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

For the next several weeks, your beautiful bundle of smiles will probably exist pretty happy (often, hopefully!), sleeping for longer at night (sometimes!), and not withal independently mobile (less stressful for parents).

In other words, your baby will be a little treasure to exist effectually for a skilful chip of the time. Ahhhhh.

Here's what else to expect this month.

Your iii-month-old baby's development

At a Glance

Sleeping basics

Babies upwardly to three or iv months old demand fourteen to xvi hours of sleep in a 24-hour menstruum, usually waking every two to four hours to consume. They'll probably exist on the longer end of that range by the three- or four-month marker, though every infant is different.

Feeding basics

Breastfed babies should swallow every bit much every bit they want at this historic period, but a general rule of pollex is 4 ounces of pumped breast milk or formula every three to 4 hours (requite or have) over a 24-60 minutes period.

Did you know?

Babies this historic period love hugs, which can assist with cognitive development, research shows.

Your baby will most likely be able to lift the head 90 degrees — thanks to all that stomach time practice you've been providing.

Other milestones to look for this month: She'll exist able to laugh out loud and can probably anticipate beingness picked up when she sees you reach out.

She'll also probably exist able to roll over and plow in the direction of a sound.

Many babies this age will have expanded their speaking repertoire to exist able to string together vowels and consonant sounds — similar "ah-goo."

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

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

Be sure to keep reading to your curious cutie and lookout how captivated she is by the pictures as you plow the pages.

Your 3-month-onetime baby's growth

Does your babe seem to exist gaining a little too much weight, or a niggling too niggling?

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

For an accurate cess, talk to your pediatrician and accept a wait at your baby'south weight in relation to length on the elevation-weight chart.

If both the pinnacle and the weight are on a like bend, it could be that your baby is just bigger or smaller than average.

But if your piddling i's weight seems to be moving up faster than baby'south length, or vice versa, your doctor will let you know (and you lot can enquire for advice too). Your infant may be picking up a few too many pounds too speedily … or not putting them on quite quickly enough.

Why does information technology matter? Babies who proceeds weight too rapidly in the start six months may be at an increased risk of obesity past equally early equally historic period 3. And babies who stay overweight through historic period 4 are at increased risk of becoming overweight adults.

Then one time your doctor confirms that your baby needs to deadening downwardly a bit, you'll want 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 bottle or the breast whenever she's fussy. Try other sources of comfort and realize those cries may not e'er mean she's hungry.

Also attempt not to push baby to cease the bottle or the other breast if she signals she'south full. And make sure your baby gets plenty of time to motion around while she's awake. Resist the urge to strap baby into the car seat or swing most of the mean solar day.

If, on the flip side, your babe seems to be on the besides-lean side (and the doc agrees), you'll probably need to pace up your feeding efforts then she tin step up that weight gain.

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

Your iii-month-former baby'southward health

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

Infant eczema

If your picayune i has dry out, flaky, rashy skin, she could have infant eczema. In babies, rashes usually get-go out on the scalp and face. Children with lighter pigmented skin tend to have pink or carmine version, while babies with darker pigmented skin tend to have a crimson-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 ane of the ear tubes to swell, become congested, and accumulate fluid. Read More

Baby sunscreen rules

Babies this historic period should be kept out of direct sunlight, but if you tin can't find a spot in the shade, it's okay to employ a little fleck of baby-prophylactic sunscreen with an SPF of 30 to fifty to your little ane's face, back of the hands and tops of the feet. Read More

COVID-19 symptoms in babies

Almost babies seem to develop adequately mild cases of COVID-xix, and some of the symptoms — runny olfactory organ, sneezing, cough — are similar to those of the common cold. But infants may take higher rates of more serious illness than older kids. Read More

Peel rashes

Bug bites, allergies and viral and bacterial infections 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 abroad on their ain or with a little help from the doctor, who may propose a prescription or OTC cream or medication. Read More

Postpartum & new baby tips

Infant at last

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

These days, she's probable to stay awake for longer stretches during the day and (with any luck) stay comatose for longer at nighttime besides.

