2 Weeks through 2 Months
What Your Baby Does at This Age
- Opens his mouth and searches for a nipple, sucks and swallows.
- Puts fists in mouth.
- When alert, watches your face and listens to your voice.
- Thrusts out his arms and legs in play.
- Rolls partway from back to side.
- Grasps your finger.
- Communicates with you by crying when he's hungry, bored, or uncomfortable.
- Sleeps most of the day, waking every 2 to 3 hours to feed
Important Changes
- Your baby's vision comes under better control as his eye muscles develop. Because eye muscles are still unsteady, eye movements are uncoordinated some of the time. Baby starts making tears around 8-12 weeks.
- Personality starts to emerge. One baby may be noisy and impatient, while another is quiet and easy-going.
- At the end of the month, first smiles begin to emerge in response to your talking, cooing and touching. Already, your baby is becoming a social creature.
- Your baby's feeding schedule becomes more regular as the weeks pass.
How to support development
- Make lots of faces at your baby. Imitate the faces and sound he makes.
- Talk softly in your baby's ear. Play music.
- Hold your baby on your shoulder so he can see the world. Support his head as you hold him.
- Show your baby pictures and objects of simple shapes, bright colors and patterns, holding them 8 to 12 inches from his face.
- Place small mobiles or brightly patterned toys at the sides of his crib.
- Hold, caress, kiss, and cuddle your baby. Talk to him, calling him by name.
Common Problems
Colic - Colic is a common problem in babies, especially those younger than three months. If your baby cries constantly, doesn't sleep, or has an extreme need to suck, he may have colic. That's enough to make both you and your baby miserable.
Remember, nothing you’ve done has caused your baby’s colic and even if it persists, your baby will probably grow out of it by the time he’s four or five months old. Also during this trying period, give yourself a break from time to time. Get some help with child care and try to get some sleep!
Listed below are a few things you can try to pacify your fussy, colicky baby. Try one thing at a time, so when you find what works, you’ll know it.
- Soothe your baby with motion-rocking, walking around the room, driving in a car, and so on.
- Amuse your baby with a rattle, music, or some other distraction. Some are soothed by the "white noise" of a running vacuum cleaner, running washing machine, blow dryer, or clothes dryer.
- Darken your baby's room at naptimes to make sleeping easier.
- Offer a bottle; make sure your baby never goes hungry for long. If your baby has just eaten and has colicky symptoms, consider offering a pacifier.
- Burp your baby more often.
- Try swaddling your baby tightly to make him feel more secure.
- Lay your baby across your lap and gently massage his back.
- Try placing a hot water bottle full of warm water under his stomach.
- Don't ever use home remedies such as herbal teas.
- Stay in touch with your baby's doctor.
Safety in the Home - To a baby everything is new and needs to be explored, touched, and tasted. Potentially dangerous objects - pennies, batteries, carpet tacks, garbage pails, poisonous houseplants, cat litter boxes -- need to be out of sight and out of reach. Remove any furniture that could hurt your baby -- an unsteady table, lamps with long, loose cords, an old chair with chipping paint which may contain lead.
Most Common Accidents in the Home (Birth to Six Months)
- Crib Accidents
Look for the label stating the crib meets CPSC requirements. Any crib manufactured before 1974 could have a layer of lead paint. Decorative cut-outs and knobs can strangle. Check for sharp points, splintering wood, and working locking devices on drop sides.
- Falls off changing tables
Use a safety strap on the changing table. Never leave the baby unattended, even in a safety strap.
- Burns
Always test bath water first and don't add hot water while the baby is in the bath. Baby's sleepwear should be flame-retardant. Keep your child away from any hot item such as a space heater, hot coffee cup, or curling iron. Cook on back burners. Do not heat baby bottles in the microwave.
Safety in the Car - In every state, children and babies are required by law to ride in a crash-tested child restraint. Car accidents are a leading cause of death for children today. If they're properly buckled in, children have a 70% greater chance of surviving an accident. And you're likely to drive better knowing your baby is safely strapped into a car seat.
There are three styles of car seats.
Infant Model
Faces backwards and can handle babies up to one year or 20 pounds. Two-part versions are available which allow you to leave the base strapped to the seat belt in the car and snap-out the seat with sleeping baby in it.
Convertible Model
Can be changed from an infant version to one that fits older babies. Try adjusting and buckling the harness before using. Some have retractable harnesses which remain snug as your baby grows.
Car Booster Seat
Used only for children over 40 pounds.
My Child's Temperature? - Take a temperature before calling your doctor if your child is showing signs of illness, such as sweating; excessive sleepiness; unusual breathing or cold symptoms; poor appetite; or dry, hot skin.
We prefer you using a rectal thermometer, which has a stubby, rounded tip . Always coat the silver end with petroleum jelly or water-soluble lubricant before inserting. Hold the thermometer in place for one minute, then remove and read.
Call Your Doctor If Your Child Has Fever of 100.5ºF (38.3ºC) or higher taken by rectum.
For a less than 2 month old baby you need to see the doctor and get you baby examined for a temperature of 100.5F or higher as they cannot curtail and fight infections very well.
Immunization:
If your baby has received no shots at the hospitals the following vaccines will be given at 2 months visit:
DtaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis), IPV (Polio), Comvax (Hep B and Hib) &
Prevnar which is for Streptococcus Pneumonia (strongly recommended but not required by AMA)