What can a baby do at 2 months. Physiological changes in age. Several important rules for working with a baby

11.04.2019

Some two months ago, you were in anxious anticipation of the appearance of your baby. Now the little man has become a constant cause for happiness and anxiety at the same time. Parents are unlikely to be able to understand whether a newborn baby is developing normally if there are no obvious deviations. After 2 months, moms and dads can objectively assess the pace of progress and proudly tell their friends about the baby's successes.

In two months, a little man acquires many new skills

Physical parameters

The height and weight of a two month old baby can vary greatly. This must be clearly known and constantly remembered in order to avoid unnecessary worries. Much depends on size and birth weight, as well as heredity.

Parameters of height, weight and volume of the head of a baby 2 months:

Some babies already have weight at birth, which others gain at 3 or even 5 months. You shouldn't pay too much attention to absolute indicators, it is better to analyze the dynamics of growth and gain. According to the recommendations of the WHO, the weight gain in the second month averages about 800 grams, the height increases by 3 cm, the head circumference - by 1.5 cm.From the moment of birth to two months, the child grows by 6 cm, and recovers by almost 1.5 kg.

The weight and height gain table is used roughly. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the fact that children develop in different ways.

There are tables and graphs available that indicate the upper and lower limits of the weight norm. They are designed separately for girls and boys. If the child is in this field, then no additional supplementation is needed, even if the baby has not gained a single gram in a month. Daily weighing and the use of drugs "for appetite" are simply strictly prohibited. As Dr. Komarovsky says in numerous videos about the first months of life, it is better to buy a sedative for mom (grandmother) with this money so that she lags behind the child.

Motor development

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The physical development of the baby in the first months of life proceeds gradually. In turn, the child must learn to control the head, arms, body, legs. The appearance of characteristic movements for a particular age is rather arbitrary, since motor development is largely due to heredity. Consider what movements pediatricians refer to as characteristic of 2 months of age.

Head movements

By the age of 2 months, the child is able to hold his head in the arms of his mother. In the prone position, the baby can raise the head and hold it in this position for up to 1 minute. In this case, the emphasis is on the forearms, the chest rises above the surface, the legs are extended. In an upright position (in a column), a child without support can hold his head for about 30 seconds.

The baby can raise the head for just a few seconds, and this is a good result of the baby's development.

Hand movements

After two months, the baby begins to take an active interest in his own hands. There is an intensive increase in the number of conscious movements:

Feeling. Tactile sensation dominates all others. The child strokes the bed, surrounding objects with his palms, feels himself, pulls at the clothes.
Grabbing. The grasping reflex fades away, it is replaced by a conscious movement. Still embarrassing, but the child tries to grab the toys hanging above him, grabs the offered rattles and holds them for up to 10 seconds, tries to bring the caught objects to his mouth.
Coordination. From 2 months, a baby begins to understand that he can control his hands and develops this skill in every possible way. He should look at his palms with interest, bring them to his mouth, grab with one hand with the other, amusing himself and those around him. If by the end of the 3rd month the child is still not interested in his own hands, tell your pediatrician about it.

Psycho-emotional development

The psycho-emotional development of a child strongly depends on the environment: on the relationship between family members, the amount of attention that is given to the baby. If they talk to the child, smile at him, the cub does the same in response: he walks, focuses on the adult, reacts with facial expressions to changes in intonation.

When the baby looks at his mother, smiles at her and tries to speak only vowel sounds for now, this cannot but please the parents

Visual reactions

A two-month-old baby is able to concentrate on people and objects. To grab the attention of the little man, objects should be no more than 60 cm from the eyes. Optimal - 30 cm. Then, in addition to focusing on things, the child also shows interested tracking. If the toy moves slowly in an arc, the child will turn the head after it.

At the address of adults, the baby turns and looks into the face of the speaker for 10 seconds. For the longest time, the toddler can examine his hands: looking at the pens can last up to 5 minutes.

Formation of binocular vision, i.e. vision, carried out with two eyes, leads to a single stereotyped image and marks a new stage in the development of visual - indicative reactions. The child's consideration of his fist indicates the emergence of interest in objects of the external world, which is an important step in the development of the intellect of the little one. Smiling and looking at the hand are the initial stages of learning.

Hearing development

At 2 months, the child has an acute hearing. During this period, he begins to react negatively to sharp and too loud sounds: he freezes for a few seconds, opens his eyes wide, wrinkles his face, and after 10-15 seconds begins to cry.

The baby reacts to typical ambient sounds by turning her eyes, and later her head. If the child becomes interested in the sound while eating, he will activate or slow down the sucking movements, or may stop eating and turn towards the noise.

Do not be surprised if, after a loud noise, the baby cries, as at two months the baby has good hearing and can easily get scared from extraneous sounds

Speech

The speech of a small child is inextricably linked with hearing. The toddler very often listens to the sounds made and hums amusingly. May whine quietly or squeak shrilly. The screams take on distinct intonations by which parents can tell if the child is irritated or calm. Speech consists of vowels in different variations: ah, ah, uh, etc.

Emotional manifestations

By the age of 2 months, the baby acquires an extensive arsenal of verbal and non-verbal emotional manifestations. Not only demanding, but also pleading intonations appear in the voice (a “begging” way of communication arises), cries are replaced by exclamations with pauses in which the baby expects a reaction to his cries.

The child shows high spirits with facial expressions and a smile. Some smile barely perceptibly - with only the tips of their lips; others are more pronounced, wrinkling their nose comically and shining eyes; some “specimens” giggle cheerfully in a good mood. In a state of calm, the baby is serious and alert. The toddler expresses feelings of discomfort with a whimper and a wrinkled face.

