By the second week of your baby's life, you might be starting to get into a groove with understanding what they need and establishing some routines around infant feeding and care. But it's also possible that things still feel a little chaotic and uncertain. All of that is common—after all, your baby is stillreallyyoung, and you are still getting to know each other.
In terms of development, there aren't many huge developments that happen with your baby between their first and second week. Still, your baby is coming out of their shell a little more, and there are some exciting changes on the horizon.
Let's take a look at what to expect when it comes to your 2-week-old's development, feeding andsleep patterns, and what you need to know about newborn care and safety.
At This Age
Development: Your baby may have their first growth spurt at 2 weeks.Sleep: Your baby will still sleep a lot at this age, but there may be more times of alertness.Food: You may be able to start to establish feeding routines, but you should still expect frequent feedings, including at night.
An Age-by-Age Guide to Sleep Training
2-Week-Old Baby Development
At two weeks, many babies have their first major growth spurt, says Amy Verlsteffen, APRN, Senior Director of Clinical Transformation atTytoCare.This growth spurt can take parents by surprise and may make feeding more difficult for some time.
“[They] may feel overwhelmed at the increased frequency of wanting to eat,” Verlsteffen says. “My advice here is to make sure mom is drinking plenty of water and eating well also to keep up with the baby's nutrition demands.”
At two weeks, your baby still has many of their newborn reflexes intact.These include the rooting reflex, where they will look for the breast or bottle when their cheek or mouth is stroked, and the startle reflex, where they will involuntarily startle if they hear a sound.
Although your baby will sleep much of the day, they will also have more periods of alertness, saysNatasha Burgert, MD, pediatrician.They may also have more periods of fussiness, she adds.
You will start to learn how to decipher what your baby's cries mean.Babies fuss when they are hungry, but sometimes it will be because they are uncomfortable, tired, oroverstimulated.
Through trial and error, you will understand what your baby needs, but keep in mind that your baby's cries are their way of communicating. After investigating all the potential physical causes, your best bet is to hold and console your baby. Rocking, shushing, singing, walking, swaddling, or wearing your baby in a baby carrier, all work great.
After losing weight after birth, most babies should be back to their birth weight by about two weeks, and then start to gain about one ounce per day.
However, with their two week growth spurt, you should start seeing some weight gain. Starting at about 1 month until about 3 months, your baby will gain 1 to 2 pounds a month and grow about 1 inch taller. Your baby's head will grow about ½ inch each month as well.
2-Week-Old Baby Milestones
Your baby will still have pooreyesight, mostly seeing in black and white, and can't focus on anything more than 8 to 20 inches away.
Your baby may be responsive to your face, says Pierrette Mimi Poinsett, MD,pediatrician and consultant forMom Loves Best, so ham it up. She suggests holding your baby about 8-10 inches from your face and then sticking your tongue out. “You might notice that they will stick their tongue out in response,” Dr. Poinsett says. “They may also track you with their eyes for a few seconds at a time.”
Your baby should be able to lift their head more during tummy time, which is basically placing your baby on their tummy on a soft, safe surface for about 3-5 minutes. You should only do this when your baby is awake. Tummy time helps your baby exercise and strengthen their muscles.
Additional Behaviors
Other baby behaviors and milestones you might notice at two weeks include:
Your baby should be responding to loud noises and the sound of your voice.2Any scrapes or bruising from birth should be diminishing at this age.9If your baby has any birthmarks, you may notice them now; astrawberry hemangiomais a type of birthmark that may appear a few weeks after birth.10
If your baby doesn't seem to respond to loud noises, you can contact your pediatrician, as your baby may have a hearing issue.11You should also contact your pediatrician if your baby isn't waking for feedings at this age, or is crying inconsolably.12
2-Week-Old Baby Food
At two weeks, your baby should still be feeding frequently. Six to 8 feedings per day are common for formula fed babies. Breastfed babies will nurse 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, which may amount to every 1 to 3 hours.
It's best to go with the flow when it comes to a feeding schedule, and feed your baby when they show signs of hunger.
The Academy of American Pediatrics (AAP) recommends practicing “responsive feeding” at this age, which is where you learn to recognize your baby's hunger cues and feed them on demand.Some of the hunger cues you may be able to recognize include your baby putting their fingers in their mouth, moving their head from side to side, or making suckling motions with their mouth.
Your baby may begin cluster feeding, nursing very frequently, usually during the evening hours. This can also mean your baby may be more wakeful, sleeping only an hour or two at a time. This can be exhausting and stressful for parents. But it's all for a good cause. “Cluster feeds in breast-fed babies help to increase their mother's milk supply,” Dr. Poinsett explains, while “cluster feeds in formula-fed babies are a cue to their parents to raise their feeding volume.”
