2 Months Checkup

Height: ____  Weight ____  Head Circ: ____

FEEDING: Your baby will grow well on breast milk or formula. It is too soon to begin solid foods. Continue to feed baby on demand, and keep the feeding time to 20-30 minutes total. Limit your baby to 32 ounces per day. You may give some water also, but it is not necessary. However, tap water does provide fluoride, so 2-4 ounces per day in a breastfed baby can eliminate the need for vitamins with fluoride.

ELIMINATION: Urinary stream should still be forceful. Stools may vary greatly, but as long as they are not hard or pellet-like, this is normal for both breast and formula fed babies. Contact us before attempting treatment for hard stools. Most babies strain and grunt when passing even soft stool, and this is not usually an indication of difficulty or pain. Avoid using suppositories unless directed by a physician.

SLEEP: Sleep requirements vary. Put baby to bed at a regular time each night. Some babies sleep through the night by 2 months, but most do not until they are 3-4 months old or weigh 12 pounds. Don’t awaken baby for a night feeding … let him wake you. Your baby should sleep in his own bed, preferably out of the parent’s room. This will avert many problems in the long run.

SLEEP POSITION: The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends placing babies on their backs to sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS.

DEVELOPMENT:

• Coos and gurgles, smiles socially.
• Holds head up at 45 degree angle when on stomach.
• Begins to focus on faces, objects, bright colors and designs, and follow them.
• Engages in clutching and scratching (cutting nails is a necessity).
• Within a few weeks, your baby should begin to:
  • Laugh aloud.
  • Turn from stomach to back (do not leave unattended).
  • Grasp moderate size objects.
  • Enjoy being held in upright position

PLAY:

• Talk to your infant, sing in a soft voice (Dad too!)
• Play music box, radio, TV
• Let baby kick and exercise with no clothes on.
• Encourage “belly-time” for playing.
• Use stroller for walks (after 1 month of age).
• Put a bright mobile on the crib.

SAFETY:

• Protect from falls, do not leave unattended on any raised surface.
• Never leave your baby in the sun, or unattended in your car.
• Do not tie pacifier or anything else around baby’s neck.
• Make sure rattles or other toys are unbreakable and too large to swallow.
• Protect from burns, check bathwater, set water heater at 120 degrees or less.
• Install smoke detectors
• Use an approved car seat

SMOKING: Do not smoke around your baby, or even in the house or the car. Exposure to cigarette smoke has been linked to numerous illnesses: crib death, ear infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, allergies, and growth retardation. Keep in mind, too, that you are your child’s most trusted role model. Do you really want your child to smoke?