Your miracle is 3 months old. This is amazing! Every month your baby delights you with new abilities, rediscovering a world so familiar to you. His neuropsychic and physical development accelerates by leaps and bounds. The baby’s behavior becomes more conscious, visual, auditory and tactile sensations are more meaningful and are no longer instinctive.

His smile has become a constant companion - he rejoices at familiar faces and objects, consciously waves his arms and legs, his torso and neck have become more mobile. He is constantly looking for new images, exploring the space, and lingering on interesting objects. In the fourth month, the most interesting toy for the baby is himself.

What's new

The main achievement of this month is the ability to hold your head up and accurately follow the movement of an object, be it a toy or your mother’s face. In addition, by the fourth month, most children develop binocular vision (both eyes working together), which allows them to judge the distance to an object and follow it.

The child grows up before our eyes: he already reacts vividly to sounds, recognizes his mother and rejoices at her every appearance. Now he is generally much more interested in communicating with adults. When communicating, the baby smiles and sometimes even laughs. Just recently you rejoiced at your handsome boy’s first smile, and now, not even a month has passed, and he’s already laughing! The smile of an adult can also cause a child to laugh cheerfully, but most often he laughs when he is tickled and played with, for example, thrown up.

Tries to pronounce vowel sounds (similar to the sounds “a”, “y”, “u”).

What does a baby look like at 3 months?

Physical development of a child at 3 months

Gradually the child begins to turn from his back to his side. If he doesn't do it on his own, play and help him. Show your baby bright objects or sounding toys a little to the side, but within the edge of the baby's vision. The child will turn his head, and following his head, he will first turn his shoulders, and then his torso. Some babies can roll from their stomach to their back.

At 3 months, a significant part of children hold their head along the axis of their body. When placed in a sitting position, the child holds his head straight for a few seconds before it falls forward. The back is still round.

Being in the arms of an adult in an upright position, the child holds his head and torso quite well.

In the prone position, the child rests on his forearms. It is due to the support on the forearms that by 3.5 months the baby can raise his head almost to an angle of 90 degrees, hold it straight and try to look in front of him, and try to scratch the surface in front of him with his fingers.

Test
If you place the child's feet on a hard surface and support him under the armpits, he can periodically rest his feet on it for a few seconds. But the legs are still bent at the knee and hip joints. This motor skill of a child should not be used as a physical exercise, because the musculoskeletal system is not yet ready for standing and walking.

Attention!

If during this test the child strongly rests with straightened legs, stands on his toes, and makes repeated and rapid stepping movements when bending the upper body forward, it is necessary to immediately contact a pediatric neurologist. Such standing and gait are not signs of accelerated development of the child. On the contrary, it is a sign of retardation and brain damage. After all, such “standing” and “walking” are normal only for the first weeks of life. This is the so-called automated gait of a newborn, inherited from monkeys. Some fashionable methods for accelerating the development of children abuse this and other “monkey” reflexes. Their authors claim that children already know how to walk and crawl from birth. Lacking the necessary scientific knowledge, they do not understand that these reflexes only superficially resemble real human motor acts.

During this period, small movements of the hands become varied, one can even talk about the consciousness of many movements.

From 3.5 months he brings his hands together and plays with his fingers. Closer to 4 months, he presses his palms one against the other, and then spreads them apart.

Test game
When a bright, and especially new, toy appears in the child’s field of vision, one can observe movements of both hands in the direction of this toy with an attempt to touch and grab it. This is how the grasping function manifests itself.

Test-game-exercise
Give the child the opportunity to make as many palpating movements as possible with his hands. At the same time, the child must see the object that he is feeling. To do this, place an object in the child's hand and draw his visual attention to this object. The shape, size, texture of such objects should be varied, but convenient for gripping. Talk to your child all the time, name your actions. Closer to 4 months, along with the name of the actions, pronounce those sounds that you heard earlier from the baby: “abu”, “agu”, “bu-bu”, “a-a-a”, “o-o”, “ga- ha”, etc. This will contribute to the development of the baby’s speech.

Continue to use a special rocker-trapezoid-horse bar with toys attached to the crib or playpen. The use of these toys changes with age. From simple looking (at 1 month) and touching (at 2 months), a child from 3 months moves on to grasping a toy. The distance to the toy is the child’s outstretched arms or lower. Swinging toys are difficult to grasp: they are pushed away from the child’s hands, so they begin to irritate him. Toys should be well fixed and almost motionless. If they are movable, they should at least be comfortable to grip, so there is no need to hang balls, smooth round objects, etc. It is better to hang rings, bells, etc. Even before the child learns to grasp the toy well and pull it in the mouth, you need to take care of the baby’s safety. The crossbar (yoke) must be securely attached to the crib or playpen so that the child does not pull it over himself along with the toy. The toy itself must be large enough and securely fixed to the rocker so that the child cannot swallow it. At 3 months, the child is already deliberately hitting hanging toys with his hands. If the toys are suspended at different levels, then the child consciously hits the lower toys, then stops and watches how the toys suspended at the top move and make sounds.

It is also useful to purchase a special developmental mat with bumps and objects sewn to it for the child lying on his stomach to grasp and feel.

During feeding, the baby begins to hold the bottle or mother's breast with his hands.

At this age, a healthy child may sometimes experience restlessness of the tongue during active wakefulness: its periodic protrusion, movements back and forth.

Attention!

If such anxiety remains when eating, and even more so interferes with eating or is accompanied by other developmental abnormalities, you need to consult a neurologist.

