2 month old baby milestones: Development, growth, speech, language, and more

Look for sweet smiles and soft coos as your baby reaches 8 - 12 weeks and get those cameras ready. As you navigate 2 month old milestones with your little one, you may also notice them getting stronger during tummy time, moving their limbs more smoothly, and possibly bringing their hands to their mouth. 

In this article, we’ll take you through the milestones at 2 months you can expect from your baby, give you a handy 2 month old development checklist, and provide useful tips to help ensure your little one is learning and growing as much as possible.  

IN THIS ARTICLE: 

2 month old baby milestones at a glance

Development: 

Babies at 2 months are working on activities like lifting their heads and pushing up on their arms during tummy time. They’re usually able to move their arms and legs more smoothly than before and are starting to relax their hands for brief periods. 

They’re mostly communicating their needs with cries at this age, though social smiles and coos are beginning! Your little one likely enjoys looking at your face and facial expressions along with other interesting objects. They’ll continue to be fascinated with the world around them as their eyesight and hand-eye coordination develop more too. 

Sleep: 

2 month old babies are still quite sleepy and aiming for around 15.5 hours over a 24-hour period. At this age, 5 or 6 of those hours will likely be daytime sleep spread out over 4 - 5 naps. 

Naps will still likely be unpredictable at this age so we don’t recommend trying to follow a set sleep schedule quite yet. Instead, around 8 - 12 weeks it can be helpful to plan naps according to sleepy cues — like yawning or rubbing their eyes — and wake windows. A “wake window” refers to the amount of time that has passed since a baby’s last nap. Following your child’s typical wake windows can help you anticipate naptime before they’re overly tired and the crying begins. 

Around 8 weeks another important sleep development occurs: Your baby’s circadian rhythm — their “biological clock” —  starts to emerge. This means they begin to differentiate night and day which may help them sleep more at night instead of evenly over the course of 24 hours.

Keep in mind that sleep requirements vary from baby to baby and there's a wide spectrum of what's normal and healthy. Suggested sleep hours offer a basic guideline and it’s important to pay attention to your little one’s mood and energy levels when gauging their specific sleep needs.

If you’d like personalized sleep guidance for your little one, consider submitting for a sleep plan through . Our step-by-step plans are tailored to your child’s needs as well as your family’s goals.

Feeding: 

Babies should only consume breastmilk or formula at 2 months. At this age, most infants eat every 3 - 4 hours and typically take around 4 - 5 ounces [] of breastmilk or formula per feeding.

At this age, look for your little one’s hunger cues like rooting, trying to find something to suck, and opening their mouth. It’s ideal to notice these cues and feed your baby before they become upset and cry. When this happens, it can be hard for them to settle down and then eat.

At this age, it’s expected that your baby will wake during the night for feedings and comfort. Filling their belly and offering some snuggles can help them get back to sleep. If you have questions about the appropriate number of night feedings for your infant, consult their doctor for guidance. 

Growth: 

Most babies will grow [] around 1 - 1.5 inches in length and gain about 2 pounds this month. Note that it can be normal for your little one to grow more or less than this between 8 - 12 weeks. 

Your little one may also go through a growth spurt around this age and be hungrier and fussier than usual. You may find that your 2 month old wants to eat close to every hour, which is called “cluster feeding.” Growth spurts typically last a few days []. 

At well-baby visits, your child’s doctor will chart their height and weight to check that they’re growing at a regular pace and can pinpoint any trends that need attention. If you have concerns about your baby at 2 months, consult their pediatrician. 

2 month development milestones

Physical development

Gross motor milestones

Tummy time: At 2 months, babies are usually able to hold their heads up (at almost a 45-degree angle) when they’re on their tummy []. You might notice they have better head control at this age, meaning it seems a little less “wobbly” on their neck than it did before. Babies typically begin to push up with their arms during tummy time at this age. 

Arm and leg movements: 2 month gross motor milestones include babies more smoothly [] moving both arms and legs.

Fine motor milestones 

Briefly open hands: Some 2 month old babies can briefly open their hands []. However, most 2 month olds keep their hands balled up a lot of the time so it’s usually not cause for concern if you only notice this occasionally. 

