Newborn baby: 2 months

Your baby is now 2 months old! Babies are born with all their senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch. With these senses, they quickly learn to recognize voices within the family and smells from parents. So, if your baby is anxious, try putting a piece of clothing that smells like you next to your little one, it can help calm and reassure your baby.

Babies get stronger and have more body control

Don't forget the neck training! Now. When your baby is 2 months old, it's good to put them on their stomach to train their neck. Short sessions are better than none, but aim for about 15 minutes if possible. Naked training allows your baby to continue to strengthen their body, and it gets stronger every day. Have your little one lie on their stomach in your bed or sofa, while you sit below and keep a hand on their bottom. This will make lifting their head more interesting, as they will be looking at you. You are most likely your child's biggest idol, and faces are something children love to study. long.

Baby care: red bottom

Red bottoms are something many babies experience in the first few weeks. Babies' feces can be a bit corrosive to the skin and when you wash your baby's bottom often, it can easily become red and irritated. What you can do to care for the red bottom is to let your baby lie naked on a towel for a while and air it out properly. Avoid using too many wet wipes as they can easily dry out the skin; instead, wash with a washcloth and lukewarm water, possibly with a little oil. You can also lubricate the buttocks with nourishing ointments, there are many good options in baby shops or pharmacies.

What do you do when your baby cries?

All babies are sad from time to time - it's their way of communicating with their environment. It could be hunger, the need for a new diaper, closeness, or some kind of discomfort. After a while, you will get to know your baby more and it will probably be easier to distinguish different types of crying and what your little one is trying to convey or want with them. 

During certain periods, which are major growth periods, the baby may feel more sad and demanding than before. One of these periods is happening right now at week five, and it's good to lower your demands on other things around you, as the baby will probably need more closeness than you are used to. This is a phase and it will pass! 

Parenting is a full-time job, to say the least, and it can be very stressful. Feelings of inadequacy can creep up, as can the lack of freedom - it's both okay and normal to feel all kinds of emotions during the different periods you and your baby go through. And it's important to vent them! Dare to raise the subject with your BVC nurse for support, and ask for relief from family members if you want and can, so that you have some breathing space. 

If you find yourself in a situation where you feel you can't cope any more, take a deep breath, put your child down in a safe place and leave the room. Count to ten and start again. Never shake your baby in frustration - do the above instead. Remember that you always are the best person for your baby and that you are doing a great job, even if it doesn't feel like it at the time. It will get easier!

The child's senses

Babies show emotions with their whole body and the older the baby gets, the more reaction they will show. Maybe you have a little one who gets very angry or sad if you put them to bed, or who gets very happy when you come close and talk or sing? Good - all reactions from your baby are positive, even if it can be hard to deal with your baby's less happy reactions...

Your baby's eye movements are starting to become a little softer and more responsive now at 2 months and they can probably start bringing their hands to their face and studying their fingers at length. They may even taste them a little! From previously seeing things clearly at a distance of about 20 cm, your little one can now start to follow things with their eyes at a distance of about 40-50 cm. 

Read about month 3 here!