the need for calm are some of the most common reasons.
There will be times in these early months when parents simply need to attend to the baby's needs and follow their instincts.
What should a 2 month old baby be able to do?
The period of life up to three months is generally the most important for a child under one year old. And it is at two months that the child begins to behave meaningfully: the baby acquires a variety of skills that confirm the normal development of motor activity, sensory organs, and timely intellectual and neuropsychic development.
Briefly about what a child is already doing well by the middle or end of the second month of life:
- thanks to strengthened muscles, he not only lifts his head and chest while lying on his stomach, but also makes swimming movements with his arms and legs;
- knows how to squeeze and unclench his palm, grabs a toy, fingers and hair of an adult;
- brings the brush to the lips, can suck fingers;
- holds his head for several seconds when he finds himself in the arms of an adult;
- touches a hanging toy, pushes it away;
- rubs eyes and nose with palms or fists;
- smiles;
- shows interest in sounds;
- the first sounds appear in speech;
- distinguishes between familiar and unfamiliar people;
- briefly concentrates his gaze on the subject of interest.
Below you will learn more about each aspect of the development of a two-month-old baby.
Motor activity and reflexes
At two months, the baby takes completely different positions than a newborn. The legs, when lying on the back or on the stomach, are no longer constantly bent due to the fact that the muscle hypertonicity characteristic of newborns gradually becomes weaker. However, the baby still spends part of the time in the fetal position, which is normal for his age.
The reflex, thanks to which the newborn firmly rested his feet on the surface when he was held by an adult, also weakens. A two-month-old baby still rests his feet on the crib, sofa or other support, but not as much. The breath-holding reflex remains, but by the end of the second month of life it usually completely fades away.
Automatic walking and crawling reflexes develop when the child is held in the appropriate position. By two months, the baby from time to time assumes the fencing position when lying on his back: he turns his head to the right and automatically straightens his right arm and right leg. The same thing happens when you turn your head to the left, only with your left arm and leg.
A two-month-old baby reacts differently to odors: when he feels a pleasant aroma, he freezes or smiles; when he catches an unpleasant odor, he wrinkles his nose and sneezes.
Intellectual development
The behavior of a two-month-old baby is already quite conscious: he, to the best of his abilities, understands the world and knows how to establish simple cause-and-effect relationships. The baby understands that his mother is the main figure who takes care of him, and reacts to his mother’s presence differently than to other people: he smiles, tries to walk, follows his mother’s gaze. The child does not yet experience such complex emotions as fear or embarrassment and willingly goes into the arms of any adult.
In a simple form, the baby expresses his attitude towards objects: he reaches out to things that are interesting to him, pushes away uninteresting things or does not react to them at all. Makes simple, but already emotionally charged, repeating sounds, similar to singing. And although these first sounds seem unintelligible to others, these are the baby’s first attempts to repeat the speech of adults.
Neuropsychic development, emotions
A child who is two months old experiences emotions and needs a response to them. Crying changes: the cry ceases to be monotonous, like that of a newborn, and intonation coloring appears. Sensitive mothers can determine the cause of dissatisfaction by the cry of their son or daughter: fatigue, soiled diapers, hunger or something else.
The baby’s smile becomes meaningful: he doesn’t just raise the corners of his lips, but smiles in response to a certain event, for example, in response to a gentle voice. Some children already know how to laugh at two months. The baby also cries and screams consciously, realizing that in this way he can attract the mother.
The child not only smiles, but also uses other facial expressions. May frown and wrinkle his nose and open his mouth when spoken to. He keeps his gaze on the person who is talking to him and can look at the speaker’s face for a long time and intently.
The baby realizes that his mother or another person, who is speaking kindly to him, can take him in his arms and emotionally anticipates this event - he makes impatient sounds, quickly moves his arms and legs.
Sense organs
The baby is growing up, and every day his senses are developing. The child sees and hears better compared to a newly born baby and, as a result, reacts more noticeably to stimuli.
A two-month-old baby is interested in many objects, and by the middle of the second month of life he tries to grab an attractive thing and hold it in his hand. It is not always possible to grab yet - at this age it is difficult to accurately calculate the trajectory of movement. But if an adult puts an object into a child’s hand, the baby will hold it, tightly squeezing his palm.
If you give a two-month-old baby a rattle, he will quickly understand that the rattle makes sounds when it is moved. The baby begins to rattle the rattle consciously.
Hearing becomes more sensitive, and the baby looks in the direction where the sounds are coming from and listens for a long time. May become frightened by sharp or unfamiliar sounds, flinching and blinking frequently.
