2 Month Old Baby Rolls on Side to Sleep

At 2 weeks old, your infant volition probably hit the starting time of many growth spurts, so get ready for a more demanding, hungrier, notwithstanding still ambrosial newborn.

If y'all're having any trouble feeding baby or keeping up with his seemingly insatiable appetite, check in with your pediatrician. And if baby doesn't seem to be getting enough milk, talk to the doctor about what to do so too.

Baby'south sleep is even so bound to be pretty erratic at this early on stage, so try to pace yourself, residue when you can and enquire for assist where you lot can go information technology. Merely remember to take care of yourself too, as you're still in recovery and aligning mode.

Here's what else to expect from your 2-week-former baby.

Your two-week-quondam infant'southward development

At a Glance

Sleeping basics

Newborns upward to 3 or iv months one-time demand fourteen to 17 hours of slumber in a 24-hour menses, unremarkably waking every 2 to four hours to eat.

Feeding nuts

Breastfed babies should eat every bit much every bit they want at this age, only a general rule of pollex is roughly sixteen to 24 ounces of chest milk or formula in 24 hours.

Did you know?

Most lighter-skinned babies are built-in with night blue or slate-colored eyes, and most darker-skinned babies arrive with dark brown eyes.

It may not seem similar your baby is doing much of annihilation these days — besides eating, sleeping and pooping.

But he'south actually using his baby brain plenty, cycling between intently watching his environment, moving around and spending fourth dimension in a drowsy phase, when baby'due south either nigh to fall asleep or but waking up.

Picket advisedly, and over time you'll be able to respond to your infant's different states of mind.

Though your baby seems like a helpless newborn, he's making lots of developmental strides this calendar week, including beingness able to focus on a face up with his sugariness little eyes.

And speaking of those eyes, it's too early on to know for sure what color they'll cease up beingness. A baby's true eye color doesn't usually brand itself fully known until somewhere between six and 9 months, and can proceed changing until equally late as his tertiary altogether.

Your 2-week-old baby's growth

Yous can kickoff posting those weight-proceeds bulletins get-go this week.

Most babies will have regained or surpassed their birth weight past 10 to fourteen days of life, cheers to all the feeding they're doing — whether that diet comes from the breast or the bottle.

Some babies who go off to a ho-hum kickoff in the breastfeeding department may take a little longer to put on the pounds, but every bit long as your baby's doctor isn't worried, you shouldn't be either.

Just brand sure you lot're feeding your niggling one every ii to three hours, counting from the start of one feed to the get-go of the next.

Your 2-week-old baby'due south health

There are no well-babe visits or shots this week (hurray!), but there's still plenty to know most your little one's wellness.

Average newborn weight

Circumcision care

Cross-eyed baby

Umbilical cord infections

Postpartum & new baby tips

Low milk supply?

If you're breastfeeding, you lot may feel poor milk supply. Since adequate supply is fueled by acceptable demand, anything that hinders the latter can lead to a problem.

Mutual culprits include:

Supplementing. If you've added formula to the menu, your babe will take less milk from your breasts, which in turn will cause your breasts to produce less milk.
Infrequent feedings. Stretching out the time between meals (to 4 hours, for instance) may exist easier on a new mom, simply it tin mean your breasts won't exist stimulated often plenty to produce an acceptable amount of milk.
Short feedings. If y'all cutting nursing sessions brusque (v minutes on each breast, for example), not just won't your babe become the fattier (and well-nigh nutritious) hind milk, but your breasts won't exist sufficiently drained. And without sufficient elimination, they won't be stimulated to produce more.
Pacifiers. For some babies, fourth dimension spent sucking on a pacifier means less time on or inclination for suckling on the breast, which means less milk production.

Thumb-sucking baby

It'southward perfectly natural for newborns to give thumb-sucking a big thumbs-upwardly — for now. Here's why:

Babies are born to suck. Sucking is a normal reflex for babies. So it'southward definitely a good thing that your baby has figured it out.
Sucking calms down your baby. Even when you've just finished feeding your baby, he might still bedlam for more sucking activity.That doesn't mean he's ready to chow down again. In addition to suckling to fill their tummies, babies need "nonnutritive" sucking, the kind that mellows them out. It's the whole reason we have pacifiers in the showtime identify — sucking helps a babe calm down. Some babies, like your ain picayune thumb-sucker, love nonnutritive sucking more than others.
Thumbs are always at hand. In that location'due south a reason your infant's already going to town on his thumb: Similar Mount Everest, information technology was in that location. Of course, the start few times were probably just adventitious sense of taste tests, but when your baby figured out how comforting his thumb was, he soon found out how to get it into his oral fissure on purpose.

Abdominal or perineal pain?

While most of the initial intense discomfort commonly passes within seven to 10 days postpartum, many women feel the lingering effects of childbirth for weeks after commitment.

You may find information technology uncomfortable to sit subsequently a vaginal birth or curve over afterward a C-section, for instance.

If yous've had a vaginal birth, the entire perineal area and rectum volition exist swollen for a few weeks.

You can expect the site of whatsoever stitches (either from a perineal tear, episiotomy or C-section) to exist sore and sensitive for about that long too. Itchiness around the stitches or scar is also common.

