Wow, time sure flies! Your little one is already a quarter of a year old. They’re becoming more active and responsive each day, and it’s incredible to witness their growth. This month, they’ll be developing some exciting 3-month-old milestones that’ll have you beaming with pride.
Let’s look at what to expect from your baby’s development over the next few weeks.
Table of contents
- What are developmental milestones?
- 3-month-old milestones
- How to practice for 3-month-old milestones
- What if your baby isn’t on track?
What are developmental milestones?
Babies learn and grow at their own pace. However, there are some core skills that most babies develop around the same time. These are known as developmental milestones, and they’re a great way to track your baby’s progress.
There are four main categories of developmental milestones: social/emotional, language and communication, cognitive, and physical or movement.
Each category includes specific skills that babies learn around a certain age. These milestones are meant to serve as a guide. Your little one may already be able to do some of them, and they may not learn a couple for another month or two, and that’s OK.
The goal is to see progress toward the milestones from one month to the next.
3-month-old milestones
So, what exciting skills will your baby be learning at this age? Let’s look at the 3-month-old milestones you should see soon.
Social/emotional milestones
This is the age when social smiles begin to emerge. Your little one will soon be smiling in response to your smile, voice, and touch.
You may also notice strangers commenting about what a happy baby you have. Your baby will be watching everyone and everything around them with curiosity. Anyone who engages with them will likely get a big smile in return.
But three-month-olds aren’t all smiles. They’re also starting to enjoy your attention more and may start crying when playtime stops. This is a good sign. Your baby is experiencing all sorts of emotions and trying to learn how to express what they want and need.
Language milestones
Don’t be surprised if some big noises come from your little one. They realize they can make different sounds by moving their lips, tongue, and vocal cords. Enter: the baby babble.
Your baby will start to coo, gurgle, and squeal as they experiment. They may also become a little bit of a wise guy or gal, imitating some of the sounds you make and even your facial expressions. They’re not being sassy; this is how they learn to communicate.
While these vocalizations won’t make much sense yet, it’s a sign that their language skills are developing. Someday soon, you’ll hear that precious little voice call for you.
Cognitive milestones
At three months old, your baby becomes more aware of their surroundings. They’ll start to follow objects with their eyes and can track a moving toy or person for a short distance.
You may notice them staring intently at you, studying your face. This is because they’re learning to recognize familiar faces and are generally drawn to human faces.
But, if they see something new on a face — such as a pair of glasses or a beard — they may suddenly start crying and pull away. If this happens, don’t take it personally. They’re trying to make sense of this unexpected change, and it’ll take some time for them to get used to it.
Another milestone you may notice this month is your little one trying to grab something. They discovered their hands last month, and now it’s time for them to learn how to use them. While their movements won’t be precise, it won’t be long before they grab everything in sight.
Physical milestones
Your baby is also getting stronger and learning to control their body more and more. Some of the physical 3-month-old milestones they’re hitting include:
Greater head and neck control
Your little one is quickly gaining control of their head and neck. By three months old, they should be able to hold their head steady for a few moments and even turn it from side to side.
Upper and lower body strength
During tummy time, your baby will start pushing up on their arms. While at first, they’ll flop back down almost immediately, they’ll soon be spending more time in this position with their heads held high, like the baby in this video is doing:
All this upper body work is helping prepare your baby for rolling over. But the arms aren’t the only part of your baby getting stronger.
Their legs are as well. If you put their feet on a flat surface, they’ll push their legs straight and then bend them. Some babies like to do this over and over again, and it looks like they’re jumping, except their feet never leave the ground.
Hearing
At three months, your baby is starting to respond to familiar sounds by turning their head (called sound localization). When they hear a sound they’ll also quiet down to listen, or the opposite, they’ll burst with excited anticipation for some fun.
If you drop a pot or pan in the kitchen or make any other sudden, loud noise, your little one will startle at the sound. If they’re crying, hearing a familiar voice will help calm them.
By three months, your baby can also now recognize and respond to different tones of voice. You can entertain them by varying the volume and pitch of your voice when telling a story or singing a song.
Vision
Your baby will start to make eye contact at three months. They can even use their eyes and hands in coordination, grabbing and swiping at objects and toys.
At this time, your baby’s color vision is still developing. Whereas high contrast and brightly colored objects are easy for them to see, they’ll have trouble with pastels and more subtle colors. Keep this in mind when it comes to selecting your child’s toys.
Soft Spot
At three months, your little one’s posterior fontanelle, or soft spot, at the back of their head closes.
Growth
Your three month old is getting bigger by the day! They should be gaining on average one and a half to two pounds and growing an inch taller each month.