Mental development of a child at 3 months

Vision. The baby independently fixes his gaze first on stationary objects nearby, and later examines objects in the room. He can look at one object for several minutes, and moves his gaze from one object to another.

Fixes the gaze on your face when someone else is holding the baby in an upright position opposite you. A clear and stable “eye to eye” reaction when breastfeeding or communicating with an adult.

He follows with his eyes the movements and large movements of adults who are in the child’s near field of vision, and looks after the person leaving.

Test
The child confidently follows with his eyes and head rotation how you move the toy in all directions: not only horizontally - left and right, but also vertically - up and down. The distance to a bright toy that can be followed by the eye increases to two meters.

Convergent strabismus appears less and less often - only when examining an object very closely. With convergent strabismus, the lines of sight and pupils are not parallel, but are shifted inward - towards the midline of the face. That is, the child “squints” at his nose.

Attention!

Strabismus on the side of only one eye (the affected eye can squint either inward or outward) or persistent bilateral convergent squint when looking into the distance is grounds for a visit to the ophthalmologist.

By the end of this month of life, the so-called revitalization complex appears - a positive emotional reaction of the child in response to the affectionate address of an adult. In order to evoke this complex, you need to bend over an awake child lying on his back so that he fixes his gaze on your face. Talk gently to your child for a minute or two and smile. At first, the child will look closely and listen, and then he will smile, move his arms and legs, and even, perhaps, utter a few short sounds.

Hearing. If a mother or a well-known person comes up from behind to a child lying or in her arms and speaks to him, being out of his field of vision, then the baby turns his eyes or head towards the speaker and sometimes finds him with his gaze.

At this age, the child often responds with a smile to a conversation, begins to distinguish the adult caring for him, the mother, from others by appearance: he smiles at her more than at another adult. If a mother comes up to a child’s crib and leans over him, he looks at her carefully and expectantly. When she talks to the child, he smiles joyfully and sometimes gurgles. If an unfamiliar adult approaches, the baby looks at him calmly, without a smile. If he is silent, then the child turns his gaze to the side. If the mother leaves and immediately after the mother a “stranger” leans towards the child, the child expresses dissatisfaction and does not immediately turn his gaze to the “stranger.”

Some children, after reaching 3 months, begin to distinguish voice intonations and respond differently to them. If you speak kindly to a child, he smiles and perks up. In the case of a reproach, an irritated voice, a negative reaction appears.

Pre-speech development of a child at 3 months

The intonations and differences in the cry described in the previous stages become more pronounced and are better distinguished not only by the mother, but also by other loved ones. The sound expression of the emotion of dissatisfaction matures and becomes more developed - instead of screaming, whining and crying are more often noted. Unlike screaming, these sounds are intermittent and are less accompanied by motor restlessness.

The child begins to laugh and squeal in response to the adult’s joyful communication with him: flirting, tickling the neck or chest, etc. During the revitalization complex when an adult is flirting and during comfortable wakefulness after eating, gurgling or humming is characteristic. When humming, vowel sounds continue to predominate, but increasingly in combination with unclearly pronounced consonants: “b-u”, “v-i”, “a-a-bm-bm”, “bl”, “u-gu”, “ boo" etc.

Until 3 months, pre-speech activities were carried out regardless of the use of hearing. After 3 months, the child begins to pronounce sounds under the control of hearing. Therefore, a real dialogue with the child becomes possible: you repeat the child’s sounds or syllables, at the same time he becomes silent and listens to you, and then begins to hum more actively and loudly. You can stimulate dialogue by speeding up and slowing down your speech rate. A similar effect is also achieved by changing the volume of the voice. Gradually, in turn, the child, in his humming, begins to imitate your sounds and their intonation. During such a conversation, it is necessary that the child sees your face, peers into your facial expressions while pronouncing sounds and tries to reproduce not only sounds, but also your facial expression and facial movements.

Talk to your child constantly when you are caring for or around him. Accompany your actions with words. When you feed, say: “Open your mouth”; when you put it on - “Give me a pen”; when you play - “Take the bear,” etc. Call the child by name, and not “baby,” “baby,” etc.

Denver test at 3 months

Rough movements- Lying on his stomach, he rises on his elbows.

Subtle movements- Follows with his gaze in a range of 180 degrees, blinks in response to a visual stimulus.

How to feed a baby at 3 months

Breastfeeding: Typically 10-12 feedings during the day and 2-4 at night. The number of short-term attachments in a 3-month-old child is noticeably reduced. During feedings, the baby often comes off the breast. Night feeding breaks are usually 2.5–3.5 hours.

During feeding, the baby is even more distracted than in the third month. You shouldn’t scold him for this or take away his breast. Be patient and calmly wait for him to start sucking again.

If the baby is on IV
The daily volume of the mixture is from 2 to 4 months 800–1050 ml (800–900 ml) or so - from two to four months 1/6 of body weight is 750–800 ml of the mixture.

It must be remembered that the frequency of feeding a child up to 1 year:

• From the first days of life to 3 months - 7–8 feedings.


• 4–6 months - 6 feedings.


• 6–12 months - 5 feedings.

What kind of stool does a child have at 3 months? And how much does he pee?

A breastfed baby's stool becomes more regular and uniform, in the form of a creamy mass. The frequency may vary: daily at approximately the same time; up to 5 times a day, sour stools; and even once every 2–5 days. This is normal for exclusively breastfed babies 3–4 months of age - if the stool is still soft, the baby does not need enemas or laxatives.

