Many of the problems that your child was at risk for as a newborn can still occur in these first few months. This includes pyloric stenosis (with projectile vomiting) and the colds, coughs, and stomach viruses that all infants can get. At this age, fever is still a big concern, so you should call your pediatrician right away if your baby has a temperature at or above 100.4ºF.

There also are other problems that don't start or aren't noticeable until a baby's second or third month of life, such as positional plagiocephaly (otherwise known as a flat head) and eczema. In addition to watching for these issues, be sure to take your baby to your pediatrician for his two-month checkup to get an official word on how well he is doing. (See Chapter 15 for more information on regular checkups.)

Flat Head

In recent years, more and more babies are developing a flattening to one side of the back of their head. In the extreme form, the child's ear and forehead can be pushed forward, so that his head is obviously misshapen.

Unlike many other medical conditions that are discovered, the cause of these babies' flat heads is fairly obvious. With the recommendation that infants should sleep on their backs to prevent SIDS came the unintended consequence that babies spend much less time on their stomachs and more time on their backs. The pressure from being on their back for so much of the day causes these children to have flat heads, which has the medical name of “positional plagiocephaly.”

Fortunately, most infants will later have a normally shaped head, if it's possible to vary the position that they stay in most of the time. This can mean rotating which side of your baby's head he sleeps on and keeping him on his stomach more when he is awake. Remember that with the risk of SIDS, even a flat head isn't a good reason to put your infant to sleep on his side or stomach.

For babies who continue to worsen or who don't improve at all with positioning changes, a referral to a specialist for an evaluation can be a good idea. Treatment with a molding helmet or band can also be helpful in more extreme cases.

Eczema

Parents often give up on the idea of beautiful baby skin and get used to their baby's bad skin and various rashes during the first few weeks. Once those rashes improve, some babies develop another kind of rash called eczema.

Eczema typically begins after a baby is two months old, at which time he can develop dry, red, rough, and itchy patches on his skin. Although almost any part of your baby's skin can be affected, the cheeks and the creases of the elbows and knees are the most common areas where the rash starts.

Eczema can be difficult to treat, but flare-ups usually can be brought under control with frequent use of moisturizers and a topical steroid cream. Moisturizers, especially right after baths, can also help to prevent new flareups. Still, eczema does commonly come and go, which can be frustrating as you try to figure out what triggers the rash and how to keep it from returning. Talk to your pediatrician if you are having a hard time controlling and treating your child's eczema.

Reflux

Spitting up is so common that it is almost expected in a baby's first few weeks of life. But by two or three months, many parents expect it to have gone away or at least improved. Unfortunately, that usually isn't the case, and most infants don't get over their reflux until they are six to nine months old or even later.

If you remember the warning signs of reflux, including poor weight gain, your infant choking as he spits up, or pain and fussiness, you will know when your child needs more help, and when you simply need to keep your clothes and other things protected from your baby's normal spitup.