The emotions of a baby at two months are becoming more and more diverse. Some children are quiet and calm that they hardly even smile, while others may already start laughing

Intelligence

At 2 months old, the baby is clearly aware of the simplest cause-and-effect relationships. With the appearance of his mother, he stops crying and freezes, waiting for the start of feeding. A bottle-fed baby starts to open his mouth and suckle when he sees the bottle.

By the age of two months, the baby grows up and gets stronger enough to make the first conscious movements. With each subsequent month, physical activity increases at a rapid pace. Before you have time to look back, your lala will begin to crawl, and there it will take an upright position, becoming completely similar to an adult human individual. Not only physical skills develop, but also emotions and intelligence.

The emotional changes of this tender age are called the "revitalization complex." With its appearance, the child has a clear emotional reaction to people. When close ones approach, there is a sequential alternation of fading, motor animation, smiling and humming, accompanied by an inquisitive look in the eyes. At 2 months, the little person firmly takes the path of development, communication and the task of the parents is to satisfy and support.

Ekaterina Rakitina

Dr Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

Reading time: 13 minutes

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Last updated article: 11.03.2019

When the baby is two months old, the neonatal period ends and the infancy begins. Every parent is interested to know what a child should be able to do at 2 months.

During this time, the baby has grown. He begins to develop new skills. Now he is able to recognize his mother, smile at her. Children up to two months, as a rule, also smile, but they do it completely unconsciously. But now the reason for his smile can be his mother's words, or just her appearance in the field of vision. While the baby perceives only parents, they are for him the center of the universe and the most dear people in life.

At the age of one year, every month is a kind of milestone in the development of the baby. He has new skills and abilities, motor and sensory-cognitive spheres develop.

Pre-speech and social development is going on intensively, the first skills of self-service are beginning to form. At this stage of life, the little person is still very helpless and in dire need of parental care, attention, love and care.

Baby movements at 2 months

And although a baby develops at two months more emotionally than physically, he still tries to perform certain actions.

Gradually, the child develops motor skills, the "grasping" reflex becomes less noticeable. Now the baby is unclenching his fists and from time to time trying to grab his mother. For example, for her hair or clothes. But in this period, he cannot consciously let her go.

Also, at 2 months old, the child is still trying to control his body: with arms and legs. It is worth noting that his movements are no longer so chaotic, but slower and smoother.

If the child is turned over on his stomach, then he is able to hold the head about 10-15 minutes... And confidently keeps the head in a prone position. Moreover, the older the baby becomes, the higher it raises its chin. And this should be done at this age as often as possible so that the muscles of the cervical spine are strengthened.

A two-month-old baby is also able to hold his head straight for several minutes, being in the arms of an adult in an upright position.

Knows how to move on a horizontal surface, using arms and legs at the same time, without lifting the stomach from the surface. At two months, the baby already knows how to roll over from one side to the other.

Can fix a gaze on a bright toy for a long time, can hold it with a brush up to 20 seconds and wave it around. Can hit a hanging rattle. If an object falls into his handle, grab it and drag it into his mouth. The baby has improved control of his body and coordination of movements, but his fingers are still very weak, and it is difficult for him to hold the object. Although a child at this age drags everything into his mouth, it is not recommended to forbid him. From early childhood, it is better for your baby to get used to the bacteria of the environment, excessive sterility is not just unnecessary, it can damage, including the baby's immune system, and lead to the development of allergies.

The sucking reflex is still strong enough, the baby loves to suck on the fist. With a lack of communication with adults (with a mother), he can suckle a little longer than it takes to saturate. This is his way of communicating and exchanging energy with his mother.

What's new in a baby at 2 months:

The baby's pain sensitivity increases, he begins to react sharply to any discomfort, such as hunger or a wet diaper.
A two-month-old baby freezes and smiles when he smells a pleasant smell and makes a grimace and sneezes when the smell is unpleasant.
The baby's vision is getting better and better, he recognizes the objects around him: bright toys, a pacifier, a bottle. The baby is already able to hold attention in t after 5-7 minutes.
If a child was born with bright vascular spots on the back of the head and forehead, then by the second month they will surely turn pale, and by 8 months they disappear without a trace . If this has not happened, then we can say that there are cerebral circulation disorders in the child.
At 2 months, the fluff of hair falls out, and bulbous hairs appear.
The small posterior fontanelle closes completely by 2-3 months.

Physiology of a baby at 2 months

During this period, the child is growing very actively. By the end of the second month, he is able to gain weight up to 700-800 grams. This is about a quarter of the weight he was born with. The growth of the baby is also rapidly increasing. On average, it gets bigger 3-4 centimeters. The size of the chest circumference, compared with the first month, increases up to 20 mm.

If at 2 months of age the boy weighs less than 4.3 kg, and the girl - less than 3.9 g - this is a reason for consulting a pediatrician. Too large a head circumference is also a serious reason to show a baby to a neurologist in order to exclude problems with outflow cerebrospinal fluid.

The child sleeps a day from 15 to 18 hours. At night he can sleep 5-6 hours straight, without waking up for feeding. In total, the night's sleep is 9-11 hours.

During the day, the child needs two long sleep and 3-4 short. The duration of long sleep is up to 2 hours, but short 20-40 minutes. If the baby is breastfed, then in short dreams he usually sleeps in his mother's arms, not letting his chest out of his mouth.

The sleep of a child at this age is greatly influenced by how much time the mother spends with him and holds him in her arms. If the child has enough warmth and affection, then he sleeps much more soundly, feeling the safety and love of his mother. But if the baby is worried about something, then he begins to wake up every 40 minutes, to make sure mom is there.

