Two to Three Month old Baby
What Your Baby Does at 2 months Age
- Recognizes different faces and voices and shows by her response that she prefers people to objects.
- Follows movement with her eyes. Enjoys watching brightly colored, three-dimensional objects.
- Opens her hands more often, rather than keeping them balled in a fist.
- Likes to suck on objects. Can quiet herself with sucking.
- Holds an object for a few seconds before dropping it.
- Has definite preferences for sleeping positions.
What your baby does at 3 Months age
- Interacts with the world more with his cooing, gurgling, and facial expressions. Cries less.
- Protests when left alone. Prefers socializing.
- Responds to a greater variety of stimuli. Likes objects of different colors and textures. Enjoys toys that have different purposes--rattles, bouncing balls, cuddly toys, and so on.
- Reaches for objects and may grasp and hold them for a few seconds.
- Follows a slowly moving object with his eyes, especially one that moves from side to side. Turns his head to keep the object in view.
- Leans on elbows while lying on stomach and holds head up.
Important Changes at 2 months age
- Your baby shows a broader range of feelings, including pleasure, anticipation, and unhappiness.
- She can now be soothed by the sound of a familiar voice and by being held.
- Feeding and sleeping times are becoming well established. This month, she may start sleeping through the night, but some babies still wake up frequently to be fed.
- Your baby's movements are less jerky as her nervous system develops, although she's still not very coordinated. Her head control is improving.
- Her senses are more coordinated. For example, she'll look toward an interesting sound or start sucking at the sight of a bottle.
Important Changes at 3 months age
- Your baby is gaining much more control over his head and body. His movements are less wobbly.
- Your baby's nervous system is maturing rapidly. He can coordinate looking, grasping, and sucking--which means he tries to put everything in his mouth.
- He's becoming fascinated with his hands and fingers and watches them a lot. He's starting to use his hands to reach for interesting objects.
- Your baby's visual abilities are becoming fully developed. He can see objects in detail.
- Patterns of sleeping, eating, and alertness continue to become more regular.
How to support development of a 2-3 month old baby
- When you want your baby's attention, talk to her in a gentle, high-pitched tone of voice and make eye contact with her. When you want to calm her down, speak in a lower voice. Talk to your baby often.
- Shake a rattle gently near the side of your baby's head. Dangle a bright toy a few inches in front of her face. Tell her what you're doing.
- Softly say your baby's name in her ear. Whisper until she moves her eyes or tries turning her head to see your face. Do the same in the other ear.
- Take your baby out of the house each day, weather permitting. Now's a good time to establish the routine of a daily walk.
- Keep hugging, talking, touching, and loving your baby.
- When you can, prop your baby safely on your lap for a different view of the world.
- Rock your baby and sing to him. Give him lots of attention and love.
Immunizations
Your baby will get DTaP, IPV, Comvax (combination of Hepatitis B and Hemophillus Influenza B), Rotateq and Prevnar. Most common side effects are pain at the site and fever. You can give them Infant Tylenol ____ml drops every 4-6 hours.
If the baby gets fever of more than 104F or cries for more than 3 hrs or develops a seizure or any other unusual reaction call our office immediately.
Sleep position preferred is on the BACK for the first 6 months. This prevents SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). The exception is only if the infant has complications of gastroesophageal reflux, or have birth defect involving upper airways.
Check the following throughout you home:
- Are electrical extension cords in good condition?
- Are electrical extension cords kept from being stretched across heavily traveled areas of your home?
- Are unused electrical outlets covered or locked?
- Are electrical outlets checked regularly for overloading?
- Do you know how to turn off gas and electricity in case of emergency?
- Are proper size fuses used for replacement rather than pennies or substitutes?
- Are floor surfaces nonskid?
- Are all floor covering fastened down?
- Are fireplaces screened and protected?
- Are open flames such as candles kept away from walls and curtains?
- Do you have smoke detectors in your home, and have you checked the batteries lately?
- Is an approved fire extinguisher kept on each floor?
- Do you have emergency phone numbers-police, fire, doctor, utilities-handy to the phone?
- Is a sturdy stepladder available for climbing?
- Do interior doors such as those in closets or bathrooms have safety release locks that allow them to be opened from either side?
- If there are small children in your home, are open windows securely screened?
- Is lead-free paint used on all objects accessible to children?