About this topic
Your babys 2-month well child exam is a visit with the doctor to check your baby's health. The doctor measures your child's weight, height, and head size. The doctor plots these numbers on a growth curve. The growth curve gives a picture of your baby's growth at each visit. The doctor may listen to your baby's heart, lungs, and belly. Your doctor will do a full exam of your baby from the head to the toes. ‚
Your baby may also need shots or blood tests during this visit. ‚
General
Growth and Development ‚
Your doctor will ask you how your baby is developing. The doctor will focus on the skills that most children your childs age are expected to do. During the first months of your child's life, here are some things you can expect. ‚
- Movement ¢ ˆ ’ Your baby may:
- Lift the head up when lying on the belly
- Hold a small toy or rattle when you place it in the hand
- Hearing, seeing, and talking ¢ ˆ ’ Your baby will likely:
- Know your face and voice
- Enjoy hearing you sing or talk
- Start to smile at people
- Begin making cooing sounds
- Start to follow things with the eyes
- Feeding ¢ ˆ ’ Your baby:
- Needs breast milk or formula for nutrition. Always hold your baby when feeding. Do not prop a bottle. This makes it easier to choke and get ear infections.
- Should not yet have baby cereal, juice, or other food unless instructed by your doctor. Your baby's body is not ready for these foods yet. Your baby does not need to have water.
- May needed burped often if your baby has problems with spitting up. Hold your baby upright for about an hour after feeding to help with spitting up.
- May put hands in the mouth, root, or suck to show hunger
- Should not be overfed. Turning away, closing the mouth, and relaxing arms are signs your baby is full.
- Sleep ¢ ˆ ’ Your child:
- Sleeps for about 2 to 4 hours at a time. May start to sleep for longer stretches of time at night.
- Is likely sleeping about 14 to 16 hours total out of each day
- May sleep better when swaddled. Monitor your baby when swaddled. Check to make sure your baby has not rolled over. Also, make sure the swaddle blanket has not come loose. Keep the swaddle blanket loose around your baby 's hips. Stop swaddling your baby before your baby starts to roll over. Most times, you will need to stop swaddling your baby by 2 months of age.
- Should always sleep on the back, in your child's own bed, on a firm mattress
- Shots or vaccines ¢ ˆ ’ It is important for your baby to get shots on time. This protects from very serious illnesses like pertussis or some kinds of pneumonia. Your baby may need:
- DTaP or diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine
- Hib or Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine
- IPV or polio vaccine
- PCV or pneumococcal conjugate vaccine
- RV or rotavirus vaccine
- Hep B or hepatitis B vaccine
Help for Parents ‚
- Develop bathing, sleeping, feeding, napping, and playing routines.
- Play with your baby.
- Keep doing tummy time a few times each day while your baby is awake. Lie your baby on your chest and talk or sing to your baby. Put toys in front of your baby when lying on the tummy. This will encourage your baby to raise the head.
- Talk or sing to your baby often. Respond when your baby makes sounds.
- Use an infant gym or hold a toy slightly out of your baby's reach. This lets your baby look at it and reach for the toy.
- Gently, clap your baby's hands or feet together. Rub them over different kinds of materials.
- Slowly, move a toy in front of your baby's eyes so your baby can follow the toy.
- Here are some things you can do to help keep your baby safe and healthy.
- Learn CPR and basic first aid.
- Do not allow anyone to smoke in your home or around your baby.
- Have the right size car seat for your baby and use it every time your baby is in the car. Your baby should be rear facing until 2 years of age.
- Always place your baby on the back for sleep. Keep soft bedding, bumpers, and toys out of your baby's bed.
- Keep one hand on your baby whenever you are changing a diaper or clothes.
- Keep small toys and objects away from your baby.
- Never leave your baby alone in the bath.
- Parents need to think about:
- A plan for going back to work or school
- A reliable babysitter or daycare provider
- How to handle bouts of crying or colic. It is normal for your baby to have times that are hard to console. You need a plan for what to do if you are frustrated because it is never OK to shake a baby.
- Making a routine for bedtime for your baby
- The next well child visit will most likely be when your baby is 4 months old. At this visit your doctor may:
- Do a full check up on your baby
- Talk about how your baby is sleeping, if your baby has colic, teething, and how well you are coping with your baby
- Give your baby the next set of shots
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher
- Problems eating or spits up a lot
- Legs and arms are very loose or floppy all the time
- Legs and arms are very stiff
- Wont stop crying
- Doesn't blink or startle with loud sounds
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Pediatrics ‚
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/default.aspx ‚
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/downloads/milestones-tracker.pdf ‚
Last Reviewed Date
2015-03-12 ‚
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Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care provider 's advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved. ‚