The daily routine of the baby will depend on feeding, on whether the baby wakes up early. For example, you can use this version of the daily routine:

Waking up, morning toilet, feeding	8.00-8.30
Wakefulness	8.00-9.30
Daytime sleep number 1	9.30-11.30
Feeding	11.30
Wakefulness	11.30-12.30
Daytime sleep number 2	12.30-15.00
Feeding	15.00
Wakefulness	16.00-16.30
Daytime sleep number 3	16.30-18.30
Feeding	19.30
Wakefulness	19.30-20.30
Bathing	20.30
Night sleep	21.00-8.00
* 1 night feeding	22.00
* 2 night feeding	01.30 or 03.00

Usually such a regime, with 3 day dreams, it happens in well-developing 2 month old babies, with a balanced nervous system and good health. It is very good if the baby's daytime dreams take place in the fresh air.

Two month old baby on GW usually asks for mother's breast after waking up and while falling asleep, he can attach to her up to four times an hour and suck for several minutes, and full feeding takes place at intervals from 40 minutes to 2.5 hours. At night, the baby is applied to the chest from 3 to 8 hours in the morning.

Nutrition for babies IW passes according to strict standards. To calculate the daily food volume, the baby's weight is divided at 6, and then, having learned the total daily volume of the mixture, divide it for 6 or 8, this is the number of feedings per day, so the volume of one feed is obtained. On average, a 2 month old baby eats 900 g mixtures per day is approximately 130 g each in feeding if feeding 7.

Dr. Komarovsky explains that in order for a child's night sleep to be healthy and strong, the day must be spent actively and profitably: "Live active - walk, sleep in the fresh air during the day, encourage knowledge of the world and outdoor games."

His video on the rules of baby sleep can help mothers by revealing some secrets and subtleties.

The kid sleeps less, is more active. It may well not fall asleep immediately after eating, but play for a while in the crib.

He has a fairly well developed memory. He remembers repetitive phenomena, conditioned reflex activity of a sufficiently high level is formed in him. He remembers the time of bathing, massage sessions, time of feeding, bathing, is able to perceive periodically repeating phenomena as a pattern, getting used to the system (daily routine). If you closely monitor the baby, you will notice that before feeding, he begins to show impatience, anticipating a meal. Expecting the enjoyable exercise to begin, the 2-month-old expresses joy. Before taking a bath, when mom takes her baby, she is quite active in showing joy. And if the daily routine is violated, your child may be surprised and even upset, expressing his displeasure with crying.

Baby's vision at 2 months

At the age of two months, the child's hearing and vision improve. Lying on its tummy, your baby can make smooth follow-up eye movements, which are different from the spasmodic eye movements in the first month of birth. The child calmly tracks a bright object that is moving at a distance up to 60 centimeters and observe a vertically moving object.

At two months old, the child is able to focus his gaze on objects. His special attention is attracted either by bright and colorful objects, or objects that he sees for the first time in his life. He can look at such objects for several minutes.

The visual perception of children at this age becomes clearer, they are able to see the outlines of objects and their colors. If you start playing a rattle with the baby, slowly drive it in different directions, then he will begin to follow her, trying not to look away. Now the baby is able to distinguish the closest people - mom and dad, from all strangers. He also begins to distinguish living objects from non-living ones. For example, a baby watches a cat with more interest than a toy.

If, when moving, the handles fall into the field of view, concentrates on them. Blinks when an object is brought closer to his face.

At this age, the mucous eye is not yet too sensitive, therefore, specks in the eye rarely bother the baby, and it also applies to the situation when he gets his finger in the eye. There may still be weak co-coordination of the eyeballs, this is expressed in a slight squint.

At two months old, the baby is able to distinguish its mother from other adults, remembers and recognizes her face, smell. He becomes more outgoing. Communication skills begin to develop.

Baby's hearing

Along with vision during this period, there is an intensive development of hearing. The amniotic fluid, which accumulates in the middle ear in a child after childbirth, begins to be gradually absorbed by tissue cells, so the baby hears much better than in the first month of his life. The kid begins to react to the noise and already determines which side it comes from. If you shake the rattle out of the child's field of vision, you can observe the following picture: first, the baby freezes for a while, analyzing the situation, and only then turns exactly in the direction from which the sound comes.

The kid turns his head, looks at the objects around him, reacts to audio stimuli, listens to the sounds that interest him. If you make rustling sounds with paper, he turns his head, trying to see what is rustling. If during the neonatal period the baby does not respond to sharp claps and the sound of the TV, then at the age of two months with the development of hearing and vision, it is necessary to limit the presence of the child at the TV and the computer, minimizing it. The kid should never watch different programs, videos, advertisements. This negatively affects not only the eyesight, but also the psyche of the child. This can result in sleep disturbance.

But it is recommended to include classical quiet music. The kid not only calms down and relaxes under it, but also forms a love for beauty.

The kid can already distinguish not only sounds, but also voices. This is how he reacts to his mother's and father's voice with a smile and heightened attention, and to someone else's voice with alertness and sometimes even crying.

Each child at 2 months already understands the fact that if he gives a voice, then someone will definitely come up to him. He begins to independently form cause-effect relationships and develop certain habits and even strategies.

The speech apparatus of a child at 2 months

At two months old, the child may already begin to delight parents with his humming, publishing a lingering "Ah", "Oh-oh" etc. Individual guttural sounds will gradually form into syllables. And by the end of the month, parents can hear from the baby "Ha", "Ho", "Heh".

The babbling process is very emotional for a toddler. During communication with his parents, he may coo, squeal or smack his lips. His mood directly depends on the mood of his mother. If the mother is upset or upset about something, the baby's behavior may be capricious, and the baby himself may be sad. It is necessary to give the child positive emotions. And you need to do this constantly.

Baby skin at 2 months

It must be remembered that the skin is a kind of protective barrier that prevents various diseases and infections from entering the baby's body. It is also a kind of sensor that perceives different signals and performs the function of a thermostat. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the baby's skin, because the well-being and health of the child directly depends on it. Skin care must be correct and consistent. This requires bathing without the use of various soap products that dry the delicate skin of the child. And also twice a day it should be lubricated with a hypoallergenic baby cream.

