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
This message is not intended to provide individual medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have about your health or medical condition, your breastfeeding issues and your infant's health. Never disregard, avoid or delay contacting a doctor or other qualified professional because of something you have read in our emails, webpages or other electronic communications.
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