All about the growth and development of 3-month-old babies

Children 3 months old develop rapidly and bring you many surprises. At this stage, the baby seems to cry less, the reactions more diverse, you will see the baby seem wiser and bigger each day.

If you want to understand more about the 3-month-old's developmental milestones to better raise and care for your baby, please read the following article of aFamilyToday Health.

Growth of children 3 months old

3 months after birth, the baby's weight and height have developed much more than before. Babies' weight often doubles when they are born, so babies often no longer fit in infant suits . As a result, you will feel as if your baby is growing by a huge leap. Therefore, at this stage, the purchase of new clothes for babies with large sizes compared to the present should be a priority. However, keep in mind that in the near future, your baby will grow rapidly in weight and length so you need to consider when choosing clothes for them, don't buy more than once or just buy the same size avoid wasting.

Health of children 3 months old

We can always talk to a doctor or loved one when we have health problems, but for a 3-month-old baby, this is clearly impossible. However, your baby has one way to let you know: cry. Therefore, you should always pay attention to the child's crying, especially when the baby cries with abnormal signs (fatigue, reduced mobility, weak breathing ...). Take your child to the nearest medical facility if they show any of the signs listed above.

Developmental milestones of children 3 months old

Here are some weekly developments in 3-month-olds:

1. Children 12 weeks old

12-week-olds are still sleeping a lot and their sleep patterns are gradually being formed, but not clear. Make sure your baby sleeps for several hours during the day, as this helps your baby sleep well at night.

The baby's eyes are also better coordinated and their cognitive abilities are better. If you notice that your baby is constantly squinting or unusual in his eyes, take him to see an ophthalmologist. The cause is that these conditions can be warning signs of vision problems in the future.

2. Children 13 weeks old

The child's vision is constantly improving so at this point they can feel the colors and track moving objects up to about 7 meters away. This is a good time to let your baby smell fresh flowers and fragrant fruits and vegetables. Babies also know how to turn their heads towards emitting sounds.

By week 13, children will learn to use their hands to pull, grasp so they can hold anything close, including hair, clothes ... of you. Your baby's motor skills, hand-eye coordination will become better by the time he / she enters week 13. It is very common for your child to scream and yell at this stage and if you look you will notice that your baby may jerky. I often pat myself after screaming or crying.

3. Children 14 weeks old

Baby's world is now vibrant and colorful because it is now possible to discern colors and bold colors. Children's world at this time will be a new world with a fresher and more vibrant color. Your baby will begin to respond more positively to your presence or to a regular caregiver and will respond more clearly to your voice.

Babies will laugh more when they see pictures of babies in the book and will also enjoy looking in the mirror when they are given a mirror. Your baby may not understand that it is his own image reflected in the mirror. The interesting thing is that he showed excitement when he saw a picture of the child in the mirror smiling at him.

4. Children 15 weeks old

This is the stage where most babies can flip, some babies can flip very fluently. However, babies will need support in order to roll back onto their backs . It takes a while until the neck muscles and abdominal muscles develop stronger before the baby can perform the turn again after turning upside down.

You can support your baby to strengthen the development of muscles by placing pillows behind him while sitting (recumbent position) or by adjusting the stroller chair slightly upright. Ideally, every day, you should place your baby on his or her stomach for a few minutes to get her used to this.

Development of children 3 months old

Your baby's development after three months will revolve around three areas: physical, cognitive and emotional. These milestones will indicate baby's growth and can be measured accordingly.

Improve rough motor skills: When placed on their tummy or tipped over, babies will be able to raise their head at a 45-degree angle. The strength of the neck muscles is growing day by day so that the baby can lift his head when lying on his stomach.

Reaction to sound: Your baby will start to turn or move in the direction of the sound. This shows the developing baby's ability to use his senses to sense sounds. Hearing familiar sounds like your voice, phone ringing, rattling ... will make your baby have such reactions.

Increase the ability to communicate by voice: During this stage, some babies may move their lips and babble in response to what they hear. Although the baby's babbles and actions will not be realistic, this will be a milestone in a child's development.

