Your 2 month old baby development milestones
Drum roll please... It’s the moment you've been waiting for since you met your tiny little baby all those weeks ago. Around now you should be getting your first lopsided smile – not wind, but a perfect little smile. Hopefully it will make all those sleepless nights worthwhile, or at least bearable for a bit longer. Maybe your baby smiled at six weeks old, or maybe you might have to wait another month – it’s not an exact science, so don't worry. Read on below to find out more about the developments you might expect to see from your 2 month old baby.
At a glance
- Colour differences are becoming clearer to your baby, and they start to distinguish between them
- Your baby was born with a grasping reflex, but they don’t yet know how to let go of things
- This is a great time to introduce a baby gym – they’ll try to bat at the hanging toys
Your baby’s senses at two months old
Vision
Colour differences are becoming clearer to your baby, and they start to distinguish between colours. Your baby will still prefer bright primary colours and clear, bold designs and shapes but they can now see around 60cm from their face. Encourage your baby by showing them bright pictures.
Hearing
At 2 months old your babies hearing will be becoming a better listener and they will be able to differentiate between voices they’ve heard more frequently.
Regularly talking (or singing) to your baby is a great way to get them used to your voice and also a way to sooth and calm them as they become more familiar.
Your baby’s motor skills at two months old
Kicking and waving
Your baby’s movements are becoming less jerky and slightly more co-ordinated. They start to love kicking out when lying down, which is great exercise and helps strengthen their legs. They may also wave their little fists in excitement. At least we hope it’s excitement.
Pushing up and rolling
Your baby may have enough neck muscle power to hold their head up for short periods when they’re lying on their tummy or on your shoulder – but not for long. You might find your baby is now rolling around more. They won’t yet be able to fully roll onto their front (although that will come soon!) but you’ll still want to keep an eye on them if you have them elevated e.g. during a nappy change.
Grasping and unclasping
Your baby was born with a grasping reflex, but they don’t yet know how to let go of things – which is why long-haired mums better be prepared for some painful moments. Around now you may notice them unclasping their fists and trying to wave them.
Other 2 month old baby developments
Drooling
They won’t yet be teething, but you might notice that your baby is starting to drool more (and making a bit of a mess!), as their salivary glands develop. Fear not though, their drool actually contains a lot of bacteria killing enzymes so it’s no bad thing to get it on their toys or other surfaces they’re interacting with.
Sleeping
You may find that your baby is beginning to sleep in more solid blocks (of 5 or 6 hours) but at 2 months old, it’s still very common for your baby to be waking up in the middle of the night.
Reading to your baby
They might not be able to follow along just yet, but reading to your baby can help to sooth them, whilst also helping them to become more familiar with your voice. Try varying the tone and intonation of your voice to keep them interested and build a better connection.
First Immunisations
The 6-in-1 vaccine is given between 8, 12 and 16 weeks old.
It's given as a single injection to protect your baby against 6 serious childhood diseases:
- diphtheria
- hepatitis B
- Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
- polio
- tetanus
- whooping cough (pertussis)
Your baby needs 3 doses to make sure they develop strong immunity to the diseases the vaccine protects against.
They will also have:
An oral vaccine against rotavirus infection, a common cause of diarrhoea and sickness, is given as 2 doses for babies aged 8 and 12 weeks, alongside their other routine childhood vaccinations.
It protects your baby against infection by meningococcal group B bacteria which can cause meningitis and sepsis (blood poisoning) and is recommended for babies aged 8 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year.
Six/eight-week postnatal check
You should have your postnatal check 6 to 8 weeks after your baby's birth to make sure you feel well and are recovering properly.
Some GP surgeries do not routinely offer a postnatal check. You can always request an appointment for a check, especially if you have any concerns. It's a good idea to make a list of questions to take along with you.
Sometimes a mum's postnatal check is done at the same time as her baby's 6 to 8 week check.
How to help your baby develop in month two
When you’re talking to your baby, give them time to respond to what you are saying with a look or babble. Research shows babies whose parents who allow them to respond learn to talk earlier
This is a great time to introduce a baby gym – they’ll try to bat at the hanging toys, but careful not to overdo it – a five to 10 minute session is enough, and don’t persevere if they cry. Leave it a week or two and try again
Lots of mums get embarrassed about talking to their baby and don’t know what on earth to say. One way to get started is to keep up a kind of commentary on what you’re doing, a bit like a Victorian nanny, according to babycare expert Dr Miriam Stoppard. “They would say, ‘now, shall we put our coats on? Now, let’s go out for a walk. That’s right, into the pram we go.’ I think a child should hear words for much of the time they are awake. Babies have a window when they can learn speech, and it’s open from birth”
Game of the month
Try playing different types of music and watch your baby kick their legs and listen with intense concentration. If you play a quieter tune you will see them visibly relax (some research says it may even send them to sleep. No promises.) Are they normal? A small note on developmental milestones: it’s really true – all babies are different and although we can encourage them, they will do things at their own pace and in their own time.