Bathing a baby at 2 months

By 2 months, parents gain confidence and skill in bathing their baby. At this age, they usually switch to bathing every other day and better in the evening - from 19.30 to 21.00. For better baby sleep, a decoction of chamomile, oak bark, lavender or string is added to the water. The water temperature should be not less than 36-37ºС, and in the bathroom you need to maintain the temperature not less than 23-24 ° C.

By this age, the child is already getting used to the bathing procedure. And most kids really enjoy this process. If before that the child bathed in a small bath, then at 2 months you can arrange water procedures in a large bath. For this, the child is bought a special inflatable ring, which is fixed on the neck. Thanks to him, the baby himself is able to move around the bath, pushing off with his hands and feet from its sides.

Such bathing is not only interesting for the baby himself, but also incredibly useful for the formation of the musculoskeletal system. The baby begins to learn about the world and adapt to different living conditions.

Baby care

For the correct physical development of the baby, parents should:

Take daily walks with the newborn for at least 2-4 hours;
For the development of the baby's cervical muscles, so that his head is well kept, more often, but little by little, lay it on the tummy;
Mandatory 5 minute air baths, the duration of which will increase over time up to 10-15 minutes. This procedure is carried out by stripping the child naked when changing a diaper or before bathing;
To develop fine motor skills in your baby, introduce him to different materials by putting soft, rough or smooth objects, possibly from plastic, rubber or wood, into a small handle;
Massage the entire body of the baby, with light strokes and gentle pats on the back, arms, legs, feet, palms and fingers of the baby.

To reduce the increased muscle tone on the baby's arms, it is recommended to massage according to the method Nikolay Nikonov, a leading massage therapist in Russia:

Applying gymnastics from an early age will help your little one grow strong and healthy. The gymnastic exercise is best done in the morning, and in 1-2 hours after the first feeding. Gently grab the handles of the crumbs with your palms, and quite effortlessly, place them to the sides, then put your fists on your chest. At the same time, you can count or hum a funny song. Exercise is also beneficial from 2 months "bicycle", it helps to relieve colic and strengthens the leg muscles. The baby is taken by the shins and alternately pressed, the legs bent at the knees, to the chest, and then straighten them. Classes should be carried out regularly, every day, but if the child is unwell or he received a routine vaccination, it is better to stop physical exercises for a while .

What parents should pay special attention to:

you should not leave the baby alone on the changing table, although he does not know how to move fully, but he will have enough strength to move to the edge;
you should not give the baby a pacifier and a bottle with a rope or chain, children at this age often get entangled in them, which can subsequently lead to asphyxia;
in case of any deviations in your opinion, immediately contact your pediatrician;
play more with the baby, pronouncing the names of objects, because the baby already understands everything;
spend time outdoors more often;
it is necessary to observe the hygiene of the baby, learn how to properly care for all parts of the body. The famous and valuable training videos, which were developed by the experienced and good doctor Komarovsky, can help with this.

At the age of 2 months, the love of dad and mom is important to the baby. The most dear people should be close. In the life of the crumbs, something is constantly changing, every day he learns to do something special, to experience new sensations and emotions. The child is at the stage of understanding the world and in this he needs help. Together with him, study different subjects, be sure to let him touch them, thereby developing motor skills.

If a child at this stage of life has not mastered all the skills described, it is worth consulting with a pediatrician, he will examine the baby and give the necessary advice.

Do not panic, children develop very individually. If a baby does not want to do something, or does not know how, this is not always a sign of a disorder or illness. For example, a large child may not want to roll over, and will learn to perform rolls a little later than their lighter peers. This is not bad if there are no deviations, since the baby's skeleton is still very weak, and increased physical activity can lead to curvature of the bones.

Frequent problems

Colic. Pediatricians recommend using physical methods to prevent discomfort and pain: lay the baby on his stomach before eating, take breaks in sucking, letting the baby regurgitate, and after feeding, keep the baby in a column.
Oral thrush. In a baby, this problem will appear from infection with candida from a mother or with a decrease in immunity. You should show the baby to the doctor if you notice a white coating in the mouth.
Prickly heat. It occurs when a child overheats, and proper hygiene and clothing for the weather will be prevention. To quickly eliminate this problem, chamomile infusion or a decoction of oak bark is added to the bathing water.
Diaper rash. Occurs with infrequent diaper changes, poor washing and infrequent air baths.
A rash on the face. It passes on its own by 3 months, it is not necessary to treat it, you just need to bathe the child in decoctions of herbs. And it is associated with the elimination of maternal hormones from the baby's body, which come with breast milk.

Social skills of a 2 month old baby

The emotional development of a baby depends not only on the efforts of the parents, but also on his temperament. The same applies to the social component.

if the child smiles, in the second month of life he must answer with a smile, the duration of the baby's smile is ten seconds;
at this stage of life, the smile passes from a reflex reaction into an emotional response of the child, a specialized, conscious form of communication;
he should show joy when speaking in a gentle voice:
show displeasure, expressed in crying in response to tight or rough swaddling, harsh or loud sound stimuli, rough voice of an adult;
if you turn to the baby or caress him, he should listen and carefully study the face of an adult, he may even smile in response to the caress;
at the termination of communication, he can express displeasure, which is replaced by joy, if communication is resumed;
a small person clearly distinguishes a mother among the mass of adults and shows joy from communicating with her in the form of physical activity;
a child at 2 months of age does not have very many means of communication, one of the active means is crying, crying has many shades, with the help of which he informs the attentive parent about his condition;
his reaction to "stranger" adults is about the same, the baby is not worried about the medical examination, although in some cases the adults may not like it, then the baby will show its reaction by crying.