An Age-by-Age Feeding Chart for Newborns and Babies
2-Week-Old Baby Sleep
At two weeks, “babies are still sleeping quite a bit—up to 20 hours per day is still normal,” says Dr. Burgert.
It may not be possible for your baby to sleep longer stretches at night yet. “Expecting any more than an hour or two of consecutive sleep may be unreasonable, especially if the baby is going through a growth spurt or if day-night confusion is still present,” Dr. Burgert explains, though some babies will start to sleep longer stretches at night.
Verlsteffen advises parents to only wake your baby to feed if they haven't surpassed their birth weight yet, to ensure that they are getting enough nutrition, so that their growth is on track.
If your baby is growing well and sleeping longer stretches, go ahead and enjoy it, she says. “Some babies will go 2 to 3 hours while sleeping and some will sleep only 30 minutes,” says Verlsteffen. “Each baby is unique and it's important to learn their cues and cries to see how you can help meet their basic needs.”
It's important that you put them to sleep safely, in a crib or bassinet, without any blankets or pillows, and on their back. The AAP notes that you should never let your baby sleep in a car seat, swing, or baby seat, and discourages co-sleeping.
How To Choose a Bassinet for Your Baby
2-Week-Old Baby Schedule
A day in the life with a two week old involves a lot of sleeping (for the baby at least!), feeding, diaper changes, and those precious moments when your baby is awake and alert and you can look right into their eyes.Skin-to-skin contact helps promote weight gain, can help make breastfeeding more successful, and helps regulate your baby's temperature.Wearing your baby in a baby carrier or sling is a wonderful way to bond and allows you to get some things done around the house.
2-Week-Old Baby Health and Safety
You should have had your first pediatrician visit within a few days after your baby was born, may have one at two weeks, plus a follow-up when your baby is one month old.There may still be lots of questions you may have about your baby's health and safety, and you shouldn't hesitate to reach out to your pediatrician with questions.
At the hospital before discharge, your baby received the Hepatitis B vaccination. They may have also received the RSV vaccine, which is usually administered either during their hospital stay or at their first pediatrician's visit.
But because your baby isn't protected against most viruses and infections at this point, pediatricians suggest that you be extra careful at this age not to expose your baby to common viruses that could be harmful to them.
Pediatricians usually recommend you ask anyone who will visit with your baby if they are ill, and also whether they have been vaccinated against whooping cough, the flu, and other circulating viruses.If you are uncomfortable with too many visitors, it's okay to turn them away. You are not being rude. You are protecting your baby.
You will also want to be aware of hazards in your house that your baby may be vulnerable to. In particular, parents might not realize that babies at this age can easily roll off a surface where you place them. Be particularly mindful about keeping a hand on your baby at all times, including when you are changing diapers, especially.
2-Week-Old Baby Care Basics
Bathtime
Two weeks or so marks a very exciting moment: baby's first bath, which they can have once their umbilical cord stump falls off. Before this, they should only get sponge baths.Keep in mind that you don't need to bathe your baby daily. Experts say three baths a week are plenty to keep your baby clean without drying out delicate skin.
The 2023 Parents Best Skin Care for Kids Awards
Umbilical Cord Care
Most babies' umbilical cord stumps will have dried and fallen off by 2 weeks of age. If this isn't the case for you, contact your baby's pediatrician, and don't force things. Avoid getting it wet, and allow it time to air out and dry off. It should fall off in due time.
Diaper Changes
By now, your baby's poops will likely be yellowish and seedy (if breastfeeding) or more tan or brownish (if formula feeding).Six wet diapers a day is common, and babies this age tend to poop multiple times a day.It's good to have at least 6-8 diapers available each day, plus tons of baby wipes.
The 7 Best Diaper Pails, Tested by Real Parents
What Else to Know About Your 2-Week-Old Baby
Even at two weeks, breastfeeding may still be challenging. Some babies have trouble latching, and other don't gain weight as fast as they should.If your baby'slatchis causing cracked, sore, or bleeding nipples, or if your baby is not gaining weight despite frequent breastfeeding, consider reaching out to a lactation consultant.
Although giving up breastfeeding is a valid choice for any parent, breastfeeding challenges at two weeks in are actually quite common, and most issues can be successfully addressed with help and patience.
Formula Feeding Cured My Anxiety
Key Takeaways About Your 2-Week-Old Baby
Two weeks is an exciting time for your baby, as they begin to show you a little bit more of their personality. But it's also an important transitionary time for you, especially if you are recovering from giving birth.Importantly, two weeks postpartum is when your hormones begin to settle. It's common to experience “the baby blues” as you move through sleep deprivation and hormonal changes.
But yourmoodshould be more balanced. If you are struggling with your mental health, you might be experiencing a postpartum mood disorder, like postpartum depression, and should consult a doctor or therapist.
When Does Postpartum Depression Start and How Long Can It Last?
Discussion about this post