Children from three months to one year urinate 12–16 times.

Approximate regimen for a 3 month old baby

A 3 month old baby's sleep at night lasts about 10 hours, usually there are 2-4 feedings between 4 and 8 hours. During the day there are 2 long naps - 1–2 hours each and 2 short naps - 30–40 minutes each. The baby still falls asleep for quite a long time (20-30 minutes) while sucking on the breast. At about 3 months, the baby begins to react to changes in weather, new moon and full moon - he may sleep restlessly and be capricious for no reason.

After the third month, the baby already lives according to the daytime and wakefulness schedule, sleeps 16–17 hours a day, naps 4 times during the day for 1.5–2 hours.

The child should spend a lot of time in the fresh air - 5–6 hours a day you need to walk with him on the street. Except for frosts above 10 degrees.

The sun's rays strengthen the body and produce vitamin D, which is simply necessary to improve immunity and prevent rickets and anemia. As a last resort, take the stroller out onto the balcony or loggia, just make sure that it is not exposed to direct sunlight or rain. Protect your baby especially carefully from drafts.

Infographics - baby sleep duration depending on age

Educational games with a 3 month old baby

Take a toy

With your baby on his stomach, place 2-3 bright toys in front of him and rattle them. If the little one tries to reach one of them, place your palm under the foot of the leg - when it feels support, it will try to push off. This educational game for a 3 month old baby will help him start crawling earlier.

Bunny (playing with a soft toy)

One-two-three-four-five (Take the toy, shake it)
The bunny came out to jump (Up and down)
Looked around (Rotate head)
Spun (Rotate the toy)
Looked up and down (Tilt back and forth)
Jogged (Run)
Scared (Hide behind back)
Where are you, bunny, answer me! (Show)

What should the first rattle be?

It should be quite noticeable - colorful, bright or shiny, with contrasting patterns. Combinations of red, yellow, blue, green colors, as well as elements of black and white patterns (cells, stripes, waves, spirals, dots and circles) are preferred. And it should definitely be very easy!

Choose:

• Rattles with a grooved or rough handle.


• Rattles in the shape of a ring and with a stick-shaped handle.

Listening to music

Play different music: funny children's songs, classical, lullabies. Try to perform some actions in time with the sound (clap your hands, spin around with the child in your arms, sway, sing along).

Young children are recommended to listen to audio recordings in which instruments with high-pitched vibrations predominate: harp, flute, bell. At the same time, the baby’s breathing begins to adjust to the rhythm of the audio recording being played and returns to normal.

It is also known that classical music, for example, Vivaldi or Mozart, is excellent for infants to listen to. It has been scientifically proven that the melody from the violin concerto “Vivaldi’s Night” absolutely corresponds to the biological rhythms of the brain that it produces during sleep.

Today, specialized children's stores sell CDs with music on which the baby's heart rhythms are superimposed, which helps calm babies.

For those kids who are easily excitable and often restless, it is best to play slow music (adante, adagio) - as a rule, this is the second part of most instrumental concertos and sonatas.

In addition, it must be taken into account that music, together with text, has a great influence on babies. It has also been proven that live music has a better effect on babies than audio recordings. That is why no audio file can compare with the lullaby that mother sings on her own.

Good to know

The use of headphones while listening is strictly prohibited. This is explained by the fact that the design of any headphones is such that they generate directional sound, while the baby’s hearing aid is only able to pick up scattered sound.

Miracle bracelet

Place a bracelet made of knitted fabric on which bells and bells are sewn onto the baby’s arm (or leg). Developing coordination, studying your arms and legs, as well as spatial orientation will be much more interesting.

Exercises on the ball

Buy a fitball. Now the child can already lie on his tummy for quite some time and hold his head up for some time. Place it on a large inflatable ball and rock it back and forth, gently, left and right. Orientation in space and the vestibular apparatus develop.

Finger games

Touching our fingers, we say:

This finger is grandpa
This finger is grandma
This finger is daddy
This finger is mommy's
This finger is Vanechka.

They bend the child’s fingers and say:
One two three four five,
On the other hand again:
One two three four five.

Don't forget about massage! With nursery rhymes and poems.

Do I need to go to the clinic at 3 months? Vaccinations at 3 months

Yes. A scheduled medical examination is carried out every 3 months.

Doctors:

• Pediatrician.


• Neurologist.


• Other specialists, if they have not examined the baby at 1 month: an orthopedist and an ophthalmologist (ophthalmologist).

Routine vaccination:

• The 1st DPT vaccination is against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus (the 2nd is given at 4.5 months, and the 3rd at 6 months).


• Against polio (1st in a row, 2nd is carried out at 4.5 months, and 3rd at 6 months).

Analyzes:

• General (clinical) blood test - taken from a finger (main indicators: hemoglobin, red blood cells, platelets, leukocytes, ESR).


• General urine analysis (color, transparency, pH, presence of protein, glucose, red blood cells, bacteria are determined).


• General analysis of stool (scatology - consistency, color, pH, fat, blood, leukocytes are determined).

Vlog - 3 months

Tim is 3 months old. Games/Doctor/Vaccinations

Gymnastics for a 3 month old baby. Learning to roll over.

Massage for a 3 month old baby. How do I massage

3.5 months. Vaccinations/Sleep/Regimen/Games

With the birth of a baby, young, inexperienced parents have a lot of new worries and troubles, so new mothers and fathers often resort to special literature and advice from older friends to solve unclear issues. A child’s development at 3 months is quite active, so this time should be used as efficiently as possible, because it is now that basic skills and habits are being laid.