Of course, if there are emotional disturbances, medical supervision is required.

At the age of two months, the infant begins “the time of discovery”. Literally every day, the baby from a newborn completely dependent on the mother turns into an active baby, interested in everything that happens around. It is important for parents to know what the development of a child should be at 2 months, what skills and abilities will appear during this period in order to determine the correct rhythm of development of their baby.

Growth and development of a two month old baby

In the second month of life, the baby becomes heavier by an average of 800 g, and longer by 3 cm.The rate of increase in head circumference during the first 8-12 weeks of life is kept at a high level, and at the end of the second month this figure can vary from 38.2 to 40, 1 cm. As the skull grows, the sizes of fontanelles decrease accordingly; the small posterior fontanelle should be completely closed by 2–3 months.

On a note! It is best to weigh a 2 month old baby at the same hours, preferably in the morning. The data of the evening and morning examinations cannot be compared: according to the observations of pediatricians, in the evening the weight may increase.

At two months old, the baby looks round, plump in build. But every day the child's activity grows, he begins to move his legs and arms more actively. The muscles will be strengthened and the body fat will become thinner. The bones of the baby are also growing rapidly, the body and limbs are lengthening. By the end of the month, the baby will look slimmer and taller than at the beginning.

The physical development of a two-month-old child has some features:

By the age of 2 months, the hair begins to change - the vellus hair falls out, and bulbous hair grow in their place.
From this age, the infant's sensitivity to pain increases. Also, the baby reacts more sharply to any kind of discomfort, be it hunger or wet diapers.
A two-month-old baby is unconsciously able to express his feelings about pleasant and unpleasant smells. He reacts to the first with a smile or freezes; on the second - sneezes or makes a grimace.
The baby's vision is developing and improving. He can already recognize objects of the environment (pacifier, milk bottle). When the child is awake, he fixes his gaze on the toys located in front of him or to the side of him, especially bright objects attract the attention of the baby. The duration of the infant's visual concentration can be 5-7 minutes.
Sometimes a baby is born with bright vascular spots on the back of the head and forehead, which are clearly visible during the neonatal period. By the second month, they gradually begin to fade, and after another six months they disappear almost without a trace.

Note! If the vascular spots persist for a longer time, most often this indicates that the child has cerebrovascular accidents.

Physical activity and emotional development

Starting from the 2nd month, the tone of the flexors of the legs and arms decreases in infants, and the volume of spontaneous movements, on the contrary, increases. If the baby is lying on its side, then you can see that his head is no longer thrown back, as it was in the first weeks of life (neonatal period).

Most babies are able to do the following by two months:

bring your hand to your mouth, suck your fingers;
hold the object in the hand for at least 10 seconds;
take away toys hanging in front with your hand, push them away from you;
for some time they are able to keep their head suspended;
while lying on your stomach, lift the breast for a few seconds;
rub the eyes and nose with a fist;
listen to the voices of adults.

The child begins to show an active interest in the objects around him. Everything that can be touched, grabbed with a palm, will not pass by his attention. By the middle of the second month, the baby actively clings to everything around: crumples his mother's magazine, sheets, grabs the fingers of adults and tries to rip toys off the developing mat.

Small achievements in 2 months of life

What should a child be able to do in such infancy? This question worries many parents. A two-month-old baby is growing rapidly, getting stronger and has already adapted to new living conditions. Lying on its stomach, the baby already holds its head quite well. If mom puts a rattle in his handle, then he will hold it for a little, and then drop it. At two months old, a child watches with his eyes what is moving, but only on the condition that the subject of observation is large enough. The kid can understand where the sound is coming from, and with curiosity will turn his head to its source.

What else can a two-month-old baby do:

more often straightens his palms, no longer keeps them constantly in his fists, as in the first weeks after birth;
having heard the sound, by looking and turning the head reacts to it, listens and waits for the continuation;
sees not only the outlines of objects, can notice details;
learns to attract attention with facial expressions, and not just cry, and changes facial expression;
gets scared if he hears someone's loud voice, sneezing, or a loud appliance.

To help a young mother, we present a table of standards formulated by doctors. It will serve as a guideline that will help assess the physical health and development of the child.

Speech	As in the first month of life, the baby expresses discomfort by crying. There are attempts at humming, sometimes the baby can make back-lingual sounds, for example, “g-g-g,” “k-k-k”.
Hearing	Hearing the sound, turns his head in his direction. Listens to mom's voice, to a rattle, or to a working TV. From a sudden sharp click or other sound, blinks, or even shudders.
Vision	He looks at the faces of adults with interest, especially looks at his mother. Keeps eyes on moving objects, singing carousel on the crib. Of interest are black and white geometric shapes and drawings in these tones.
Emotions	When the mother turns to the baby, turns her head towards her, listens with her mouth open. Smiles often when dealing with an adult.
Motor skills	Tries to hold small toys in hand for a few seconds. Lying on his stomach is able to hold his head for a while; if it becomes difficult, it lowers, but after a while it rises again.

Video about baby development from one to two months:

Approximate daily routine at 2 months

At the age of 8-10 weeks, the baby leads a fairly calm lifestyle. The child still spends most of the day asleep, because he needs a lot of energy to grow. In the 2nd month of life, sleep time is mainly shifted to the night hours, and the waking time - to the daytime. The alternation of sleep and wakefulness is not established immediately, it is necessary to consistently accustom the baby to the regime. A well-defined daily routine helps to maintain a balanced, vigorous and emotionally positive state of the child.

Nutrition

Ideally, nutrition for a two-month-old baby is just mother's milk. The feeding regimen may already undergo changes: if a month-old baby eats only on demand, then by 2-3 months you can set the intervals between feedings at 2, 2.5 or even 3.5 hours. Artificial and mixed feeding have their own norms, but there is a mini-formula for roughly determining the amount of milk / adapted formula that a baby should receive per day. For this, the mother can use the calculation: from 2 to 4 months, this amount is 1/6 of the body weight. By dividing the received daily dose by the number of feedings, you can find the approximate amount of food per feed.