Hands to mouth: As part of 2 month fine motor skills, you may notice your infant can now bring their hands to their mouth []. 

Speech development 

Crying: At this age, infants communicate most of their needs [] by crying. However, they’re starting to make other sounds at this age too! They may also yawn and arch their back when they’re overstimulated. 

Cooing: Prepare for those first coos []! 2 month old speech milestones usually include these adorable little noises. 

Social development

Emotional development 

Looking at you: Babies at 2 months may start to look at you (and other things) more intentionally, partly because of their developing vision. Their eyes may track you as you move and 8 week olds may look at familiar toys briefly when you show them. 

Loud sounds: Babies usually start to react to loud sounds by looking towards them as part of 2 month old emotional development. 

Smiling: Your 2 month old is likely to flash sweet smiles that have nothing to do with being gassy! They may even smile and seem happy to see you [] at this age, so get those cameras ready. 

8 to 12 week old development milestones checklist

While most children will hit these milestones by 12 weeks, this might not always be the case. Babies don’t all learn and grow at the same rate and there’s a broad spectrum of normal for most 2 month old milestones. However, if you are concerned about your child’s growth or developmental delays, reach out to their healthcare provider. 

• Holds head up briefly when on tummy

• Begins to push up on hands during tummy time

• Moves arms and legs more smoothly

• Makes cooing noises 

• Briefly opens or relaxes hands

• Cries to communicate most needs

• Smiles at your face and seems happy to see you

• Looks toward loud noises

• May put hand to mouth 

5 development tips for 2 month old babies

Tip #1: Talk to your baby

Talking to your baby throughout the day can help lay the groundwork for their future understanding of language and communication even if they don’t understand what you’re saying right now. You can try copying your baby’s sounds and seeing how long they’ll coo back and forth with you []. These first “conversations” will not only be adorable but also help lay the foundation for speech that will continue to develop over time. 

Tip #2: Tummy time

Tummy time is important because it helps babies strengthen their neck and trunk, which will help them reach future motor milestones like rolling and sitting up. You can try placing toys (or yourself!) in front of your little one to encourage them to lift their head. Looking at toys is their version of play right now! 

Tip #3: Keep up skin-to-skin contact

Skin-to-skin contact can still help soothe your 2 month old []. Research shows that skin-to-skin snuggling with a caregiver during the first few months of life can positively influence a baby's brain development [] by raising levels of the feel-good hormone oxycontin. 

Skin-to-skin contact can also decrease symptoms of postpartum depression [] so it’s also a great way to help take care of your own mental health. 

Tip #4: Smile at your baby

You’re probably doing plenty of this already so keep up the good work! Your little one is learning to smile and can benefit from seeing you do it too. They are likely starting to recognize you as their primary caregiver and can learn the features [] of your face when you smile and look at them closely at this age. 

Tip #5: Set up simple routines

At this age, routines can help your baby learn what to expect throughout the day. Setting up simple routines around feeding and sleeping [] can be helpful to you and your baby. This can look like a diaper change, pajamas, feeding, then a lullaby before bed, for example. Make it fun and a time to bond with your baby instead of another daunting task on your to-do list. 

Takeaway: Development milestones for 2 month olds

• 2 month olds are still quite sleepy! We recommend around 15.5 hours of sleep over 24 hours for babies this age. They’re also eating every 3 - 4 hours and wake up overnight for feedings. This is normal. 

• Babies are getting stronger and are typically able to lift their heads up during tummy time. They may begin to push up on their hands while on their stomach too. Around 2 months, infants start to put their hands to their mouth and occasionally relax their hands, though most of the day their fists are still balled up.   

• Smiles are an exciting development at this age. Infants communicate most of their needs with crying still, however, they can begin to express happiness with smiles around 8 - 12 months. They also can usually coo around this age. 

• Note that these are general guidelines for babies 8 - 12 weeks. There’s a wide spectrum of normal when it comes to 2 month old development milestones and it’s OK if your baby isn’t doing all of these things between 2 - 3 months. That said, consult with your child’s healthcare provider if you notice any 2 month old milestones red flags or delays.

If you're curious about what lies ahead in the coming month, glimpse into the future to see what you might experience once your baby is a .