Month three – WOW! an interesting world …

By now your baby has adapted to the outside world, and has started exploring with his eyes. There are a number of changes you will note in him. Here are some of them:

Reflexes
You will realise he looks at everything with curiosity. If a mirror is propped before him, he will not make out his image but he will love to stare back and mimic the movements he is making and probably smile to show his delight. His grasp has improved. He will reach out for anything and probably try to manoeuvre with it till it is in his mouth. Lightweight rattles are easy for him to grasp, a plastic or rubber ring to hold and toys that squeak when pressed.

When placed on his stomach, your baby will do lightweight push ups by lifting his sweet head and shoulders high, using his arms for support. Then go back down and up again. This helps to strengthen his muscles at the same time giving him a better view of what is going on in his surrounding. He may even roll from his back to his front and back again, especially if you encourage him through play and applause when he manages the roll. His legs remain flexed when he is lying on his stomach.

Your baby also has strength enough to hold his head and push away when held on your chest. He will also turn his head from side to side. He will sit upright when supported at the hips.

Senses
Your baby’s brain development has begun taking a significant growth especially regarding his change in behaviour. He will now be more familiar to the outside world and sensitive to changes in his environment. Hand to eye coordination will greatly improve and most of the times your baby will enjoy moving his arms and legs energetically and looking at them when placed on his back. His sight at this time has improved a great deal, thus enabling him to recognize objects around him.   His hearing and smelling abilities have also become active. When your baby hears your voice, he will either look directly at you and start gurgling or trying to talk back. Your baby can now wave her arms and pump his legs. ,And as his hip and knee joints become more flexible, his kicks are getting stronger. Hold him upright with his feet on the floor and feel him push down. Your baby may as well quiet down and make eye contact with you, or he may search for you in a room and move his arms in excitement or smile when he finds you. Your scent will calm and comfort him.

Communication
At this age, your baby will start using body movements to express emotions such as excitement, distress or discomfort.

Interaction is important. Expose your baby to a variety of words even if he just stares at you or responds by gurgling. Talk about your surroundings when you take him for a walk, and point to and identify objects as you walk through your surroundings. He may never understand or repeat the words as you say them but his rapidly developing memory stores the information in his subconscious. A colicky baby will start calming down at this month. So, at last you can rest and have more fun with him.

Sleep
By now your baby has started settling into a reliable sleeping pattern. At night, he may be able to sleep for a six- hour stretch though some babies still wake up for feeding. During the day he may take two naps. His sleeping more in the night will give you more rest.

Eating patterns
As he grows, your baby’s feeding patterns will grow too. You will notice that the time between feedings is longer because he is now a little expert in suckling to his fill. You may also notice more vigour and haste when he is suckling, because of his mastery of the feeding. Soon you will be weaning him and this will supplement the breast milk or formula he has been having.

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