Your baby is no doubt making y'all chuckle too, and she's probably giggling by now (bring on the raspberries!) besides every bit bringing those piffling paws together (clap hands!).

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

Exercising later on baby

If y'all're struggling to find fourth dimension to fit in exercise, be easy on yourself. It can be as simple as taking out the stroller.

But make certain you've gotten the green light from your practitioner before 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 later on delivery, a brisk walk with baby is a bang-up manner to encounter other parents, stay healthy and clear your mind.

Your babe's personality

I matter your 3-month-old baby is definitely gear up to do is show you lot that budding personality.

She may exist serious, dizzy, 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 1 with other babies. Every baby is different and special!

Finding a caregiver

Online searches can exist a good way to find child care, but the all-time mode to observe out nearly top-notch babysitter or nanny candidates or reputable 24-hour interval care centers is often give-and-take of mouth.

Don't be shy about asking parents if they can recommend a groovy infant caregiver. Plant nursery school teachers and your child's pediatrician are also good sources, equally are bulletin boards at your doctor'due south office, library or firm of worship.

If you do go online, become names of licensed day intendance centers virtually you from your land's Web site (usually, the two-alphabetic character postal abbreviation followed by .gov). And then arrange a visit with your little one.

Looking for a nanny? Agencies on the Spider web sometimes sell lists of pre-screened candidates — though you should always await into references yourself and make sure in that location's been a thorough background bank check, as well equally doing in-person interviews (with your baby!).

Boosting baby'southward evolution

Aside from your usual intendance and feeding of your baby, your chore now is also to stimulate your little one'due south intellectual growth.

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

Some new twists to try:

  1. Use different tones of vocalisation as you lot speak.
  2. Sing songs with surprise endings — "Pop Goes the Weasel" is an oldie merely goodie.
  3. When you lot tell a story or recite a nursery rhyme, insert your infant's name for a character's name so she gets used to hearing information technology in a variety of tones and situations.
  4. Another great way to increase infant'due south awareness of the world is to take your little one on expeditions. Go for a walk and watch baby respond with glee as she sees leaves move and birds fly, or listens to the sounds of dogs, cars and just nigh anything that makes a dissonance.

Fun games for baby

At playtime, those trivial hands and fingers are your babe'southward still favorite toys, but now she might be able to do even more with them.

During tum fourth dimension, which she should be becoming a pro at by at present, try rolling a ball about 2 feet in front of your baby. With a little do she'll soon be able to coordinate paw-and-eye movements to accomplish for information technology.

It's schedule time!

Now that your baby is 3 months one-time, she's developmentally set to be put on a schedule. Yay!

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

How can you institute a routine that works for everyone? Effort to introduce a few anchors into your baby's day: a special chair for nursing, for example, a walk afterwards lunch, and bath and bedtime at the aforementioned fourth dimension and in the aforementioned way each evening.

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

If she ofttimes falls comatose without finishing a feed, try to wake your baby up until it'due south over and then you won't have to commencement again then soon.

The goal: Help your picayune ane ease into a pattern that'due south non too strict or too loose, just just right.

From the What to Look editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, writer ofWhat to Expect When You lot're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such every bit peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected wellness organizations. Learn how nosotros keep our content authentic and upward-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

  • What to Wait the Offset 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, Oct 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Infant Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis and Contact Dermatitis), Nov 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Sunscreen and Sun Protection for Babies: What Parents Need to Know, November 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, How Much Should My Baby Consume?, April 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Here's How Much Sleep Babies Need, June 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Newborn and Baby Sleep Basics, May 2020.
  • National Sleep Foundation, How Much Sleep Does Your Infant Really Need?, 2020.
  • National Institutes of Health, Risk of Obesity at iv to vi Years of Age Among Overweight or Obese xviii-Month-Olds, April 2013.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Developmental Milestones: three Months, June 2009.
  • American University of Pediatrics, Pacifiers and Thumb Sucking, November 2020.
  • KidsHealth From Nemours, Your Baby's Growth: 3 Months, January 2019.
  • Mayo Clinic, Thumb Sucking: Assist Your Child Break the Habit, September 2020.

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