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2nd Month Guide
2nd Month Guide
 Physical
Development and Appearance
Babies in the second month begin to look a lot
more like small adults, as opposed to wrinkly red newborns. While
the abdomen is still the largest part of a baby’s body during
the second month, it doesn’t seem to be as noticeable at this
point. Babies at this age can often straighten their legs when they
want to, and will begin to reach for things that they want to put
in their mouth. They may not actually be able to grab those things
yet, but they will wave their arms in the proper direction in an
effort. Many babies will have gained at least a couple of pounds
over their birth weight by the time they are in the second month.
Your doctor can weigh your baby to tell you if your baby is on the
right track, as well as where your baby fits in on the chart of
average two month old babies.
Care for Baby
- Skin care—once your baby is in the second
month, his skin is a little more accustomed to air, and is likely
not quite as dry. It is best, though, to continue to put lotion
on his skin at least until the end of the second month for prevention.
Another skin concern that often appears during the second month
(it can also occur in the first month or later, but most often
it is around six weeks) is baby acne.
This is when the baby’s face, and possibly neck, can become
covered in a little rash with bumps. It is thought to be caused
by the mother’s hormones that are still within the baby’s
system but are beginning to wear off (this is why it often occurs
during the second month). The best way to help your baby’s
skin heal faster is to put medicated ointments on the skin, or
you can just let it heal in its own time. Baby acne often doesn’t
last very long, most of the time it is healed within a couple
of weeks.
- Head care—during the second month, you
will often have the same head care requirements as in the first
month. Some babies who develop cradle cap in the first month will
still have it, while some babies will not even develop it until
the second month. During this month, you also still have to take
special precautions in keeping baby’s soft spot safe from
harm. During this month, support of the head is not as required
as it was in the beginning, but until the end of the second month,
or possibly even well into the third month, it is still very important
to give some support to baby’s head.
- Bathing—since your baby’s umbilical
cord has fallen off by now (if it hasn’t, you will definitely
want to take him to a doctor), you can now let your baby take
an actual bath in a baby bathtub. There are a variety of baby
bathtubs to choose from, including the sponge kind, that can be
laid in shallow water in a tub or sink, the mesh kind that props
baby up slightly and is also meant to be set in a tub or sink
of water, or a plastic tub with an incline. The important thing
is that you buy a bathtub that offers the proper support and safety.
You will want to wash baby only with baby soaps and shampoos and
baby washrags due to still-sensitive skin, and you will need to
use baby towels for drying. Always test the water before placing
your baby inside. You don’t want them to be too cold, and
you certainly don’t want them to burn. Never, ever leave
your baby unattended while bathing. Even if you forgot the towel
in another room, you should take your baby with you to get it.
While your baby might not like it, and it can be rather difficult
sometimes, you should make sure to clean well under the chin.
The little fat rolls on the neck tend to collect milk and, no
matter how well you clean your baby between feedings, they definitely
need to be washed good during bath time.
- Diapers—there is only a slight change
in diaper usage during the second month of baby’s life.
One of the big things that may occur is that, by this time you
will likely be able to tell which diapers work best for your baby.
While most diapers are very similar in quality and price, there
are just some diapers that work better on some babies. Once you
determine which diaper this is, it is best to stick with it. Another
difference during the second month is that diaper changes will
slowly become less frequent. Since your baby will drink less often,
the need to urinate isn’t as often. Dirty diapers will also
appear slightly less often than during the first month, and they
will be a little more firm.
- Sleep—during month two, you will still
need to continue laying your baby on his back to sleep to prevent
SIDS, but you can lay him on his stomach for play. He will likely
sleep for longer periods during the night, while slowly sleeping
less and less during the day. Since your baby will be eating larger
amounts during this time, he will be able to sleep for a little
bit longer before getting hungry. During the day, the naps will
start to be less often, but possibly a little longer. The average
two month old will take 3 or 4 naps every day.
- Eating—as your baby enters into the
second month, feedings will gradually decrease in frequency, while
increasing in amount. Usually, although all babies are different,
it will increase an ounce per feeding while increasing an hour
in wait time. So, for example, your baby is likely to begin eating
3 ounces every 3 hours as opposed to 2 ounces every 2 hours. You
will still need to burp your baby after every feeding, as well.
Once your baby is eating more at each bottle, you will want to
at least try to burp him twice during the feeding: once after
half a bottle and again after the rest.
Experiences
- Doctor Visits—most pediatricians have
parents bring the baby in at either 6 weeks or 2 months, and this
will be when they will also have to get shots. These are not fun,
and you should give your baby some pain reliever before you go,
this way it will have already taken effect by the time your baby
receives the shots. This doctor’s visit is good, because
the doctor will be able to check your baby’s height and
weight and ask you a variety of questions that can determine early
if there are any illnesses you should be aware of. If you have
thought of any questions for your doctor before the visit, you
should write those down, because it is very easy to get distracted
by your baby once in the room.
- Toys for this age—there isn’t
much of a difference between toys for babies in the first month
and second month. Mobiles still make a great distraction and occupier,
and soft rattles are very good at this age, as well. Another thing,
though, that can be good for a baby at this age is a baby swing.
Some baby swings are made with a reclining seat that can accommodate
a baby that can’t yet sit up. By the end of the second month,
your baby may be swatting at toys, so you may want to purchase
carseat toys that dangle from the handle of the seat, or any other
type of toys you place over the baby for baby to try to hit. This
is especially true if they light up and are musical.
- New abilities—by the end of the second
month, babies can often tense their back and raise their head
up, possibly holding up their upper body using their arms and
hands. They can often turn and look from side to side and can
reach out for things that they want (these things inevitably end
up back at their mouths).
Many babies experience their first roll-over during the second
month. Sometimes this happens by accident, and sometimes it is
an intentional thing. Your baby may do it once and not do it again
for another month, or he may do it once, realize what he did and
that he loves it, and begin rolling all over the house. Whatever
the case—and even if you have never seen your baby roll
at all—this is an important time to make sure that your
baby is never in a high place without supervision. It may seem
safe to turn your back for just a second while your baby lays
quietly on the couch or changing table, but it can be very dangerous.
All it takes is a split second for your baby to roll for the first
time, and it could end up in tragedy.
- Parents—usually, while parents still
love to wake their baby up and play with her during the day, by
this time, the newness has worn off a little. Instead of wishing
your baby would stay up more during the day, you may simply be
wishing that she would sleep more at night.
Parents often feel a slight depression at this stage, especially
mothers. You carried this baby for so long, and once that baby
has separated from you, and your hormone levels take a plunge
at the same time, it can spark strange feelings that you may never
have expected. If you are experiencing feelings of sadness, you
should talk to your doctor to find a support group or other means
of coping with the problem before it gets out of hand.
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