Your baby is now 2 months old. You might have learned many parenting lessons within this span. The first two months are more crucial stages of the development as the babies welcome many changes during this period.
Some general questions like how much and how fast the baby grows, and baby reflexes strike the parents all the time. Knowing the baby’s milestones in advance will help the parents to make themselves and the baby ready to face the challenges to reach those milestones.
This article discusses the development and milestones of the 8 week old baby.
8 week old baby development and milestones:
You may recognize drastic changes in the physical appearance and development of your baby when they are 2 months old. Your baby remains more alert during this age. You can discuss baby schedules with your partner. Here are the few physical and cognitive developments of your newborn baby:
1. 2 months old baby’s growth:
Weight and height decide the overall growth and development of the baby.
8 Week old baby weight and height:
The average weight and height of the babies vary with the gender.
● The average weight of 2 months old baby girl is 11.2 pounds and height is 22.5 inches
● The average weight of 2 months old baby boy is 12.3 pounds and his height is 23 inches.
The thumb rule of a healthy baby is that they vary in size every month. 2 month old babies head could be half inch bigger than the one at birth. Some babies may grow in spurts. Your baby might have rapid growth in one month and then may slower the growth in the next month which is perfectly fine.
Feeding schedules mark the healthy weight gain of the newborn baby. Underlying medical conditions during the pregnancy may impact the birth weight of the baby. Unhealthy habits like smoking, and alcohol consumption during the pregnancy may affect the weight of the baby.
2. 8 week old baby feeding:
2 months old formula fed baby is likely to have 6-8 feeds per day. Breastfed babies have few more feeds than formula fed babies.
Your baby is likely to develop better feeding skills during this period. Babies learn to suck and swallow more effectively. Babies also learn to understand their stomachs. The breasts may become lighter for the feeding moms as your growing baby requires more amounts of milk frequently.
It is recommended to increase the amounts of formula milk for the bottle-fed babies in stages to meet their growth requirements.
Scheduled doctor prescribed feedings are recommended for premature babies. For full-term and healthy babies, it is best to look at the babies instead of following the clock schedules. This is regarded as responsive or on-demand feeding.
Here are a few indicators to tell that your baby is hungry:
● Licking the lips
● Moving the head in search of milk
● Sucking on their blankets and other things around
● Fussiness
Babies are good at taking enough amounts of milk. Bottle-fed babies are at the risk of taking in more amounts of milk as it involves less effort than breastfeeding. Overfed babies can have frequent stomach pains, or vomit and are at the risk of obesity in their later life.
Baby’s progress on the growth chart is the best indicator to recognize that babies are getting enough and the right amounts of milk.
Make sure to burp your baby after every feed. It helps babies to push out the air they swallow while feeding. Too much air can make the baby to have sleepless nights.
3. 2 months old baby movements:
This is the stage where the babies learn to form the coordination between their activities. Babies could be able to raise their heads and move their arms and legs. You may notice swimming-like movements in your baby. They start to move smoothly in linear and circular motions using their arms and legs.
4. 8 week old baby physical development:
Head and chest circumferences may remain nearly equal to the part of the abdomen. Head circumference may increase by 2 cm per month and then increases by 1.5 cms per month until four months. Babies continue to breathe with the abdominal muscles.
A newborn baby’s skin remains sensitive and irritated during the first four months. Legs may appear bowed. Massaging with baby oil and gentle stretching will help the baby to get proper leg shape. Babies start to express feelings of hunger and discomforts during the age of 2 months.
5. 2 months old baby’s vision:
Eyes are the baby’s tool to explore the world around them. Eyes provide the information and stimulation required for the development of the baby. Any eye and vision related problems should be identified in the early stages for possible treatment as they play important role in the development of the baby.
Newborn babies may have blurry vision during their first week which may develop gradually. By the age of 8 weeks, babies are able to focus on the faces of their caregivers and others nearer to them. Baby’s eyes may not be well coordinated during the first two weeks and may appear to wander or cross. It is not a major issue of concern and it can go away on its own as the baby grows. Eye-hand coordination begins at the moment the babies track the moving objects. Babies should try to catch the things around them at the age of 3 months.
Hang a mobile over your baby’s crib to promote their hand eye coordination.
6. 8 week old baby hearing:
A hearing screening is more important at the 3 weeks old to recognize any hearing impairments in the baby. Signs of hearing impairment may vary from baby to baby and may not be dangerous.
It is recommended to consult your doctor if you notice any of the following signs in your baby, for effective treatment to prevent hearing loss at the early stages.
● Unresponsive to loud noises
● Do not respond to the claps made near their ear
● Here are a few milestones that your baby is likely to achieve till the age of three months in response to hearing:
● Reacts to loud sounds
● Makes soft sounds
● Smiles or calms down when you spoke to them
● Able to recognize your voice
● You can also recognize the rate
7. Posterior fontanelle:
It is a soft and sensitive spot on the newborn baby’s head. It is usually the gap between the bones in the skull. It generally closes between 6-8 months from birth.
Consult your doctor if it still remains the same even after 3 months.
Put a small amount of coconut oil on your baby’s fontanelle.
8. Baby’s cognitive development:
Your baby soon begins to smile with real and big smiles. Some babies may start to smile when they see their favorite toy. Start making some face gestures and silly face to make a baby smile.
Babies develop the ability to recognize the faces of their caregivers by the age of two months. Being encouraged by the hearing voices around them your baby may start to put their efforts to communicate with you by some gurgles.
