Your baby has reached month 3, the offset of what some seasoned parents may describe as the enchanted months.

For the next several weeks, your cute package of smiles will probably be pretty happy (oftentimes, hopefully!), sleeping for longer at night (sometimes!), and non yet independently mobile (less stressful for parents).

In other words, your baby volition exist a trivial treasure to be around for a good bit of the fourth dimension. Ahhhhh.

Hither's what else to expect this month.

Your 3-month-old baby's development

At a Glance

Sleeping basics

Babies upwards to iii or 4 months old need 14 to 16 hours of slumber in a 24-hour period, usually waking every two to 4 hours to consume. They'll probably be on the longer terminate of that range by the 3- or 4-calendar month marking, though every baby is unlike.

Feeding basics

Breastfed babies should eat as much as they want at this age, only a general rule of thumb is 4 ounces of pumped breast milk or formula every 3 to four hours (give or accept) over a 24-60 minutes menses.

Did you know?

Babies this age honey hugs, which tin can help with cognitive development, enquiry shows.

Your infant will virtually likely be able to lift the caput xc degrees — thanks to all that tummy time practice you lot've been providing.

Other milestones to look for this month: She'll be able to laugh out loud and can probably anticipate being picked up when she sees y'all reach out.

She'll also probably be able to roll over and turn in the direction of a audio.

Many babies this age will have expanded their speaking repertoire to be able to cord together vowels and consonant sounds — like "ah-goo."

And all babies dearest to play with their favorite toys — play gyms and activity mats, of course, but as well sensory toys that trill, squeak, tweet or rattle when pressed or shaken.

High on the fan favorite listing are fun things that play music, particularly in reaction to your baby's movements. And considering your little one is reaching for toys now, she'll especially love any plaything she can grab.

Exist certain to continue reading to your curious cutie and watch how captivated she is by the pictures as you plow the pages.

Your iii-month-old baby's growth

Does your baby seem to be gaining a little besides much weight, or a little besides little?

Before you lot bound to any conclusions about your lilliputian one's rate of growth, chat with your doctor about whether she is actually overweight and non only babe-appropriately rounded … or actually underweight and not merely genetically predestined to be on the slender side.

For an authentic assessment, talk to your pediatrician and take a expect at your baby's weight in relation to length on the height-weight nautical chart.

If both the height and the weight are on a similar curve, information technology could exist that your baby is just bigger or smaller than average.

But if your little one's weight seems to exist moving up faster than baby's length, or vice versa, your doctor will let yous know (and you tin enquire for advice too). Your baby may be picking upward a few too many pounds as well quickly … or not putting them on quite quickly plenty.

Why does information technology matter? Babies who gain weight likewise rapidly in the first vi months may be at an increased risk of obesity past equally early as age three. And babies who stay overweight through age 4 are at increased gamble of becoming overweight adults.

And then once your md confirms that your baby needs to slow down a bit, you lot'll desire to put the brakes on the fast-paced growth by not overfeeding your little one.

In other words, don't always soothe baby with a canteen or the breast whenever she'due south fussy. Try other sources of condolement and realize those cries may not e'er mean she's hungry.

Likewise try not to push babe to finish the bottle or the other chest if she signals she's full. And make sure your infant gets plenty of time to move around while she's awake. Resist the urge to strap infant into the car seat or swing near of the day.

If, on the flip side, your babe seems to be on the likewise-lean side (and the md agrees), you'll probably need to step up your feeding efforts so she can stride upward that weight gain.

Make certain your piffling ane is eating oft plenty and getting enough milk during feedings. Some babies are too decorated or too sleepy to demand regular meals, and others skimp on feeds because they're but as content to suck on a pacifier.

Your 3-month-old baby's wellness

Baby is in between well-baby visits this month, but at that place are withal plenty of exciting things happening with her growth, development and health.

Infant eczema

If your little 1 has dry, flaky, rashy skin, she could have infant eczema. In babies, rashes unremarkably start out on the scalp and confront. Children with lighter pigmented peel tend to take pink or red version, while babies with darker pigmented peel tend to have a red-chocolate-brown, purplish or grayish rash. Read More

Ear infections

Babies get ear infections when they catch a cold or other upper-respiratory infection, which causes the lining of 1 of the ear tubes to cracking, go congested, and accumulate fluid. Read More

Baby sunscreen rules

Babies this age should exist kept out of direct sunlight, but if you can't find a spot in the shade, information technology's okay to apply a lilliputian chip of baby-safe sunscreen with an SPF of xxx to fifty to your niggling 1'south face, dorsum of the easily and tops of the anxiety. Read More

COVID-19 symptoms in babies

Most babies seem to develop fairly mild cases of COVID-nineteen, and some of the symptoms — runny nose, sneezing, cough — are similar to those of the common cold. But infants may have higher rates of more serious illness than older kids. Read More than

Peel rashes

Bug bites, allergies and viral and bacterial infections tin can all cause itchy rashes that can range from scaly or pimply to oozy. Rest assured, most skin rashes are no big deal, and will go away on their ain or with a little help from the doctor, who may advise a prescription or OTC foam or medication. Read More

Postpartum & new infant tips

Infant at last

She may not get an actual diploma, but this month marks your babe's official graduation from newborn to infant condition. She's still got a lot to learn (apparently!), but one affair she definitely realizes now is in that location's more to life than eating, sleeping and pooping!

