How Your Newborn is Growing?
The first week went by in a daze and your newborn baby is now two weeks old. You will notice changes in your baby each day. Your little one is not accustomed to the space and openness outside the womb because it has spent those 9 months of being cramped up in a little space. So it will take some time before he gets used to the outside world. You may notice him throw the hands wide open and get startled at the slightest noise. This is a perfectly normal reflex in babies and it helps them gain their equilibrium. You are a new mother and everything is a learning just like the 1st couple weeks of pregnancy. Here are a few things that you can expect with your newborn baby week 2.
Newborn Baby Week 2 – Growth and Development
- Feeding: 2 week old newborn feeding is similar to that of the first week. The baby can take 20-30 ml (1 ounce) of milk per feed. The frequency of feeding will be every 2 hours. Since the baby is small and still learning how to suckle well, he may also fall asleep as the breast feeding sessions are likely to be longer. In the early weeks, feeding 2 week old baby is normally feed on demand, this helps to increase your milk flow too. So, if you are confused about how much to feed 2 week old baby, follow the needs of your little newborn.
- Sleep: The baby still sleeps for most part of the day. The sleep hours may be 18-20 hours with a wake time of 3-4 hours. He wakes up for feeds and nappy changes. The awake hours will increase with each passing week. At present there will be alert times when the baby can be active or passive(quiet).
- Crying: Your baby may still be crying a lot. With each passing week, you will be able to distinguish the cry for hunger, feeling wet and being sleepy. A fussy baby 2 weeks old could be crying more than usual. The main reasons for a 2 week old baby crying could be because of not getting enough breast milk or gas.
- Vision: What can a 2 week old baby see? The vision of your newborn baby week 2 is gradually increasing and he can see better. Distinguishing colors and shapes is still a few weeks away. When you talk to him, hold him close to your face. Soon, he will recognize your voice and even begin to respond. That first smile is still a few weeks away but it is a beautiful feeling. It is like a reward for all those sleepless nights you spent in the beginning weeks of pregnancy.
How is Your Life Changing?
Baby Blues – This week as your baby grows, you may be experiencing some changes yourself. Your body is recovering from the normal or C-section delivery. Emotionally you may be having some ups and downs. Taking care of the baby all day, breastfeeding a 2 week old, being restricted to the house and sleepless nights could take a toll on your mood. These baby blues are very common among new mothers and they pass off sooner than you know. Knowing that these are normal also helps. The ways to handle them better is to step out with your baby in the stroller. Take the help of a friend or relative who could look after the baby for a while. These initial weeks, a walk, a relaxed shower or a trip to the market may seem like a luxury. These small steps will help you cope better with the situation on hand and you and your baby will be bonding beautifully before you know. In case the symptoms are persistent, and getting worse then you may be suffering from postpartum depression and you need counselling and medical advice.
Important for This Week – Newborn Baby Week 2
- SIDS: Another important thing you need to keep in mind in these early weeks is SIDS-sudden infant death syndrome. There have been reports where infants between the age 1 to 6 months may die suddenly without any identifiable cause. One precaution that you can take from the very first day is to put the baby in a crib or co-sleeper rather than on your bed. Avoid putting the baby to sleep next to a deep sleeper. Ensure to remove all bedding, soft toys and blankets from the crib. The baby may suffocate as he will not be able to remove these coming in the way of his face. These small precautions are very important so its advisable to know and be aware of them.
- Vaccination: The baby’s first vaccination will also take place in the first two weeks. In Asian countries like India, the baby is vaccinated for polio (oral polio vaccine) and tuberculosis (BCG vaccine)in the first week of life itself. The first visit to the pediatrician will also help the doctor to assess the weight gain, baby’s height and head circumference. The next baby wellness check up is likely to happen when the baby is 6-8 weeks old.
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