9. 8 Week old baby’s sleeping:
Overstimulated baby may find difficulty in sleeping. Newborn babies may spend majority of time sleeping and feeding. This is true in the first week of their life. A 6 week old baby sleeps for about 18 hours a day which reduces as they grow older.
Usually 8 week old baby will sleep for 11-15 hours a day. Some babies may have more than this. It is very easy to adjust your baby’s sleep routines by tailoring some techniques into their sleep routine. You can place your baby in their own bed under the supervision. Babies may learn to sleep on their own during this phase.
Reduce the overstimulation during the day time which allows the baby to have longer sleep during the night time:
Here are a few tips to make your 8-week old baby sleep well:
● Ensure to offer a cozy bed for your baby.
● Establish a bedtime routine
● Help your baby to differentiate between day and night.
10. 8 week old baby poop frequency:
You can expect your 8 weeks old to poop more as they are fed more. Observe whether your baby has any pain while filling their nappy, if this happens it is a sign of constipation and requires medical attention. Breastfed babies rarely to be affected by constipation and diarrhea.
Nursing mothers should include healthy food in their diet to keep their babies away from any kind of discomforts. Avoid some foods while breastfeeding.
11. 8 week old baby’s behavior:
Babies start to enjoy their tummy time by the end of the second month. They learn to raise their head and look briefly all around.
Choose the colorful activity mat to stimulate the senses and your baby’s tummy time. Ensure that the mat offers cozy comfort for your baby. Babies try to gain a grip over the toys that are placed nearer to them. But, the babies may lack the grasp reflex which will transition soon into the conscious grab and hold.
12. 8 week old baby growth spurt:
Growth spurts may take place anytime during the first year. Your baby is likely to experience the first growth spurt between 1 and 3 weeks and the second growth spurt happens between 6 and 8 weeks. The fact about the growth spurt is that they last for about 2 days and the babies can easily get back to the normal position soon.
The common symptoms of a growth spurt are fussiness and crankiness. The baby remains more irritable during the daytime and has a harder time sleeping during the nighttime.
13. 2 months old baby crying:
Around the age of 2 months, the babies start to cry more and become fussy soon. The episodes of crying may reach peaks during 6-8 weeks which gradually decreases around 12-16 weeks.
Colic is the primary reason for babies to cry for longer times. Colic reflex makes the baby to cry over 3 hours a day. Make sure not to overfeed your baby which may create problems like constipation, and gas. Diaper rashes, thrush, food sensitivities, nipple confusion, and low milk supply make the baby fussy and sleep for longer times. Babies tend to adopt the change in the tone of the crying depending on their needs like hunger, attention, diaper change etc.
14. Tummy time for 8 week old baby:
Babies require more tummy time at this age. Start with 5 minutes of tummy time initially for 2-3 times a day. Gradually increase the duration to 10 minutes. Tummy time helps your baby to get to know the use of arms and teaches them how to raise their head.
Ensure to have a clean towel or playmat for your baby’s tummy time.
15. Teething in 8 week old baby:
The process of teething starts in babies as early as they are 8 weeks old. The first tooth erupts at the age 6 months.
Teething may make the baby to experience some uncomfortable situations like increased drooling, fussiness, and gum discomfort.
16. Vaccinations for 8 week old baby:
Your baby needs check up at this stage to track their weight, height, and infections. It is the best time to take appointment for the first immunization to have some vaccines against the germs.
The following vaccines should be given to the babies at the age of 8 weeks:
6-in-1-vaccine which is given at 8, 12, and 16 weeks old. The three doses of this vaccine is required for the stronger immunity of your baby against the diseases.
RV or Rotavirus vaccine: It is an oral vaccine given for babies against rotavirus infection which is the most common cause for diarrhea and sickness in babies.
MenB Vaccine: It is recommended for babies at the age of 8 weeks, 16 weeks, and 1 year. This protects your baby from infections by Meningococcal group B bacteria.
8 week old baby care tips and precautions:
Care and precautions should be the major goals of newborn baby. Here are a few care tips and precautions that you should keep in mind while raising your 8 week old baby.
1. Baby safety:
Safety is more important for raising your baby at this age as they can not stay at a place. They will try to move around with the help of their kicking movements and try to catch things. Ensure that your baby’s crib is free from sharp objects.
2. Keep your baby from skin infections:
As your baby has sensitive skin, they are more prone to skin infections. Do not use harsh detergents for washing their clothes and blankets.
Wet diapers may make your baby more sensitive to diaper rashes. Offer some diaper free time every day and ensure to keep their diaper area dry and clean.
3. Baby dressing and the room temperature:
Baby dressing and the room temperature are interlinked and dress your baby as per the room temperature. Maintain comfortable room temperature in your baby’s room such that they should not feel too hot or cool.
You can also install a humidifier that can maintain moisture in the air and protect your baby’s skin from getting dry.
4. Baby’s health:
Baby’s health is a more important thing to be considered in every stage of their development. Proper feeding schedules and healthy weight gain are the indicators of the proper health of the baby.
Ensure to administer all the recommended vaccines by the age of 2 months.
5. Keep an eye all round the clock:
Video monitors will help to ensure that your baby is safe when you are not around them while they are sleeping. This allows the caregivers to know when an infant wakes and track their sleep schedules.
In conclusion, take every developmental stage of your baby as an opportunity to learn more about your baby. Your baby is likely to achieve many adorable milestones that make you laugh. Establish some techniques for yourself to relieve the stress and spend endless time with your baby.
