11 weeks old

Now that Baby is almost a quarter of a year old, many new parents are starting to feel like they’re due for a night out, infant-free. Feeling ready to have an evening of acting like an adult who gets to spend time with other adults doesn’t mean you feel ready to actually not be around Baby for long enough to make that happen. It’s a rite of passage, both for you and for Baby, though if you don’t feel ready yet, there’s no reason to rush.

At this point in Baby’s life, he has probably settled into more predictable routines than the chaos of his earliest babyhood. Even there are a few hiccups in his eating and sleeping routines, he probably doesn’t seem like he is going out of his way to be confusing. Be prepared for that to change for a little while, though – if Baby isn’t in the middle of one right now, there’s a good chance he is headed straight for a big growth spurt.

You’ll know Baby is heading into a growth spurt not just because your once-tiny Baby is suddenly looking a little bit taller, but because he will end up with more of an appetite than you’re used to. Instead of just eating more at each feeding, though, there’s a good chance he will be getting hungry more often, too. This can disrupt napping schedules, and nighttime sleep as well. Before too long, though, he will settle into a brand new, slightly bigger, normal – at least, until his next growth spurt.

In the meantime, it’s never too late – or too early – to hone your napping skills, both in terms of getting Baby’s naptime routine, and in terms of getting a few extra hours of sleep yourself, now and then. Part of taking care of Baby is taking care of yourself, and if he is feeling sleepy, it only makes sense that you might be, too!

Baby is probably continuing to get more verbal, and more in touch with his surroundings, extending to his home, family, and the other major players in his life. Social smiles either increase, or are getting closer and closer to arriving. Baby is settling more and more into a routine every single day.

Milestones

• 2 feet tall (60 cm): Most infants might not hit this height until closer to or after the 3-month mark, but some extra-tall babies will already have gotten here. This sounds pretty tall, we know, but there’s still plenty of room to go up from here.
• Brings both hands together: Watch out for this one! Baby might have touched his hands together before, but it probably wasn’t overly intentional. Around this time Baby is gaining a lot of small motor coordination which allows him to do very complicated tasks, like bringing his hands together. Next up, clapping!