These days, she's probable to stay awake for longer stretches during the solar day and (with whatsoever luck) stay asleep for longer at night likewise.

Your infant is no doubt making you chuckle too, and she's probably giggling past now (bring on the raspberries!) likewise as bringing those trivial paws together (handclapping hands!).

Some babies may fifty-fifty begin to comport a bit of weight on their legs, but don't worry if yours doesn't — she's not prepare and that'southward just fine.

Exercising later baby

If y'all're struggling to find time to fit in practice, be piece of cake on yourself. Information technology can be as simple as taking out the stroller.

But brand sure you've gotten the green light from your practitioner earlier starting back into your exercise routine, and never exercise to the point of exhaustion (you're probably exhausted plenty from the lack of slumber!).

Besides helping you with weight loss afterwards delivery, a brisk walk with baby is a great way to meet other parents, stay healthy and articulate your heed.

Your infant'due south personality

One thing your 3-calendar month-old babe is definitely gear up to do is testify y'all that budding personality.

She may be serious, lightheaded, gregarious, persnickety or determined — the lesser line is she is who she is and she's all yours!

Don't requite in to the urge to compare your little one with other babies. Every baby is different and special!

Finding a caregiver

Online searches can exist a good mode to discover child intendance, merely the best way to discover out near tiptop-notch babysitter or nanny candidates or reputable twenty-four hour period care centers is oft word of mouth.

Don't be shy about asking parents if they can recommend a great infant caregiver. Plant nursery school teachers and your kid's pediatrician are too practiced sources, as are bulletin boards at your doctor's office, library or house of worship.

If you do go online, get names of licensed twenty-four hours intendance centers almost you from your state's Web site (usually, the 2-letter postal abbreviation followed by .gov). So arrange a visit with your piffling one.

Looking for a nanny? Agencies on the Web sometimes sell lists of pre-screened candidates — though yous should e'er look into references yourself and brand sure in that location's been a thorough background bank check, every bit well as doing in-person interviews (with your infant!).

Boosting babe'southward development

Aside from your usual intendance and feeding of your baby, your job at present is besides to stimulate your little one's intellectual growth.

That's less complicated than it sounds — singing and talking are two wonderful ways to help a baby's brain shift into high gear.

Some new twists to try:

  1. Utilise different tones of voice as you speak.
  2. Sing songs with surprise endings — "Pop Goes the Weasel" is an oldie just goodie.
  3. When you tell a story or recite a nursery rhyme, insert your baby's proper noun for a character's proper noun so she gets used to hearing it in a diversity of tones and situations.
  4. Another groovy mode to increase baby's awareness of the world is to accept your fiddling i on expeditions. Go for a walk and watch infant answer with glee as she sees leaves move and birds fly, or listens to the sounds of dogs, cars and just well-nigh annihilation that makes a noise.

Fun games for babe

At playtime, those little hands and fingers are your infant'south however favorite toys, just now she might be able to exercise even more than with them.

During tummy time, which she should exist condign a pro at past now, try rolling a brawl about 2 anxiety in front of your babe. With a little practice she'll soon be able to coordinate hand-and-heart movements to achieve for it.

It's schedule time!

At present that your baby is three months old, she's developmentally gear up to be put on a schedule. Yay!

But don't insist on a minute-by-minute programme. A too-strict schedule tin be likewise much, while none at all is also stressful and hard on the whole family unit.

How can you lot establish a routine that works for everyone? Endeavor to innovate a few anchors into your babe's day: a special chair for nursing, for example, a walk afterwards lunch, and bath and bedtime at the same time and in the same style each evening.

If she's feeding more frequently than you'd like, gradually stretch out the between-meal intervals by distracting babe with a song, a toy or a book.

If she frequently falls asleep without finishing a feed, try to wake your infant up until it's over and then y'all won't have to outset again so soon.

The goal: Help your little one ease into a pattern that's not also strict or besides loose, but simply right.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Await When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses merely credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected wellness organizations. Acquire how we keep our content accurate and up-to-appointment by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

  • What to Expect the First Year, third edition, Heidi Murkoff.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Skin Rashes in Babies and Toddlers, June 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Coronavirus Symptoms in Babies, March 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Easing Ear Infections in Babies and Toddlers, October 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Babe Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis and Contact Dermatitis), November 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Sunscreen and Dominicus Protection for Babies: What Parents Need to Know, Nov 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, How Much Should My Baby Eat?, Apr 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Here'due south How Much Sleep Babies Need, June 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Newborn and Infant Sleep Basics, May 2020.
  • National Sleep Foundation, How Much Sleep Does Your Baby Really Need?, 2020.
  • National Institutes of Health, Risk of Obesity at four to six Years of Age Amid Overweight or Obese 18-Calendar month-Olds, April 2013.
  • American University of Pediatrics, Developmental Milestones: 3 Months, June 2009.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Pacifiers and Thumb Sucking, November 2020.
  • KidsHealth From Nemours, Your Babe's Growth: 3 Months, Jan 2019.
  • Mayo Clinic, Thumb Sucking: Assistance Your Kid Break the Habit, September 2020.

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