Baby development three months after birth

As your baby’s bones and muscles get stronger, his or her movements will also increase. Your baby will be able to hear and see better now and will learn to recognise familiar faces and sounds. There are a number of developments you can easily observe in your baby during this month, and the following are a few of them.

Since solid foods cannot be introduced to the baby before he or she is six months old, you should be breastfeeding your baby at this time. There are a number of benefits of breastfeeding, both for you and for the baby. 

By the time your baby is three months old, he or she will have regularised feeding patterns. Every baby is different, but you will need to feed your baby once every three or four hours. During this month, you might have to feed the baby once or twice during the night. 

Breastfeeding mothers should also remember that they are essentially passing on nutrients and antibodies to the baby via feedings. So, in case you fall sick or have to go on any medications, do let your doctor know that you’re breastfeeding and ask for safe medication. If you have a medical condition that makes it impossible for you to breastfeed your baby, then you can switch to formula.

At three months, your baby would have developed a regularised sleep pattern and you too will be able to get enough rest because of it. Your baby might wake up once or twice in the night to feed during this stage, but this will soon stop being the norm. The baby will also sleep for 4-5 hours during the day, and you too should get some sleep while the baby is asleep.

Your baby will also develop sleeping cues by this time. He or she is likely to get fussy, rub their eyes, cry or even suck the thumb or a finger so that they can be nursed to sleep. Take note of these cues and make sure you dim or switch off the lights as soon as these signs appear. This will help regulate your baby’s sleeping pattern better. Do not wake your baby up while he or she is sleeping, and avoid loud noises around them.

The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is high up to the age of 12 months, so make sure your baby’s sleep environment is safe. Here are a few things you should remember while putting your baby to sleep:

• Always put the baby to sleep on the back, never on the tummy.
• Use safe bedding without toys, fluffy comforters and excess pillows or cushions around.
• Make sure the baby sleeps in the same room as you, but do not share a bed. Adult beds are not safe for children.
• Don’t overheat the sleeping area. It should be warm, but not stuffy or sweaty.
• If you’re using pacifiers to help your baby sleep, then don’t tie the pacifier around the baby’s neck or to his or her clothing.
• Check on your baby while he or she is sleeping, but don’t unnecessarily wake him or her up.

All the major vaccines are given to your baby in the first and second month, so the third month will be vaccination-free for your baby. However, you must be alert about your baby’s health and take him or her in for a checkup at least once during the month. You should take your baby to the doctor immediately if any of the following signs come up during the month:

• Your baby has a dry cough or is sniffling occasionally
• Your baby isn’t smiling by or after 8 weeks
• Your baby isn’t feeding properly
• Your baby is holding his or her fingers in a tight fist
• Your baby isn’t startled by loud noises
• Your baby isn’t calming down even if you comfort him or her for a long time

While you don’t need to baby-proof the entire house yet, all the areas where the baby is sleeping, resting or playing should be safe. Here are a few things you should keep in mind:

• Now that your baby can roll over and grasp things, make sure the baby doesn’t fall off furniture, hit their head against anything, or catch hold of sharp or heavy objects that can poke, scratch or suffocate them. 
• Make sure your baby is not left completely alone at any point.
• While putting the baby to sleep, ensure that the sleep environment is safe and be present even if a nurse or relative is putting him or her to sleep.
• If your baby has started thumb sucking then make sure his or her hands are clean to avoid germs getting transferred to the mouth.
• Ensure that any changes in the baby’s health don’t go unnoticed or untreated. 
• Make sure nobody smokes around your baby, and avoid lighting incense sticks around the baby too. These can cause suffocation and lead to lung diseases.

Getting used to motherhood is a lifestyle change that you should gradually ease into. While your focus will be on keeping your baby clean, fed, rested and happy, you shouldn’t forget to take ample care of yourself. After all, your baby depends on you for everything. So your mental and physical health has a great role to play here. The following are a few things you should do to make sure you get enough care and rest when your baby is three months old:

• Don’t try to do it all by yourself. Yes, the baby is your responsibility, but some parts of it should be shared by your spouse and the baby’s relatives and grandparents if you need a break. Letting others change or play with the baby might give you some much-needed “me” time.
• Eat healthy food. You are still breastfeeding, and that apart, you need ample nutrition to maintain energy levels and keep diseases away. Include whole grains, proteins, healthy carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables in your diet, and stay away from excess caffeine, alcohol and smoking.
• While it’s likely you would have already lost a lot of your pregnancy weight by now, you should focus on maintaining an exercise or physical activity routine. This will help you stay fit and lose any excess weight that remains.
• Indulge in activities like reading, watching light-hearted movies, and socialising with people on the phone if visiting friends is not an option. Motherhood during the early months can be isolating, especially for new mothers. Make sure you have a support group you can open up to about your feelings. This will help keep depression and mental health issues away.
• Motherhood and childhood are unique experiences for every individual. Don’t take unnecessary pressure about your baby’s development as compared to other babies in your family or friend circle. Similarly, don’t get stressed out about not doing things the way your friends, relatives or parents did. This is not a race, and undue anxiety will only make it worse for you and your baby.