2-month-old baby health & growth guide

Now that you and your baby have hit the 2-month milestone, you’re starting to figure each other out a bit more. From first smiles (swoon!) to a slightly more predictable daily routine, we hope that life is starting to ease a bit. (More nighttime sleep is in your future, too!) Here’s what you can expect regarding 2-month-old baby weight and growth, plus tips for care, sleep and feeding. 

2-month-old baby nutrition

Your little one will let you know when they’re hungry, for the most part. Known as the responsive feeding method, following your baby’s hunger cues is still optimal in these early days. Though your 8-week-old baby’s feeding schedule might be getting a bit more organized, as in, you can better predict when they might be getting hungry, don’t aim to set any strict schedules just yet.

Feeding 

According to The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and La Leche League, at 2 months old, babies should be consuming the following amounts at the suggested times below, but remember to respond to your baby’s hunger cues.

How much to feed a 2-month-old baby

Breast milk: 4 to 5 ounces every 3 to 4 hours

Formula: 4 to 5 ounces every 4 hours

On average, 8-week-old babies may take 5 to 10 minutes to breastfeed on each side during feedings. The key here is “average”—because several factors can contribute to how long it takes for a baby to breastfeed, including your baby’s feeding style, the speed at which breast milk lets down, how frequently they feed and more. 

Related: 8-week-old baby feeding schedule & amounts

Common feeding issues: Spitting up

Spit up is a common occurrence in the first year, and while it might seem alarming, know that a little spit up here and there rarely bothers babies. If you’re worried about how much milk they’re ejecting, know that a teaspoon of spilled milk tends to appear much larger in volume than it actually is (phew!). But also know that frequent or excessive spit up can be a sign of other conditions, like reflux

Be sure to talk to your child’s pediatrician if you’re concerned about how much your child is spitting up after feeding, but here are a few ways to try to prevent spit-up.

How to reduce spit-up in babies, according to AAP

  • Avoid overfeeding by feeding smaller amounts more frequently
  • Take burp breaks during and after feeding sessions
  • Postpone tummy time after meals, opting to keep baby more upright
  • If formula is part of your little one’s diet, talk to your doctor about changing your baby’s formula
  • If breastfeeding, consider eliminating cow’s milk protein from your diet

Always contact your pediatrician if your baby vomits forcefully after most feedings or if you notice blood in your baby’s vomit. (Blood in vomit may appear bright red, or it may be dark brown and grainy, like coffee grounds.)

Related: How to choose an organic baby formula

2-month-old baby weight

For babies up to 2 years of age, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend using the World Health Organization (WHO) weight and length charts

The WHO growth charts for babies 0 to 2 years are based on what is standard for a predominantly breastfed infant. According to the organization, the WHO charts reflect growth patterns among children who were predominantly breastfed for at least 4 months and were still breastfeeding at 12 months. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends continuing to breastfeed for at least two years, as long as it benefits both mother and baby. 

How much does the average 2-month-old weigh?

This month, your baby may gain an average of 5 to 7 ounces per week

According to the WHO:

What factors contribute to a 2-month-old baby’s weight?

Keep in mind that there are several factors that contribute to how much your baby weighs in month two, including: 

Size at birth: The weight of your baby at birth will influence their weight now.

Assigned sex at birth: Males tend to weigh more than females, and tend to gain weight slightly faster.

Gestational age: Babies born preterm or early full term may weigh less than babies born full or late term.

How they’re fed: According to AAP, breastfed babies may gain weight slightly faster than formula-fed babies in the first 6 months of life.

Related: Activities for a 2-month-old: Fostering baby’s development

2-month-old baby length

Between birth and 6 months, babies grow an average of 0.5 to 1 inch each month.

How long is the average 2-month-old?

According to the WHO:

  • A 2-month-old baby boy in the 50th percentile is 23 inches long (58.4 cm)
  • A 2-month-old baby girl in the 50th percentile is 22.5 inches long (57.1 cm)

What factors contribute to a 2-month-old baby’s length?

There are several factors that contribute to your baby’s length in month two. The height of a baby’s parents and other family members strongly influences their future height, as does adequate nutrition during pregnancy and after birth. Finally, boys tend to be slightly longer than girls. 

Related: A parent’s guide to car seat safety: Tips, rules & product picks

Growth charts and percentiles 

Your child’s pediatrician will plot their weight, length and head circumference on a growth chart at every visit. Growth charts show how a baby’s weight or length may be compared to the weight or length of other babies of the same age. 

