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2 month developmental milestones

A dad holding a newborn baby in his arms and kissing their hand

There are some key physical and communication milestones you will expect your 2 month old to reach. These milestones should be treated as a rough guide, as each child is unique and will develop at their own pace. It is often unhelpful to compare a baby to other babies or their siblings.

Explore the topics on this page:

Physical milestones

Communication milestones

Encouraging development

Possible development concerns

At around 2 months old you can expect your baby to be able to:

Physical

  • when laying on their tummy, turn their head to the side
  • when laying on their back, wave their arms and legs, wiggle and squirm
  • when laying on their back, kick their legs
  • touch their face with their hand
  • briefly hold a toy when you place it in their hand
  • grab your finger when you place it in the palm of their hand
  • follow an object or person with both eyes

Read more about early physical skills development

Communication

  • turn when they hear voices
  • deliberately maintain eye contact
  • smile when spoken to or when you smile at them
  • make cooing sounds such as ‘aaah’, ‘gah’ and ‘ooo’
  • make sounds back to you when you talk to your baby
  • cry when wet, hungry, tired or if they want to be held
  • smile or get excited 

Read more about early communication with babies and toddlers

Encouraging development

Activities and games you can explore with your baby:

  • chatting or singing to your baby whilst nappy changing or feeding
  • talking to your baby about what they are looking at
  • using different voices and actions when reading, singing and playing
  • copying the sounds your baby makes
  • dancing with your baby and cuddling
  • placing your baby on their stomach whilst your baby is awake, alert, and happy (also called tummy time)
Mother holds a childs hands while he lays on the floor having tummy time on the carpet.

Babies do not need lots of toys or devices to have fun or to encourage development. They learn a lot of early skills by playing and spending time with you.

Illustration of two hands forming a heart shape with a smaller red heart between the hands, on a green background

Possible development concerns

Sometimes development can be slower than you expect, or you may notice something different about your baby. It's normal to feel worried but there is lots of support out there.

Contact the health visiting team if you notice your baby is:

  • not engaging in eye contact when speaking to them
  • not watching and following you with their eyes
  • not grasping objects when placed in their hands
  • not able to lift their head up for short periods
Success

Need more specific support for your child?

If your child needs more help or has additional needs, you can visit our specific section for extra support.

Child development and growing up for additional needs

Information

Who can help

If you have any questions or concerns about your baby's development, a health professional in our team will be able to offer advice and support.

You can Call Us on 0300 029 50 50 or Text Us on 07520 649887 to start a conversation.

Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).

Need more information?

Related pages

Information for babies aged 2 months old

Mother holds a childs hands while he lays on the floor having tummy time on the carpet.
  • Child development and growing up
  • Moving and being active

Learning to move

There are lots of activities you can do with your baby on their back and during tummy time to help their development.

Read more
Two women kneeling behind their babies, which are both lying on a bed on their back
  • Child development and growing up
  • Speech, language and communication

Communicating with your baby

Infants and babies can communicate from the moment they are born. As soon as they arrive, your baby is learning about speech, language, and communication. It's important to talk to your baby and to encourage them to notice noises and sounds. Learn more about eye-contact and showing your baby new sounds.

Read more
Sleeping newborn baby being held with an adults finger gently pulling down on their lower lip to reveal the baby's first tooth.
  • Child development and growing up

Hygiene for infants

It's important to try to keep your baby clean and healthy by bathing them and brushing their teeth. It can help your baby to build up their immunity to infections and stick to good personal hygiene as they get older.

Read more

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