Your 2 Week Old Baby's Milestones And Development
You officially have a 2 week old baby!
You’re two weeks deep in the trenches now! On one hand, you may be settling into a routine with your baby – but on the other hand, you’re probably wondering if you’ll ever feel normal again. Don’t worry: you will! Right now, just focus on adapting to life with a newborn and grab a shower when you can (a vibrating bouncy seat on the bathroom floor will help in a huge way). Feeling normal starts with – well, not feeling gross.
Your 2 Week Old Baby’s Development & Growth Milestones
You know who else hasn’t bathed in a while? Your baby, since that pesky umbilical stump has been clinging on for dear life. But now that it’s off, tub baths are a go! (Baby tubs, that is.) Just a couple inches of lukewarm water is all you need – be sure to test the temperature on your inner forearm beforehand. Keep all your supplies within arm’s reach so you never have to leave baby unattended in the water, even for a few seconds. Use a mild soap and prepare to get high off that clean-baby smell. It’s the BEST.
As you’ve probably noticed, your little one spends most of the day sleeping. Up to 18 hours a day in roughly 2-hour naps, in fact. With a major growth spurt happening this week, when your little one is not sleeping he is a cluster feeding hungry newborn.
If you’re nursing, you might still be learning the ins and outs of breastfeeding. Take it easy on yourself if it’s a struggle at first, and seek the advice of a lactation consultant who will come to your home and give you tips and advice on the best way to get a newborn to latch.
Whether you’re breastfeeding or formula feeding, a newborn of this age will drink about 1.5 to 3 ounces every 2 to 3 hours. All that fluid should result in about six wet diapers a day.
Your 2 Week Old Baby’s Physical, Social, And Cognitive Milestones
While you’re obsessively sniffing your baby’s head, take a few minutes to “chat.” His eyesight is still fuzzy, but he can see things from eight to fifteen inches away, and he loves faces (especially yours, whether you’ve showered or not!). When he’s quiet and alert, get close and speak softly, making big, exaggerated facial expressions. It doesn’t matter whether you’re teaching him quantum theory or recounting the latest antics of that krazy Kardashian clan … he’ll think it’s awesome, and it helps his eyesight and language development. Win-win!
Of course, you’re still dealing with the inevitable mealtime struggles: whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle feeding, you probably think it’s not good enough. Which is best? WHICHEVER ONE KEEPS YOUR BABY FROM BEING HUNGRY WHICH IS BOTH OF THEM. So be confident in your decision. Read this and feel good. You’re doing a great job, mama.
Your 2 Week Old Baby’s Health
Though they seem impossible small, it’s time to give your baby’s tiny fingers their very first manicure. When the baby is fed and comfortable, carefully file down the growing sharp nails or if you’re comfortable, use a special infant nail clipper to get the job done. It might also be a good idea to put soft infant mittens on their hands lest your baby’s uncoordinated and jerky motions accidentally leave a scratch on that cute face.
Since exhaustion is your new name, keep track of your newborn’s feeding and changing schedule in a notebook or an app. Your mind may be foggy from lack of sleep and it’s always good to know when and how much your baby last ate, and how many wet diapers they’re producing. These are also questions your pediatrician may ask you during those frequent well-visits when a newborn.
This article was originally published in 2015.
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Your 3 Week Old Baby’s Milestones And Development
The 15 Things I Hope For New Parents
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