The short answer
By 2 months, many babies look at faces, may calm when spoken to or smile in response, make sounds other than crying and react to loud sounds. They may watch you move, look at a toy for a few seconds, lift their head during tummy time, move both arms and legs and briefly open their hands. These are not test questions. Holding a toy, bringing hands to the mouth or holding the head steady without support may emerge closer to 4 months.
In this guide · 9 sections
Keep in mind
- Interest in faces, voices and back-and-forth smiles are important parts of development around 2 months.
- Lifting the head during tummy time does not mean steady head control in every position; keep supporting your baby’s neck.
- Avoid scoring your baby against others; look at how skills develop together over time.
What might you notice in social and communication skills?
Your baby may calm when spoken to or picked up, look at your face, seem happy to see you and smile back when you smile. Making short sounds other than crying and reacting to a loud sound are also on this age checklist.
You should not expect the same response during every interaction. Your baby may look away when hungry, sleepy or overstimulated; calm, awake moments are more useful for noticing what they can do.
How are vision and attention changing?
Your baby may watch you as you move and look at a simple nearby toy for a few seconds. Faces are especially interesting at this age, but your baby does not need to hold eye contact continuously.
You can let your baby follow a high-contrast object that you move slowly at a short distance. Fast movement, many toys or screens are not needed for development.
What movements of the head, arms and hands are expected?
During supervised tummy time, your baby may briefly lift their head. Moving both arms and legs and opening their hands briefly are movement skills to notice at this age.
Lifting the head is not full head control; continue to support your baby’s neck when carrying them. Bringing hands to the mouth, holding a toy placed in the hand and holding the head steady without support are skills that may appear closer to 4 months and are not required at 2 months.
How can you support development during the day?
Look at your baby, talk to them, respond to their sounds and pause after speaking so they can take a turn. These short back-and-forth moments matter more than a special lesson plan.
Offer brief tummy-time play while your baby is awake and continuously supervised; take a break when they get tired. Slowly moving a simple toy and giving them time to look is enough.
How should you interpret a milestone checklist?
A milestone checklist is not a strict deadline or a scoring tool. Do not assess one skill that has not appeared separately from other skills, your baby’s overall progress and birth history.
If your baby was born more than 3 weeks early, corrected age can be useful during the first two years. For example, a baby who is 2 months old by calendar age but was born a month early is considered about 1 month old by corrected age.
What can you do today?
During a calm, awake moment, look at your baby and talk; then wait for a sound or facial response.
Add a few short, supervised tummy-time sessions through the day and pause when your baby shows they are tired.
Rather than testing every skill for a week, notice small changes in looking at faces, responding to sounds, tracking and moving both sides.
When to seek support
Some signs need emergency help; other concerns can be discussed with your child’s healthcare team.
- Your baby rarely looks at faces, has little response to sounds or does not react to loud sounds.
- Your baby uses one arm or leg much less than the other, seems unusually floppy or stiff, or never lifts their head during tummy time.
- Your baby loses a skill they previously had, such as looking, making sounds or moving.
Sources used for this guide
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — Milestones by 2 Months
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — 2 Month Online Milestone Checklist
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — Milestones In Action: By 2 Months
- American Academy of Pediatrics / HealthyChildren.org — Movement Milestones: Birth to 3 Months
- www.healthychildren.org — regional guidance
English editorial review:
The English text and regional guidance have been checked editorially. This is not an individual clinical assessment.
Luluna provides general parenting information. It does not diagnose conditions or replace your child’s healthcare professional.
Explore more guides