Bowel movements may be uncomfortable for a number of weeks, also, and then be sure to drink lots of fluids and step up the fiber in your diet and then you won't take to strain. You might also want to ask your practitioner about using a stool softener.

Your practitioner has probably put the brakes on intercourse until effectually six weeks postpartum. Merely while you're waiting for the dark-green low-cal to get busy, attempt to put that time — and your pelvic muscles — to good use.

Resume Kegel exercises to stimulate circulation, speed healing and restore skillful musculus tone. This way, when you practise have sex activity again, you'll enjoy information technology more — though probably not right away.

Well-nigh of all, relax and requite yourself time to heal. Full recovery won't occur overnight, but it will happen eventually.

Infant's soft spots

There are actually two on your baby'south head, and they are technically called fontanelles.

Baby'southward soft spots serve two of import purposes: First, they helped your infant's skull to shift and mold then it could fit through the nascence canal (give thanks goodness), and 2d, they allow room for your babe's encephalon to grow (very!) chop-chop during the first year.

The larger and more prominent soft spot, the anterior fontanelle, is on meridian of your newborn's head. It'south shaped like a diamond and can be up to 2 inches across. It'll start to close when your baby is about vi months old and be completely closed by 24 months.

The 2d, or posterior, fontanelle is much smaller and harder to find. Information technology'south on the back of the head, triangular in shape and only about a one-half-inch in diameter.

While protecting your baby'south head (no bouncing or shaking) is wise, the good news is that it's much less frail than it seems.

Those soft spots are covered past stiff membranes that do an excellent job of safeguarding the encephalon. Two (rare) signs of trouble: A depressed fontanel could be a symptom of dehydration, and a constantly bulging one could indicate pressure on the brain. In either instance, contact your baby'south md.

Bottle-feeding tips

If you're formula-feeding or pumping, go on in mind that when introducing the bottle, some babies take to it similar a fish to water, while others need a little more practice —and coaxing — to get sucking downward to a science.

These how-to-bottle-feed tips will help yous get started:

Accept several bottles at the ready in your fridge so your hungry honey doesn't get his creepo on waiting for supper.
Sterilize nipples and bottles the commencement time out. New bottle-feeding gear should be boiled for five minutes in a pot of water (or apply a store-bought sterilizer). After that, just wash bottles and nipples in hot, soapy water or in the dishwasher. You may demand to sterilize them more frequently if your baby was born prematurely, has an immune system disorder or has been sick.
Savor the bonding experience. Don't let anyone tell y'all otherwise — you can absolutely bond while bottle-feeding, with plenty of cooing and pare-to-skin contact.

Eat basics for free energy

Chances are you lot're oftentimes exhausted these days, so noshing on basics will give you a quick burst of energy. The protein, fiber and healthy fats packed into these petty shells brand them fantastic fatigue-fighters.

They're a scrap on the high-calorie side, though, so stick to a third of a cup or an ounce-and-a-half per serving. And reach for walnuts, almonds, cashews or pistachios because they have a healthier fat profile than, say, macadamias or pecans.

Eat them out of your hand or spread ii tablespoons of peanut, cashew or almond butter on a piece of whole wheat toast for an actress energy boost.

Conquering postpartum constipation

Blocked up? Attempt these tips for postpartum constipation:

Eat high-fiber grains. Opt for whole grain cereals, breads, brown rice and anything made with bran, oat bran or flaxseed.
Make a date with raisins, figs, dried apricots and prunes. Toss your dried fruit with nuts for a practiced heave of omega-3s — and some extra constipation-fighting musculus.
Nibble on crunchy fresh fruits and vegetables, and crude things upward even more by leaving the skins on.
Cook upward a pot of legumes, such as lentils or black beans, and add them to soups, salsas or salads.
Avoid refined foods such as white rice and white bread, and go for the (whole) grain instead.
Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Naught unclogs similar fluids, so brand sure you lot're getting plenty.Some women discover a cup of hot h2o flavored with lemon especially moving (effort it first thing in the morning time). Vegetable and fruit juices can assistance, too — specially prune juice.
Consider a fiber supplement. If none of the above tricks are working (or working well), ask your doctor about taking some actress fiber. Adding straight-up wheat bran and/or psyllium can give your diet the bulk information technology needs. Just don't overdo it, and don't accept your calcium foods with them since they can block assimilation of that vital bone-building mineral.

From the What to Wait editorial squad and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Wait follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic inquiry institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

What to Expect the First Year, 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff.

WhatToExpect.com, Your Newborn'due south Weight: Normal Gains and Losses and What the Average Baby Weighs, Baronial 2020.

WhatToExpect.com, Baby's Centre Color, May 2020.

WhatToExpect.com, Vitamin D for Babies, October 2020.

WhatToExpect.com, Cross-Eyed Infant, March 2020.

WhatToExpect.com, Newborn Circumcision Intendance, Dec 2018.

WhatToExpect.com, Safe Slumber Tips for Babies, February 2020.

WhatToExpect.com, How to Treat Omphalitis in Newborn Babies, Nov 2020.

WhatToExpect.com, How Much Should Baby Eat?, Apr 2020.

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