During the early months of his or her life, your baby will transform from a sleepy newborn into a more interactive 3 month old.
All babies grow at different rates, but here are some growth averages between 1 and 3 months of age:
- Head size: average growth of about ½ inch a month
- Weight: average weight gain of about 1 ½ to 2 pounds each month
- Height: average growth of over 1 inch each month
Cognitive Milestones
At this age, your baby is learning so much about the world around them by watching and observing you. You can tell your baby has a growing awareness of their world if they:
- Coo or respond to social interaction
- Move their arms, legs and body in rhythm with another person’s voice
- Smile in response to other people
- Recognize familiar voices, particularly those of mom and dad
Physical Milestones
During this time, your baby will relax their tight, newborn muscles and begin extending their arms and legs more. Additionally, some of their newborn protective reflexes will begin to disappear. By the end of 3 months, your baby may be capable of various movements such as:
- Looking at hands
- Bringing objects to mouth
- Turning head from side to side when lying on belly
- Developing strength in neck muscles and the ability to hold head up at around 3 months
- Listening to sounds
- Following light, objects and faces with eyes
- Opening and closing hands
- Holding and dropping toys
- Moving legs actively
Communication Milestones
As your baby approaches 3 months of age, it will be an exciting time listening to them practice communicating. Although they are developed at different rates for all babies, some speech abilities include:
- Crying that becomes more purposeful, with different cries for hunger, fatigue and other needs
- Cooing and beginning to imitate some vowel sounds
Emotional Security and Development
Young babies flourish in response to a parent’s soothing tone of voice, comforting touch and calm emotions. You can encourage emotional security in your newborn by:
- Singing to your baby
- Offering your baby toys with different sounds or rattles
- Holding your baby face to face while making eye contact
- Calling your baby by name
- Holding your baby during feedings
- Cuddling and offering comfort when your baby is upset
- Hanging a mobile above your baby
- Showing your baby high contrast images
- Speaking to your baby in a calm and animated voice
