December 12, 2023

Babies' Development at 2 Months

What to Expect and What You Can Do to Help

By 2 months, babies will have discovered their fingers and hands. They will hold their hands open and grab an object, even though they don't know how to let go yet. They might also clasp both hands together.

Babies at this age will also start to learn how to coordinate their movements. They will move more smoothly and in more of a circular motion, instead of the jerky arm and leg movements they made when they were born. They will kick both legs strongly and will be very wriggly. They may even roll over, though this usually occurs later. In addition, babies' necks will be getting stronger all the time. During tummy time, they might be lifting their heads and moving them from side to side. Some babies can even lift their chests off the ground by now.

Some babies may be sleeping through the night by the time they reach 2 months. However, even if your baby isn't one of the lucky ones, they should be sleeping for longer stretches at a time. They will probably be having 2 to 4 long sleeps and will be more awake and alert during the day.

Babies at this age will also clearly recognize you and will look at you when you talk to them. They will enjoy looking at your face and will be giving you some lovely smiles. Furthermore, they will be able to follow you with their eyes as well as be able to track a moving object past the midline. They will like looking at objects with more complex patterns and colors. Babies will also be making a lot more sounds and gurgling, including sounds like "a" or "o", and they will seem to listen to you and talk back to you.

As your baby develops more of a daily rhythm, you will find they are awake more during the day. This gives you more time to interact with them and help them develop.

Here are some things you can do to help your baby develop:

Spend plenty of time reading to them, singing, and talking. This will help them get used to sounds and words and will start to develop language and communication skills.
Play with them by letting them look at and feel a variety of objects with different designs, colors, and shapes. Plastic toys and soft balls work well.
Smile at them a lot. It releases "feel-good" chemicals in your baby's body and helps them to feel safe and secure.
Give your baby a massage to relax them. After a bath is a good time.
Continue with 1 to 5 minutes of regular tummy time to strengthen their neck and upper body. This will help them develop the muscles they'll need later to sit and crawl.
Always put your baby to sleep on their back.