Bathing

If in the first month of life, bathing was an exciting event for parents that required skill, then by 2 months the confidence of moms and dads significantly increases. At this stage, the baby is most often bathed every other day, in the evening - from 19.30 to 21.00. The baby bath is filled with water, if desired, you can add a decoction to it for better baby sleep - from chamomile, string, lavender or oak bark. The required water temperature should be measured with a special thermometer, it should be at least 36-37 ° C. You should also maintain the correct temperature in the room where the baby is bathing (23-24 ° C).

A two-month-old baby needs at least three to four days of sleep. The daily routine can vary depending on feeding, and how early the baby gets up in the morning. One of the mode options may look like this:

Waking up, morning toilet, feeding	8.00-8.30
Wakefulness	8.00-9.30
First daytime sleep	9.30-11.30
Feeding	11.30
Wakefulness	11.30-12.30
Second daytime dream	12.30-15.00
Feeding	15.00
Wakefulness	16.00-16.30
Third daytime dream	16.30-18.30
Feeding	19.30
Wakefulness	19.30-20.30
Bathing	20.30
Night sleep	21.00-8.00
* First night feeding	22.00
* Second night feeding	01.30 or 03.00

Most often, such a regime (with 3-day sleep periods) is established by 2-3 months in well-developing children with good health and a balanced nervous system. It is advisable for the child to spend all daytime dreams in the fresh air.

The physical development of the baby needs to be stimulated daily for successful formation and growth. To do this, parents must:

Provide daily walks on the street with your baby for at least 2-4 hours, regardless of the season and weather conditions.
Little by little, but often lay the baby on his tummy so that the baby develops the neck muscles and trains to hold his head for a longer time;
Give your baby a 5-minute air bath, stripping the baby naked during a diaper change or before getting ready for bathing. Over time, you can increase the duration of air baths up to 10-15 minutes;
To develop fine motor skills, introduce the baby to various materials by putting objects with different surfaces (soft, rough, smooth), of different weights and composition (plastic, rubber, wood, etc.) into the handle;
To do a light massage of the whole body, stroking and gentle, weightless pats on the back, arms, legs, feet and palms of the baby.

Comprehensive development of a 2 month old baby

Communication and contact

Communication penetrates the child from the first days of life. In no case should it be episodic. Address your baby by name, talk to him in affectionate intonations. Babies love it when mom plays sounds from his “repertoire”. You will not even notice how your foolish baby will continue “talking” with you, answering you with hum.

Smile and play

All your actions that are aimed at caring for a child should be accompanied by a friendly smile. It is especially important in response to your baby's smile. When the baby is in a good mood and has fun, laugh and have fun with him. Give your child emotional communication, it is priceless. Carry, swing, tell nursery rhymes. At two months, the baby is curious and will watch your actions with interest.

Positive emotions

Express love for your baby, even if it seems to you that he is too young and does not understand anything. Touch the child, - it gives the baby incredible pleasure to stroking his mother on the back, fingering his fingers,. Do not forget to look the baby in the eyes at the same time, try to prolong the contact of gazes as long as possible.

The right toys

In the first months of life, small details are not important to a child. Now the best toys for him will be bright pendant items (mobile, soft toys or rattles) with clear outlines. In order for the baby to learn to focus on them, they should be placed at a distance of 30-40 cm from the child, hanging in a stroller or crib. At first, the baby will watch them, but a moment will come, and the child will reach for them to try to grab. By moving the toys closer and away, the muscles of the eyes are trained.

Gymnastics

Light physical activity will help your child grow up healthy and strong. Let us dwell on this point in more detail. We present a video on how to do massage and gymnastics correctly for 2 month old babies:

The best time to do the exercises is in the morning, an hour or two after the first "breakfast". Grasp the baby's arms with your palms, and easily, without effort, place the baby's arms to the sides. Then fold the fists over your chest. Accompany gymnastics with a count of four, or a fun song.

It is also useful from 2 months to do the exercise "Bicycle". The baby needs to be taken by the shins and alternately press the legs bent at the knees to the chest, and then straighten them. Exercise helps to relieve colic and actively strengthens the leg muscles.

On a note! It is important that the classes are regular and take place every day. But if the baby is unwell or he underwent a planned vaccination, then it is better to postpone physical exercises.

The baby is already two months old ... Despite the fact that the newborn stage has passed, the baby's body continues to develop. Moreover, this happens so quickly that parents never cease to be amazed at the appearance of new abilities in the baby.

Physical development

In the second month of life, the baby noticeably gains weight and gives a significant increase in growth. It can be said about many children during this period that they grow up literally before our eyes. Such a rapid growth of the baby's body must certainly be supported by the appropriate amount of energy.

A child at 2 months sleeps on average 18-20 hours per day. But each baby is different, so you shouldn't sound the alarm if the baby is awake a little more or less. At two months old, the baby eats well and often - especially for breastfed babies who eat on demand. Such babies can attach to the breast several dozen times a day, sucking out the amount of milk they need.

Today, many experts recommend not introducing quantitative restrictions on feeding, since children themselves feel how much and when they eat. So if your little one is eating well and sleeping enough, you have nothing to worry about. If the physical development of the child at 2 months of age lags far behind the norm, the doctor may advise you to introduce supplementary feeding or appropriate treatment.

Motor skills

At this age, the child can already independently raise his head, hold it upright for several seconds, and also raise and hold it while lying on his stomach. The baby's legs and arms are relaxed, he can stretch them in different directions. Parents notice that the involuntary twitching of the muscles in the baby has noticeably decreased compared to the first month. At 2 months, the baby can no longer hold objects in his hands - a rattle, a pacifier, etc. You can also observe that the child begins to aimlessly knock on the crib or on himself.

