First year development timeline: month 3 - Pregnancy

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First year development timeline: month 3

It’s the third month of your baby’s life and his development and growth are showing no signs of slowing down. So what exactly can you expect this month?

Sensory development:Your baby’s hearing has improved and he can now recognise familiar voices, that’s you mum and dad! Your baby will also be able perceive what direction certain sounds are coming from and will turn his head that way when he hears them.

baby stretching

Make sure your baby plays games that encourage coordination.
Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Motor skills: Your baby’s coordination skills are improving. His movements which were once quite jerky are a lot smoother. Encourage the development of your baby’s coordination by playing games with him that involve arm and leg movements. You can make them up if you wish, there are no rules. These games will also strengthen your baby’s muscular system.

Mobility:Your baby is likely to start rolling from side to side this month. This means you will need to keep an eye out, especially if you have him sat or lying on a high surface. As this month comes to a close you can try to encourage your baby to sit up by holding his underarms and slowly lifting him from a lying to a sitting position. Watch out for his head, those neck muscles are still developing and aren’t yet strong enough to support his head for long periods.

owl sat on top of book

Read to your baby, it’s great for cognitive development and bonding

Cognitive development: Start reading books to your  baby if you haven’t already. As you read show your baby the pictures and give him time to look at them, feel free to describe them as well.

Communication skills: You can begin planning playdates and family outing this month. These interactions will help your baby develop essential communication skills by exposing him to different accents and those who speak his language (other babies!). This will also improve your baby’s social skills.

Sleep patterns: Your baby’s sleep and wake cycles are steadily getting longer making it easier for you to sleep. However, don’t expect to be able to sleep through the whole night yet.

Dietary developments: You should still be feeding your baby with breastmilk or formula, which means the consistency, colour and frequency of his bowel movements should be the same as they were during his first month. However, this month you will notice that your baby is producing saliva like a waterfall. This is because teething is about to begin in preparation for your baby’s first tooth, which will make its debut between month 4 and month 7.

This month your baby’s schedule is probably getting more predictable, which means you’ll be able to get yourself into a more predictable routine too, including knowing when you can sleep!

Month 3 Tip: Don’t worry that your baby is putting everything in reach into his month. His drool contains disease-preventing proteins which will help him avoid any germs. However, keep any choking hazards well out of his way, because his drool won’t help against them.

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