The third month of a child’s life: development, psychology, games, speech and hearing, walks, care

Activities with a 3 month old baby

Now let's talk about what entertainment and exercises are suitable for a child of this age. Of course, such activities are primitive in nature, and they are carried out in the course of everyday activities and while caring for the baby.

A very important area in the life of all children is their physical development. To develop the baby’s movements, special gymnastics is needed.

Sample exercises for a 3 month old baby:

• The baby lies on his tummy, resting on his forearms, with his head raised. The mother starts an emotional “conversation” with the baby, the purpose of which is to help hold the head as long as possible. The baby looks carefully and for a long time into his mother’s eyes. When you try to lower your head, you can ring a rattle or other musical toy. Such activities with children 3 months old help strengthen the muscles of the back and neck.

• The baby is in an upright position, the mother holds him with her hands under her armpits. The baby's feet are on a hard surface, and he tries to rest them on the entire foot. The exercise is useful for the development of legs. But you shouldn’t overuse it or put a lot of stress on your baby’s joints!

• If the baby is lying on his tummy, you can put the thing that interests him in front of him at such a distance that he cannot reach it. The little one will stretch out her hand and will not be able to reach it. Then the mother places her palm on the soles of her feet, giving support and pushing the child towards the goal.

• To develop purposeful movements and tactile sensations, toys are hung above the baby’s crib. It’s good when they are made of different materials, have bright colors and make sounds. The baby reaches out to them and examines them with his fingers, thus becoming familiar with the properties of the objects.

The baby's muscles are not yet strong, so you can help them strengthen through massage. Massage movements should be stroking and light. The feet and hands are relaxed with kneading movements. You can’t tire your baby out for a long time with a massage; a few minutes are enough.

What to do with a 3 month old baby

Growing and getting better

During a visit to the pediatrician once a month, infants are first measured for height and weight - the main indicators of the proper development of children at an early age. Changing the circumference of the head and chest is also important. The norm is considered to be an increase in the child’s height by 3–4 cm during the third month, and an increase in weight by 800 g. Again, the given figures are averaged, included in the development calendar, which doctors check with. But small deviations in one direction or another are considered the norm.

Usually, babies in the third month of life noticeably become rounder, become plump, appetizing, with constrictions on their arms and legs, of course, mainly due to breastfeeding. Mother's milk a priori contains all the necessary valuable substances, vitamins and microelements that the baby needs for good development.

However, in the third month, a short-term lactation crisis usually occurs. Now the main thing for mom is not to be nervous and remain confident. You need to drink at least 2 liters. liquids per day, introduce more meat and cottage cheese into the diet, try special medications that stimulate milk production. Complementary feeding is contraindicated during this period. If problems with lactation continue and there is a lack of breast milk, start supplementing your baby with an adapted formula.

In the case of initial artificial feeding, it is at the age of 3-4 months that the baby is allowed to introduce the first complementary foods. One-component vegetable purees from zucchini, cauliflower, and broccoli can serve as additional nutrition. Offer him apples and pears puree, but it is better to give him fruits after vegetables. Fruits taste much more pleasant, and the baby, having tried a more tasty dish first, will most likely refuse to eat the rest.

Educational toys for 3 month old babies

Of course, at this age the child is too young to play subject or story games. Therefore, he needs a minimum number of toys. And absolutely any subject that can interest the baby can become educational. The main thing is that it is safe.

And yet, what development tools should you have on hand?

• First of all, these are rattles. The bright color of the rattle and its sound attracts the baby's attention.

• At 3 months old, toys can successfully replace various household items, such as bottles, boxes, and much more that is at hand.

• Little ones love beads and other small objects. Therefore, you can let him hold his mother’s beads, of course, under the close supervision of an adult.

• To develop tactile perception, you can give your child various pieces of fabric made from different materials (for example, leather, cotton, denim, silk).

• Balls, balloons, cubes, pyramids, as well as soft toys with large “live” eyes will be useful. You can put such a soft miracle in your baby’s crib and watch how he begins to communicate with it and look at it for a long time.

Let us emphasize once again that a 3-month-old baby does not need a mountain of developmental entertainment at all. It's a waste of money. A baby should have only a few toys, and if there are a lot of them, then they should perform a developmental function.

Educational games for 3 month old babies

Any mother can organize useful games at home for her baby. Here are some examples of how to develop a child at three months old with the help of games.

• Peekaboo. Mom covers her head with a towel or scarf and asks the baby: “Where is mommy?” Ku-ku! Then the scarf is removed: “Here is mom!” In the same way, you can hide the child himself. Perhaps he will be able to remove the scarf himself. In this case, praise is required.

