Babies develop rapidly during the first three months. Your baby's doctor will monitor growth and development at regular check-ups using standard growth charts, but you can use some general guidelines to help you watch for certain milestones. Keep in mind that babies develop at different rates, and the National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families advises that you use any list of developmental milestones as a general guide only.
Social and Emotional
At about three months, your baby begins to communicate and express himself more with his face and body. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you can expect him to mimic some facial expressions and movements of others and begin to develop a social smile. Your baby now enjoys playtime with others and may object by crying when playing stops.
Physical
Your three month old baby can now open and shut her hands, grab and shake hand toys, grab dangling objects with her hands and bring the hand to her mouth. She will also begin to support her upper body with her arms while lying on her stomach, stretch her legs out and kick, put the weight on her legs when her feet are placed firmly on a surface and raise her head and chest when lying on the stomach.
Vision
Development of your baby's vision at three months has him watching your face intently. He is now following moving objects with his eyes and is using his eyes and hands in coordination. He also begins to recognize familiar people and objects at a distance.
Hearing and Language
Your heart will melt as your three month old baby smiles upon hearing your voice. Language development is evident as your baby starts to babble and imitate a few sounds. As his hearing develops, he begins to turn his head toward the direction of the sound.
Warning
Although babies develop at very different rates, failure to reach certain milestones may indicate conditions that need medical attention. Consult your doctor if, by three to four months, your baby does not seem to notice loud noises, does not follow moving objects with the eyes, does not grab and hold objects or does not smile at other people. Other causes for concern at this age include failure to babble, inability to support the head well, failure to reach for and hold toys, difficulty moving eyes in all directions and frequent crossing of the eyes.