For example, if a baby’s weight is in the 40th percentile, it means that 60% of babies of the same age and sex weigh more, and 40% of babies weigh less. But overall, your pediatrician is looking for steady and sustained growth, checking the curve, or growth pattern for trends.

It’s important to remember that growth charts are just one tool used to track a child’s development (along with developmental milestones and feeding and sleep habits), and aren’t meant to be used alone. 

WHO Growth Charts, courtesy of CDC. Boys birth to 24 months, weight-for-length.
WHO Growth Charts, courtesy of CDC. Girls birth to 24 months, weight-for-length.

Growth spurts

A growth spurt might slightly change the growth pattern on your child’s growth chart; jumping your little one to a different weight or length percentile. That means their percentile may vary slightly between well-checks, but it’s the drastic increases or decreases that doctors are especially attuned to. 

In the second month of life, baby growth spurts tend to happen around weeks 5 or 6, and may last up to a week. You might notice more cluster feeding or night wakings, or that they’ve suddenly outgrown the onesies they wore last week. They may also need to size up in diapers, which are based on weight rather than age. 

How to tell when it’s time to go up a diaper size

  • Your baby’s diaper is leaving red marks where it touches their skin
  • The diaper no longer fully covers their bottom
  • The diaper is leaking more than usual, or not able to contain the contents
  • You can’t comfortably slip two fingers under the diaper waistband

If it’s time to move up in diaper size, know that you can find a home for your unused diapers by offering them to a friend with kids in a similar age, donating them to a diaper bank or seeing if the company you purchased them from will accept returns of unused diapers or unopened boxes. 

Related: 21 fanny packs that might make you ditch the diaper bag

When should I worry about my baby’s growth?

In month two, your baby’s pediatrician will be plotting their growth along a curve, and will definitely let you know if they’re worried your child isn’t thriving. Otherwise, try not to stress too much: many factors play a role in your child’s development, including weight, length, head circumference and developmental milestones

If your baby has been growing steadily and suddenly stops growing, or if your 2-month-old isn’t gaining around an ounce a day, your doctor may point to these as signs of slow growth and will take appropriate next steps. 

2-month-old baby sleep 

Your 2-month-old is still considered a newborn, and that means they’ll still be sleeping most of the day. But wake windows might be stretching out just a bit, and night sleep may be consolidating slightly, too. Note that your 2-month-old’s sleep shouldn’t follow a true schedule quite yet. Pay attention to their wake windows (more on those below), which will help prevent them from getting overtired. 

Your 2-month-old baby should still be aiming for 12 to 16 hours of sleep per 24 hours, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

What baby sleep looks like at 2 months:

  • Your baby may be taking 3 to 5 naps per day
  • Your baby may be sleeping in 2- to 4-hour windows at night
  • Your baby may be awake for 45 minutes to 90 minutes at a time

Read more: How much sleep does an 8-week-old baby need

What to know about wake windows in babies

A wake window is the period of time an infant can stay awake in between naps without getting overtired. Newborns are unable to self-regulate their sleep patterns, so instead of simply just falling asleep, they can easily become overtired. Your 2-month-old’s wake windows are stretching out a bit now, which means more minutes for tummy time, reading and playing. 

Paying attention to wake windows can be the key to a little more sleep for everyone in your family, as skipping daytime naps can sometimes wreak havoc on nighttime sleep. Look for sleepy cues (rubbing eyes, yawning, a glazed-over look) around 45 to 90 minutes after their last nap. 

Related: 14 science-backed ways to reduce SIDS risk in babies

Diapering a 2-month old

You might not have thought that caring for a newborn would involve quite so much poop talk, and yet here we are. Examining their stool frequency can provide bigger clues to their health and growth. 

2-month-old baby poop frequency

Whereas your 1-month-old was likely going through 3 to 9 diapers each day, your 2-month-old’s poop frequency may start to slow down a bit. In a breastfed baby, you can likely expect anywhere from 1 to 5 poops per day, on average. Formula-fed babies may poop at least once per day. But it’s also normal for a breastfed or formula-fed infant to skip a day or two, provided that their stool consistency is still normal (soft, seedy and liquidy for breastfed, paste-like for formula-fed). If your baby has hard, formed or pellet-like stools, call your pediatrician, as it may be a sign of constipation. 

Diaper rash

The red, angry rash that forms in your baby’s diaper area is known officially as diaper dermatitis, and is often a fact of life in these early stages, thanks to all those wet diapers. A diaper rash cream used after diaper changes can help, as can airing out your baby’s bum by going diaper-free for short periods. One small study found that even applying breast milk to baby’s bum can be as effective as topical hydrocortisone 1% cream for relieving diaper rash. If you have any questions, reach out to your child’s pediatrician. 

