The two-month well-baby check

The doctor will want to know whether you baby smiles yet, imitates your facial expressions or has started cooing and babbling. He’ll want to know whether your baby follows faces and how he responds to being held and soothed. Here is a breakdown of what the doctor will be looking for when you take your infant for a two-month well-baby check up.

Motor skills and body development

He’ll ask if your baby is able to grasp a toy if you hand it to him, or if he’s able to figure out putting his fingers in his mouth to soothe his crying. Let him know if your baby can lift his chin off the ground, even for a few seconds, when he’s on his tummy.

The exam

Head : The doctor will examine the fontanels (the soft spots), or gaps between the skull bones, on your baby’s head to make sure they are closing at the appropriate rate. They are open when your baby is born both to let him fit through the birth canal and to give his brain room to grow. They’ll close up between 12 and 18 months.

Ears :
Most babies have their hearing checked immediately after birth. The doctor will check your baby’s ears now for fluid retention with an instrument called an otoscope. He may make sure that your baby responds to various sounds, including your voice.

Eyes : The doctor will look for blocked tear ducts or discharge and will use a bright object to attract your baby’s attention so he can track your baby’s eye movement and check for crossing. He’ll use an instrument called an opthamaloscope and a light to look in your baby’s eyes.

Mouth : Your baby’s mouth will be checked for a form of yeast infection common in infants called thrush. It looks like little white bumps on his tongue or gums. The doctor may ask about drooling to see if your child has started teething.

Skin : The doctor will do a check for birthmarks and rashes. He may look to see if initial jaundice has cleared. By now, this is usually not a concern.

Heart and lungs : The doctor will use a stethoscope to listen for abnormal heart rhythms. A heart murmur is fairly common in infants and not something to be concerned about.

Abdomen : By putting gentle pressure on your baby’s stomach, the doctor can feel for tenderness and enlarged organs. He’ll also be able to tell if your baby has an umbilical hernia—a condition where a bit of intestine breaks through the abdominal wall. It usually goes away by itself by age two.

Hips and legs : The doctor will move your baby’s hips and legs to check for proper alignment and to check the joints.

Genitals : Tenderness, lumps and infections are key here. In girls, the doctor will ask about discharge. For boys, the doctor will make sure that the testes have descended into the scrotum and that there isn’t a fluid filled sac, called a hydrocele.

The shots

This well-baby visit ends with your baby’s first round of immunizations. In the U.S. that includes DtaP, HepB, Hib, IPV, Prevnar and RotaTeq. (RotaTeq is actually a sweet tasting liquid and not a shot.) Expect your baby to cry and want a hug after these. Afterwards, he’ll probably be feverish, possibly lethargic and even a little less hungry for up to 48 hours. You may see some bruising at the injection sites.

Well-baby checks are more daunting for the parent than the baby. But, they are vital to your baby’s health and development, allowing doctors to catch problems early. Make sure you arrive armed with information and answers and bring questions of your own.

References

Cleveland Clinic well-baby check-up

Mayo Clinic well-baby exams