Vision also develops, and although the child is not yet able to distinguish small details of the surrounding world, bright and moving objects already capture the child’s attention. At the age of two months, the baby begins to squint in response to bright light.
The baby continues to develop a threshold of taste sensations, but only the sweet taste is identified as pleasant. All other tastes are disgusting.
Muscle tone
Young parents are often concerned about the muscle hypertonicity of their two-month-old baby. Considering muscle tone a problem, mothers and fathers consult neurologists and pay for special massage sessions.
But you shouldn't worry too much about hypertension. At two months, muscle tone is still preserved in the arms and back. On average, hypertonicity in infants completely disappears only by 6-8 months , but if you think that your child’s muscle tone is too strong, record the bright manifestations of muscle hypertonicity on video and show it to your pediatrician.
Child's visual reactions
By the end of the first month of life, the newborn had already begun to develop gaze fixation and the skill of tracking a moving object, but the movements of the eyeballs were not always coordinated, and convergent strabismus periodically occurred. At two to three months, a healthy child’s vision function improves significantly. Eye movements are synchronized, convergent strabismus appears less and less often - only when examining an object very closely. Asymmetrical strabismus (either converging or diverging), persistent convergent strabismus, as well as the absence of long-term fixation of the gaze on an object, noted in the baby, is a reason for a visit to the ophthalmologist. The range of visual reactions of the baby is expanding - he is already beginning to actively look with his eyes for an object that interests him, fixing his gaze on it, and at the same time turning his head in its direction. At three months, the baby focuses his gaze on an object for up to 7-10 minutes, examining it. The colors yellow and green continue to attract his attention. When he cries, you can calm him down with a toy. Another important visual function is formed: at two to two and a half months, the child begins to fix his gaze and examine objects in a vertical position. Develop this skill: when communicating, hold it in your arms in an upright position!
Daily routine of a two-month-old baby
The well-being of both mother and child depends on a well-established regime. Organizing the daily routine is really important, but a two-month-old baby's biorhythms are very different from those of, for example, a six-month-old baby.
At the age of 2 months, the mother can only begin to prepare for future adherence to the regime. And if a baby at this age falls asleep and wakes up at different times, this is a variant of the norm, there is no reason to worry.
Gradually accustom your child to approximately this daily routine:
- 7.30 — rise;
- every 2.5-3 hours - feeding. The frequency of feedings is set depending on the type of feeding: breastfeeding, mixed, completely artificial;
- daytime sleep - 4-6 times a day lasting from 30 minutes to 3 hours;
- 20.30 - swimming;
- 21.00 - going to bed.
The routine of a two-month-old baby is never stable, with very rare exceptions. And if your baby, for example, sleeps little at night, falls asleep late, often wakes up for night feedings, you will have to temporarily adapt to his rhythms. Typically, by four months, babies themselves begin to sleep more at night and stay awake during the day.
Child development at 2 months: opinion of Dr. Komarovsky
The main problem with caring for children aged two months, according to Evgeniy Komarovsky, is the difficulty in determining the causes of crying. Mostly babies cry because of hunger, thirst, drowsiness and problems with bowel movements. The doctor advises to start by offering the crying child something to eat or drink, and if that doesn’t help, try to lull the baby to sleep.
If the crying does not stop or intensifies, the baby may not be able to empty its bowels on its own. Remember the last time the child had a bowel movement, and if more than ten hours have passed, help the baby by giving him a abdominal massage. You can try pressing your legs to your stomach.
Otherwise, Dr. Komarovsky advises focusing solely on the pace of your child’s development, without trying to keep up with the rapidly developing children of friends or neighbors. Komarovsky claims that severe pathologies that would prevent the baby from starting to walk and talk are not so common and are visible not at two months, but much earlier - usually even during pregnancy.
Common problems: when to worry and how to solve them
Young parents are worried for various reasons, but there are five most common problems associated with the development of a two-month-old baby:
- The child does not even try to hold his head, constantly tilting it towards the adult’s shoulder. Solution: place the baby on his stomach as often as possible (but before feeding or at least half an hour after eating) - this position perfectly strengthens different muscle groups, including the neck muscles.
- You notice that the baby's muscles do not develop symmetrically: in one part of the body more than in another. Solution: carry the baby, periodically changing hands, turn from one side to the other when he sleeps.
- The baby has troubled sleep, sleeps poorly or little, and is capricious when falling asleep and waking up. Solution: Try to establish a schedule where you go to bed and wake up around the same time.
- Colic begins. Solution: Give your child a belly massage, apply heat to the belly, use a gas tube.