• Development of onomatopoeia. Mom looks into the eyes and starts a conversation with the baby, trying to get him to repeat the vowel sounds: “Uuu. Boo Boo Boo!" Such communication evokes positive emotions in the baby, manifested by a complex of revitalization. In addition, by playing such games, adults encourage their baby to achieve his first speech achievements.

• Finger games. This could be “Magpie-White-sided”, “Mushroom”, “Kuyu-Kuyu Leg” or other finger games. The purpose of such games is the development of fine motor skills, as well as the emotionally positive development of the baby.

• Game "Find the bell". A mother introduces her baby to a bell (or any other musical toy), namely the sound it makes. Then mom takes the bell aside and rings them. The baby’s task is to look for the sounding bell. Thanks to this game, not only auditory perception is developed, but also motor skills (active turns of the torso and head towards the sound).

• Singing. Doctors say that babies hear and remember their mother’s singing while still in the womb. Three-month-old babies also love songs and freeze while listening to their mother's lullaby. Often after singing, the baby begins to babble, as if he is trying to repeat after his mother what he just heard.

Now you know what to do with a three-month-old baby. Obviously, any loving parent can do this. All that remains is to conclude that the level of progress of the baby is, first of all, in the hands of his mother and father. And to organize a lesson with him, it is not at all necessary to buy mountains of literature and toys. The main thing is to be close to the baby and communicate with him as much as possible, since, as mentioned at the very beginning, in infancy the leading activity is emotional communication with adults.

What can a 3 month old baby do?

1. DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIORAL FEATURES OF A CHILD AT 3 MONTHS From this article you will learn what a child at 3 months of age can do independently, what daily routine is most suitable for babies of this age, how and when to introduce complementary foods, the weight and height of a three-month-old baby. The behavior of a small child at three months is more meaningful than that of a two-month-old baby. Movements become more refined and purposeful, and the gaze can focus on an object in its field of vision. By the middle of 3 months, the child may turn his body slightly on his side to try to reach his favorite toy with his hand. The best toys for a three-month-old baby are rattles and multi-colored soft toys spinning above the crib (for example, a mobile).

At this age, the baby easily understands what mood the adult nearby is in. If mom or dad is in a good mood, then it is immediately transmitted to the little person and he smiles from ear to ear. And if parents quarrel, sort things out, or are irritated by something, then the small child cries and demonstrates restless behavior. At 3 months, the baby’s conversational skills are actively developing and therefore it is necessary to communicate with him as often as possible, play educational games, clearly accompanying his actions with remarks. In response, the baby will happily babble and even try to reproduce sounds similar to babbling and syllables - agu, gu-gu, ta-ta. The three-month-old toddler is gradually turning into a little explorer and enjoys looking at bright toys, items of clothing, and his hands. The muscle tone is no longer as tense and the fists are not clenched as tightly as in the first months after birth. He often touches surrounding things with his fingers, sometimes even grabs them with his pen and holds them. Tactile sensations and hand motor skills develop. To better see nearby objects, the child can raise the head and upper part of the body, resting his hands on the surface. But he cannot remain in this position for long. At this age, the baby requires increased attention to himself and begins to be capricious if mom or dad don’t communicate with him for a long time. What does a child look like and what can he do at 3 months:

IMPORTANT ! Why is the baby crying? • the baby wants to sleep. He is very tired or it is time to go to bed. The baby begins to rub his eyes with both hands, intensively twist his head from side to side, and if laying down is delayed, he begins to cry; • got hungry. It's time to feed if the baby begins to sob little by little, and after a while cry shrilly and loudly; • cries in pain. If a child has something in pain (head due to fever, tummy due to colic or bloating), then he suddenly begins to cry a lot, and immediately at a high pitch. Why does a 3 month old baby drool profusely? √ at the age of three months, many children experience increased salivation, as the salivary glands begin to develop and function more actively. This is a normal phenomenon and parents should not worry about this; √ In addition, at this age the baby is actively interested in the taste qualities of the objects around him and tastes everything “by tooth.” And he often sticks his fingers deep into his mouth. At the same time, drool is released profusely; √ some children develop thrush in their mouths. If you notice symptoms of thrush in your child, be sure to visit your pediatrician; √ in very rare cases, three-month-old babies begin to erupt their first teeth. This leads to increased salivation. Fever in a 3 month old child. Reasons: √ the child is very active and moves a lot; √ overheats outside in hot weather or due to excessive wrapping; √ the first incisors appear; √ the child overexerts himself during prolonged screaming; √ incorrect drinking regime; √ colds or infectious diseases. Consult a doctor immediately if, against the background of an elevated temperature, your baby experiences: - severe runny nose and noisy, arrhythmic breathing; - convulsions with rolling eyes and pale skin; - apathy and lethargy (or vice versa - excessive overexcitation); - the neck muscles are very tense, the head cannot be bent towards the body; - a small rash appears on the skin; - loose stools and vomiting; - The color of the urine has noticeably changed. The baby does not urinate for a long time; - refuses feeding within 5-6 hours. 2. WHAT A CHILD SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO AT 3 MONTHS 1) stand on his legs without tucking his toes (an adult holds the baby); 2) follow with your gaze an object moving slowly nearby; 3) must be able to turn his head in the direction of the coming sound; 4) keep the body and head in good shape when picked up; 5) knows how to lift his torso and head when lying on his tummy; 6) distinguish spoken speech from other sounds; 7) swim in the bathtub in a special circle; at 3 and a half months listens carefully to spoken words and tries to babble in response; 9) knows how to not only smile, but also laugh for a long time; 10) eat, clasping the bottle or mother’s breast with your palms. 3. DAILY ROUTINE FOR A SMALL CHILD - SLEEP AND NUTRITION Below is an example of a daily routine for a baby:

