By month two, your infant has discovered that there's more to life than just eating, sleeping and crying.

With baby staying awake for longer stretches, there'due south more time for him to play and for you to be entertained by his antics. Hurrah!

Here's what else is happening with your baby this month.

Your 2-month-erstwhile baby's development

At a Glance

Sleeping basics

Newborns upwardly to 3 or 4 months erstwhile need 14 to 17 hours of sleep in a 24-hr period, usually waking every ii to four hours to eat.

Feeding basics

Babies should eat as much as they want at this age, just a general rule of pollex is 4 to six ounces of breast milk or formula every 3 to 4 hours.

Did you know?

Infants 2 to iii months sometime typically don't have separation anxiety yet and aren't wary of new people.

When it comes to learning, no ane does it faster than a baby. Y'all can help past providing plenty of sensory-stimulating opportunities, such as brightly hued toys (babies are captivated by high-contrast patterns and vivid colors), infant play gyms, mobiles and anything else your babe can bat at.

But don't go overboard. An infant's circuits get overloaded pretty hands. So if your baby starts fussing or squirming, he'southward letting you know he'due south had plenty.

Your little smarty-pants is also putting together consonants and vowels (ah-goo!) and perhaps fifty-fifty rolling over (tummy to back is usually first).

He's likely smiling upwardly a storm and perhaps even laughing (the globe's most delicious sound) or squealing in delight over your antics. If y'all haven't washed so yet, add a baby-safe mirror to babe's play space.

Though babies this historic period don't realize they're looking at themselves in the mirror, they exercise find their ain reflections fascinating and may even smile at that fellow cutie looking back at them.

Your 2-month-old infant'south growth

The boilerplate weight of a two-month-old infant girl is eleven.three pounds; the average baby boy at 2 months weighs in at 12.3 pounds. Height averages are 22.5 inches for girls and 23 inches for boys.

All that growth is fueled by the all-liquid diet your sweetie pie is all the same on — whether that's formula or breast milk or a combo of both.

Both formula-fed and breastfed babies at this age typically take 4 to 6 ounces every three to four hours. If yous're breastfeeding, y'all should await to nurse around vi to ten times in a 24-60 minutes menstruation.

Despite all that eating, your little one volition start to accept fewer bowel movements each day. In fact, don't be alarmed if your baby goes a day or two without pooping. That's because as babies go bigger, their bowels get bigger, also, allowing waste to hang out longer before exiting. Is your baby withal a prolific pooper? That'due south normal too.

Your ii-month-one-time baby's health

Information technology's time for babe's 2-calendar month well-baby visit — and yes, a few more than shots. Just retrieve: It's a quick pinch for a lifetime of protection against illnesses.

The two-month well-baby visit

Your little one will get a concrete checkup this calendar month — consummate with weight, length and head circumference checks — and a chance to testify off what he'south learned so far. Some developmental milestones your doctor may inquire about: whether he's smiling in response to a smile, whether he notices his hands and whether he turns toward a audio. Read More

DTaP vaccine

Starting at ii months, your child will receive the commencement of v doses of the DTaP vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough). Read More

Hib vaccine

The Hib vaccine protects your infant from haemophilus flu type b, or Hib, which used to be a major cause of bacterial meningitis in children under the age of 5. Read More

Croup in babies

Croup is a viral infection that causes inflammation in the vox box and windpipe. That, in turn, leads to swelling of the vocal cords and a harsh, barking coughing. Croup unremarkably starts with cold symptoms, like a runny nose, irritability and possibly a fever. Read More

Postpartum & new baby tips

Calm a fussy baby

Rocking a babe in a rocking chair or glider is probably one of life's near cherished and fourth dimension-honored rituals (don't miss it!) — not to mention a securely calming experience for both of you.

Modern parenting offers some hands-free rocking options, too. When your baby is fussing, consider putting him in a motorized baby swing, vibrating boisterous seat or automatic cradle. Exist sure to follow manufacturer's prophylactic directions for the age and weight restrictions for these devices.

And try not to allow your baby go in the addiction of nodding off in them because he might become dependent on the motion to fall comatose over time. Instead, let him become to the brink of sleep, and and then transfer him to the crib.

Post-pregnancy body changes

If your feet got bigger when you were expecting, get used to your new size because y'all may exist wearing larger-size shoes for good.

Other long-term mail service-baby body changes: Your hips may exist forever slightly widened after having expanded for childbirth, and your nipples may be darker and bigger as well.

Endeavor to be happy with the idea of new shoes to splurge on — or at least remind yourself that your body will experience a lifetime of delights because yous gave nascency, from the sugariness of your babe's head on your shoulder to your toddler's succulent hugs and your child'south hand in yours.

Massaging baby

Massaging your baby tin be a wonderfully relaxing ritual for both of you lot and a swell mode to soothe your little ane's cries.

You can experiment with lotion or special infant massage oils, though neither is necessary. Utilize a gentle bear upon, simply firm enough non to be ticklish. Stroke his chest from the center outward and make minor circles on babe's stomach, around his omphalus.

