Parenting Tips for Your 2 Month Old Baby
Check with your doctor, nurse, or clinic about the immunizations your baby needs. Immunizations help to prevent diseases that could change the life of your baby and your family. To see an immunization chart, go to the official Web site for immunizations: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/child-schedule.htm.
Keep going to the well baby visits. The doctor will check to see that everything is developing well. Many problems can be corrected if they are caught early.
Don’t be afraid to call your baby’s doctor and ask for advice. There will come a time when your baby will have a cold or fever, or when he acts as if he doesn't feel well. The doctor expects you to call when there is a problem or when you have a question.
If you are concerned about your baby, tell your doctor that you would feel better if you could bring him to the office to be checked. Your doctor will listen to you. Remember, you know your baby better than anyone else.
Your doctor will want to know if your baby has a fever and whether it is a low fever (100 degrees F) or a high fever. Learn how to take your baby’s temperature by looking in a baby care book or asking a friend, nurse, or doctor. For more information on how to take a baby’s temperature, go to the Kids Health Web site from the Nemours Foundation: http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/fever.html.
Before you go to the doctor, write down your questions so you won’t forget them. When you talk with the doctor, whether it is in person or on the phone, have the following information written down in front of you:
- 1. Your baby’s temperature _________
- 2. Pain
- Screaming ___ Head rolling ___ Pulling up legs ___
- A different kind of cry ___Cries when touched ___
- 3. Appetite
- None ___ Very little ___Vomiting ___
- 4. Breathing
- Difficult ___ Fast ___ Slow ___ Coughing___ Wheezing ___
- 5. Eyes/Ears
- Discharge ___ Pulling or rubbing ___
- 6. Skin
- Flushed or sweaty ___ Pale ___ Rash ___
- 7. Bowels
- Watery ___ Slimy ___ Hard or dry ___
- 8. Mood
- Too quiet ___ Fussy ___Changes in eating or sleeping habits____
Listen carefully to the instructions the doctor gives you. Write them down. Don’t be embarrassed if you need the doctor to repeat or explain something. Read the instructions you have written back to the doctor to make sure you understand them. The instructions need to be followed carefully. Look at them later to see that you are following them.
For more information on sharing any of your concerns with your doctor go to this Web site: http://www.firstsigns.org/concerns/parent_doc.htm.
