The browser you are using is too old for our website. Please visit www.aptaclub.co.uk from Chrome and you will be able to browse normally.

Baby

      Your baby’s development at 2 months old

      baby on mothers chest

      Your baby’s development at 2 months old

      Gripping stuff

      Favourite sounds and strengthening muscles

      Your increasingly curious 2-month-old baby will be taking more of an interest in their surroundings and may spend less time sleeping. They might also start to utter their first recognisable sounds in preparation for speech later on, making this an exciting time in their development.

      peranting-icon-circle.png

      Brighter futures start here

      Discover more about infant development to help shape your baby's future

      Join now for free

      What’s been happening over the last 4 weeks?

      Now that your 2-month-old baby recognises your voice and your partner’s, they will take great comfort in hearing it. In fact, it will probably be their favourite sound. As their personality starts to emerge, you will get an understanding of their likes and dislikes. And you may notice that they need less sleep and are awake for a little longer each day.

      Physical development at 2 months old

      Babies develop physically from head to toe: first by strengthening their neck muscles to support their head, followed by their shoulders, chest and lower back. The legs are the last to develop.

      As their muscles become more reactive, they may move their arms when they are excited.

      Your baby’s body is continuing to straighten out, which means less trapped wind. And if they are not yet lifting their head briefly when lying flat on their tummy, they soon will be.

      Grasping and clutching objects

      As your 2-month-old baby discovers their own hands, their instinctive grasp reflex lessens. This allows them to explore different objects, using a wider range of movement. They are likely to be fascinated by anything new, so encourage their hand–eye coordination with a variety of baby-safe objects they can get to grips with. 

      Baby Eyes
      Your baby’s eyesight is still developing, but they may now be able to focus on nearby objects

      Your baby’s developing eyesight

      At 2 months old, your baby’s eyesight is still developing. However, some babies may now be able to focus their eyes on nearby objects. While many babies prefer bold patterns and primary colours at this age, the difference between shades is becoming easier for them to distinguish.

      Learning to communicate

      Your baby doesn’t need to form words in order to communicate; simple noises, gurgles and coos in response to your voice come instinctively, and in time, you will know what they mean. Your baby may even turn his head towards your voice as you are speaking.

      The comfort of mum

      Your baby now feels comforted by your touch and soothed when you or your partner holds them. Don’t worry about your two-month-old getting overly dependant on cuddles – hold and comfort them whenever they need it. However, a cuddle from someone unfamiliar may cause tears. Many babies also start to comfort themselves by sucking their fingers or thumb or by using a dummy.

      Feeding their development

      Night feeds continue to play an important role in your 2-month-old baby’s development. They provide the nutrition needed for growth, while enabling your body to produce prolactin, the hormone that maintains your milk supply1.

      Your baby’s tummy is very small but it can easily digest your breast milk.

      You may find your baby begins to feed for longer but less frequently. They may also require more feeds during the day than at night or vice versa – either is normal, so follow their lead. Your supply of breast milk will naturally adapt to their demands.

      Coping with colic

      Colic is a common feeding problem at this age. Unfortunately, the cause is unknown but it may be due to swallowing excess air during feeds, which can lead to trapped wind. Or an immature digestive system which has difficulty digesting milk. The symptoms, such as excessive crying for two–three hours at a time and bringing the knees up to the chest, can be distressing for both mum and baby. Learn more about soothing colic in babies.

      1. NHS UK. Breastfeeding: The first few days [Online]. Available at: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/breastfeeding-first-days.aspx [Accessed April 2014]

      Last reviewed: 13th August 2014

      Your baby's future health begins here

      Your baby's future health begins here

      At Aptaclub, we believe that experience helps to build resilience; that each new encounter, whether in pregnancy or after birth, can shape your baby’s future development. With our scientific expertise and one-to-one round the clock support, we can help you and your baby embrace tomorrow.

      Join Aptaclub

      Related articles

      Get in touch with our Careline experts

      Our midwives, nutritionists and feeding advisors are always on hand to talk about feeding your baby. Need instant assistance? Our WhatsApp Customer Support team is here to help on-the-go!

      Brighter futures start here

      Discover more about infant development to help shape your baby's future

      Join now for free

      Your privacy is important to us and therefore we would like to explain how we use cookies on this website. With your consent, we will use cookies to measure and analyse how our website is used (analytical cookies), to tailor it to your interests (personalisation cookies), and to show you relevant advertising and information (targeting cookies) we think you will like. For more information please read the cookie statement.

      Privacy Settings

      You can choose your preferences anytime for cookies and tracking. For more information please read our cookie policy.

      • Strictly necessary

        They are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services (setting your privacy preferences, logging in, filling in forms, etc.). You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.

      • Analytical cookies

        They allow us to count visits and traffic sources, to measure and improve the performance of our site. They show us which pages are the most and least popular and how visitors move around the site. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

      • Personalisation cookies

        They enable website’s enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

      • Targeting cookies

        They may be set through our site by our advertising partners, to build a profile of your interests and to show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.