Earth Mama

$12.99

Organic Diaper Balm

This calming salve uses calendula—a flower used to treat inflammation and pain—to soothe baby bottoms and treat and prevent diaper rash. Infused with other herbs like tea tree oil and shea butter, we love it as one of the more natural diaper rash creams on the market.

EmBeba

$14.99

Don't Be Rash Diaper Balm Stick

For diaper rash relief without the mess, we love EmBeba’s innovative stick-style balm. (After all, sometimes you just get tired of cleaning white paste out from under your fingernails!) The formula is made with only clean natural ingredients including olive oil, propolis, calendula and beeswax and made in small batches that are extensively tested every time.

According to Motherly’s Hayli Craig,  “My 10-month-old is currently cutting four teeth at once and that means one thing: poop. The EmBaba stick is truly finger-free (that’s right, I don’t have to use my finger to spread the product on the tooshy!) and I can tell a noticeable difference between the next diaper change. Also, it’s so easily portable compared to a large tube!”

Honest Company

$9.99

Rapid Relief

Honest Company is about more than just adorable diapers . Made without phthalates, parabens, fragrances, dyes and other potentially harmful ingredients, this quick-acting diaper rash cream uses zinc oxide and other organic ingredients to relieve even the most stubborn of rashes. It also helps moisturize those tiny bottoms and is easy to apply. (And even comes in a sprayable version!)

Save 15% on your first Honest order! Use code HONESTCO15

Caring for a 2-month-old

By month two, you’ve gotten a few firsts out of the way already—first bath, first pediatrician appointment, but there are still plenty of firsts in your future, including baby’s first round of childhood vaccines, a batch of which is scheduled for their 2-month checkup. 

Vaccines for 2-month-old

Your baby will likely receive the following vaccines at their 2-month checkup:

  • Rotavirus (RV)
  • Diphtheria, tetanus, & acellular pertussis (DTaP)
  • Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
  • Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV13, PCV15)
  • Hepatitis B (second dose)
  • Inactivated poliovirus (IPV)

Related: Pfizer’s RSV vaccine for pregnancy could be available soon

The list might seem long, but know that even at 2 months, your little one’s body can handle it—vaccines do not overwhelm their immune system. Rather, vaccines support your child’s immune system by helping it fight off deadly yet preventable diseases that might otherwise overwhelm them. Vaccines use tiny amounts of antigens to help your baby’s body recognize and fend off serious disease. If you have other questions or concerns, be sure to speak with your child’s pediatrician. 

To help make your little one more comfortable during vaccinations, aim to start breastfeeding or bottle feeding just before the shot happens and during the shot administration. The suckling action is soothing and can provide some pain relief for babies, as can the sweetness of breastmilk or formula.

Related: Want tear-free shots? The Shotblocker and Buzzy Bee can help

Baths 

Is your little one enjoying bath time a bit more these days? Now that their wake windows are slightly longer, there’s more time to fit in a quick soak. Aim to make bathtime fun and engaging by singing songs or playing soft music. Remember that you don’t need to bathe them daily—as a rule of thumb, AAP recommends a bath three times a week for babies younger than 12 months. Also know that for babies under 6 months, no soap is necessary. Clean, warm water is all you need until they start crawling around.

Related: How often should I bathe my child?

California Baby

$11.99

Calming Shampoo + Bodywash

Why have one cleanser when you can have two? This shampoo and body wash is great for getting littles ones squeaky clean without stripping their skin of the moisture they need. It’s a hit among moms because it’s a vegan wash that’s perfect for those with chemical sensitivities, allergy concerns or just dry, easily-irritated skin. It’s also available in gallon sizes because can you ever really have too much body wash?

Burt's Bees Baby

$26.99

Hooded Towels

The 100% organic cotton hooded towels from Burt’s Bees Baby are perfectly sized and quick to absorb–no slippy babies here! They’re gentle on even the most sensitive skin and come in a variety of colors and patterns.

Common concerns

One you reach the 2-month mark, you might see more dry skin or eczema pop up, as well as more colds and illnesses as you start to venture out more with your little one.

Dry skin

Redness, rashes, flaking and small bumps can be par for the course when it comes to newborn skin, as hormone levels balance out and they get used to their new environment (outside the womb, that is). Stay away from strong lotions or creams, but gentle calendula oil or jojoba oil can be safe and soothing, as can a bit of breast milk rubbed in (just more proof breast milk is basically magic). Talk to your baby’s doctor if that rash or dryness isn’t going away or is spreading, as it could be a sign of eczema (more below) or another skin condition. 

