Well-Baby Visits: Newborn, 1 Month, and 2 Months

Helping Hand Logo

Congratulations on your baby! At well-baby visits, your baby’s doctor or health care provider will go over their growth and development. They will also answer any questions you have. Your baby will learn and grow a lot over the first 2 months of their life. They will start smiling and laughing, seeing more, and making more sounds!

Newborn
Motor Skills
  • Moves their body around more. Both arms and both legs should move about the same amount.
 Speech
  • Cries to let you know what they need
 Vision
  • Blinks at bright lights  
  •  Only sees shadows
 Learning
  • Reacts to loud noises
  • Eats or sleeps most of the time
1 Month
Motor Skills
  • Lifts head when laying on their belly
 Speech
  •  Starts laughing
  • Makes "ooh," and "ahh," sounds
 Vision
  • Sees more clearly
  • Looks at your face
 Learning
  • Smiles and laughs
  • Brings hands to their mouth
2 Months
Motor Skills
  • Turns head to the side
 Speech
  • Babbles
  • Makes cooing sounds
 Vision
  • Follows objects with eyes
  • Watches your face as you move
 Learning
  • Reacts to voices they know
  • Looks when their name is said

Nutrition

Each baby is different. Try to learn your baby's cry for when they're hungry. They should be eating ever 2 to 3 hours.

  • Only give your baby breast milk or formula.
  • Do not put cereal in their bottle.
  • Do not give your baby water, juice, or honey.
  • The formula must be iron-fortified. This keeps your baby's blood healthy. Make sure the formula you use is:
    • Prepared correctly
    • Not expired
    • Not labeled for toddlers
    • Sealed safely without leaks, rust spots, or puffy ends.
  • If you are breastfeeding, your baby must be on liquid vitamins. Your doctor or health care provider can tell you what to give.
  • Do not add extra water to formula. This does not help with constipation. Follow the directions exactly as they are written on the can.Baby sleeping on back
  • Do not heat bottles in the microwave.
    • Run hot water over the bottle or place it in a pan of hot water.
    • Before feeding your baby, check the temperature of what is in the bottle. Put several drops on the inside of your wrist to be sure it's not too hot for your baby (Picture 1).
  • If your baby wakes up in the evening, let them get fully awake before giving them a bottle. This will help them eat more and sleep through the night at a younger age.
  • It is normal for your baby to spot up a small amount after feeding. If they spit up a large amount, it may be due to the amount of breast milk or formula they're getting. Try feeding them smaller amounts more often. Talk to your doctor or health care provider if they spot up large amounts with every feed.

Sleep

Sleep-related deaths are one of the top causes of death for babies. This used to be sudden called infant death syndrome (SIDS). Now, it is Sudden Unexplained Infant Deaths (SUID).

  • Always place your baby on their back to sleep. Do not put them to sleep on their side or stomach. This can cause suffocating or choking, which keeps them from breathing.
  • To avoid suffocation, never put these items in your baby’s crib:
    • Soft bedding
    • ComfortersBaby in a crib with arrows pointing at spindles
    • Pillows
    • Toys
    • Bumpers
    • Blankets
    • Loose sheets
    • Sheep skins
  • The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a crib or bassinet. Having your baby sleep in your bed (bed-sharing) increases your baby’s chance of dying of SUID.
  • Room-sharing can help prevent SUID. This is when your baby sleeps in your room in their own sleep space like a crib.
  • You can breastfeed in your bed. When your baby stops eating, put them back in their sleep space. Place them on their back.
  • The space between crib spindles cannot be more than 2 3/8 inches apart (Picture 2). This is about the width of a soda can.

Safety

  • Do not hit or shake your baby. If you feel overwhelmed, take a break. Have someone you trust watch your baby for a little while.
  • Babies learn by putting things in their mouth. Keep small objects away from them to avoid choking.
  • Always have 1 hand on your baby. Never leave them alone:Baby in a rear-facing car seat
    • In a vehicle.
    • In a shopping cart.
    • When giving them a bath.
    • With pets or other animals.
    • On a raised surface like a changing table, counter, or chair.
  • Set the temperature on your hot water heater below 120° Fahrenheit (F) or 48.9° Celsius (C). Hot water can burn a baby’s skin at a lower temperature than an adult’s skin. Always test the temperature of your baby’s bath water before it touches their skin.
  • Babies must ride in a properly fitted rear-facing car seat in the back seat until they are at least 2-years-old or until they reach the weight or height limit of their rear-facing seat (Picture 3). 

Other Issues

  • A fever in a baby younger than 2 months of age is very serious. If you think your baby has a fever, check their temperature in their bottom (rectally). Use a rectal thermometer, not a mouth (oral) one. Take them to their doctor, health care provider, or the emergency room if their temperature is higher than 100.4°F (38°C).
  • Some babies do well with routines. Have feeding and sleeping routines that are the same every day.
  • At around 1-month-old, your baby can start having tummy time. Make sure they are awake and that someone is watching them.
  • Never smoke around your baby. Avoid smoking in the car, even with the window down. Your baby’s doctor or health care provider can help you start a class to stop smoking.
  • Ask your doctor or read vaccine information sheets if you have any questions about your baby’s vaccinations. Babies will get similar vaccines at their 4- and 6-month visits.
  • Babies in child care get sick often. Viruses spread quickly in child care centers. Keep your baby home if they’re sick. If they are not better after a few days, contact their doctor.

Caring for Yourself

Having a baby is a big responsibility. There will be times when you feel overwhelmed. That’s why caring for yourself is important. The best way to care for your baby is to make sure you’re healthy. Talk to your doctor or health care provider if you have feelings of depression.

If you need someone to talk to, use these options:

  • Postpartum Support International (PSI)
  • Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline

Well-Baby Visits: Newborn, 1 Month, and 2 Months (PDF), Somali (PDF), Spanish (PDF)

HH-IV-102 | ©2009, revised 8/22 Nationwide Children’s Hospital