2 month old baby - mental and emotional development

During this period, the baby can use the organs responsible for communication much more confidently compared to the first month of life. The child already consciously catches the eyes of the parents and catches their movements. If he sees an object of interest to him at a distance of up to half a meter, then he can focus his gaze on it. This focusing of vision is an unconditional progress in the development of the baby.

In addition, the child can already closely observe moving objects. Moreover, now he knows how to do this not only by moving his eyes, but also by turning his head in the right direction. If you do not notice such progress, then conduct an experiment: move the crumbs in front of your eyes with some bright toy.

In addition to the development of the organs of vision, the baby has an active dynamic in the development of his emotional state. Now the baby is already able to react to the affectionate treatment of adults, touchingly "spreading" into a smile. Some children at this age already know how to please their parents not only with a smile, but also with a bursting laugh.

2 month old baby who is developing incredibly fast, can distinguish between living and non-living objects. Therefore, when a baby sees another child or some kind of animal, then his attention will be focused on the "living" object, and not on his favorite toy.

Many parents note that when a baby reaches two months of age, he already begins to pronounce his first "Agu-au-ha-he", etc. Such humming can be calm and quiet, but some children, rejoicing in their own successes, are able to repeat new sounds loudly and fervently throughout the day.

At two months, the baby already clearly understands that he can cry for help or ask for something. During the first month of his life, the baby trained and realized that after each cry, his mother hurries to help. Such a mental associative connection in a child will only develop in the future.

It's no secret that children feel the atmosphere of the environment and the mood of their loved ones. Therefore, any change in your emotional background can plunge your baby into "deepest thought." The kid will stare at you, as if scanning your facial features, and realizing that you are sad, he may also cry.

Auditory development

In the second month of life, the baby tries to determine the location of the sounding object. For example, if you turn on a musical toy, shake a rattle, or just turn on the music at the other end of the room, the baby will first concentrate strongly, trying to determine the source of the sound, and then start twisting his head trying to see it. In addition to various "sounding" objects, the baby is also interested in the voices of others. Therefore, when you are talking away from the baby, he begins to look for you with his eyes.

The development of a child at 2 months is not only about physical and physiological changes. A two-month-old baby already recognizes the mother or other person who takes care of him and spends a lot of time with the child. Most children begin to show an interest in brightly colored toys and rattles and may show the first signs of interest in communication. This is an important stage in social and speech development, which affects the formation of personal qualities and character traits. At this time, it is very important to devote enough time to communication with the baby, as this directly affects his psycho-emotional development.

How much should a baby weigh at two months

The weight of two month old babies is a very variable indicator, which is influenced by many factors. Babies receiving milk replacers as food can gain 100-200 g more in weight than babies who are breastfed. This is due to the higher nutritional value and calorie content of infant formula, as well as the larger volume of a single serving of feeding. Babies receiving breast milk usually drink no more than 100-120 ml at a time, since there is no clear feeding regimen at this age, and many mothers follow the recommendations for on-demand feeding.

The volume of ready-made milk formula that a two-month-old baby can drink at a time is from 120 ml to 150 ml, so artificial children gain a little more weight. This is often the reason for more intensive growth, but these indicators do not differ much and remain approximately at the same level.

Table of indicators of height and weight of boys and girls

Group of children	Weight, kg	Height, cm	Head circumference, cm	Circumference (girth) of the chest, cm
Girls breastfeeding	5,1-5,3	57,0	38,3	37,8
Breastfed boys	5,2-5,5	58,0-58,5	38,4	38,0
Girls on formula or mixed feeding	5,5-5,6	58,5	38,6	37,9
Bottle-fed or mixed-fed boys	5,6-5,7	58,0-60,0	38,5-39,5	38,1

Important! If the height or weight of the child does not correspond to the parameters of the norm, do not worry. The physical development of children at this age depends on many factors: the type of nutrition, environmental and climatic conditions of residence, the course of childbirth and the neonatal period. In case of significant deviations, you should consult a pediatrician, since the cause may be severe systemic pathologies: diabetes, congenital heart defects, disturbances in the functioning of the brain and other serious disorders.

Read also about baby nutrition:

What a baby should be able to do at 2 months

The list of skills of a two-month-old baby is not so great, but this is the result of the work of the baby, on which he worked for two whole months of life.

Motor skills

The child's reflex movements are replaced by conscious ones, their diversity increases.
In most children, the neck muscles are already strong enough to support the head in an upright position. However, this is not yet the age at which the baby is confidently holding his head, so it still needs to be supported.
Putting the baby on the tummy, you can see how he tries to raise his head and hold it. It should be in this position for at least 1 minute. Some children are able to hold their head well for 2-3 minutes - this is also a variant of the norm, indicating an earlier physical development of a particular baby.
Strengthened body muscles will allow more movement while lying on your back and stomach. Sometimes lying on his back, the baby can slightly lift the body up, making movements similar to exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles.
The muscles become more relaxed, movement is easier, the fists clench and unclench, and the legs are straightened. Simultaneous movements of arms and legs are well traced.
The child can already confidently hold the rattle in his hand.

In the body of a two-month-old baby, there are also major changes that affect his health and development. Parents should monitor the physiology at this age in order to seek help in time if the child shows signs of any abnormalities.