Earth Mama

$18.99

Calming Lavender Baby Lotion

If you’re looking for something gentle and not just good, but organic—that actually works, you’ll swear by this lotion. It comforts, soothes and moisturizes sensitive, delicate skin with a serious soothing lavender that’s sure to calm fussy mamas, too. Pop one in your diaper bag or car, and keep two in your bathroom—it’s just that good.

Baby Dove

$9.99

Sensitive Skin Care Baby Lotion

Keep sensitive skin nourished and hydrated with this gentle, pH-neutral lotion from Baby Dove. It’s fragrance-free (because what smells better than their delicious baby skin?) and even though they don’t need much help in this department, it leaves skin feeling silky soft. (Yours too!)

Eczema

Is it dry skin or eczema? Upwards of 25% of babies have eczema, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, which can develop as a result of babies’ more sensitive skin barrier. While dry skin is relatively harmless and painless, eczema is known as the itch that rashes, and it can be super itchy, red and weepy, and generally much more uncomfortable for babies. It often appears on the face, elbows and knees. 

Ways to reduce eczema in babies

Related: How to treat your child’s eczema

Vanicream

$16

Moisturizing Skin Cream

This gentle but effective formula is free from dyes, fragrance, parabens, botanical extracts and lanolin, so not only does it heal, it also doesn’t hurt when applied to aggravated and irritated skin. One Motherly editor even called it a “lifesaver” after it helped her son’s eczema-stressed hands. “We tried everything from prescription steroid creams to other thick lotions and this is the one that finally did the trick—without ‘burning’ his hands in the process like some others did.”

Mustela

$21

Stelatopia Intense Eczema Relief

This dermatologist and pediatrician-tested formula from Mustela is made with 99% natural ingredients, including colloidal oatmeal–one of the few ingredients to be recognized by the FDA as a safe and effective natural treatment for eczema. It’s lightweight and absorbs quickly to hydrate and relieve itching within just a few minutes. And without fragrance, parabens or dyes, it’s gentle enough for even the most irritated skin.

RSV

If you have a child under 2 years old, it’s important that we talk about RSV. Though respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) typically presents as a mild upper respiratory cold, in kids under 2 years, it can be more serious. It can also be more severe for those born prematurely or with chronic health conditions or otherwise weakened immune systems. In severe cases, RSV can progress to a lower respiratory illness, such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia, which may require hospitalization.

Symptoms may often start out as mild, with just a clear runny nose and reduced appetite for a couple of days, and then progress to cough and wheezing. Here’s what to look for.

Common RSV symptoms in babies and kids:

  • Clear, runny nose
  • Decreased appetite
  • Coughing
  • Wheezing
  • Sneezing

In very young babies, the only symptoms may be decreased activity, reduced appetite, irritability and some difficulty breathing. RSV may sometimes present with a fever, but not always. Most kids are over the illness in about two weeks, but it can have serious health implications for some infants, especially those who are premature or have other health conditions.

If you notice your baby’s skin and chest are pulling in with every breath they take, you should seek medical attention right away. Short, shallow or rapid breathing, coughing, lethargy and not eating as they usually do are also red flags.

Severe RSV symptoms in babies

If RSV progresses, the second stage may be marked by more serious symptoms.

  • High fever
  • Fast breathing rate
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Persistent cough
  • Decreased activity
  • Pauses in breathing (apnea)

Be sure to head to the nearest hospital if your child is having trouble breathing or experiencing severe symptoms.

A note from Motherly on self-care while caring for a 2-month-old

The magical part of month two is that you’re starting to really learn baby’s cues and cries—which can be so helpful in terms of communication. And those sweet baby smiles can somehow make all your other worries melt away (at least for a bit!). But if you’re not communicating your own needs, mama, no one else will. Ask for more help when you need it—there are people who want to support you. And if you’re feeling like you’re struggling, reach out to a mental health expert and get to know the signs of postpartum depression (PPD), which can set in anytime in the first year. Help is out there, and within reach.

Postpartum depression resources

If you’re experiencing any postpartum mood symptoms, no matter how mild, know that help is available. Reach out to your healthcare provider about next steps and potential treatment options, such as more support at home, therapy or medication. If you’re in crisis, reach out to a crisis hotline or dial 988 or 911 for immediate support.

The phone numbers listed below are available 24/7 to help you with suicidal thoughts or other mental health crises. 

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