Physiological changes

In the very first months of life, newborns develop very intensively, changes affect all organs and systems of the body. During this month, the child will grow by about 2-3 cm, and the head will acquire a more proportional size in relation to the body.

The digestive system is actively progressing, the stomach at least doubles in size by this time, so the newborn needs more breast milk. Apart from the mother's breast, a child of this age does not require additional nutrition; the only supplement allowed for 3 months of life is vitamin D prescribed by a pediatrician, which prevents the development of rickets. Increased attention should be paid to weight gain in the initial stages, since during this period there is a high probability of overfeeding the baby, especially for bottle-fed infants. The optimal weight gain for 3 months is 600-800 grams, however, it should be noted that this is an average figure and it may vary depending on the characteristics of the body.

By 3 months, coordination of movements is improved, the child already consciously takes toys with his hands, can clap his hands or reach for his face. Most newborns are able to roll over onto their sides or tummy by the end of 3 months. The most active children can attempt to pull themselves up with their arms and rise a little. The task of the parents at this stage is to help the baby perform the desired action, but it is impossible to support the newborn on his legs or suddenly let go of his arms, since the ligaments of the limbs are not yet fully developed, and therefore are not able to support the weight of the baby.

Psychological development

With every day of life, newborns develop new skills and abilities, children spend less time sleeping, and learn more about the world. During this period, many babies strive to be in the arms of mom and dad as often as possible, as this allows them to see more interesting things around them.

A child at 3 months old easily perceives sounds and freely distinguishes native voices. He already turns his head on hearing his name, can focus his gaze on small elements and follow moving objects with his gaze. This is a good time to introduce him to calm music, such as classical pieces or children's songs. You can use a mobile for the crib, thanks to which mom will have a little more free time. Spinning rattles and toys, together with light music, will keep the baby occupied for a while, and gradually the child will begin to fall asleep on his own with the help of such a simple device.

Not yet able to speak, at this age the child gives his parents signals that can be used to understand his condition. At the age of 3 months, by the baby’s crying, you can already discern the cause of his discomfort:

• minor sobbing, gradually gaining momentum and eventually turning into a loud cry, most often means that the child is hungry;
• crying in a dream, during which the baby is spinning or rubbing his arms, is a sign of lack of sleep, in which case it is best to create silence in the room and rock the baby to sleep;
• shrill and sharp crying most likely symbolizes painful sensations. The third month of a newborn’s life is accompanied by colic and otitis media, so first of all you should pay attention to the baby’s ears and tummy;
• Evening crying starting at the same time may indicate intracranial pressure. The solution to this problem is to use a pacifier, which will relieve discomfort and calm the newborn.

Being in a good mood, a three-month-old baby will actively walk and laugh. Every day the sounds uttered by the baby become more distinct and varied; the speech activity of the newborn can be strengthened at this time with the help of songs and poems. By the way, soon the baby will begin to distinguish phrases that are already familiar to him, which he will inform you of with a joyful exclamation, and having learned to speak, he may surprise you by independently repeating the material he has learned.

What to do with your baby

A child at 3 months is quite active and mobile, tends to turn around, move his arms and legs, so this time is the best time for active games. Of course, the baby does not yet know how to crawl or sit, so active activities with him should include the following:

• studying hanging toys - by hanging several different rattles or soft animals in the playpen, you will give your baby the opportunity to independently carry out gymnastic exercises. The child himself will try to reach objects first with his arms, then with his legs, which will significantly strengthen his muscles;
• morning exercises – after the morning bath procedures, a little exercise will be useful. Gent flexion and extension of the arms and legs promotes the development of ligaments, and turning movements of the torso from back to tummy will help the baby learn to roll over without your help. When carrying out gymnastic exercises, one should take into account such an indicator as the weight of the child at 3 months, since cardinal deviations from the norm require special classes;
• massage – lightly stroking the back and neck area will avoid muscle stagnation, and lightly massaging the knee and elbow joints will increase muscle elasticity;
• street walks - take your baby for a walk as often as possible; children of the 3rd month of life are very interested in observing the world around them, for example, animals, plants, etc. To make it more interesting for the baby, raise the head of the bed a little or take the child in your arms more often, giving him the maximum horizon;
• exercises on a fitball - a soft elastic ball for physical exercises allows you to coordinate the child’s movements, and is considered an excellent prevention of intestinal colic.

At three months, the baby enjoys new games and activities. This is a good period for the development of tactile sensations, which homemade toys will help with. Offer your newborn several soft objects of different textures, for example, a velvet soft toy, a stiff kitchen glove and a ball made of thick thread - by touching different surfaces, the child develops hand motor skills. Soft cubes with a rattle inside are also popular. Take several regular cubes and one with a rattle, show your baby the difference between them. Soon the baby himself will find the rattling object from the mass of others.

At three months, the baby will be happy to meet other children; they, of course, will not be able to play together, but they will get a lot of new impressions. If you have pets at home, do not limit their interaction with your child, of course, under your strict control.

Since a third-month baby is able to distinguish sounds and familiar objects, it will be interesting for him to observe himself. To do this, hang a safe mirror in the playpen; the baby will definitely appreciate such an innovation.

Try to introduce your baby to different styles of music; during the waking period, play rhythmic songs and accompany them with clapping your palms, as well as light dance movements. Before going to bed, it is better to play calm music, and soon the child will distinguish the relationship between the rhythm of the music and subsequent actions.

