Most healthy babies at this age simply need attention in feeding, changing, and frequent cuddling and caressing in order to thrive. That's not to say, however, that routine pediatrician visits aren't required to maintain your baby's health. Regular well-baby visits are (and will continue to be) essential for getting immunizations and monitoring your child's growth and development, as well as allowing you to discuss any questions or concerns you might have. In addition, below are some useful facts to know about the physical health of your young infant.

Body Temperature and Fever. Young infants cannot control their body temperatures as well as adults do. Their hands and feet can quickly become mottled or even bluish when they are cold, and they may feel excessively warm after only a short time of being bundled too snugly or after being out in warm weather. Quite often, simply unbundling or warming them up will bring an otherwise healthy baby's body temperature back to normal. However, it is especially important for the parents of infants under 3 or 4 months of age to recognize fever. This is because young infants do not fight infection as well as older children, and fever can be a sign of infection, even when it is not very high. In general, it is best to avoid bringing young babies in contact with friends and family who are sick--especially if they have a fever. Remember that many illnesses are spread by direct contact; parents can decrease the likelihood that their baby will become sick simply by making sure that people wash their hands and cover their mouths and noses. When fever is a concern, it is important to take the temperature with a thermometer--preferably a rectal one--and discuss the situation with a doctor.

Change in crying habits. Crying is a fact of life for babies and new parents. While many parents worry that their baby's increased crying is indicative of colic, this disconcerting but otherwise relatively harmless condition tends to already have made itself known in the first month of life. For babies who just seem to cry more than they did as newborns, it is entirely normal and actually expected that a baby will increase the amount of time he cries each day by a full hour or two by the time he reaches 6 weeks of age. After that, the time usually decreases to about an hour a day by 3 months of age. And even for babies who do have colic, the condition usually resolves itself by 3 or 4 months of age--often disappearing as quickly as it started.

Urine and Bowel Movements. Young babies normally urinate 6-10 times a day--a sign that they are drinking enough and their kidneys are functioning well. In addition to urine, it is important to pay attention to a baby's bowel movements. Breastfed babies, in particular, tend to have several mustard-colored, loosely formed, or even watery stools a day--sometimes after every feeding. Constipation or going many days without a bowel movement does not usually occur in the first few months of life, and should be discussed with a pediatrician.

Growth. Following a baby's growth is one of the best ways to know that she is healthy and doing well. Early on, babies gain a tremendous amount of weight--on average, a half-ounce to 1 ounce a day, and two pounds per month! As their bodies grow, so do their heads. The fact that the bones of the skull aren't yet fused together allows a baby's head circumference to increase by as much as an half an inch per month. If a baby's weight or head size does not seem to be increasing as expected, then he needs to be evaluated by his doctor.

Baby Acne. While baby acne may have set in by the time your baby is one month, chances are good that it will be (or already is) gone by three months. Most people find breaking out with pimples to be disconcerting, but it can be particularly upsetting to new parents when their baby develops acne. This condition is caused by exposure to Mom's hormones before birth. Treatment generally requires nothing more than a wet washcloth and some patience.

Common Newborn Behaviors. Babies are born with a lot of reflexes, and the result is many movements over which they have no control. For example, young infants reflexively grasp hold of any object placed in their palm and respond to being startled by extending their arms and legs, then bringing them in towards their bodies as they begin to reflexively cry. Over the first few months of life, however, these types of reflexes begin to disappear and be replaced with much more intentional movements of the hands and body. Babies begin to be able to control their movements in a way that lets them begin to do more active exploring of the world around them.

Immunizations. Parents who are following the recommended immunization schedule should get their babies a set of shots at the 2 month well-baby check-up visit. Although the schedule of shots does change from time to time, all health care providers are required by law to provide you with up-to-date information sheets about each shot your child is scheduled to receive before giving them.