Your baby at 2 weeks
Life with your baby is still changing day to day as he gets used to his busy schedule of feeding, sleeping… and feeding again.
What’s happening with your baby?
The cutest little baby face? Not necessarily. Although the red patches and mild bruising from the birth may have faded away, your baby may have developed milia – tiny white spots usually on the cheeks but sometimes elsewhere on your baby’s skin – or blotchy red skin. Both will clear up without special lotions within a few days, and don't require medical attention.
Baby hair: If your baby was born with an impressive head of hair don’t be alarmed if it's now beginning to rub off. As your baby’s head rubs when she's sleeping it may well cause a cute bald patch to form on the back of her head. In the coming months your baby’s hair will start to grow again.
Baby weight: By the time your baby's 2 weeks old she's most likely to have started to gain weight beyond her birth weight. In the first month your baby should put on about 2lb (just under a kilo) but it’s important to judge her progress by a steady upward trajectory on her own growth chart rather than the weight of other babies of the same age, as infants are born all shapes and sizes.
How you can help your baby this week
Just the two of us: Some time during the first two weeks your midwife will have signed you over to a health visitor who will probably visit you at home once. If she feels there's no cause for concern, she will then suggest you just drop into the local weigh-in clinic to see her every week or two so you won’t get any more visits at home. Even if your partner has been lucky enough to take paternity leave this rarely lasts more than a fortnight, so by the time your baby is 2 weeks old you'll probably be left to your own devices. Don’t be scared of this time together, with family visits all done, this is serious bonding time between the two of you. Sing to your baby when you're feeding or changing a nappy, have a go at gentle massage, and enjoy short strolls out with the pram or baby sling.
Your baby’s health
Baby squints: Your baby can still only see a short distance and might occasionally squint in an attempt to focus on things around her; this is completely normal and your baby’s eyes will right themselves over the next few weeks.
Lip blisters: All that eager feeding might leave your baby with a little blister on her lip. This isn’t anything to worry about and will heal in its own time without you putting cream on it.
Play ideas for your baby
Handy work: Your changing touch – lightly moving your fingers across her tummy, stroking her or rubbing her feet – will keep her stimulated and reassured that you're there for her.
Front to play: It’s going to be a good three or four months before your baby is pushing up on her arms, but a little bit of time on her front when she's awake will get her used to this position. If she doesn’t like to be face down on her playmat, rest her face down across your lap so that she can explore the world from above as well as below. It's important, however, to make sure you always put your baby on her back to sleep.
