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

For the adjacent several weeks, your beautiful parcel of smiles will probably be pretty happy (ofttimes, hopefully!), sleeping for longer at night (sometimes!), and not yet independently mobile (less stressful for parents).

In other words, your babe will be a trivial treasure to be around for a good flake of the time. Ahhhhh.

Here's what else to expect this month.

Your 3-month-sometime baby's development

At a Glance

Sleeping basics

Babies up to three or four months former need 14 to 16 hours of sleep in a 24-hour menstruum, unremarkably waking every two to four hours to eat. They'll probably be on the longer end of that range by the 3- or four-month marker, though every baby is different.

Feeding basics

Breastfed babies should swallow as much as they want at this historic period, only a general rule of thumb is 4 ounces of pumped breast milk or formula every three to iv hours (give or accept) over a 24-hour menstruum.

Did you know?

Babies this age love hugs, which tin aid with cognitive development, inquiry shows.

Your baby volition almost probable be able to lift the caput 90 degrees — thank you to all that tummy time practise you've been providing.

Other milestones to wait for this month: She'll be able to express mirth out loud and can probably anticipate being picked up when she sees you reach out.

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

Many babies this age volition accept expanded their speaking repertoire to be able to string together vowels and consonant sounds — like "ah-goo."

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

High on the fan favorite list are fun things that play music, specially in reaction to your baby's movements. And because your little one is reaching for toys now, she'll specially honey any plaything she tin can grab.

Exist sure to continue reading to your curious cutie and lookout man how captivated she is by the pictures as you plough the pages.

Your three-month-quondam baby's growth

Does your babe seem to be gaining a little too much weight, or a trivial too fiddling?

Before you lot jump to any conclusions virtually your little 1'due south rate of growth, chat with your doctor about whether she is actually overweight and non just baby-appropriately rounded … or actually underweight and non just genetically predestined to be on the slender side.

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

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

But if your little one'due south weight seems to be moving up faster than baby'southward length, or vice versa, your doctor will permit you know (and you can ask for advice also). Your baby may be picking up a few too many pounds also quickly … or not putting them on quite rapidly enough.

Why does it matter? Babies who gain weight likewise rapidly in the beginning six months may be at an increased take a chance of obesity by every bit early every bit age three. And babies who stay overweight through age 4 are at increased risk of becoming overweight adults.

So one time your doc confirms that your baby needs to slow downward a bit, you'll want to put the brakes on the fast-paced growth by non overfeeding your trivial ane.

In other words, don't always soothe baby with a bottle or the chest whenever she's fussy. Endeavor other sources of condolement and realize those cries may not always hateful she's hungry.

Also try not to push baby to cease the bottle or the other breast if she signals she's total. And make sure your infant gets plenty of time to motility effectually while she's awake. Resist the urge to strap baby into the car seat or swing virtually of the twenty-four hour period.

If, on the flip side, your babe seems to be on the too-lean side (and the doc agrees), y'all'll probably demand to step up your feeding efforts so she tin can footstep up that weight gain.

Brand sure your little 1 is eating oft plenty and getting enough milk during feedings. Some babies are as well busy or besides sleepy to demand regular meals, and others skimp on feeds considering they're simply as content to suck on a pacifier.

Your 3-month-old infant'southward wellness

Baby is in between well-baby visits this calendar month, but there are yet plenty of exciting things happening with her growth, development and wellness.

Baby eczema

If your footling one has dry, flaky, rashy skin, she could have babe eczema. In babies, rashes usually start out on the scalp and face up. Children with lighter pigmented skin tend to accept pink or ruby-red version, while babies with darker pigmented pare tend to take a carmine-brown, purplish or grayish rash. Read More

Ear infections

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

Baby sunscreen rules

Babies this historic period should exist kept out of direct sunlight, simply if you can't find a spot in the shade, it's okay to apply a trivial bit of baby-condom sunscreen with an SPF of thirty to fifty to your trivial ane's face, dorsum of the hands and tops of the anxiety. Read More than

COVID-xix symptoms in babies

Most babies seem to develop fairly mild cases of COVID-19, and some of the symptoms — runny nose, sneezing, cough — are similar to those of the cold. But infants may have higher rates of more serious illness than older kids. Read More

Skin rashes

Bug bites, allergies and viral and bacterial infections can all crusade itchy rashes that can range from scaly or pimply to oozy. Rest bodacious, most pare rashes are no big deal, and volition get away on their own or with a piffling assist from the doctor, who may suggest a prescription or OTC foam or medication. Read More than

Postpartum & new baby tips

Babe at concluding

She may not get an bodily diploma, but this calendar month marks your infant's official graduation from newborn to infant status. She's still got a lot to learn (evidently!), but ane thing she definitely realizes now is there's more to life than eating, sleeping and pooping!