- Dry skin, allergic reactions on baby's skin. Solution: Reconsider your bathing guidelines. Skin problems in infants occur due to too frequent bathing and the use of bath additives. Bathe your child three to four times a week, without using any additives, even herbal decoctions.
If problems with the development or care of the baby are episodic or can be easily solved by the parents, there is no reason to worry. But if a specific problem cannot be solved in any way - for example, by the end of the second month of life the child cannot hold his head up at all or suffers from extremely painful colic - be sure to consult a doctor.
How to check your baby’s speech and motor development in the video:
When a child does not gain the desired weight
8 months baby
In some situations, a child in the first year of life does not gain the weight he needs. This may be due to both the type of feeding and the baby’s illnesses. The main reasons not related to health are:
- adding additional liquid to the child’s diet;
- introducing complementary foods too early, the digestive system does not absorb food;
- improper preparation of the mixture, too much water;
- too infrequent feedings;
- poor absorption of nutritional mixture;
- insufficient amount of breast milk;
- underdeveloped sucking reflex;
- Difficulty with the baby latching on to the nipple;
- mother's milk contains few nutrients, the baby does not get enough to eat;
- improper nutrition of a nursing mother.
Baby on the scales
What determines the weight of a baby
Weight gain in a child depends on many factors that are not only related to nutrition. An important role is played by the general health of the baby, timing of birth, living conditions, hereditary factors, and the quality of nutrition received. At two months, a baby should eat 7 times a day. The total amount of milk consumed is 900 ml.
Important! The baby should consume 900 ml of liquid nutrition per day, and it is not necessary to divide the total amount into equal meals.
How health problems affect weight
Weight gain may be insufficient due to a pathological condition. It can be congenital or acquired. Such diseases include:
- genetic diseases with impaired absorption of nutrients (Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, phenylketonuria and others);
- congenital hormonal disorders (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, adrogenital syndrome);
- intestinal infection;
- helminth infection;
- some heart defects;
- congenital renal failure;
- nervous system disorder;
- type 1 diabetes mellitus;
- anemia of any nature;
- celiac disease;
- frequent colic;
- colds.
If any of these diseases are present, the pediatrician adjusts the baby’s diet. It is important to know what caused this condition. It is advisable to monitor your weight gain every month or once a week. This issue should be dealt with by a qualified specialist. Weighing a child independently at home is possible on the recommendation of a doctor.
Signs of being underweight
To be sure that the child is not gaining the weight he needs, it is necessary to monitor his condition and behavior. If you observe such signs, you need to consult a doctor so that he can help solve the problem:
- the baby gains less than 600 g per month;
- folds do not form on the arms and legs;
- the skin is peeling, lacks turgor, pale;
- frequent crying;
- poor appetite or its complete absence;
- sleep disorders.
Important! It is prohibited to resort to any measures on your own. Treatment is prescribed only by a pediatrician. Solving the problem on your own can cause harm to the baby.
Child in a yellow dress
Prematurity
Children born prematurely require special attention. They are weaker than their peers. They require a special type of nutrition and diet. If there are problems with weight gain, you need to sound the alarm. Most often, such babies cannot suckle on their own because they are weak. At first, the newborn is fed using a bottle, expressing milk into it. Later, if desired, breasts are offered.
Post-term babies
Newborn children born later than the appointed time practically do not suffer from underweight. They are born at 41-43 weeks of the gestational period. At this point, their weight is slightly higher than that of other children. By the third month of life, body weight levels out and becomes the same as that of peers. For them, a slight lack of grams is considered the norm.
Necessary measures
If you suspect that your child is not gaining weight well, you need to know what to do. Many experienced pediatricians advise:
- inform the doctor about your suspicions so that he pays special attention to this issue;
- undergo examination for the presence of diseases of internal organs;
- do not introduce new mixtures into the diet without discussing it with your doctor;
- If possible, continue breastfeeding;
- avoid stress during lactation;
- feed the baby in a calm environment;
- try to develop a feeding schedule by the hour;
- Be sure to feed your baby at night.
Child eats from a bottle
How to develop a baby: tips for parents
Follow these simple tips to help your two-month-old baby develop correctly:
- talk more with your son or daughter to promote hearing and speech development;
- play with a rattle, moving it from side to side in front of the child - this trains both vision and the ability to concentrate;
- regularly give a light massage - it will both relax the baby and create a close emotional connection with the mother;
- spend more time outdoors;
- Among the educational toys at the age of two months, you can use play mats and mobiles.
Remember that all norms are not the ultimate truth. And even if your baby developed a skill later than the average for two-month-old children, this does not mean that there is something wrong with the child. Consult your pediatrician, get plenty of rest and be healthy!
