Supporting Your Baby's Developments
Choose a timetable
What to Expect
During the third month of life, your infant starts to show a little more personality. Activities are a bit more social than they were a couple months ago when eating and sleeping were all that your baby was interested in. During socializing times your baby will start to:
- Lift thier head to a 45 degree angle from the surface he or she is lying on
- Stiffen legs as if trying to stand when feet are on a hard surface
- Reach for shiny or dangling objects (many necklaces have been broken due to this)
- Grasp toys and shake small hand toys such as rattles, but will let go quickly, due to lack of strength
- Imitate sounds that they hear
- Recognize people and start to develop trust of known people, as well as distrust and fear strangers
- Lift head with much better muscle control.
- Starts to develop hand-eye coordination
- Energetically kicks and moves while awake to use up energy or if they become excited
- Brings hands together in a clapping motion
- Attempts to put things in mouth, but will not be fully co-ordinated enough to do so
- Will grab hair and anything dangly
- Will drool a lot as a result of discomfort in gums, will suck hands for comfort
- Watches and enjoys circles and spiral patterns
- Lifts head and chest when laid on tummy and will attempt to move
- Will lean forwards in an attempt to get up, especially if propped up
- But cannot sit up straight or unaided
- Watch you intently as you eat
- Can hit and strike things randomly on activity toys with hands and feet
- Attempts to control hand movements but often struggles leading to frustration
What to do
Use the timetable below to support their developments and avoid developmental delays. This timetable builds on the previous month and baby needs to continue some of the activities expereinced previously. However, they will be able to achieve greater levels of skill now.
hOW TO SUPPORT Baby's DEVELOPMENTS
Your baby is becoming stronger by the day and is able to stand a little when held up. Legs and arms are straightening and need plenty of execise to get stronger.
Your baby’s eyesight will also be getting much stronger and starting to see in colour. continue to use the black and white images but also the coloured images to develop the colour receptors in their eyes.
They will have almost perfect hearing now and startle at sudden noises. Continue to stimulate their hearing and give them access to different noises to develop their awareness further.
Like everything else, your baby’s sense of touch and feelings are also developing. They will find massages and other sensory experiences enjoyable and stimulating.
Your baby will recognise you, smile, laugh and giggle. They will attempt to communicate with you by cooing and making vocal sounds. Give them plenty of eye-contact and talk and smile to them regualrly.
Baby is now starting to show signs that he or she is enjoying your company. They will look for you when you are not there and cry out to get your attention. Keep them close to you and do not let them out of your sight for long.
Baby is learning rapidly from all that is happening around them. They are putting the pieces of the puzzle together and testing to see what happens. For example, noticing that you come when they call and so on.
Now that their reflex actions have subsided, they try to use their hands more. They are able to grip things like rattles etc. for a very short period of time, but need a lot of practice to develop their hand muscles.
0 – 3 Months
Follow the Sound
Monitor your infant’s hearing development and stimulate their listening skills.
Sound clips library
Stimulate your child’s hearing with these different noises (comes with accompanying picture cards).
Music and audio stories
If you are short of time, and cannot read or sing to your baby yourself, play music or stories in the background for your infant to listen to and support their brain development.
Sillouette cards
16 black and white pictures to focus and strengthen eye muscles (hold 12 inches away from eyes).
Follow it - light
Attract their attention with a rainbow of colours from crystal pendants.
Follow it - mobile
It’s important to support your baby’s eye sight. A musical mobile can work wonders.
Flying Baby
Develop trust and bonding between you and your baby. Rock them and take them for a ride.
Roly Poly
Human contact and physical interaction is important for babies. This activity builds bonding.
Cuddle Time
Developing a strong bond between parent and baby develops confidence and resilience.
Essential Toys
Babies need to exercise their arm and leg muscles. These toys will encourage gross motor development.
Baby Massage
Babies need to stretch their muscles to make them more supple and flexible. Help them to relax through massage.
Baby Gym
Baby gyms have multiple functions. These are excellent for developing sight and hearing, as well as gross motor skills.
Story Telling
Develop your child’s language skills by telling them stories.
Action Talk
Talk through your actions and tell your child what you are doing.
Walk and Talk
Develop your baby’s social skills and language skills together.
Laugh Laugh Laugh
Laughing is a great social skill which also reduces stress and builds bonds.
Mirror Mirror
Help baby to recognise themselves and understand that they are also an independent individual.
Social Interactions
Encourage interactions with others to develop social skills. Teach them how to say hello and goodbye.
Baby Stretch
Before your baby can use their hand muscles, they need to strengthen their arm and shoulder muscles.
Baby Yoga
Help your child become flexible and strengthen their muscles with relaxing yoga exercises. Be very gentle with newborns.
Turn and Grip
These simple exercises use a baby’s natural reflexes to strengthen their hand muscles and develop fine motor skills.
