In the second month of a newborn's life, his development and care for him changes greatly. The little man more and more adapts to the world around him and begins to actively study it. Parents at this time should not lose sight of the inquisitive child and try to show care and attention in every possible way.
Baby 2 months
Features of the development of a two-month-old baby
The baby at 2 months is already developing much faster. This period is defined as the opening time. Every day the baby sees and hears better, opens new horizons for himself.
Contrary to popular belief, not all children experience a jump in weight and height at this age. Some can grow 2-2.5 centimeters, others only one. Therefore, the average for 2 months in height is 1.5 centimeters. From birth to 8 weeks, babies can grow by 4-5 centimeters.
Weight is also gained in different ways. Parents can find out all the information about a two-month-old baby, his development, weight gain, behavior from the pediatrician who regularly examines the baby.
Average growth and weight indicators of babies by the second month of life
| Indicator name | Average rate | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight, in kg | 5,1-5,6 | 4,4-7 | 4-6,5 |
| Height, cm | 57,2-58,3 | 54,5-62,3 | 53,1-61 |
| Head circumference, cm | 38,2-39-2 | 36,7-41,6 | 35,7-40,6 |
| Chest, cm | 37,9-38,4 | 35,8-40,7 | 35,5-39,8 |
Important! The child's health is negatively affected by both overweight and its significant underweight. If the baby is malnourished, you should consult a pediatrician. Too large a head circumference is a reason to see a neurologist.
However, if the baby is 2 months old, but she is gaining weight badly, you should not panic, this happens to girls.
If parents prefer to weigh the child at home in order to monitor his condition, then this should be done at the same time, preferably in the morning.
Weight norms
Babies at two months old have a number of physical characteristics:
- Changes in the hairline occur. Fluffy hairs begin to fall out, bulbous ones are formed in their place;
- Increased sensitivity to irritants (such as a wet diaper), pain, physical discomfort;
- The first emotions appear on the surrounding world. Babies at 2 months are able to react to odors. If the baby likes the scent, he smiles and freezes, if not, he may sneeze or cough and look unhappy;
- Eyesight improves. The kid examines bright objects, toys in front of him with interest. The child is able to concentrate on one subject for 5-8 minutes;
- Urination in two months occurs at least 6 times during the day. Stool availability depends on feeding. Sometimes it seems to some parents that the baby cannot go to the toilet for a long time. Even if you haven't had a chair all day, don't worry.
- Physiological hypertonicity gradually disappears. The child independently clenches and unclenches the cam.
- The baby starts drooling;
- Hearing develops - the baby begins to respond to sounds, voices of parents.
What little ones can do
The second month of a newborn's life is filled with other events: a 2 month old baby learns new things, tries to move. Usually children at this age can:
- Hold the head. The action itself is gradually being developed from the first month. Lying on his tummy, the baby begins to gradually tear off the forehead and cheek from the surface. By the age of 2 months, the child independently holds his head and examines the world around him. Behavior also changes if the baby is held on handles. The kid looks around, holding his head on his own, everything is interesting to him;
- Roll over from a position on your side to your stomach or back;
- The first smile appears. Some children begin to smile even earlier, if they are given sufficient attention, communicate, sing. The presence of a smile suggests that psychologically everything is in order with the child, he is in contact with others;
- A "revitalization complex" appears. In other words, the baby demonstrates the joy of meeting a familiar person, beloved parents or grandparents. Outwardly, it looks like a disorderly movement of arms and legs when a familiar face, voice appears;
- Focusing the gaze on the subject. The eyesight of children is getting better, they begin to carefully examine interesting surrounding objects and things;
- "Tries on" all objects. The baby has a desire to pull into his mouth everything that can only be seen and grabbed with his fists: rattles, the edge of the blanket. This is how the child contacts the outside world;
- Distinguish sounds, react to a familiar voice (mother's or father's);
- From the baby, you can hear the first lingering vowel sounds - as a way of communication.
Knowledge of the world and oneself
Behavior and daily routine
The newborn has grown up, one of the important stages for the formation of a healthy psyche and physiological development is the formation of the daily routine. In this case, the child's behavior corresponds to this. The kid begins to eat and fall asleep at the same time. The parents themselves should establish a clear routine not only for sleeping and feeding, but also for walking, taking a bath, and playing.
A clear daily schedule will benefit not only the child, but also the mother herself, who will be able to allocate time for household chores and rest.
Eating and sleeping in a baby's life
How much should a baby sleep at two months of age? This indicator will be individual, on average, babies can sleep from 15 to 18 hours.
Usually, children sleep for 1.5-2 hours during the day, 3-4 times, the remaining time, that is, 8-10 hours, kids spend sleeping at night. Accordingly, babies are awake no more than 6-7 hours a day. These indicators are absolutely normal.
What about feeding? The total number of meals during the day is 6 to 7 times, approximately every 3 hours. The very first meal is at 6-7 am, the latest at 10-11 am.
Most pediatricians recommend feeding the baby on demand, justifying this by the fact that the child's body can independently determine when it is hungry.