Activities for 3 months old baby to stimulate healthy baby development

If you want to know what activities are right for your 3-month-old baby to stimulate your baby's healthy development, check out these suggestions:

Provide toys: When you let your baby play with toys , you can place your baby on his back or tummy and let him reach out for the toys you hold for them. Provide toys with many different shapes, colors and sizes that your baby can easily hold or hold. Note that babies often put these toys in their mouths, so you should choose the right toys and clean them properly and often.

Head support practices: Sit down with knees slightly bent, place your baby on your lap, baby's back against your lap to support his immature back and neck. While in this position, get your baby's attention by talking to him , calling his name, and looking at him with cheerful eyes.

Put your baby on his tummy: Place your baby on his or her tummy and place a few colorful toys or objects in front of your baby. Encourage your baby to reach out and grasp them. You can lie down in front of your baby to encourage her to reach out and touch you. This not only enhances the relationship between you and your baby, but also strengthens your baby's upper body.

Watch toys: Put your baby on the floor, roll a ball or a toy car or an eye-catching toy in front of your baby. This will encourage your baby to observe the toy and track its movements. If your child is not interested in the above toys, use a sounding toy.

Use your baby's first name: Call your baby's name as often as possible because your baby's name will be the first word your baby will connect. Call out your child's name while singing songs, reading stories, or talking with them. While doing these things, change your voice and pitch to delight your baby.

Tips for mothers to take care of babies 3 months old

During this stage, please refer to the following tips in caring for your baby to keep your baby healthy and safe:

Breastfeeding priority: Breast milk is the best food for babies and young children, so make sure you continue to breastfeed. Avoid giving your baby any solid foods, even cow's milk or juice ...

Stimulates good communication skills for children: 3 months after birth, the baby's ability to respond to sounds and gestures has been developed and the baby will also have more expressions. Play peek-a-boo, talk with your baby, make fun gestures or expressions to make your baby laugh. Place toys near your baby to encourage grabbing and playing with them.

Take safety measures: At this point, you'll have to be extra careful about your baby's safety, as baby movements and activities have increased. She can put everything she can grasp into her mouth, so it is very dangerous. Your baby's bed should be away from the window. Medicines, sharp objects, hot water, small sized objects ... should be placed out of reach of the baby.

Boost growth: During this stage, you will notice that your baby has many important developmental changes such as drooling, and chewing and sucking will take place. You can let your baby use a chewing ring because they love to chew everything they can hold and this can also be a fun entertainment for them. Let your baby go out regularly to play so that he or she has a chance to interact with the surrounding environment.

Breastfeeding: As a mother, you can now distinguish your baby's crying for feeding from bored crying, crying for holding, or crying because of discomfort or sickness. Your baby's time in each sleep is also longer, so you also have relatively long sleep. If your baby is bottle-fed, his sleep may be a little longer.

Children's sleep: Normally, 3-month-olds will sleep about 14-15 hours a day, including naps during the day and at night. Each baby's sleep can last from 4 to 5 hours, so you should not wake your baby to feed or change diapers if your baby is sleeping well. At night, the baby can wake up 1-2 times to suck and then sleep again. Therefore, when your baby wakes up, you should avoid turning on the lights too bright or making exciting noises to help your baby fall asleep. The baby's sleep longer than before is due to the child's nervous system is maturing, the stomach develops more, so it can store a large amount of milk. However, your baby cannot sleep through the night, so you still need to be there to feed your baby when he wakes up.

Advice for parents when caring for a 3-month-old child

Here are a few tips to help you get through this stage easily:

At this stage, breast milk is the ideal food for the baby because it provides all the nutrients needed for a baby's development. You should not introduce solids when your baby is at this stage, you should only introduce solids at least when your baby is 4-6 months old.

Make a habit of feeding, sleeping, bathing and playing at the same time with your baby. This ensures that your baby gets used to a certain schedule and sleeps well at night. 19 - 21 hours is the ideal time for your baby to sleep and this will encourage longer sleep times during the night.

Don't forget to take your baby for regular checkups and immunizations on time.

Don't worry too much about your baby's weight or height. During this period, boys will weigh 6 - 6.5 kg and 5.5 - 5.8 kg is the average index of weight for girls.

It is important to remember that each baby will have its own pace of development and that your baby may hit the milestones sooner or later. As a parent, you should monitor your child's development, take your baby to see a doctor as soon as you notice any abnormal signs.