Such simple activities help the correct and active development of babies of the third month; besides, children who receive a lot of attention from their parents grow smart, develop faster than their peers and get sick less often.

Crying is no longer the only method of communication between a child and his parents and others. He already knows how to walk, smile broadly and even laugh. This is how the child shows his attitude to the world and his happiness because he lives. Did you know that neonatologists who care for babies observe more than 70 types of smiles in babies at the age of three months? If a mother loves her child and is attentive to his needs, she will also be able to distinguish between these types of smiles.

If the child is unhappy, he may cry more harshly. Scream, express your dissatisfaction. A child at 3 months can already hold his head for quite a long time, raising it. He already knows how to lift his shoulders and chest, while lying on his stomach.

Children at three months (though not all) learn to roll. The side of the playpen or crib helps them with this. They can kick toys with their feet and then laugh loudly if the toy jingles. Babies at 3 months really like to listen to their dad or mom read poems to them or sing songs to them.

Baby at 3 months: motor skills

A child at this age exhibits well-developed innate reflexes - for example, the fear reflex. You've probably noticed that your baby's neck strength is increasing too. When you hold your baby in an upright position, he already holds his head well. Three-month-old babies can lift their upper body using their arms while holding their head up.

If you monitor your baby, you should notice some early signs of hand-eye coordination. At 3 months, your baby's fists can already open and close, and your baby can quickly grab a toy or rattle and pull it into his mouth.

Parents should know that at three months a child can gain 800 g in weight per month. And his height also increases very quickly - up to 2.5 cm per month. If you have a boy, then the volume of his head at 3 months reaches 41 cm, and the volume of his chest is on average 41 cm. In girls, the volume of the head and chest is slightly smaller - about 40 cm. The central nervous system of a three-month-old baby continues to form.

His bones continue to grow and harden. Therefore, the child still needs to be handled very carefully so as not to break them or move the fragile joints. Therefore, the baby should not be swaddled tightly. It is also impossible to plant it in advance - especially for girls, whose pelvic bones may move from their anatomically correct place.

Feeding a three month old baby

Do not listen to advice that your baby should be given solid foods as complementary foods at three months of age. This is not true - at least a few more months must pass before the baby reaches six months.

Of course, it is very difficult to determine how much milk a breastfed baby sucks. But it’s worth knowing that a three-month-old baby’s normal daily intake is up to 850 grams of milk. At one time this will yield a portion of approximately 120-140 grams. You can determine the amount of milk for a child yourself: simply divide the child’s weight by 6 (the number of feedings). You will receive the optimal amount of milk in grams for your three month old baby.

Between feedings you need to wait approximately 3-3.5 hours. At the same time, it is necessary to include vitamin D in the child’s diet - this will enable the child’s bones and skin, as well as his hair and nails, to develop better.

Baby at three months - how much and when to sleep?

At 3 months, your baby's nervous system becomes stronger, the stomach stretches and can accommodate more mother's milk. But the baby can now sleep less than in the first months after birth.

If your child wakes up in the middle of the night, wait about 30 seconds before going to him. Sometimes babies as young as 3 months may cry for a few seconds and then go back to sleep—without any parental input. When you rush to your baby at the first sound, you may wake him up instead of letting the baby fall asleep on his own.

If the screaming doesn't stop in the middle of the night, you should go to your child's room to help him. Feeding and changing diapers should be done in the dark if possible, and then put the baby back in the crib. Eventually, your baby will understand that night time is only for sleep.

Your baby's daily sleep schedule should also be quiet, with no loud noises in the room. Most 3-month-old babies sleep between one and a half to two hours every day. The total number of hours of sleep for a three-month-old baby is no longer 22, as in the first month after birth, but up to 17 hours.

The third month of a child’s life: vision and hearing

Your baby's hearing and vision gradually improve at three months of age. Children of this age turn their heads and respond with a smile to the sound of their parents' voices, and they also love to listen to all types of music.

Your child will continue to pay increased attention to brightly colored toys. This is because sharp contrasts are easier for him to see. Faces are still very fascinating to him. Look at your child and he will also look into your eyes. Your child will also stare at his reflection in the mirror.

The third month of child development: connection with the outside world

At three months, your baby becomes more and more unique. It is this stage that child psychiatrist Margaret Mahler calls “shading,” when children come out of their shells and begin to respond to the world around them. Part of this withdrawal process involves interacting with people and smiling with pleasure, better known among medical professionals as social smiling.

By the third month of life, crying is no longer your baby's primary method of communication. 3-month-old babies can already cry for no more than an hour in total throughout the day. If crying exceeds this "norm" or seems too long for you, consult your pediatrician as it may be a medical problem.

Instead of crying, your baby begins to communicate in other ways, such as cooing and vowel sounds ("o" and "a" for example). Engage your baby in conversation by responding to these sounds when you are together. Say, "I'm going to change your diaper" or "It's lunch time!" Your baby will be delighted to hear the sound of your voice and watch the expression on your face when you speak. Eventually he will begin to form his own sounds and his own gestures. Talking is a great way to bond with your three-month-old baby.

Walking with a 3 month old baby

Walking with a three-month-old baby is a very good idea. They harden him. Fresh air benefits the lungs, skin, and cardiovascular system. It is advisable to walk for at least 6 hours a day, even if the weather outside is not very warm. But when the temperature is below minus 10 degrees, you shouldn’t go for a walk - the baby may catch a cold. But the stroller with the baby can be rolled out onto a glassed-in balcony or loggia.