Sleep
No surprise here: Your baby needs a lot of sleep to support all this growth and development — nearly 15 hours in a 24-hour period! If you’re really lucky, by three months, your little one may even start to sleep through the night, meaning an uninterrupted six to eight hours.
However, even if they have been sleeping well, don’t be surprised if your little one backpedals a bit with their sleep, as some babies experience sleep regression at three or four months. The good news is this step back in sleep is only temporary.
How to practice for 3-month-old milestones
Now that you know what 3-month-old milestones to expect, you can help your baby practice and develop their skills.
Here are a few simple ways to incorporate these milestones into your daily routine:
Narrate your day.
Talk to your baby and describe what you’re doing as you go about your day. Or, you could narrate what they’re doing, whether it’s taking a bath, enjoying some tummy time, or getting ready for bed.
Narrating the day helps develop their language skills and lets them practice turning their head toward the sound of your voice.
Add play time to your routine.
Babies and children learn through play, so make playtime a regular part of your routine. And don’t worry if you don’t have much free time. Even 10 minutes of playtime each day can help with developmental growth.
Here are some of our favorite ways to play with a three-month-old:
Singing
Whether you’re on key or not, your baby is sure to love you singing to them! Keep your tunes upbeat and fun or soft and soothing. If you’re not a singer, a sing-song nursery rhyme or story can do just as well.
And, to make things extra fun, slide your baby’s name into any songs, rhymes, or stories to help them start to recognize it in a range of tones and situations.
Playing peek-a-boo
Babies love surprises, and a game of peek-a-boo never disappoints. While your baby may not understand the concept yet, they’ll enjoy the interaction and eventually learn to anticipate what’s coming next.
Reciting nursery rhymes
Take off your little one’s socks and recite the classic rhyme This Little Piggy. Toes can be ticklish, and silly nursery rhymes are so much fun!
Practicing reaching and grasping
Take one of your baby’s favorite toys and hold it in front of their face. Watch as they try to grab it and practice their hand-eye coordination.
Giving your baby sensory toys
When it comes to toys, sensory stimulation is the name of the game for hitting 3-month-old milestones. Whether it’s tactile, auditory, or visual stimulation, your little one will love playing with teethers, bouncers, tummy time mats, rattles, soft sensory books, and musical toys.
Opt for colorful and high-contrast toys that offer interesting sounds and textures. Be sure to check the age appropriateness of any toy before giving it to your little one, and always supervise their play.
Changing your tone
Play with pitch and volume when talking to your baby. Changes in the sound of your voice will better capture their attention.
Tone variation also helps your little one better understand different meanings and the emotions behind the words. Try to toggle between a high-pitched, melodic, and soft, soothing voice.
Enjoying some tummy time
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that three month olds should be on their tummies for about an hour a day in total. You don’t need that amount of time all at once — just little bite-sized sessions several times a day.
It’s best to use a soft play mat for baby’s daily exercise. Place them down on their tummy and encourage them to lift their head and chest, which will strengthen their neck muscles.
You can also use tummy time to practice reaching and grasping. Try rolling a ball in front of your baby and see how they stretch to grab it.
Moving baby’s limbs
Clap your baby’s hands together while singing, or manipulate their arms and legs like a bicycle. All of this will help with your little one’s motor skill development.
Changing your facial expressions
Make funny faces at your baby and see if they try to copy you. Even if they don’t, you’re sure to get a laugh!
Calling baby’s name
Place your baby in their play yard and walk around the room calling their name. You’ll see them trying to see where the sound is coming from.
Reading a favorite book
Even though your little one can’t read yet, they love being read to. This helps them get used to your voice and learn tones and cadence.
Don’t be afraid to read the same book over and over again. Babies love repetition and routine as this is how they learn.
Promote healthy sleep habits.
Your baby can’t grow if they don’t sleep. The brain processes critical development during sleep, so it’s important to establish healthy sleep habits.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has released safe sleep guidelines to help you breathe easily at night. These include:
- Always place your little one to bed on their back.
- Your baby should only be put to bed in a crib, travel crib, or bassinet — do not let them sleep on a couch, armchair, swing, or car seat (except when riding in the car).
- The crib or bassinet mattress should be firm and should not incline.
- If your little one falls asleep somewhere else, move them to a crib, travel crib, or bassinet right away.
- Keep loose pillows, blankets, toys, bumpers, and any other soft items out of your baby’s sleep space. Your crib should only have a fitted sheet and mattress.
- Swaddling is fine, however you must stop swaddling when your little one starts to roll over. Also never use a weighted swaddle or blanket for a baby or child, as these are inherently dangerous.
