3 Months
Your little one loves your face! So talk, sing, and read to them often!
What should you expect as your baby turns 3 months?
You may have heard that the first three months of your newborns life is considered the “fourth trimester.” By week 12, you’ll have graduated from your very last trimester! Congratulations!
According to Verywell Family, “month 3 is a turning point for many babies and parents.” Why is that?
Well, for starters, your newborn is no longer considered a newborn. They are now your baby and over the last three months they have likely mastered several milestones so far.
Milestones like…
Thanh-Tam Nguyen, MD, a pediatrician and medical director at CalOptima in Orange County, CA, tells Verywell Family that “3-month-old babies should be able to hold their head up well and while laying on their stomach, be able to push up with their arms to support their chest.”
Your baby may also be finding a more predictable sleeping schedule and eating schedule. And if your baby has been dealing with colic, hopefully, it is subsiding.
Your baby may also be finding a more predictable sleeping schedule and eating schedule. And if your baby has been dealing with colic, hopefully, it is subsiding.
And while raising a baby is still tiresome, all of the hard and difficult parts are made better with the smiles you are likely receiving from your little one now! Despite their colic subsiding, the fussiness they are likely showcasing probably isn’t colic, but instead because of a growth spurt. And just like we mentioned in their first month, your baby is continuing to gain 1 1/2 to 2 pounds every month. And growing 1 to 1 1/2 inches taller.
When it comes to spitting up, it’s normal for your 3-month-old to spit up on occasion. So long as your baby is still growing and not bothered by the spit-up, everything is OK. And your baby may be drooling more often at this point. This is likely due to their teeth getting ready to come in. The only time drooling is cause for concern is if they’re also having trouble breathing or if they also have a fever or congestion. If this is the case, seek emergency medical attention.
Feeding and sleeping
Did you know that only about half of the breastfeeding parents are still breastfeeding at the 3-month mark?
If you are still breastfeeding, your baby is still eating frequently, roughly 8 times a day. Formula-fed babies eat slightly less frequently, roughly 6 ounces every four hours.
Some 3-month-olds are sleeping an average of 7 to 9 hours a night, but maybe not straight through, some may have found their thumb by now, and they have bear some weight with their legs, so long as they have support!
Gina Posner, MD, a pediatrician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA also told Verywell Family that “naps are varied—some take thirty-minute ones throughout the day, others take two longer ones. Most take at least two naps a day at this point.”
Doctor’s visits
Your baby will get a 1-month and 2-month checkup! After that, they’ll visit the doctor every two months for their first year of life. During their 4-month doctor visit:
