3 months
Three months old: laughter and lifting up
Pushing up on the forearms, batting at toys and the first real laugh.
Three-month-olds are sociable and busy: they laugh, grab at toys, hold the head up on the tummy and clearly know who their people are. The second round of vaccines is due this month.
Growth
Weight
5.6–7.8 kg
Length
60–66 cm
Around 4–5 months most babies have doubled their birth weight. Typical range; your paediatrician tracks your baby on a growth chart.
What your baby is learning
- On the tummy, many babies push up onto their forearms and hold the head up steadily to look around.
- Hands open up: your baby bats at hanging toys, brings the hands together and takes them to the mouth.
- Laughing and squealing appear, and the babble becomes more varied and louder.
- Your baby recognises familiar caregivers from across the room, lights up when they appear and may calm as soon as a parent walks in.
- Head control is good when held upright, and when pulled to sit the head lags only a little.
Feeding
- Exclusive breastfeeding continues; around 3 months many babies feed 6–8 times a day with longer gaps. Your breasts may feel softer now – this is supply settling, not milk running out, as long as nappies and weight are fine.
- Babies this age get distracted during feeds and may pull off to look around; a quiet, dim room helps.
- If you are returning to work or study, expressed milk keeps up to 4 hours at room temperature, up to 4 days in the fridge and up to 6 months in a freezer. Someone else can give it from a cup or bottle while you are away.
- Still no solids, water or tea: food before 6 months offers no benefit and raises the risk of tummy infections. Vitamin D 400 IU and the mother's potassium iodide 200 µg continue.
Sleep
Sleep is around 14–17 hours in total; many babies now have a longer stretch of 5–6 hours at night and three or four daytime naps. Back to sleep every time, in a cot or beshik in your room, on a firm flat mattress with a fitted sheet and nothing else; a sleeping bag or light sleep suit instead of blankets. Keep the room at a comfortable 20–22 °C and no smoke anywhere near the baby. Never sleep on a sofa with your baby.
Check-ups and vaccines
- At 3 months the second round of vaccines is due: OPV-2, Rota-2, PCV-2 and Penta-2 – the same protection as at 2 months. Bring the vaccination card to the polyclinic.
- Reactions are the same as last time: a mild fever, a sore leg and fussiness for a day or two. Call 103 or go to the hospital for fever above 39 °C, a seizure, swelling of the face, breathing difficulty or a limp, unresponsive baby.
- The monthly paediatric check-up tracks weight, length and head circumference; mention if your baby strongly prefers turning the head to one side or has a flat spot on the skull.
- Drooling and chewing on fists are normal and do not necessarily mean teeth; most first teeth arrive at 6–10 months.
Play and everyday tips
- Hang a toy within reach above your baby lying on the back so they can bat and grab; a play mat with arches is ideal.
- Daily tummy time, now with a mirror or a favourite toy; aim for 20–30 minutes a day in total, split into sessions.
- Play peekaboo, make funny faces and copy the laugh – the back-and-forth builds attention and attachment.
- Read, sing and talk in your home language or languages; name body parts during bathing and dressing.
- Still no screens; carrying your baby and showing them the world is far more engaging.
Call the doctor or 103 if
- Fever: at 3 months and younger, 38 °C or higher is still an emergency – call 103. After 3 months, see the paediatrician the same day for any fever, and call 103 for fever with breathing difficulty, a rash that does not fade when pressed, or unusual drowsiness.
- No smiling at people, not watching faces or following moving objects, or not turning towards sounds.
- Head still very floppy when held upright, a very stiff body, or hands always tightly fisted.
- Refusing feeds, fewer wet nappies than usual, forceful or green vomiting, or blood in the stool.
- Breathing difficulty, grunting, flaring nostrils, blue lips or a bulging soft spot.
- For any of these, call 103 or go to the polyclinic or hospital without waiting.
Trust your instinct. If your baby seems unwell to you, call 103 or go to the polyclinic.
Monthly updates in Telegram
Tell the bot your baby's birth date and it will send a development digest every month, with the vaccines due next.
- ✓A short digest every new week
- ✓Countdown to your due date
- ✓Reminders about upcoming checkups
- ✓Kick counter and contraction timer