By the time your baby reaches 3 months of age, you will notice the magical changes taking place in your baby’s little world. During the second month, your baby might have been a little extra fussy and hard to comfort. The third month your baby is ready to turn the corner and begin undergoing some big developmental milestones.

For starters, a 3 month old baby are easier to get into a routine. They tend to be less fussy and you can predict their sleep, wake and eating cycles a little better. This is the time when baby’s and parents begin to enjoy each other more.

How Is Your 3 Month Old Baby Developing?

1. Height and Weight

Prior to six months of age, babies usually grow in length ½ to 1 inch per month and gain between 5 and 7 ounces weekly. On average, a 3 month old baby is usually about 23 to 24 inches long and weighs around 12 to 14 pounds. Keep in mind these are only estimates, some babies are smaller and some are larger.

2. Sensory Development

3. Physical Development

• Gaining more strength to hold their head steady. 3 months old babies should be able to raise their head and hold it up for a number of minutes. They can hold their head up steady while sitting assisted. When they are having tummy time, they can lift their entire head and chest in a type of “push-up”. Encourage lots of tummy time, and hold toys in front of and above them to help them learn this.

• Better control over their body. Your baby will learn motor skills from the head on down to the toes over the next few months. Your 3 month old baby will notice his or her hands and begin to realize that they are their own hands. You may notice they begin to try and bat at their toys.

• Able to roll over. 3 months is when you need to be very vigilant with watching your baby when leaving him or her on top of something like a bed or changing table. They soon learn to roll over from their tummy to back. Their knees, hips and elbows are now very flexible and stronge allowing them to push over. This happens all of a sudden so keep an eye on them.

Watch this video to learn more about the development of your 3 month old baby:

How To Take Care Of a 3 Month Old Baby

1. Understand Their Feeding and Sleeping Schedules

By 3 months, your baby knows how to eat and sleep on their own. You will understand their cries and know when it is time to eat, sleep and be changed. By 3 months, babies fed by bottle sleep a little longer and possibly through the night. Breastfed babies will still need to feed a few times during the night. On average, babies may sleep a 5 to 6 hour stretch during the night, but this does vary baby to baby.

2. Safety Always Comes First

At 3 months when your baby learns to use his or her hands, they may begin to place things in their mouth. Time to “baby proof” the house and make sure there are no small unsafe objects around that your baby can choke on. Always keep an eye on baby when they are on raised surfaces and keep them buckled in to a rear facing car seat when in the car.

3. Don’t Stop Talking to Your Baby

Studies have shown that babies who are talked to often end up with higher IQ and larger vocabularies than babies who are not talked to. Talk to your baby while feeding, diapering and while they are awake. Reading to your baby is a good way to develop language and even reading skills.If you speak more than one language, speak to your baby in both and this will help with development of both languages.

4. Respond to Their Crying

There are some methods that propose letting a baby “cry it out”. This is not healthy for 3 month olds and crying is their only way of telling you that something is wrong. They may need a diaper changing; they may be tired, hungry or in need of cuddles. Answering baby’s cries helps them feel safe and cared for and builds their trust in you as a parent. When your 3 month old baby cries you need to try and comfort them. 3 month old babies cannot get spoiled by having their needs met and your attention is a critical need at this time. If you have tried feeding and changing, you can try swaddling in a blanket and singing softly while patting his or her back gently to try to calm them down.

5. Get Fully Prepared Before Going out with Baby

Taking your 3 month old baby out can be quite a task. It is important to bring whatever you will need according to the length of the trip. If you’re walking around once you get to your destination, make sure you have your stroller or wearable baby carrier. If you are going to a restaurant, you can bring baby in a carrier to use as a seat. If you will be out in the sunshine, make sure you have something to cover baby’s head and a sunshade of some sort. Wherever you go, always make sure you have a well-stocked diaper bag with plenty of diapers, wipes, change of clothing, bottles and a few toys.

6. Play with Your Baby

Your baby needs stimulation when awake by 3 months. Take some time out of your day to play with your baby, read and sing. Make time for baby to play on his or her tummy. These things help you bond with your baby and show them you care.

7. Try to Establish a Routine for Your Baby

At 3 months, you can begin to work your baby into a daily routine. Try to perform tasks at the same times every day such as playtime, feeding time and naptime. This will help your baby feel more secure and understand life better.