Gently roll your infant's arms and legs betwixt your hands, taking turns with each limb, or try alternating your hands in a "milking" move as y'all stroke each limb from his core to his extremities.

So unfurl those footling fists and rub his palms and fingers. Massage the soles of infant's feet and uncurl his toes too.

Turn baby on his tummy (if he doesn't balk at that position) and stroke your little 1 dorsum from side to side, then upward and downwardly.

Diaper bag necessities

Make certain you lot're e'er prepared by keeping these essentials in your diaper purse:

  1. Diapers. How many you pack depends on how long you're going to be out, how old your infant is and how he'due south feeling (if you're heading to the physician because your baby has diarrhea, for example, pack several so you're prepared for a maximum number of changes). And don't forget to follow the plus-one rule of baby diapering: Always pack one more diaper than y'all think you'll need.
  2. Wipes. Tuck them in a reclosable plastic handbag or case to use when changing diapers, cleaning your hands or removing spit-up stains from your dress.
  3. Diaper foam or ointment. Use them equally a layer of protection to help to prevent diaper rash from developing — or to soothe your baby's lesser in example one develops.
  4. Irresolute pad. If your bag doesn't come with a pad, add your own, simply choose either a disposable variety or one with a washable or wipe-off cover. In a compression, you can always apply a towel or material diaper, but exist conscientious — they aren't waterproof and won't be able to adequately protect carpets or piece of furniture.
  5. Extras. Depending on how long you're planning to be out, include a burp fabric, a bib, plastic bags for muddy diapers and a bottle of formula if you lot're not breastfeeding. Consider packing a replacement outfit for your baby if he'south prone to spitting up or tends to have diaper blowouts (lucky you lot!). And don't forget a bottle of water and snack for you.

Pumping basics

You might be a footling overwhelmed by the idea of pumping. Since it's a good idea to freeze breast milk, use the fourth dimension before you get back to work to get started on expressing and saving your milk.

You'll probably need a couple of weeks to get into the routine of pumping breast milk and become baby used to the nipple of a bottle if you haven't offered him one yet.

In one case you starting time getting the pattern of pumping, don't forget to freeze your milk every bit much as you lot can.

Milk tin can be expressed manually, using a hand pump or with a battery-powered or electric pump. A high-tech electrical pump can expect intimidating (and might remind y'all of a dairy farm's automated milking machines), but information technology usually won't hurt.

The electric ones are a little noisier than hand pumps, simply they stimulate the breasts more than effectively and make for speedier delivery — plus, yous can double-pump to salvage time.

Taking baby photos

Forget all the fancy flash settings on your photographic camera. As long every bit at that place'south daylight, y'all can go cute infant photos in natural calorie-free, no affair if you're using a smartphone or a top-of-the-line gadget.

Here are some tips for getting a great shot of your pride-and-joy:

  1. Place a coating in a patch of sun outside or in front end of a window or glass door.
  2. Plunk your little ane down and start snapping.
  3. Another tip: Photographers love north-facing windows because they permit in indirect sunlight that'due south not so harsh or glaring. You can go similar results by waiting for the right time of day to snap your pics.
  4. Photograph your infant in front of a west-facing window in the morning or an east-facing window in the afternoon to keep him from squinting and minimize shadows.
  5. Shooting exterior? Time it for what some photographers call the Magic 60 minutes, which is usually the first hour afterwards sunrise or the last two hours before sunset. The low-cal is softer and warmer, and shadows are longer.

Crib height

If y'all're straining your back as you put your baby downwards, you may demand to accommodate the mattress height.

Higher will exist ameliorate during that newborn phase, when yous'll want those dreamland landings to be as smooth and gentle as possible (while keeping dorsum strain to a minimum).

Only every bit your baby reaches new mobility milestones, such every bit sitting and pulling up, it will be important to lower the crib to avoid tumbles.

From the What to Wait editorial squad and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Wait When You're Expecting. What to Await follows strict reporting guidelines and uses just credible sources, such every bit peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-appointment past reading our medical review and editorial policy.

  • What to Expect the First Year, third edition, Heidi Murkoff.
  • WhatToExpect.com, The 2-Calendar month Well-Babe Visit, February 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Haemophilus influenzae Type b (Hib) Vaccine, Dec 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Croup in Babies and Toddlers, October 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP) Vaccine, Dec 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Your Guide to Well-Baby Visits, March 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, How Much Should My Baby Eat?, April 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Here's How Much Sleep Babies Need, June 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Newborn and Baby Sleep Basics, May 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Babble, November 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Hither'southward When Babies Showtime Rolling Over, November 2020.
  • Centers for Illness Control and Prevention, Important Milestones: Your Baby By Ii Months, July 2020.
  • National Sleep Foundation, How Much Sleep Does Your Baby Really Need?, 2020.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Recommended Immunization Schedule for Children and Adolescents Aged 18 Years and Younger, 2018.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, How Oftentimes and How Much Should Your Baby Eat?, October 2020.
  • KidsHealth From Nemours, Your Baby'southward Growth: 2 Months, January 2019.

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