You’ve probably noticed that up to this point, your baby was doing a lot of crying—we mean a lot of crying! By 3 months, though, that crying starts to slow down to about 1 hour a day after peaking at about 6 weeks.

It’s typical for 3-month-old babies to: 

• Lift the chest and hold the upper torso up
   
• Stretch and move legs when on back or tummy
   
• Push and straighten the legs briefly when feet are placed on a hard surface
   
• Fully support the head
   
• Have improved vision, depth perception and hand-eye coordination
   
• Start reaching for and swiping at objects held in front of him; maybe even grabbing those objects and starting to shake them
   
• Start to mimic sounds, facial expressions and movements, and begin to use body language and expressions to communicate
   
• Begin to develop a social smile

Just remember:  All babies are different and develop at their own pace. Developmental milestones occur over a range of time because of this.

If your infant hasn’t yet reached some of these milestones, it doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong.

Talk with your baby’s healthcare provider about any developmental concerns, including if your baby ...

• Does not hold onto objects
   
• Does not show signs of supporting his head
   
• Has trouble moving 1 or both eyes in all directions
   
• Crosses eyes excessively (some eye-crossing is normal)
   
• Does not pay attention to new faces, or seems very frightened by new faces or surroundings

See also ... 

•  Infant vision: Birth to 24 months

•  What your 3-month-old is learning and experiencing 

•  Looking ahead: Development at 4 months

Disclaimer: This page is not intended to provide medical advice about your child. Always seek the advice of a physician, qualified healthcare provider or child-development specialist with any questions you have about your child's health, medical condition or development. Never disregard, avoid or delay contacting a doctor or other qualified professional because of something you read here.