Oh, my baby is no longer a dependent newborn but a responsive infant. He just turned 4 months a week ago. With just a blink of an eye, my little golden ball of puff is already doing a lot of things and has explored his new-found world. I can still remember his punches, kicks and jabs when he was still in utero. Sigh! I kind of miss that wonderful feeling. These days, he kicks so hard whenever he is hungry or excited. My little wiggler is growing so fast that sometimes it made me miss that teeny-weeny little human being sleeping like an angel in my arms. Of course, he will always be an angel but this time not so “teeny-weeny” anymore. Hehehe!
Anyway, I do keep track of his developmental milestones. As a new mother, I want to make sure what to expect especially on the first year of his life. I am not pressuring my little bub to learn so fast or to do the things that people expect a baby should do or reach every month. As long as he is a happy and healthy baby boy then everything’s fine. I just want to know where he is at a certain point of his development so that I can keep track and be guided accordingly. I have to put it in my mind that every baby develops in her/his own individual way and at his/her rate but of course I also need to know that failure to reach certain milestones may mean or signal medical or developmental problems which need to be addressed early on in life.
Here is a checklist of my baby’s developmental milestones at 3 months…
At 3 months Baby Nate….
:-) coos and gurgles
:-) smiles sweetly (melts our heart)
:-) follows the direction of moving object with his eyes
:-) eye to eye contact especially if I move my face very close to his
:-) puts his fingers in his mouth (oral stage)
:-)can hold his head up during tummy time for a long time/ supports upper body when lying on stomach (Before, he can only hold it for a few seconds but now he enjoys holding it up high while looking at things in a different angle. I usually place a toy in front of him and move it side to side and his eyes would follow while holding his head up still)
:-) placed his hands on his chest, opens and closes his hands
:-) bats and swats the toys dangling above him
:-)can sleep straight through the night on his crib but there are times when he wakes up to eat
I think that is all for now. He still has a long way to go. My aunt told me that at 3 months, my niece Belle can push up and down with her legs when feet are placed on a firm surface. My little boy can stand up with support but is still struggling in pushing down his legs if I hold him in a standing position. But that is perfectly alright. I know that he will be able to do that soon…when he is ready. For now, I know he is faring well and is on the right track. My husband and I are very proud of him. We will always be there to support, encourage and guide him every step of the way.
