With the arrival of 2 months of age, there are numerous physical, mental, emotional and behavioral changes for the baby. However, it is also possible for parents to face many changes.
Improved sleep and feeding patterns allow parents to develop a new insight into parenting. There is growing confidence and belief that we are acting right. At the beginning of this trip, everything seems confusing, complicated and unexpected.
There are not many certainties. As soon as the baby reaches the 2 months, the habits begin to be more ingrained and this brings more tranquility and confidence to the whole family.
It begins to develop a sense of pride and mission fulfilled when we reach this stage. The relationship between the parents can also undergo modifications because, for the first time, they have a different perception of each other as parents. In a clinical context, it is common to find couples who report that when they observe the partner interacting with the baby, they begin to see the other person in a different, special way because of the dedication they give to the new offspring. The child can lead to a closer relationship between the parents.
Developmental Milestones
As babies grow, we notice the small changes on a daily basis. However, it is fundamental to understand how we can handle these changes, always responding properly, and maintaining a relationship of trust with our babies. Our proper reaction fosters the proper and normative growth of each baby, allowing for a more confident, powerful and constructive self-development.
With development, your children begin to develop their interests and you “help scaffold the cognitive, language, and motor integration needed at each developmental stage”(Newton, 2008).
With regard to the physical and emotional development of our children, it is important to remember that there are many indices that will differ from child to child. Each one has its own timing. Nevertheless, these are some of the changes expected at 2 months of age:
- Hold your right head;
- When lying on his belly to the air, he tries to raise his body with his arms;
- Roll on the floor;
- Respond to a smile with a smile;
- When enthusiastic, kicking or cycling;
- Seek your eyes, try to communicate to speak;
- Focusing on faces and objects 8-10 feet away;
- Follow your movement with his eyes;
- Look for a certain sound, with the eyes and head;
- Express emotionally with total body movement;
Brain Development
The behavior of parents towards the baby influences their physiological development. These interactions with parents foster the development of different areas of the brain, namely the occipital, temporal and parietal lobes – areas responsible for the tactile, auditory and visual information. Here are some of his new skills:
- Likes human voices and will try to replicate them;
- He will smile when you talk to him, and will try to replicate exaggerated facial expressions;
- He can grab for anything left in your hand (ex: finger);
- Likes to look at patterns;
- As he/she is accustomed to eating and will anticipate this act as soon as he/she sees a breast or a bottle;
- When they want to interact, they will brighten their eyes, smiling, but if they do not want to continue, they will also fend off by breaking the eye contact;
- Develop more agile body movements.
Cultivating Secure Attachment
This phenomenon of attunement essentially refers to the understanding of the baby's needs and the ability to respond appropriately. Although we may think that the ideal would be to be 100% attuned to the needs of the child, the truth is that this is neither realistic nor promotes proper and healthy development. Part of this growth is a constant adjustment of this perception. The perfect level may limit the coping ability of the child.
“Play and Attachment”
This phase of the 2 months, is great learning for parents. The recognition of the signals made by your children assists the entire process of proper response. The baby will play through different movements – kicking, raising eyebrows, smiling, vocalizations. All of these are small positive signs of play at this age depend on the type of interaction that the baby gets from the caregiver. As this type of behavior becomes more common, parents begin to understand them and the interaction will become more appropriate and happy. On the other hand, if the baby wants to play, he also develops small symptomatic behaviors – breaking eye contact, wrinkling his forehead or turning his face. At this stage, it may be important to verbalize what babies may be feeling, showing understanding and a potential response to the need. It's called attunement.
Parent Focus
In the past, in consultation, I encountered a worried mother, she felt the need to be with her friends but did not want to stop being with her daughter – Maria. We talked a great deal about the need to establish time and space for all the strands and contexts of her life, but I proposed to her that in these early ages she should carry out activities with her daughter, as well as introduce new contexts and people into her daughter's life, but that she could also socialize.
She started by hosting her best friends at her house for a snack with her and her children. She sat on the couch with the baby by her side talking to her friends. She attended parties with her daughter, who watched everything that was happening in that room, all the new faces etc, although without great focus. It was an incredible experience and a turning point in the life of this family.
Newton, R.P.(2008).The attachment Connection – Parenting a Secure & Confident Child Using Science of Attachment Theory. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