These days, she'due south probable to stay awake for longer stretches during the day and (with whatsoever luck) stay comatose for longer at night too.

Your baby is no incertitude making you chuckle too, and she's probably giggling by now (bring on the raspberries!) likewise as bringing those piffling paws together (clap hands!).

Some babies may fifty-fifty brainstorm to bear a bit of weight on their legs, only don't worry if yours doesn't — she'south not fix and that'southward just fine.

Exercising later on baby

If you're struggling to observe fourth dimension to fit in practise, exist piece of cake on yourself. Information technology can exist as elementary as taking out the stroller.

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

Also helping you lot with weight loss after delivery, a brisk walk with baby is a swell way to see other parents, stay salubrious and clear your heed.

Your baby's personality

One thing your 3-month-onetime baby is definitely fix to practise is show you that budding personality.

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

Don't give in to the urge to compare your little i with other babies. Every babe is different and special!

Finding a caregiver

Online searches can be a good fashion to find kid care, just the best fashion to detect out well-nigh top-notch bodyguard or nanny candidates or reputable twenty-four hours care centers is ofttimes word of oral cavity.

Don't exist shy about asking parents if they can recommend a bully infant caregiver. Nursery school teachers and your kid'southward pediatrician are also practiced sources, as are bulletin boards at your doctor's role, library or firm of worship.

If you lot do go online, get names of licensed 24-hour interval care centers near you from your state'south Web site (usually, the two-letter postal abbreviation followed by .gov). And then adjust a visit with your little ane.

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

Boosting babe's evolution

Aside from your usual intendance and feeding of your babe, your job now is also to stimulate your fiddling one'southward intellectual growth.

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

Some new twists to endeavor:

  1. Use different tones of vocalization as yous speak.
  2. Sing songs with surprise endings — "Pop Goes the Weasel" is an oldie but goodie.
  3. When you lot tell a story or recite a nursery rhyme, insert your baby'south name for a character's name and so she gets used to hearing it in a variety of tones and situations.
  4. Another great way to increase baby's sensation of the world is to accept your little ane on expeditions. Get for a walk and lookout baby respond with glee as she sees leaves move and birds wing, or listens to the sounds of dogs, cars and but about annihilation that makes a noise.

Fun games for baby

At playtime, those petty hands and fingers are your infant's all the same favorite toys, but now she might be able to do even more with them.

During tummy fourth dimension, which she should be becoming a pro at by at present, effort rolling a brawl well-nigh 2 feet in front of your baby. With a petty practice she'll presently be able to coordinate hand-and-center movements to attain for it.

Information technology's schedule time!

Now that your babe is 3 months old, she'south developmentally fix to be put on a schedule. Yay!

Merely don't insist on a minute-by-minute plan. A too-strict schedule can exist too much, while none at all is also stressful and hard on the whole family.

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

If she's feeding more often than y'all'd like, gradually stretch out the betwixt-meal intervals past distracting infant with a vocal, a toy or a volume.

If she frequently falls asleep without finishing a feed, try to wake your infant upward until it's over so you won't have to showtime over again so soon.

The goal: Help your piffling one ease into a pattern that's not likewise strict or too loose, but simply right.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic inquiry institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and upwardly-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

  • What to Expect the First Year, 3rd 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, Baby Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis and Contact Dermatitis), Nov 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Sunscreen and Sun Protection for Babies: What Parents Demand to Know, November 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, How Much Should My Baby Swallow?, April 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Here's How Much Slumber Babies Demand, June 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Newborn and Baby Sleep Basics, May 2020.
  • National Sleep Foundation, How Much Sleep Does Your Baby Really Demand?, 2020.
  • National Institutes of Health, Adventure of Obesity at 4 to 6 Years of Age Among Overweight or Obese xviii-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 Infant'southward Growth: three Months, January 2019.
  • Mayo Dispensary, Pollex Sucking: Help Your Child Break the Habit, September 2020.

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