Sun rays are very beneficial for a child, since the skin, when exposed to them, actively begins to produce vitamin D. And this vitamin is the prevention of bone diseases and such a dangerous disease as rickets. Sunlight is a very good protection against anemia. Walking in the fresh air very well protects the child’s immune system. But there is a nuance: the child should not be kept in a draft or in direct sunlight. This can lead to a cold in the first case or burns in the second.

The third month of child development: missed stages

Each child is unique and necessarily different from other children. Don't be alarmed if your 3-month-old baby misses any milestones, especially if he was born prematurely. However, don't worry your pediatrician if your baby hasn't already done the following things at three months:

• Doesn't respond to noise.
• Does not follow people or objects with his eyes.
• Doesn't smile.
• Doesn't laugh.

How to play with a three month old baby?

1. Show your child bright toys at a distance of 25-30 cm from the eyes. Move the toy left, right, up and down. Let the child follow the toy with his eyes. This way he will train his focus and eye muscles.
2. Buy toys that make sounds: they ring, make noise, squeak. Move these toys left and right of the child and let them make sounds. The child will learn to catch sounds. You need to ask him: “Where is it ringing?” Of course, a 3-month-old baby will not be able to answer you, but he will catch the general information and the tone in which the adult speaks.
3. Give your child toys so he can wrap his fingers around them. This way the child will train his hand and fingers, and improve his grasping reflex. It is better if the toys are of different shapes, but such that the child’s hand can grasp them. This way he will get used to taking things with his hands.
4. Train your baby's legs. At three months, babies still experience hypertonicity of the limbs. If you place your baby on a hard surface and hold him under your arms, supporting him, he will move his legs, as if walking. Shift the baby from the back to the tummy and vice versa, and then he will train the muscles of the back and neck.

A child at three months of age requires even more attention and care from his parents. And they, in turn, need to know what a child should be able to do at three months in order to help him develop.

What can a 3 month old baby do? The psychomotor development of a baby at this age is rapidly advancing. But if the baby does not demonstrate any skills, there is no need to sound the alarm in advance. A pediatrician should diagnose the general development of infants. A mother can conduct an independent study of the baby’s skills and reactions, but she cannot do without consultation and examination by a pediatrician.

The biggest discovery of a 3 month old baby is his own hands. The baby already has fairly well developed eye-hand coordination. The baby no longer just stumbles upon his palms, but consciously searches for them and easily finds a use for them: he puts them in his mouth and tastes them.

Motor skills of a 3 month old baby

There is more and more stability and balance in the movements and position of the baby’s body. What should a 3 month old baby do?

• Confidently holds his head in a position on his stomach. The baby is able to raise his head at an angle of 90°; at 2 months of life, the baby could only raise it 45°. Holds head for about a minute or more. In a lying position, the baby confidently rises on his forearms, his hips are pressed tightly to the surface, and his legs are straightened. At 3 months, the baby tends to have his head vertical in any position, but this is best done while lying on his stomach.
• Development of crawling skills. The baby spends more and more time on his stomach. In this position, he can make the first crawling movements. Of course, they are far from crawling on all fours, but the baby is already able to move a little, pulling himself up on his arms. A child at three months should not be able to roll over from his back to his stomach. But by chance, he can roll over from his stomach to his side or onto his back, and roll by inertia. Therefore, at this age, children should not be left unattended on an unprotected high surface.
• Disappearance of the step reflex. In the first month of life, the baby had a persistent step reflex, in the second it began to fade, and in the third it completely disappeared. This is a normal physiological process. If you take the baby under the arms, place it vertically and place it on a hard surface, its legs will begin to bend, and the step reflex is no longer observed.

• Reactions in a sitting position. At this age, the baby still does not know how to sit. This position should be short-term to see how the baby holds his head. You need to sit the baby down, carefully lifting him by the arms from a position lying on his back. In this position, the baby's head can remain in line with the neck and spine for only about 30 seconds, then tilts back or tilts to the side. After this, you need to put the baby on his back again. After a minute, lift the baby by the arms so that his body hangs slightly above the surface. The head in this position should remain in line with the neck and spine for several seconds.
• Fixation of gaze and formation of a conditioned grasping reflex. If you place a toy in front of the child at a distance of 30 cm, he becomes animated, but there is less randomness in the movements of his arms and legs. A baby at 3 months should be able to concentrate his gaze on a toy. If you move it, the baby follows it. Also during this period, the baby can reach for a toy with both hands for the first time. The palms remain half open. The baby cannot yet hold a rattle in his hands.

The most stable position for a 3-month-old baby is on the stomach. In this position, the surrounding world is clearly visible, not only motor skills are developed, but also distant vision.

The baby's reactions are becoming more and more emotional. And if in the second month the “revival complex” can be considered an unconditioned reflex, then in the third month the baby can demonstrate joy and interest. A smile at this age is already conscious, social. Also, when seeing a loved one, the baby actively moves his arms and legs, “talks,” and even laughs. It is important to maintain emotional contact with the baby. This promotes healthy mental development of the infant.

How do sense organs develop?

The baby learns about the world with the help of five senses - sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste. What can a 3 month old baby do? How are his visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, and tactile reactions manifested?

