Your 3-Month-Old Baby 

A bigger personality and a stronger body are the standout developments of 3-month-old. It’s an exciting time to be a parent, with much to discover for you both! 

Feeding schedule: At 3 months of age, your baby will likely be drinking 6 to7 fl oz of formula or breast milk, 4 to 5 times a day.  

They can see clearly now: All babies are born with fuzzy vision—seeing clearly for, at best, 12 inches from their face. By month 3, yours should see well enough to watch and track you from several feet to all the way across the room!  

Baby steps of strength.  

By month 3, your little one is developing their own personality. They’re also developing some strength and coordination, perhaps reaching for objects and turning their head in the direction of your voice. This makes it a fun time to get them involved with new toys, textures, and people. They’re working on strengthening their hand muscles to prepare for picking up toys in a few more months from now. Help them grow stronger by putting a rattle in their hand and playing a gentle game of tug-of-war.

Your little one’s taste in food is simple, but the science of good nutrition goes a bit deeper. 

Your baby’s overall development, including that of their immune system and brain, depends on appropriate amounts of macronutrients (carbohydrates, lipids, and protein) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). These nutrients help provide cell membrane structure, regulate metabolism, and supply energy.  

Here's a brief description of how micro- and macronutrients feed your baby’s growth and development: 

CARBOHYDRATES supply food energy for growth, body functions, and activity. They also allow protein and lipids to be used efficiently and normally. 

LIPIDS (fats) provide more than twice the energy of carbohydrates or protein to power growth and functionality. Lipids are made up of fatty acids. Linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid are considered essential fatty acids because they are not made by the body and must be obtained by food. These fatty acids are converted to arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), both of which are important for brain and eye development.

PROTEINS  help develop, maintain, and repair new tissues throughout the body, including in the brain.

VITAMIN E is an antioxidant found in cells, including cells in a baby’s developing eyes and brain. Vitamin E helps protect these cells. It’s also essential for structure and function of the nervous system, retinas, and skeletal muscles.

It’s natural to compare your baby’s development with other babies', but babies develop at their own pace, so you shouldn’t worry if yours does something sooner or later than another baby in your life. In general, by the end of their third month, these are some developments you can start looking for:   

• The ability to hold their head up steadily 
• "Coo" and "goo" noises, as well as other sounds 
• Interest in reaching for familiar objects 
• Focuses on closely held objects and follows them from side to side  

If you do have any concerns about your baby’s development, talk to your pediatrician.

Help your 3-month-old engage with their world

It’s not always easy to see it, but your 3-month-old is becoming quite aware of their surroundings. Here’s how you can help:

Prop them up. Give your baby a better seat by propping them up to watch what is going on around them. 

Look in mirrors. Place an unbreakable baby mirror in front of them, or hold them up to mirrors in your home. 

Soft rock. A rocking chair or porch swing is a great place to hold your baby as you talk softly and make eye contact. 

Quiet times. Your baby needs some quiet time to babble, play, and explore their world, so limit background noise, like music or the TV. 

Textures to touch. Your baby will like feeling the various textures of items like stuffed animals, plastic toys, or pieces of terry cloth or rubber (be sure pieces are not too small and that they cannot be torn off and swallowed). 

Sing quietly. A quiet song from a loved one before bed could leave your baby starry-eyed.

Some tips and things to know about your baby’s sleep patterns include: 

• Your baby might be sleeping about 14 to 17 hours total every day, including naps.¹ 
• If they roll over and wake up, wait a few minutes to see if they go back to sleep without your help. 
• Remember that you shouldn’t have anything in the crib with your baby.

Learn about infant sleep safety recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Month 4 may bring some laughter and attempts at basic speech. It’s also time to learn how you can strengthen their immune system with vitamins and minerals. Read ahead to learn more about what happens in Month 4.

Reference: 1. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Sleep. CDC website. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html. Updated May 15, 2024. Accessed August 13, 2024.