The best food option at this age is breast milk. You need to apply the baby to the breast as needed. If a child is on artificial nutrition, then during the day he is supposed to eat up to 900 grams of the mixture (approximately 160 grams each intake).
Important! After completing a meal, you should hold the baby upright so that excess air comes out of the stomach. This is necessary to reduce colic.
Comprehensive development
What needs to be done with a baby at two months of age so that he grows up healthy, strong and smart? First of all, healthy sleep and nutrition, but that's not all. It is imperative to deal with the child, communicate, play and devote a lot of time to him.
Mental and physical development of the child
At two months, the main task of the parents is to strengthen the muscles of the back and neck of the baby. Therefore, moms and dads should familiarize themselves with gymnastic exercises. Nothing complicated, the child is simply laid on his tummy and gently stroked by the arms, legs, back.
What is gymnastics for in principle? First of all, strengthening the muscles, hardening, simultaneously with the massage, the child can have sun and air baths, which help prevent the occurrence of rashes, redness.
It is preferable to do gymnastics in the morning, a couple of hours after eating. Example exercise:
- Put the baby on the back;
- Take his hands in yours;
- Gently raise the baby's arms to the side up;
- Fold the limbs over the chest.
It is good if, during the exercise, the mother hums a funny song to the child or reads out some nursery rhyme.
It is also recommended to do a "bicycle" with children at 2 months. The child lies on the back. Mom or dad should take the baby's leg and gently press it against the baby's chest, then take it back. It is repeated 7-10 times for each limb.
Important! Only regular exercises will give the result. Exercise should be done every day for 10-15 minutes.
Gymnastics
Child's sight, hearing and touch
How does a baby at 2 months see and hear? Feelings sharpen, the baby gradually distinguishes colors, begins to see a distant world for him, remembers sounds.
There are special educational games for the baby's eyes and ears. The easiest option is when the mother drives a bright toy in front of the child's eyes, forcing him to follow and turn his head.
For this age, the baby can purchase:
- Squeaky toys;
- Rattles;
- Suspended music mobile;
- Soft toys with a rustling tab.
It is not necessary to choose too loud devices. Such things may not only not make the child happy, but also scare.
Social skills of a 2 month old baby
Why should you talk to a baby? Communication between parent and child should take place from the first minute of life. In no case should it be episodic or only as needed. There is no need to let psychological development take its course. The news that the child will later be diagnosed with attention deficit will not please anyone.
Children like to watch their mother, her face, they are amused when she repeats sounds after them. The child responds to such behavior on the part of the parent, and a dialogue begins.
Psychology of a 2 month old baby
The child should feel parental love. Therefore, it must be shown, even if it seems that the child is too small and does not understand anything. Children feel everything on an emotional level and react to any change in the parent's behavior.
Children love it when their mother gives them her touch, strokes their tummy, fingering her fingers and looking into their eyes.
Smile to mom
Development games and exercises
When the baby is 2 months old, parents should take care of games and finger development exercises. You can deal with a baby based on grasping reflexes. One of the exercises:
- A small ball or ball (2-3 centimeters in diameter) is put into an open palm;
- The main task is to ensure that the baby grabs him.
The ball does not have to be bought, you can make it yourself from threads or other improvised things, as long as it is soft.
A similar type of exercise can be done with sticks, rattles. It is good to let your child touch different things (rustling, ribbed, fluffy, and so on). Toys with embedded cherry pits contribute to the development of motor skills.
Necessary exercises for proper psychological development:
- Conversation with the baby helps not only to get closer, but also promotes the assimilation of sounds. The child watches as the parent folds his lips;
- It is worth teaching the child to stick out his tongue. It helps for articulatory gymnastics;
- You can teach your child to pronounce the sounds "aha" or "uh-huh";
- Repetition of sounds made by animals (cat "meow-meow", dog "woof-woof" and so on) contributes to the development of speech attention;
- Music boxes or toys that play a pleasant melody installed next to a crib are good for developing hearing;
- It is worth showing the child simple pictures with animals, figures, be sure to name them.
Games with a child
Tips on how to care for a 2 month old baby
A 2 month old baby, like a newborn, requires special care. What you need to know:
- Do not neglect daily walks in the fresh air;
- You should often lay the child on his tummy so that he develops the back and cervical vertebrae;
- Daily air baths for the child to prevent diaper rash and rashes;
- Acquaintance with different subjects contributes to the development of motor skills;
- Daily massage.
The development of a 2-month-old baby involves constant contact with parents. Do not leave him unattended. Baby care also provides for daily bath procedures, the baby's face, eyes, nose and ears must be wiped.
When taking a bath, consider the temperature of the water. It should be 36-37 degrees. Bathing time is no more than 5-7 minutes. The child's head is washed 2-3 times a week.
So what can a baby at 2 months do, what is his development? First of all, children at this age learn to interact with the world around them, try to memorize sounds, smells, and closely monitor what is happening around. How should parents behave in this case? Show attention, care, communicate with the child, carry out daily exercises, do not forget to play with the baby.
