First year development timeline: month 2

Can you believe your baby is a whole month old? Time flies, but at the same time a lot happened last month and it seems incredible that it all happened in the space of one month. You’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment, but don’t worry you’re doing an amazing job mum and dad! Now you’ve entered the second month of your baby’s lifewhat exactly can you expect?

A colourful mobile will aid your baby’s sensory development

Sensory development: Your baby will be engaging her senses this month and you will probably notice she favours certain songs or lullabies. Mix it up so she is exposed to a variety of sounds. You will also notice your baby’s eyes are a bit more focused and she will follow things with her eyes, a colourful mobile above her crib is a good way of encouraging the development of this skill.

Motor skills: This month is a good time to start playing with your baby. Colourful objects will be of particular interest to her. She will develop grabbing skills this month, but you will have to place objects into her hands as she can’t yet pick them up herself. However, be on the look out, because your baby is going to start trying to grab things, like her big brother’s hair. By the end of this month your baby should be able to hold her head up and turn it for short periods of time when she’s on her tummy.

Mobility: Your baby is still quite curled up, but she should look a little more stretched out that she did last month.

Cognitive development:Your baby is starting to become aware her body and that her hands and feet are attached to her. To help your baby learn about her body sing songs and play games which involve bringing attention to certain body parts, like “Head, shoulders, knees and toes”. Your baby’s brain is still developing rapidly so take advantage of it and teach her things by describing objects to her. For example: “This is a ball, it is red and round”. This will also help your baby’s communication skills.

Remember to talk to your baby to encourage her language development

Communication skills: This month your baby will progress from just crying to gurgling, cooing, grunting and humming in order to communicate with you. It is a language you will soon master, but don’t forget to have conversations with your baby so she is exposed to your language(s). You will also notice that your baby has more diverse facial expressions and she will use them to communicate what she wants, likes and dislikes.

Sleep patterns: From about 6 weeks old, your baby will probably be sleeping for longer periods, though some babies make you sweat it out until month 6. A good idea is to put your baby down to sleep when she appears drowsy and try reading her a story or singing her a song before you leave the room, it encourages a routine that will be useful later on in the year.

Dietary developments: You should still be feeding your baby with breastmilk or formula, which means the consistency, colour and frequency of her bowel movements should be the same as they were during her first month.

Guess what? You can expect to see your baby’s first smile at some point this month or soon after!

Month 2 Tip: Keep your baby wrapped up. Controlling her body temperature is still a bit tricky, so make sure to keep her head, hands and feet wrapped up, especially if it’s cold.