Two Month Old Milestones: What to Expect

Two months! Your baby is becoming more interactive, alert, and just plain fun. This is often when parents feel like they're getting to know their baby as a person—with a real personality emerging. The biggest milestone many parents anticipate? The first true social smile.

Here's what's typically developing at two months and how you can support your baby's growth. AAP

The Big Milestone: Social Smiling

What to expect: CDC

• First real social smiles emerge around 6-8 weeks
• Smiles in response to your face, voice, or interaction
• Different from reflex smiles (which happen randomly)
• Whole face lights up
• May even "coo" while smiling

How to encourage:

• Make eye contact
• Smile and talk to baby
• Make animated facial expressions
• Give baby time to respond
• Respond enthusiastically to smiles

If you haven't seen it yet: Give it time. Some babies smile at 6 weeks, others not until 10 weeks. If you see no social response by the 2-month checkup, mention it to your pediatrician.

Physical Development

Head and neck: Mayo

• Much stronger head control
• Can lift head 45 degrees during tummy time
• May hold head up briefly when held upright
• Still needs support but getting stronger

Vision:

• Can see farther (up to 18 inches)
• Tracks moving objects better
• Recognizes familiar faces
• Interested in colors (not just black and white)
• Eyes should move together

Hands:

• Opens hands more often (not always fisted)
• May bat at objects accidentally
• Brings hands together at chest
• Hand to mouth movements

Movement:

• More smooth, less jerky movements
• Kicks legs when excited
• Stretches and moves all limbs
• Beginning to discover their body

Cognitive Development

Learning and awareness: AAP

• More alert and interested in surroundings
• Watches faces intently
• Beginning to anticipate events (knows feeding is coming)
• Shows boredom if not stimulated
• Memory improving

Problem-solving:

• Learning cause and effect (crying brings caregiver)
• Beginning to distinguish familiar from unfamiliar
• Can tell difference between textures
• Processing sensory information constantly

Communication Development

Sounds: CDC

• Cooing! Vowel-like sounds ("ooh," "aah")
• Coos especially to familiar faces
• Variety of sounds beyond crying
• May vocalize when content

Pre-language:

• Listens when you talk
• Turns toward sounds
• May quiet when hearing voice
• Beginning of conversational turn-taking

How to encourage:

• Talk to baby throughout the day
• Pause and give them time to "respond"
• Imitate their sounds
• Respond to their cooing
• Sing and read aloud

Social and Emotional Development

Attachment: AAP

• Strong preference for caregivers
• Calmed by familiar faces and voices
• May be wary of strangers
• Seeks interaction

Emotional expression:

• Smiles with whole body
• Shows distress, contentment, excitement
• Clearly communicates needs
• May protest being put down

Self-soothing:

• May suck hand or fingers
• Beginning to calm self briefly
• Still needs caregiver help mostly
• Finding comfort objects (perhaps)

Feeding at Two Months

Breastfed babies: AAP

• More efficient at nursing
• May feed less often (8-10 times daily)
• Feedings may be shorter
• Good weight gain continues

Formula-fed babies:

• 4-5 ounces per feeding
• About 6 feedings daily
• Total 24-32 ounces daily
• May start going longer between feeds

Sleep at Two Months

Sleep patterns: NSF

• Still 14-17 hours total daily
• May sleep slightly longer stretches (3-4 hours)
• Day/night patterns improving
• Still no predictable schedule

Progress:

• More alert during day
• May have longer sleep at night
• Still waking for feeds
• No sleep training yet (too young)

2-Month Checkup

The 2-month well-child visit typically includes: AAP

Physical exam:

• Growth measurements
• Development assessment
• Heart, lungs, hips checked

Vaccinations:

• DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis)
• IPV (polio)
• Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
• PCV (pneumococcal)
• Rotavirus (oral)
• Hepatitis B (if not completed)

Questions to discuss:

• Feeding concerns
• Sleep patterns
• Development
• Your wellbeing as parents

Milestones Checklist

Most 2-month-olds: CDC

• Smile at people (social smile)
• Coo and make gurgling sounds
• Turn head toward sounds
• Begin to follow things with eyes
• Hold head up briefly when on tummy

Some 2-month-olds may:

• Hold head up well during tummy time
• Push up on arms during tummy time
• Show preference for certain toys
• Have longer alert periods

Talk to your doctor if:

• No response to loud sounds
• Doesn't watch things as they move
• Doesn't smile at people
• Doesn't bring hands to mouth
• Can't hold head up when pushing up during tummy time

Supporting Development

Physical: Mayo

• Tummy time daily (building to 60 min total)
• Floor time with room to move
• Holding upright for head strength
• Let baby kick freely

Cognitive:

• Varied visual stimulation
• Talk, sing, read
• Simple toys within reach
• Face-to-face interaction

Social-emotional:

• Lots of smiles and eye contact
• Respond to their communication
• Comfortable handling by different caregivers
• Consistent, loving care

What's Coming Next

In the next month, you'll likely see:

• Better head control
• More cooing and "talking"
• Beginning to laugh
• More reaching toward objects
• Discovering hands
• Longer alert periods

What Other Parents Ask

Q: My baby isn't cooing yet. Is that okay?
A: Some babies coo at 6 weeks, others not until 3 months. If your baby makes some sounds and is interactive in other ways, likely fine. No sounds at all by 2-month checkup should be mentioned. AAP

Q: My baby seems very fussy. Is this normal?
A: Fussiness often peaks around 6-8 weeks. If baby is eating, growing, and has calm periods too, some fussiness is normal. Discuss with your pediatrician if you're concerned or baby seems in pain.

Q: Should I be doing activities with my baby?
A: Your face and voice are the best activities! Talk, sing, read, and interact. Simple toys within reach are fine. No need for elaborate programs—ordinary loving care is perfect.

Q: My baby is behind my friend's baby. Should I worry?
A: Development varies enormously between babies. Comparing is natural but not helpful. Focus on YOUR baby's progress, not milestones hit at specific ages. CDC

The Bottom Line

Two months brings exciting developments—especially that first social smile! Your baby is more interactive, alert, and communicative. Continue providing responsive, loving care and enjoy this delightful age.

Key milestones:

• Social smiling (responds to you)
• Cooing and gurgling sounds
• Tracks moving objects
• Lifts head during tummy time
• Opens hands more
• Longer alert periods

Clara is here to help you understand your two-month-old's amazing development.