• Vision. Visual functions in infants of this age improve, light sensitivity and visual acuity increase, and visual images are formed. The baby is already able not only to detect an object, but also to distinguish it, to recognize it among other objects. The baby's color perception is also developing, but is still far from perfect. At this age, color recognition begins, the first of which are red and yellow. So far, the baby’s vision is focused on the near space, but compared to the second month, the baby already sees further and can recognize the mother’s face at a distance of more than a meter.
• Spatial perception of the world. A three-dimensional perception of space and the three-dimensionality of objects is formed: the baby sees the width and height of objects, and thanks to tactile sensations he can perceive them three-dimensionally. As before, the face of a loved one attracts the baby the most attention; he seeks eye contact with the eyes, follows movements, and turns his head in the direction of the mother’s movement.
• Hearing. The baby already easily recognizes his mother not only by smell, image, but also by voice. A 3-month-old baby can accurately identify the voices of all close people. His auditory system has improved so much that he is able to isolate some sounds from others, and guess the source of the sound. If you ring a bell over a baby's ear, he will immediately turn his head in the direction of the emanating sound. This observation is recommended for parents to check their infant’s hearing. You can also check your baby's reaction to quiet sounds. He may react to noise that is too loud by crying and grimacing. Of course, children cannot consciously listen to music at this age. It is assumed that a baby can concentrate his attention on the music for only 20 seconds, then it will just be in the background.
• Touch. The baby's tactile sensations are well developed from birth, because in the first months hearing and vision are still far from perfect; nature replaces them with touch. The child immediately reacts to the touch. If you stroke a baby's cheek, he will close his eyes and may reach out with his hand to the place where he felt the touch. In medicine, this reaction is called skin concentration. It will develop more and more with age; by 5 months the baby will respond to tickling. Pain in a three-month-old baby intensifies. He now reacts faster to discomfort - wet diapers, heat, cold, uncomfortable body position.
• Smell and taste. At 3 months, a baby can express its perception of smell: unpleasant odors cause the baby to sneeze and grimace with displeasure, while pleasant odors cause a smile, animation, or, conversely, freezing. By the end of 3 months, babies' sense of smell increases. Also, the baby easily recognizes the different flavors of breast milk. If it is bitter, the baby will grimace and refuse the breast. There is an opinion that children who were breastfed are less picky about food at an older age. This is explained by the fact that they have already tasted the tastes of many products through mother’s milk.

The development of sensory organs, as well as motor skills, is the same in boys and girls at this age. The only possible difference is in weight and height: boys are usually larger.

Communication and speech development

The more communication and contact with the baby, the more talkative and smiling he is. At this age, a baby can adopt the intonations of adults. What speech skills can be observed in a child at 3 months?

• The acquired vowels (“e”, “y”, “a”, “u”) are joined by “i”.
• Pronounces the consonants “g”, “x”, “k”, “m” well.
• New consonants appear: “v”, “d”, “t”.
• Vowels and consonants are combined into syllable chains.
• A new chain of sounds appears, which are designed like this: “ey-ge”, “e-ve”, “e-de” and others.
• Laryngeal articulation "r", similar to the sound of gargling.
• The first stage of pre-speech development (cooing) is replaced by cooing and humming, which precedes babbling.

The baby begins to respond to its own sounds. Most of all, the baby is pleased with the guttural “rrr”. The emotional coloring of sounds also appears. The baby “speaks” differently when he is happy, crying, or dissatisfied with something.

What can a 3 month old baby do? Important skills and reactions: holding the head in a lying position for 1 minute; the formation of a conditioned grasping reflex and an attempt to reach for a toy and touch it; first color discrimination; social smiling and laughter; syllable chains, laryngeal articulation of sounds.

Print

In this article:

At the age of 3.5 months, the child's development is in full swing. The baby becomes more active and interesting. He loves the touches of loved ones very much, which he hastens to communicate with an open smile. Body contact is not just pleasure for him. At this stage, it is part of his sensory development and an opportunity to gain more information about the world around him.

How does a child’s physical and psychological development occur at 14 weeks and what games can you play with your baby to make this process even more active? More on this below.

Features of the physical development of a child in the 4th month of life

If you compare the weight indicators at 2.5 and 3.5 months, you will see that the child did not waste time and was actively gaining weight. In a month, a healthy baby will have to add about 800 grams and grow by at least 1.5-2.5 centimeters.

At 3.5 months The baby no longer experiences any particular difficulties keeping his head upright. He confidently looks around, looks for toys and objects that are interesting to him, tries to reach out and grab them.

In the tummy position, the baby already knows how to use one hand as a support when he needs to get to the desired toy; the baby also tries to lean on his forearm, and he does it very well.

Most babies at 3.5 months can already freely change position from back to stomach and back, react to the source of sounds by turning their heads. Bathing happens in a funny and fun way in the 4th month of life: the baby gets outright pleasure, tries to swim, scooping up the water with his hands, and plays with toys.

Many babies in the 4th month of life are already making desperate attempts to sit up. They stretch upward with all their might if you invite them to grab hold of your fingers, and are held in a semi-sitting position with support from several pillows or mother’s hands. Abuse the “seat”, despite the desire of the baby. undesirable, since his back is not yet strong enough for such tests.

In order for the child to have a good appetite and sleep soundly, it is advisable to adhere to a certain daily routine (see table).

Procedures	Morning	Dinner	Evening	Late evening (night)
Nutrition	6-00, 9-30	13-00, 16-30	20-00	23-30
Dream	7-30-9-30	11-00 - 13-00, 14-30 - 16-30	18-00-19-30	20-30 - 6-00
Bathing			19-30 (20-30)

Naturally, the table shows approximate hours of sleep and feeding. You can adjust your baby's schedule, taking into account his need to sleep 2 hours 4 times a day and the need for 6 meals a day.

