3-month-old baby: Development and milestones

Physical development: Growing stronger every day

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At 3 months, your baby is likely showing improved physical control and coordination. You may see them lift their head and chest during tummy time, showing greater strength in their neck and back muscles. It’s an exciting time as your baby begins to develop a foundation for future movements like sitting, crawling, and walking.

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• Head and neck control: Your baby can now hold their head steady when supported upright and turn it from side to side, strengthening neck and upper body muscles.
• Tummy time progress: They push up on their arms, lifting their chest and holding their head at a 90-degree angle. This strengthens their shoulders and core, preparing them for rolling over, sitting, and crawling.
• Leg strength and kicking: Stronger leg muscles mean more deliberate kicking, whether on their back or during tummy time. These movements help improve coordination and prepare them for future motor skills like rolling and crawling.

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Tip: Encourage tummy time [1] from day one with just a few seconds, 2–3 times daily, while your baby is awake. Make it fun with toys and interaction. Gradually increase as your baby grows stronger, eventually working up to 5-10 by 7 weeks to build strength for crawling and other milestones. 

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Learn more: When Can Babies Safely Start Sleeping on Their Stomach? to understand when it's safe for your baby to roll over and sleep in different positions.

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Looking for ways to keep track of your baby's milestones and physical progress? Happy Baby offers expert-backed insights that help you monitor and encourage key developmental milestones every step of the way.

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As your baby’s body grows stronger, so does their mind! Let’s take a look at how your baby’s brain is developing at this stage.

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Cognitive development: Learning about the world

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Your 3-month-old’s brain is developing at an incredible pace. This month marks the beginning of more complex cognitive abilities, including better vision, hearing, and the ability to process information from their environment.

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• Tracking objects: Your baby’s ability to track objects with their eyes improves at this stage. They can now follow your face or a moving toy from side to side, a sign that their visual tracking skills are developing.
• Recognizing faces and voices: One of the most exciting parts of this stage is your baby’s increasing ability to recognize familiar faces and voices. You may notice them smiling when they see you or your partner, or they may respond to the sound of your voice with coos or excitement.
• Cooing and babbling: Your baby will likely start making sounds like “ah”, “oo”, or “eh”, which are the beginning of language development. While they may not be speaking actual words yet, these sounds are an important step in learning how to communicate.
• Turning toward sounds: Babies are born with an innate ability to recognize sound, and at 3 months, they can turn their heads to locate the source of a sound. This ability helps babies engage with the world around them and contributes to their auditory processing skills.

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Tip: To support your baby’s cognitive development, talk to them frequently. Narrate what you’re doing, describe objects around them, and sing songs to introduce new words and sounds.

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Discover: Lullaby Music for Babies to Sleep Instantly or Baby Songs - Lullabies for Babies to Go to Sleep to engage your baby with soothing sounds that enhance cognitive and auditory development.

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With their mind blossoming, your baby is also becoming more emotionally engaged with you and others. Let’s dive into how your baby’s social and emotional skills are growing.

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Social and emotional development: Building bonds

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At 3 months, your baby’s emotional and social world is blossoming! They are forming strong bonds with caregivers and becoming more engaged with the world around them. Every little smile, coo, and giggle is a step toward emotional growth and attachment.

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• Smiling and laughing – Your baby’s social smiles are happening more often. They may light up when they hear your voice and even start giggling during playful moments.
• Recognizing caregivers – Your little one now shows a clear preference for familiar faces, especially yours! They may get excited when they see you and a little restless when you leave the room. This is a sign of growing attachment and early understanding of object permanence.
• Mimicking facial expressions – Babies love to copy what they see. Try sticking out your tongue or making a funny face and your baby might try to do the same! This early imitation helps them learn about emotions and social interactions.

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Tip: Spend lots of time making eye contact, smiling, and chatting with your baby. Your voice and expressions make them feel safe, loved, and ready to explore the world with you!

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As your baby’s emotional world expands, their motor skills are also progressing. Let’s explore how their physical movements are evolving.

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Motor skills and movement: Refining coordination

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Motor development is moving fast at this stage. Your baby is beginning to gain more control over their body and becoming more aware of their surroundings.

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• Reaching and grasping: Your baby is now intentionally reaching for toys, grasping them, and bringing them to their mouth. This early hand-eye coordination development lays the foundation for more refined motor control.
• Hand exploration: Babies may clasp their hands together, study them, or open and close their fingers, discovering how to control their movements.
• Batting at objects: With better arm coordination, your baby may start swiping at hanging toys, refining their ability to reach, touch, and explore their environment.
• Bringing hands to mouth: This self-soothing action becomes more intentional, helping your baby gain awareness of their hands and strengthen their grasp reflex.

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Tip: Provide lightweight, textured toys for grasping. Hanging toys above them during playtime can encourage reaching and batting movements.

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To learn more about safe sleeping practices as your baby starts to move, check out When Can Babies Safely Start Sleeping on Their Stomach? to ensure their safety as they explore new movements.

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As your baby’s physical and motor development takes off, their sleep and feeding patterns will also begin to evolve.

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Sleep and feeding changes: Adjusting to growing needs

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At 3 to 4 months, you may notice that your baby’s sleep patterns and feeding schedules are starting to stabilize. While every baby is different, 3-month-olds typically sleep 14 to 16 hours a day, with longer stretches of sleep at night and more predictable nap schedules.

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• Longer nighttime sleep: Many babies start sleeping for longer periods at night, sometimes up to 5-6 hours straight, although some will still wake for feedings.
• Daytime naps: Your baby will likely be taking 3-4 naps a day, ranging from 1-2 hours each. The exact timing of naps may vary, but consistency will help them develop healthy sleep patterns.
• Feeding: Your baby is probably drinking around 4-6 ounces of breast milk or formula every 3-4 hours. As they grow, they may begin to take larger feeds with fewer interruptions.
• Sleep disruptions & regression: Around 3 months, some babies experience temporary sleep regression due to developmental leaps. They may wake more frequently, take shorter naps, or struggle to settle. Maintaining a bedtime routine and responding to cues can help ease this phase.

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Read more: 3-Month-Old Sleep Schedule: What to Expect to understand your baby’s changing sleep needs and how to establish a gentle routine.

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Finding your baby’s rhythm

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Now that your baby is 3 months old, they are developmentally ready to start settling into a routine. This is the perfect time to introduce a flexible schedule that works for both of you!

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However, it’s important not to impose an overly rigid plan. An inflexible schedule can be stressful, while having no routine at all can be overwhelming. The key is balance!

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How to establish a routine that works for everyone

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Try to introduce a few anchors into your baby’s day. These are activities that help your baby feel secure and know what to expect:

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• A special chair for nursing
• A walk after lunch
• Bathtime and bedtime at the same time and in the same way each evening

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If you find that your baby is feeding more often than you’d like, try gradually stretching out the intervals between meals. Distract your little one with a song, toy, or book to help pass the time.

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If your baby tends to fall asleep without finishing a feed, gently wake them up to make sure they get a full meal so you won’t have to start over soon.

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The goal is to ease your little one into a pattern that feels just right- not too strict, but structured enough to help everyone get into a smooth rhythm.