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Parents often wonder about their child’s health, leading to the frequently asked question: “Is my baby healthy and growing normally?”

These information sheets outline normal and healthy growth and developmental milestones, and common health topics for your baby.

Due to space constraints, some messages are repeated at several ages while others appear once only. Read the complete set of sheets to obtain the entire information.

The Rourke Baby Record (RBR) is a guide that many Canadian doctors and other healthcare professionals utilize for well baby and child visits for babies and children from 1 week to 5 years of age.

photo of a baby smiling with mother

2 Months

Feeding & Growth

  • Breastfeeding helps protect against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and may lower the risk of infections in babies. Feed your baby on-cue when she seems hungry.
  • Other foods are not needed until your baby is ready for solids, a few weeks before to just after 6 months old.
  • If your baby is taking breastmilk, give him Vitamin D drops (400 IU/day or 800 IU/day in Northern communities). You should also take a standard multivitamin containing Vitamin D (400 IU/day) yourself while breastfeeding
  • Breast milk can be stored for 3 - 4 hours at room temp less than 29oC (85oF), 3-5 days in your fridge, 3-6 months in a freezer with a separate door, and 6 to 12 months in a chest-type freezer below -20oC (-4oF).
  • The bowel movements (stools) of your breastfed baby may now be firmer and pasty rather than wet and seedy and can occur as often as several times a day or only once or twice a week.
  • When breastmilk is not available, give commercial, not homemade, formula, when your baby seems hungry. At this age, he will likely drink about 600 to 900 mL (20 to 30 oz) formula per day.
  • Remember to let her eat as little or as much as she is hungry for. Never force her to eat.

Keeping Baby Safe

  • To prevent falls, never leave your baby alone on her change table or other high surface.
  • To prevent drowning, never leave your baby alone in the bath. Do not use baby bath rings or bath seats.
  • Never shake your baby. This can cause serious brain damage or death. If your baby will not stop crying, and you feel like you are losing control after trying to comfort them, lay your baby in their crib and take a moment to collect yourself before trying to soothe them again.
  • Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
  • Swaddling your baby may improve their sleep but must be done properly: lying on their back with their head uncovered and legs and hips free to move. Do not swaddle once they are trying to roll.

Vaccinations

  • Vaccinations are very important and help make your baby's immune system stronger by teaching it how to recognize and fight off infections. Vaccinations do not cause autism. The publicized past study alleging this used false data and has been withdrawn.
  • Pain when the vaccine needles are given is less when your baby is breastfeeding or given a sweet liquid, or if a local anaesthetic cream is applied before the needles are given.
  • After the needles, your baby may have no reaction, or may be fussy or sleep more or less than usual. They may have a mild fever or a little redness or swelling where the needle was given. If needed, you can give them acetaminophen. Call your doctor if the fever reaches 40oC (104oF), if they are crying/fussy for more than 24 hours, is unusually sleepy or unresponsive, or has swelling at the needle site that is worsening

Development

  • At 2 months, your baby should:
    • Follow movements with their eyes.
    • Coo and make throaty, gurgling sounds.
    • Lift their head up while lying on their tummy.
    • Be comforted by being rocked or touched.
    • Suck 2 or more times before breathing or swallowing.
    • Smile in response to you smiling at them.
  • Read and sing to your baby to promote literacy.
  • Report any concerns about your baby’s development, including hearing and vision, to a physician or other healthcare professional.

Other Advice

  • Do not use over the counter cough/cold medications and consult your physician if your baby under 3 months has a temperature that is 38oC or higher.
  • Give your baby supervised “tummy time” for 10-15 minutes several times a day to prevent a flat head and to strengthen his neck muscles.
  • Colic occurs in up to 20% of babies. Babies with colic are healthy but have episodes of crying for no apparent reason at least 3 hours/day for at least 3 days/week for more than 1 week. It often occurs from 3 to 8 weeks of age and ends by 3-4 months. Colic has no lasting effect on your baby but can be very upsetting for you. Try cuddling, swaddling, massaging, low lights, soft music, motion (gentle rocking or car ride), pacifier, warm bath, etc. Discuss other options with your healthcare professional. Remember that colic is not your fault.
  • Spitting up (reflux) is common: almost half of healthy 3-4 month old babies spit up at least once daily and almost all stop by 1 year of age. Most require no treatment. Talk to your doctor if your baby is not gaining weight adequately, or cries or coughs during feeding or when spitting up.
  • Make sure your baby is not exposed to cigarette smoke. Second-hand smoke predisposes her to coughs, colds, ear infections, pneumonia, and asthma, and increases her risk for SIDS. Ask your healthcare provider for help to quit smoking.

Resources

For more information on your baby’s health, the top 5 websites cited by the RBR Parent Resources are:

  1. Canadian Pediatrics Society – Caring for Kids (www.caringforkids.cps.ca)
  2. Hospital for Sick Children – About Kids Health (www.aboutkidshealth.ca)
  3. Parachute - formerly Safe Kids Canada (www.parachutecanada.org)
  4. Dietitians of Canada (www.dietitians.ca)
  5. Health Canada (www.hc-sc.gc.ca)

Support and Acknowledgements

The RBR Parent Resources website and this series of information sheets were created by then Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) medical student, Dr. Laura Butler, and the RBR authors (Drs. L. Rourke, D. Leduc and J. Rourke). Two MUN Summer Undergraduate Research Awards and MUN Faculty of Medicine Office of Professional Development supported these projects. Evaluation project by Dr Aimee Holla, MUN FM Resident. 2020 brochure revisions by Dr. Anne Rowan-Legg.

Support for the RBR includes the Government of Ontario and MUN's Dr. W. Ingram Award. Licensing contributions for RBR electronic medical record use go to the MUN RBR Development Fund.

As evidence-based information is constantly changing, the Rourke Baby Record and these recommendations should be used as a guide only.

May 2020