Talk to me about 3 month olds

[ChristOnABicycle]

Long time lurker! I feel like this might be an essay so apologies in advance.

I have a 3 month old (13ish weeks) DD and I am getting a little concerned that she’s not doing the same things that other babies her age are.

She has her fists clenched a lot still and has only really just started batting at her toys (mostly still with fists) and most of the time that seems accidental. She does grab things sometimes if I touch her hand with them and will pull at blankets/clothes. A lot of the time she has her arms in the air just staring at her hands.

She smiled properly at around 8 1/2 weeks and it took a while for that to be more than once in a blue moon. She does soft little chuckles - should she be laughing properly by now?

She does coo a bit, very rarely, usually when tired and only gurgley “ooo” sounds whereas my friend’s DS of a similar age will squeal, make “ah” sounds and seems to have actual conversations (without real words obviously!)

So I guess I’m asking you to tell me about your 3month olds and whether or not she sounds normal?! She is under the paediatrician as her head grew pretty quickly after birth but he seems to think it’s not a worry. Talk me down!

She sounds perfectly fine to me, but it's a while since I had a 3 month old. I think it's more like 5-6 months when they get a bit more interactive. Staring at hands is a normal developmental milestone. What are your fears?

Thank you for your reply, I don't know really! I think the head thing has worried me so I'm sort of constantly looking for signs that something's wrong!

The only other thing is that when she's sat on my lap she won't look at me but she gives good eye contact if she's in her car seat, pram etc. I've never been a worrier in the slightest but since she's come along I'm the worst for it! Need to remind myself that today she is happy and healthy and that is the most important thing.

Sounds normal to me. I am also sitting here with a very similar 13 week old. Our third child and so I’m quite sure she is fine.

Staring at hands is The Thing of the week here. Batting at toys also looks accidental. No proper laughing. We may or may not have had a squeal - certainly shes not much of a squealer. This baby does sometimes have a ‘conversation’. But I don’t think her sister (who is now 5 and fine and lovely) would have at this age as we were quite impressed at dc2 and dc3 conversing. They are all slightly different. The eye contact thing doesn’t sound significant either - if you get eye contact, you get eye contact. Doesn’t matter where.

Thanks Hippo, that's really reassuring to hear. And yes you're right, she does give me eye contact so obviously it doesn't matter where, I don't know why I thought it did! Sometimes I just need people to tell me to stop being ridiculous I think haha.

How are things now?