Worries about the baby will eventually give way to pleasant and unforgettable moments where you closely follow your baby's development and witness every moment. So how is the development of a baby? Prof. Dr. Filiz Bakar explained the development, feeding, vaccinations, and movements of a baby...

When considering the monthly development of babies, it should be known that the concepts of growth and development are different. So, what do babies do during the development process? What are the eating and sleeping patterns like? Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Pediatrics Specialist Prof. Dr. Filiz Bakar gave information about the development of a baby.

Development of a 2-Month-Old Baby

• How Should the Weight and Height Development of a 2-Month-Old Baby Be?

Babies grow fast in the first 3 months. Although there is a difference between babies, they gain an average of 800-900 grams of weight in a month during this period. They grow 2.5-4 cm in height within a month. Their head circumferences grow 1.5-2 cm.

• How Should a 2-Month-Old Baby Be Fed? If Breast Milk Is Not Enough, Should Supplements Be Used?

They should be fed breast milk. If breast milk is not enough, in which case the most important indicator is that your baby does not gain enough weight, formula support can be given.

• How Often Should a 2-Month-Old Baby Be Breastfed?

They should be breastfed an average of 8 times in 24 hours. However, this number can vary from baby to baby. When the baby is hungry, they should be fed. Feeding intervals may be longer, such as 4 hours, for babies taking formula. Breastfeeding time is about 10 minutes. Babies taking formula, on the other hand, can take 150-180 ml of formula in one meal.

• Does a 2-Month-Old Baby Poop Every Day?

Babies at this age poop an average of 1-3 times a day, but some babies can do it more, and some babies can do it every other day or every 2-3 days. While the poop of breastfed babies is softer and watery, the poop of formula-fed babies may be a little solid.

• What Can a 2-Month-Old Baby Do?

Your baby is more alert, makes sounds, moves his/her body, and starts to smile. They discover their own fingers and hands. They learn to coordinate their movements. When you lay them face down, They raise their head and can turn it sideways. When you lay them on their back, they swing their arms and legs back and forth. They hold the toy you put in their hand.

• How Is the Mental Development of a 2-Month-Old Baby?

They make eye contact with you and follows you with their eyes. They follow colored objects. They begin to socialize more.

• Can a 2-Month-Old Baby See? Can Babies Recognize Their Mother or Father?

They see and recognizes their parents. They can follow them with both eyes. They love to look at your face and smile.

• How Long Does a 2-Month-Old Baby Sleep?

Although it varies from baby to baby, the nighttime sleeping time increases, and there are long sleeping periods between 2-4 on average. They are more awake during the day.

• What Should Be the Way of Laying Down 2-Month-Old Babies?

Make sure to lay your baby on his/her back. Lay him/her face down for 1-5 minutes during daylight hours. This position will strengthen the neck and upper torso and then help strengthen the muscles needed during sitting and crawling.

• What Should Be the Toys / Activities of a 2-Month-Old Baby?

Their being more alert during the day will help you communicate with them and help them improve. Talk to your baby, sing to him/her, read to him/her. Exposure to sounds and words will develop your baby's language and communication skills. Play games with your baby, and show him/her objects of different colors and shapes. Plastic toys and soft balls are ideal for this. Your baby loves to look at you, so make eye contact and smile at him/her often. This will make your baby feel safe by releasing chemicals that make him/her feel good from his/her body. A nice massage after the bath will also relax your baby. 

• What Vaccinations Are Available for a 3-Month-Old Baby?

Although the number of vaccinations is high this month, it is very important to have these vaccinations in order to protect your baby from infectious diseases. This month, your baby will receive three injections: tuberculosis vaccine, five-way vaccine (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-polio-h. influenza), and pneumonia (pneumococcal) vaccine.

• Is there a Doctor Check-Up for a 2-Month-Old Baby?

In this month, you must take your baby to the doctor for growth-development control and vaccinations.

What are the symptoms that suggest a problem in your 2-month-old baby? If there are the following symptoms, be sure to consult your doctor:

• If they don't smile despite being 8 weeks old,
• If they don't calm down even though you do everything to comfort them,
• If one side of their body is stronger than the other,
• If they still hold their fingers in a tight fist,
• If sudden noises do not frighten them,
• If they do not feed enough,
• If their muscles are loose or stiff. 

How Should the Development of a 3-Month-Old Baby Be?

• How Should the Weight and Height Development of a 3-Month-Old Baby Be?

During this period, babies continue to grow rapidly. Although there is a difference between babies, they gain an average of 700-900 grams in a month. They grow 2.5-4 cm in height within a month. Their head circumferences grow 1.5-2 cm. Your baby's head may seem to be growing faster than his/her body, which is normal. Some babies are small, some are average, and some are large. That's why every baby's growth curve is different. The important thing is that they continue to grow in line with their own growth curve.

• How Should a 3-Month-Old Baby Be Fed? If Breast Milk Is Not Enough, Should Supplements Be Used?

During this period, your baby may experience periods of increased hunger. Increasing periods of hunger indicate that your baby is in a period of rapid growth. If you're breastfeeding, he/she may want to breastfeed more often, sometimes hourly. If breast milk is not enough, a formula can be given. If he/she is taking formula, he/she may sometimes want more. During this period, no additional food should be given other than breast milk and formula.

During this period, you will learn the signs that your baby is hungry or full. If your baby is restless, cries a lot, sticks out his/her tongue, or sucks on his/her hands and lips, you understand that he/she is hungry. If he/she has lost interest in feeding and if he/she sleeps after feeding, he/she is full.

• How Often Should a 3-Month-Old Baby be Breastfed?

Babies should be breastfed whenever they want. During this period, babies breastfeed an average of 8 times in 24 hours. The feeding interval may be longer, such as 4 hours, for babies taking formula. Breastfeeding time is about 10 minutes. Babies taking formula, on the other hand, can take 180-210 ml of formula in one meal.

• Does a 3-Month-Old Baby Poop Every Day?

3-month-old babies poop an average of 1-3 times a day, but while some babies do it more, others do it every other day or every 2-3 days. The poop of breastfed babies is softer and watery, while the poop of formula-fed babies may be a little solid, but not very hard and shapely.

• What Can a 3-Month-Old Baby Do? How Is the Mental Development of a 3-Month-Old Baby?

During this period, your baby will begin to bond strongly with you. They answer you with a smile, talking to you in their own style. His/her cries have lessened now, and it makes you happy that he/she has turned into a small individual.

Your baby begins to experience emotions and communication. He/she recognizes your voice and returns to you when he/she hears. He/she starts laughing loudly. He/she looks at things around him/her, especially his/her fingers, and toes. He/she smiles at strangers, but also distinguishes his/her parents. Their brains grow fast and they recognize people by sight, smell, and sound. They make a lot of noise and respond when you speak. Their sense of touch develops, and their interest in the things around them increases. They reach for objects and grasp them with their hands. They take objects to their mouths. Although they cannot coordinate their hands and mouths, they stare at things for long periods of time, picking them up and shaking them.

Their head control gets better. They lift their head and chest when you lay them face down. When lying on their back, they swing their arms and kick with their legs.

• Can a 3-Month-Old Baby See? Can Babies Recognize Their Mother or Father?

They see, they react. They distinguish their parents from strangers.

• How Long Does a 3-Month-Old Baby Sleep?

They sleep for 5-6 hours at night without interruption. However, some babies may continue to wake up frequently at night. 

• What Should Be the Way of Laying Down 3-Month-Old Babies?

Make sure to lay your baby on his/her back. You can lay him/her face down while awake during the daytime.

• What Should Be the Toys / Activities of a 3-Month-Old Baby?