3 month old baby, growth and development
At 3 months old, the baby is actively growing and developing, mastering new skills and abilities, getting to know the world around him. The child already recognizes mom, dad and other close people, tries to rise on the arms when he lies on his stomach, rejoices, bursting into laughter, expresses discontent with loud crying and whims.
A 3-month-old baby develops his own daily routine and diet, he sleeps less and is more awake, now he is interested not only in lying, but in touching toys, communicating with his mother and looking at the environment.
Development of a 3 month old baby
During these 4 weeks, the child reaches the maximum gain in weight and height - about 900 g and 2-2.5 cm. Almost every day, the baby learns something new, and the list of his achievements is constantly growing.
The most characteristic of the third month of a child's life is the "revitalization complex", when he is happy, actively moving his arms and legs when approaching the mother's bed. This complex testifies to the normal psychophysical development of a 3 month old baby.
When the baby is in an upright position in his parents' arms, he already quite confidently holds his head, and while lying on his stomach, he tries to raise his shoulders a little. If you put the baby on a hard surface, he rests well with his feet.
It is no longer enough for a child at 3 months to just look at a toy, now he wants to play with it. The baby wakes up cognitive interest, he trains tactile sensations, strengthens the small muscles of the fingers.
The mode of a 3 month old baby changes, he sleeps less and is more awake, you can already talk to him, as he is more and more interested in the sounds around. If the baby hears the ringing of a bell or a phone call, he not only looks for the source of the sound with his eyes, but also tries to turn his head to understand what it is and where it is from.
At the end of 3 months of life, the baby should be able to:
- Raise your head 45 ° while lying on your stomach;
- Follow the eyes of an object moving in front of him in an arc at a distance of 15 cm from the face.
Day regimen for a 3 month old baby
Sleep and wakefulness at this age is usually already formed. At night, the baby sleeps for 8-10 hours, occasionally waking up to stretch. You should not get up to the child at the slightest rustle, then over time he will stop waking up. Despite the fact that the night sleep is long enough, the baby sleeps during the day. In total, in the mode of a 3 month old baby, 3-4 daytime sleep for 1.5-2 hours.
Generally, it is best for an infant to fall asleep and sleep outdoors. Walking with your baby is recommended up to three times a day, and the total duration of the walk should be approximately 6 hours. It is recommended to walk in any weather, except for days when it is raining heavily or outside frost is below 10 ° C.
The baby's day must necessarily begin with morning hygiene procedures: the mother washes her face and eyes, wiping them with a cotton pad dipped in clean water, and cleans the nose and ears as needed. During the day, you need to wash the baby every time he goes to the toilet, using water and soap if he pooped.
In the daily routine of a 3 month old baby, an evening bathing session before going to bed deserves special attention. If the baby is overly excitable and cannot calm down for a long time after the bath, you can bathe him at lunch. Comfortable water temperature for a baby is 37-38 ° С, it is good to add decoctions of herbs, for example, chamomile or string.
Nutrition for a 3 month old baby
The feeding regime of a three-month-old baby depends on the feeding method. Breastfed babies, as a rule, eat on demand, that is, without any time restrictions. Things are different with artificial babies. It is recommended to feed them 6 times a day every 3.5 hours, taking a break of six hours at night. Premature and debilitated babies require more frequent feedings - 7 times every three hours.
Other nutritional features of a 3 month old baby are strictly individual. For example, children with poor appetite or insufficient weight gain are given their own feeding regime. As soon as complementary foods are introduced, they are switched to food every 4 hours five times a day, the night break is 8 hours.
The amount of liquid needed by a baby is determined by the state of health, the nature of feeding and the climatic conditions of residence. For 1 kg of body weight, as a rule, 100-120 ml of liquid is required. If the baby is thirsty, then an additional 50 to 200 ml per day is prescribed. Water is given to the baby between feedings or during nighttime awakenings, 1-2 teaspoons.
Rational nutrition of a 3 month old baby is, first of all, mother's milk. Recent studies have shown that in the first 3-4 months, the baby should be fed exclusively with breast milk. Early feeding in the form of juices and purees can lead to allergic reactions or digestive problems.
The introduction of complementary foods from 3.5 months is justified only in case of insufficient body weight gain, with signs of rickets or anemia, and also when the baby is artificially or mixed feeding.
Complementary foods are introduced carefully, starting with a few drops of juice diluted in boiled water or from a teaspoon of sugar-free fruit puree. In the absence of allergic and other reactions, after 3-5 days, you can increase the proposed amount of complementary foods.
It is better to start with apple, and then gradually introduce the baby to other fruit and vegetable juices. Before introducing any complementary foods, you should consult a pediatrician.
Developing activities and games for a baby 3 months
Games and educational activities are simply necessary for a baby of three months, because his skills are improving every day, new conditioned reflexes are formed, and personal characteristics develop.
Focusing activities continue to play an important role in the development of a 3 month old baby. It is necessary to stimulate the baby to fix his gaze on different objects - motionless and moving. For example, you can invite your child to observe a bright toy by moving it in different directions.
Musical toys that emit various sounds are also interesting to the baby, because they develop not only the child's attention and vision, but also hearing. Various rattles and bells can be hung on the crib. Then the baby will hear them when moving, and over time will try to grab, which is a good prevention of hypertension.
The tactile sensation for babies 3 months old is also very important. A baby can be introduced to different materials and objects by offering him toys of different texture, shape and size.
Any desire of the baby to move should be encouraged, because thanks to this, over time, he will learn to roll over, crawl and sit. The kid needs to be motivated, to attract his attention, for example, by putting a bright toy next to him, which he wants to consider and stretches himself closer to her.
In the mode of a 3 month old baby, there should be not only sleep and feeding, but also games and communication with the mother, because only in this way the baby will develop correctly and fully and will quickly master the age-appropriate skills.
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