The Brain Development of a Two-Month-Old Baby

Remember, every child develops at her own pace. Ask your doctor if you are concerned about your child.

Your baby's brain has almost as many neurons as there are stars in the Milky Way―about 1 billion! At two month's old, her brain has begun paring down the trillions of connections between those neurons. In a process called "pruning," neural connections that are needed will be strengthened, while those that are rarely or never used are eliminated. What she experiences now can actually shape, or "sculpt," her brain for the rest of her life.

Eyesight Develops

The brain begins to process what the eyes see, improving rapidly over the next six months.

At two months, vision begins developing in earnest. As neurons begin connecting, your child will notice more of what is going on around him. He may study your face, especially when you are talking. His eyes move without causing his head to turn. He will watch his hands and feet with fascination. This kind of vision processing will accelerate for the next six months.

Memory Begins

Helping your child's brain develop now can impact his intelligence and even his relationships throughout his life.

At about this time, basic recall begins in the hippocampus, a seahorse-shaped structure near the center of the brain. Although she may not be able to show it, your baby recognizes you. She should also begin recognizing familiar people and objects. You may be able to tell when she notices new people and things by how long she looks at them.

Language Learning

Reading to your baby can increase connections in her brain.

At this age, talking to your baby allows his brain to adapt to the sounds of his native language. For multilingual homes, this is an especially critical time to speak to your child. You should begin reading to your baby if you haven't started already. This will give him even more opportunities to learn and make neural connections.

Big Smiles and Better Sleep

As your child's brain matures, she can communicate in new ways.

Your child should begin smiling in response to interactions with you sometime in the second month. Where crying was once her only way to communicate, she may have different kinds of cries or even begin making different sounds, called "cooing." Motor coordination improves and she will begin grasping objects. Jerky motions will become smoother. As her brain matures, she will begin sleeping longer periods, although probably not through the night.

Stimulating Brain Connections

Every neuron in your child's brain has the potential to make connections to up to 15,000 other neurons.

Your child's brain is entering a rapid period of growth that will continue for the next three years. Providing stimulation for your child can encourage more connections to strengthen and less to be pruned away. For example, allow him to feel different textures, look at colorful objects and listen to music. This is also a great time to let him touch and hold stuffed animals, plastic cookie cutters and baby toys. Choose objects that are not sharp, pointed or so small that they would be a choking hazard.

A Critical Time for Bonding

A strong bond can mean a brighter future for your child.

Infants that form a strong bond with a parent or caregiver have less cortisol, a hormone released by stress. A New Mexico State University study in 2007 showed that high levels of cortisol interfered with learning and memory in infants. High levels can reduce connections between cells and can actually cause brain cells to die. British researcher Lyn Murray showed in 1997 that babies stressed by neglect from depressed mothers in their first weeks of life suffered both cognitively and socially even years later. To prevent a chronic release of cortisol, make time to positively interact with your baby as much as possible. This is also a good time to establish consistent routines to give your child a sense of security. By reliably meeting her needs, you'll reduce stress and positively affect her long-term development.

References

• University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Brain Development--What We Know About How Children Learn
• Pubmed: Cortisol Reactivity, Maternal Sensitivity, and Learning in 3-Month-Old Infants
• The Dana Foundation: Brain Development in Childhood

Resources

• QuolKids: Infant Brain Research--What Is It and What Does it Mean?