3 months old

You’re getting the hang of taking care of your baby, but you still have some questions – what parent doesn’t? Here’s an introduction to some of the basic issues concerning you and your three-month-old baby, but check out Babble’s complete baby care guide for more tips on keeping your baby happy and healthy.

Baby’s Health and Well-being

Your baby is still developing, changing and – yes – scaring you from time to time. What does it mean if your baby doesn’t poop all day? When can you finally stop jolting out of bed to make sure your baby is still breathing? What temperature is considered low-grade and when do you call the doctor? The questions will keep rolling, but don’t worry; we have answers:

• General health concerns like new bowel movement changes
• Tips on preventing SIDS
• Know when to call the doctor

Mom’s Health and Well-Being

It’s much harder to track how a mom is feeling and adapting than her baby because there’s such a wide range of possibilities – all of which are normal. You might have taken to your new lifestyle with ease or you could still feel unbalanced and overwhelmed. You might be scared to take your baby out of the house or you could be feeling trapped and stir crazy. Maybe you feel fulfilled; maybe you feel helpless. It’s important to understand that just because you sidestepped postpartum depression so far, doesn’t mean it isn’t lurking in the shadows. Keep an eye on your symptoms and talk to someone if you’re feeling depressed, lonely and/or perpetually unhappy. Some other things you might be concerned about include:

• How to handle your new lifestyle, like managing your responsibilities and making time for romance
• Finding a babysitter for scheduled date nights and last-minute outings

Feeding

While some well-intentioned strangers and family members might tell you to start putting rice cereal in your baby’s bottle (“It helps babies sleep better!”), experts agree that parents should wait at least until the four-month mark to start solids, and they should never be in a baby bottle. While you’re waiting to introduce your little one to spoons and bowls, here are some feeding issues that might come up:

• How to reduce the number of nighttime feedings
• General feeding concerns like introducing a bottle, weaning from breastfeeding and supplementing with formula

Diapering

We bet you didn’t know that human waste management could be so complex. Nowadays, there’s more to diapering than a package of Pampers or cloth and pins. You have more environmentally friendly, healthy, cute-looking options – and they’re just as effective as disposables. But what’s right for your family?

• Why your baby is getting diaper rash and what to do about it
• Debating whether to switch to cloth diapers? Read about the different cloth and hybrid options – and no, they don’t involve diaper pins.

Sleeping

Much like all aspects of babyhood, there’s a wide range of “normal” in terms of sleep patterns for three month olds. While rigid training and schedules aren’t necessary just yet (experts agree that you should still be attentive to your baby’s cries and needs), your baby might start to settle into a three-naps-a-day routine. Here’s what you might be wondering about:

• How much your baby should be sleeping
• Whether you should start scheduling your baby
• How to start a healthy bedtime routine

Developmental Milestones and Play

You might start to see more personality as the month progresses, with smiling, laughing and more daytime attentiveness. Since each baby will develop at his or her own speed, don’t stress too much if your baby isn’t rolling over or swatting at toys. Track your baby’s milestones and see what to put on your playtime agenda:

• What your baby might be doing in month three
• How to entertain and teach your little one at playtime