Physiological development

Vision. The organs of vision also develop intensively in the third month of life. The kid is already clearly focusing on objects that are at a distance of 45-50 cm from him, and closely monitors the facial expressions of a person talking to him or providing hygienic care. The child still does not know how to keep track of moving toys, but he is making the first attempts, indicating the correct intellectual development of the baby.
Hearing. The child turns his head to the side from which the sound is heard.
Changes in the work of the salivary glands... At 2 months, the activity of the secretory function of the salivary glands increases, therefore, during this period, many children may experience hypersalivation - profuse salivation. The child's saliva contains a special antibacterial enzyme lysozyme, which destroys representatives of the pathogenic flora: unicellular dermatophyte fungi, mold and microbes. This ensures the prevention of many infectious and inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, for example, stomatitis - inflammation of soft tissues and mucous membranes, to which 30-40% of infants under the age of 1 year are prone. Adequate salivation is also necessary for proper physical development, since the activity of the salivary glands provides more comfortable sucking on the breast or nipple. Feeding becomes comfortable and helps to improve the child's appetite, which is especially important if the baby is gaining little weight.
The work of the digestive system. The child's body still produces an insufficient amount of digestive enzymes necessary to break down food, so they can still remain at this age. Their intensity is no longer so strong, and the number of attacks is reduced to 1-2 times a day (mainly at night). The baby's abdomen is relaxed most of the day, the abdominal muscles are not tense.
How much should a child poop. The stool of a two-month-old baby should already be designed and look like dense sausages or very thick gruel. A child can defecate up to 3-4 times a day. If the baby receives only breast milk, stool may appear once a day or be absent for 2-3 days in a row. The use of laxatives is usually not required, but only if the child feels normal and remains active.

Important! Lack of stool for several days in a row can be a symptom of intestinal obstruction. This is a dangerous condition that requires urgent surgical intervention, therefore, if anxiety and other signs of pathological bowel function appear, you should consult a doctor.

Mental and emotional development

A very important stage of social and psycho-emotional development at 2 months is the understanding of the cause-and-effect relationship. It is at this age that the child begins to realize that the appearance of the mother is associated with crying, and use this to communicate with loved ones. The child reports any physical discomfort, fear and other negative states through crying, so there is no need to offer him the breast every time he starts to show active anxiety.

Important features of speech development are:

expanding the range of emotional and facial expressions and their relationship with surrounding events and people;
a conscious smile when communicating with mom and family people whom the child knows and recognizes well;
focusing gaze on the person who turns to him;
recognition of mom's voice and various sounds (lullabies, fairy tales, songs);
frequent and loud humming (predominant sounds: "e", "a", "y", "o").

In order for the development of the baby to be harmonious, the mother is recommended to pay more attention and time to communication with the child. During feeding, laying, bathing, you need to constantly talk with the baby, explain your actions, name objects. The crumb will not understand the meaning of the speech addressed to him, but he will perfectly perceive the intonation. Psychologists believe that children with whom they talked a lot in infancy are less likely to suffer from psychological complexes and withdrawal.

How to develop and what toys to choose

Toys are the main tool for learning about the world around children in the first year of life. The right choice of toys and entertainment items can provide not only an interesting pastime, but also the correct development of the crumbs. Pediatricians advise purchasing the following types of toys for a two-month-old baby:

bright rattles with a long handle so that you can put them in the child's hand (it is better to choose rattles painted in natural colors found in nature for the development of vision);
fabric toys with rustling elements (for the development of hearing and motor skills);
arcs with rattles that can be hung on a crib or stroller;
educational rugs with shiny, mirrored and rustling elements.

Important! In no case should a child be given bracelets with beads and other small things, since a two-month-old baby pulls everything into his mouth, and there is a serious risk of small elements getting into the respiratory tract.

Vision

The development of the child's eyesight and attention will be facilitated by tracking the toy in the mother's hands. To do this, you need to take a bright toy that will attract the attention of the baby, and while pronouncing in a gentle voice, slowly drive it from side to side.

Hearing

By attracting your baby's attention with different sounds, you can also develop hearing. The sound of a rattle or a musical toy will make the baby turn his head in the direction of finding them. Quiet, melodic music before bedtime will certainly interest the child, and later, having entered the usual ritual, will help him fall asleep quickly.

Video calendar of child development from 2 to 3 months

If the child has problems with the development of motor skills, it is necessary to help him to master them. It is important to remember that only by giving your child freedom of movement, communicating with him, you will achieve success together. The child's clothes should not hinder movement, and it is best if he is naked. So he will strengthen the muscles much faster and move on to mastering and knowing his own body.

How to teach to hold the head

Strengthening the neck muscles will help regular spreading on the stomach, and so that the child tries to raise his head at the same time, attract his attention with the sound of a rattle. All actions should be accompanied by a calm and gentle voice and not cause negative emotions in the baby.

Preparing for coups

To master the coups from the back to the stomach and back, it is necessary to train the corresponding muscle groups, but before that it is important to show the child the movements themselves, helping him to roll over. Grasping the crumbs by the sides with your hands, swing it from side to side, and later offer to swing it yourself. It is better if the mother stands not at the head of the bed or at the legs, but on the side, attracting the child's attention with conversation, thereby becoming an additional stimulus.

Funny socks

If you attach a bell to the baby's socks or booties, then when you move your legs, they will ring. The kid will probably soon realize that the more he moves, the louder and more varied the sounds. This will not only strengthen the muscles, but will also contribute to the formation of causation and thinking.

Important! Any activities with a baby at 2 months should last no more than 5 minutes, since longer concentration causes fatigue in the baby.

Fitball

This is one of the ideal equipment for physical development. Put the baby with your tummy on the ball and, holding it with your hands, swing it from side to side. This is an excellent exercise not only for strengthening muscles, but also for fighting intestinal colic.

Child development is a purely individual process that depends on many factors, among which genetic predisposition is not the last. It is impossible to compare a baby with other children of his age, because all children live in different conditions. In case of significant deviations from the existing norms, the doctor will send the child for an additional examination to exclude congenital pathologies, but in most cases, indicators that do not meet pediatric standards are a variant of the individual norm.