By the way, about feeding. At 3.5 months the baby is still breastfed. As can be seen from the table, you need to feed him no more than every 3.5 hours. You can try adding natural apple juice to your baby’s diet little by little.

Highly desirable
Invite your child to try a new treat from a teaspoon. Apart from apple juice and puree, the baby can’t do anything else at this stage, since his digestive system is not yet perfect, and new products are likely to cause an allergic reaction.

At 3.5-4 months, many children already begin to experience pain and discomfort due to swollen gums in anticipation of the eruption of their first teeth. You can calm the baby with the help of special gels, as well as a rubber ring that he can use to rub his gums.

How does a baby develop psychologically at the 4th month?

The psychological development of a baby at 3.5 months is no less active than physical development. At this stage, the baby consciously seeks the company of his mother, rejoicing in her presence.
especially stormy. The child enjoys spending time in the company of other adults close to him, reacting to them with animation and joy. The three-month-old baby still trusts strangers and does not express fear or anxiety in their presence.

At the 14th week of development, the baby divides toys into favorite and unloved. He follows with his eyes moving objects and adults moving around the room, shows a keen interest in mirror reflections, enriches “speech” with new sounds, imitating adults.

A 3.5 month old baby is able to appreciate music, listens to songs and rhymes with pleasure, shows animation with his arms and legs, and tries to repeat the intonations of the author. If you tickle the baby a little, he will laugh boisterously. Another achievement of the baby is the ability to distinguish smells and colors. A child can enjoy smelling a living flower and will definitely choose a brighter toy.

At this stage, it is important for parents to stimulate the child’s psychological development.

You will need to talk to the child more often, call him by name, change the timbre and volume of his voice, observing his reaction. Feel free to make faces at your baby, trying to change his facial expression. The child will be amused by this, and over time he will begin to repeat after you, thus training his facial muscles, trying to express emotions.

At 3.5 months, the baby can already be left alone in a crib or playpen.
period of wakefulness. If you hang a music mobile above his head, he will watch it, try to reproduce sounds, expressing emotions. You can also play with your baby on a developmental mat, where he can touch different objects by touch, listen to the sounds of bells and rattles, and try to reach the brightest details without the help of adults.

Educational games for a 3.5 month old baby

By playing age-appropriate games with your baby, you can speed up his development and make spending time together more interesting and fun. Choose fun and useful games - and during the waking hours of the baby you will never be bored together.

Game "Sit down and stand up!"

Basic goals:

• motor development;
• strengthening the back and limbs;
• establishing contact on an emotional level.

All you need to play the game is a soft baby blanket. Lay your baby on a blanket, preferably on the floor, and talk to him so that he smiles at you. Give your baby the opportunity to grab your fingers and rise to a sitting position. This will be the first stage. At the second stage, let the baby try to stand up - naturally, with your safety net. In the third stage, the child will need to sit down again, and the end of the game will be a lying down position.

Throughout the game, do not forget about the score - announce it clearly and loudly. Kids usually react strongly to the exercise and carry out the task with pleasure, over time remembering what to do on the count of “one”, “two”, “three” and “four”.

Game "Big-little"

Main objectives of the game:

• improve the sense of space;
• train the vestibular apparatus;
• establish an emotional connection.

Start playing at a slow pace so that the child adapts to what is happening, but before you start, give your baby a light palm massage and set him up in a positive mood.

You can play this game in several ways. One of them is walking around the house together, during which the baby will need to show the surrounding objects, focusing on large and small ones. As soon as the round is completed, you will need to carefully squat with the baby in your arms, telling him how he becomes big and small.

The second version of the game is as follows. You will need to lift the baby with outstretched arms above his head so that he feels big, and then sit down with him, explaining that he is now small. You can accompany the action with funny poems about gnomes, giants and forest animals.

It is very important that during the game the child understands the difference between big and small and shows interest in the process.

Game “Push-ups with pleasure”

Goals of the game:

• strengthening the muscles of the back and shoulder girdle;
• development of tactile skills;
• improved body coordination.

In this game you will need to use, again, a soft blanket and music. It would be better to play games on the floor. Place the baby on the blanket on his tummy and talk to him a little in a gentle voice so that he gets used to the new environment. When the baby adapts, take his knees and lift him slightly, pausing at the top point. Monitor your baby and increase play time gradually.

Over time, the child will get used to “push-ups” and will make attempts to raise his legs up, resting his forearms on the floor.

Problems of a baby at 14 weeks of age

The most common problem for a baby at 3.5-4 months is breast refusal. For a child, this period of development is considered transitional, and often mothers switch him to artificial feeding at this time. In fact, it is not recommended to wean your baby from the breast at such an early age, therefore, if the baby refuses to breastfeed on his own, you should identify the cause of the refusal and try to eliminate it.

The baby's decision may be influenced by:

Also, be sure to make an appointment with a doctor if at 3.5 months your baby:

• does not roll over onto his stomach from a supine position;
• unable to hold a rattle in his hands;
• does not hold the head in an upright position;
• reacts poorly to light and sounds;
• not sociable;
• has poor appetite;
• is underweight;
• cries often;
• doesn't sleep well.

All this can be a signal of the onset of a dangerous disease. Therefore, timely consultation with a doctor will help avoid possible negative consequences. Remember that the development of a baby in each case follows an individual pattern. But if you watch the baby, play with him and celebrate new achievements, identifying the causes of possible problems in time, this process will go smoothly and without serious failures.