◘ Sleep ◘ How much does a baby sleep at 3 months? A three month old baby should sleep a total of 17 hours every day. In the fresh air, the child falls asleep better and sleeps more soundly and with healthy sleep. In the cold season, it is not advisable to walk for more than an hour. If the air temperature is 3 degrees or lower, then reduce walks to 40 minutes, dressing your child warmly. In the summer, you can walk with your child for about two hours, covering the stroller with a cloth that does not allow direct sunlight and small insects to pass through. During the daytime, a small child sleeps for about two hours 2-3 times. At night - a long sleep of 10-12 hours with a break for feeding. ◘ Nutrition ◘ At 3 months of age, the baby continues to feed on mother's milk. It is not advisable to introduce complementary foods before 4-5 months, since the baby’s digestive system is not sufficiently formed and there is a high probability of allergies, as well as gastrointestinal disorders. The table shows an example of feeding an infant 6 times a day at three months:

How much does a small child eat at three months? The daily volume of baby formula eaten (if the baby is bottle-fed) or breast milk has increased by 60-70 ml. In just one day, a 3-month-old baby eats 860-870 ml, and each feeding accounts for approximately 120-130 ml of food. If full breastfeeding has stopped for one reason or another and the baby is on artificial or mixed feeding, then complementary feeding can be introduced at 3.5 months. The break between feedings of a weakened baby who is on artificial feeding is approximately three hours during the day and 6 hours at night. The transition from liquid nutrition to thicker nutrition must be carried out very gradually. It is better to start introducing complementary foods into the diet not with fruit or vegetable puree, but with juice with a sweet and sour taste diluted half with water. You can choose apple juice and start giving it diluted, half a teaspoon. Over the course of 3 weeks, increase the daily intake to 5 teaspoons. Water or rosehip decoction should also be given little by little - a few teaspoons between feedings. 4. GROWTH AND WEIGHT NORMAL FOR A THREE-MONTH-OLD BABY Weight: Boys weigh from 4.8 to 6.9 kg, and girls - from 4.6 to 6.4 kg. Height: The height of boys at this age is from 57 to 63 cm, and the height of girls is from 56.4 to 62 cm. It is advisable to purchase special scales for weighing infants or weigh the baby once a month in a medical facility. The baby's weight should increase evenly without sudden fluctuations. If your body weight suddenly begins to decrease, contact your pediatrician immediately for advice. In 3 months, the baby's weight will increase by about 850 grams, and height - by 3-4 cm. 5. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A 3 MONTH OLD CHILD TO WATCH CARTOON FILMS? According to most child psychologists, it is undesirable to watch cartoons and any other animated pictures for children under 1 year old. It is strictly forbidden for a very young child to watch cartoons for more than 2-3 minutes, as animation can cause mental development disorders and vision problems! Pictures in a cartoon should not be bright, with rich, acidic colors. The animation should not be fast, calm, without sudden transitions from one plot to another. The sound accompanying the plot is not loud or harsh. Cartoon characters must be positive. A child should not watch a cartoon alone. Constantly comment on the plot, communicate with your baby. It is very advisable to purchase or make your own toy cartoon characters. During the game, act out scenes with toys in front of your baby’s eyes based on the story you watched the day before. Nowadays on the Internet you can find various educational cartoons for children 3 months old. Below is a video clip with a colorful and educational cartoon for very young children:

But we strongly do not recommend starting to introduce your baby to animation before the end of 3 months! And show him the cartoon for no longer than a minute! Don't forget to comment on every action that the cartoon characters perform. Go back to main page

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