- Give your little one a pacifier at nap time and bedtime.
- Breastfeed your baby if possible.
- Stop smoking.
When it comes to ensuring your baby has a safe place to sleep, the Newton Bassinet & Bedside Sleeper, Travel Crib & Play Yard, and Newton Galileo Convertible Crib are all great options. In addition, our Original Mattress is firm, breathable, and easy to wash cover to core.
And, as we’re talking about sleep, it’s also a good time to discuss creating a bedtime routine to help your baby wind down at night and prepare for bed.
There’s no hard and fast rule as to what your bedtime routine should consist of as long as it’s something calming that you can do before each and every naptime or bedtime.
Here are some things you might consider including in your baby’s sleep routine:
- Give your baby the last feeding before sleep.
- Dress your little one in pajamas, a swaddle, or a sleep sack.
- Dim the lights and draw the blinds.
- Turn on some soft music.
- Give a baby massage.
- Read your little one a story.
It’s also important that your baby’s nursery is conducive to sleep. That means it should be dark, quiet, and cool (but not cold). Blackout curtains and a white noise machine can help. For optimal bedtime temperature, set the thermostat to between 68 to 72 degrees.
If the room is too dry, you might also consider purchasing a humidifier. Forty to sixty percent humidity is ideal (any higher humidity level can result in mold).
Get outside.
Enjoy the great outdoors with your little one. While on your daily walk together, draw your baby’s attention to the sights and sounds around them, from the birds flying above to car horns honking on the street.
There’s an extra benefit to this routine as well: Getting out in the daylight early will also help them get a good night’s sleep later.
Practice standing.
While it’ll be a while before your little one is standing alone, three months is the perfect age to begin helping them stand for a few seconds at a time.
Hold them securely under their arms and place their feet on the ground. Continue holding onto them so their little legs aren’t supporting all of their weight.
As your baby gets used to having something solid under their feet, they’ll straighten their legs. Soon, they’ll be bending and straightening at the knee, which helps strengthen their muscles.
Play music.
Music is a great way to stimulate your baby’s brain and help their development. Put on your favorite playlist and sing along.
Babies especially like songs that have surprise endings: Pop Goes The Weasel, anyone? You’ll likely be rewarded with some big smiles!
Smile back.
As we said, your baby will start to smile at you and others at three months. It’s one of the first ways they can communicate that they’re happy and recognize you. Smiling back at them is the equivalent of your first conversation.
This helps strengthen your bond with your little one and makes them feel safe and secure.
Read your baby’s cues.
We know you’re excited to see all of your baby’s new tricks, but with all so much stimulation, you’ll want to be mindful of your little one’s cues. If they’re getting frustrated, it’s time to stop the play and give them a break.
For example, if you know they rub their eyes when they’re tired or start to cry when they’re hungry, pivot to nap or feeding time.
What if your baby isn’t on track?
If you read through the above list of milestones and feel like your baby isn’t quite there yet, don’t panic.
As we said, each child is unique and develops at their own pace, so as long as your little one progresses, there’s likely nothing to worry about. However, talking to your pediatrician is always a good idea when you're concerned about your baby's development.
They can assess potential issues and provide individualized tips to help your baby reach their milestones.
When to talk to your doctor about milestones
The American Academy of Pediatrics developed a list of warning signs that could indicate a medical or developmental problem in your three-month-old.
If you notice any of these, you’ll want to bring them up at your next appointment.
- Seems to ignore loud noises
- Not trying to track items with their eyes
- Doesn’t notice their hands
- Not reaching or grabbing for objects or toys
- Doesn’t smile at people or the sound of your voice
- Isn’t holding their head up yet when on their belly or seems floppy
- Hasn’t started cooing or babbling
- Regularly has crossed eyes
- Struggles to move one or both eyes in all directions
Of course, these are just warning signs. Just because you notice one or two of them doesn’t automatically mean that there’s a problem. It does mean that you should mention it to the doctor so they can assess the situation and make sure nothing serious is going on.
Newton is here for you and your baby.
Navigating through your baby’s 3-month-old milestones can be thrilling and terrifying all at the same time. Watching your little one grow and develop is an amazing experience, but it can also bring up feelings of worry or uncertainty.
When those feelings strike, it helps to remember that every baby is different. So try not to compare your baby with others. Instead, celebrate their individuality and focus on the progress they have made.
And remember, whether you’re a first-time parent or a seasoned pro, Newton is here for you. From sharing helpful tips and parenting advice to designing high-quality products that keep your little one safe, we’re always here to support you on this journey through parenthood.
