Your Baby Today

1-4 months

YOUR COOING TWO-MONTH-OLD

Your 2-month-old is now starting to pay more attention to her world. Most of all, baby loves the sound of your voice and follows it around the room with real concentration. Your different tones of voice fascinate her; she'll respond to your high-pitched, singsong tone just as readily as to your calm, soothing voice. Better yet, baby's already talking back with a variety of sweetly-pitched coos. But when baby isn't calm and cooing, she might be fussy. Ah, the mixed blessings of a 2-month-old!

Milestones this month | Four ways you can help sharpen your baby's senses | Four reasons why your baby may be fussy

Milestones this month*

Your baby can follow an object as it's passed over her face, looking in an arc about six inches from her face.
She steadily holds up her head.
Baby rolls over in one direction.
She can raise her chest using her arms for support while lying on her stomach.
Baby smiles when you smile at her.
She responds to loud sounds by becoming completely silent, crying, or acting startled.
Baby coos.
She focuses on very small objects, like raisins.
Baby may laugh out loud. She may even squeal.

*All babies have their own internal developmental timetable. If your 2-month-old hasn't yet reached these milestones, rest assured that she will in time. If you have concerns about your baby's development, discuss them with her doctor.

Four ways you can help sharpen your baby's senses

Your baby may coo even more when you stimulate her senses by doing the following:

Add color Hang a brightly colored mobile over baby's bed.
Play music Introduce more upbeat, bouncy music during playtime. If baby grows anxious, end the music and soothe her in a calm voice.
Pay attention Watch your baby to see what attracts her and what frightens her. Try different tones of voice and songs.
Cuddle Don't worry about "teaching" her a thing or measuring her every millimeter of growth. All she really needs now is your loving attention.

Four reasons why your baby may be fussy

Colic Affecting 10 to 20 percent of babies, colic causes babies to have periods of intense crying -- which can occur several times per week and last for several hours. You'll know it when you hear it: Colic elicits sharp cries and screams that aren't relieved by a dry diaper or another bottle. Colic often shows up more frequently during the late afternoon and evening.

Constipation Your baby's bowel movements should be soft; if they're hard and dry and resemble little pebbles and are infrequent, your baby may be constipated. Ask your doctor if small feedings of water can help soften the stools.

Intestinal gas One good way to avoid intestinal gas in formula-fed babies is to fill the bottle with one fluid ounce of formula more than you'll feed your baby. That way, she won't end up sucking on an empty bottle and allowing air to enter her intestines. Also, keep the bottle tilted at a 45-degree angle to reduce air.
Formula intolerance Your fussy baby may be having difficulty tolerating her formula. Babies are born with immature digestive systems that continue to develop and mature during the first 4 to 6 months of life. If she exhibits any unusual behavior after feeding (such as crying or fussiness), speak with your doctor. If you do decide to switch formulas, do so gradually.

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