She needs to discover and explore the whole world before she can decide whether or not she wants to take it over, right?
Baby has grown enough that she might be getting big enough that her pediatrician might recommend moving her into sleeping in her crib, if she has been sleeping in a bassinet or co-sleeper. The amount Baby has grown in the past 3 months is fascinating, and she is as fascinated with herself as you are. You might notice this in effect as Baby explores everything about herself, including putting her hands in her mouth.
You’re still months away from the time when Baby will recognize herself in the mirror – she has grown a lot, but she hasn’t grown that much. That means that, if Baby’s feeling social, but you don’t have a playdate set up, for a few more months, a little time with an unbreakable mirror could be just as good. Baby might be fascinated by the reflection, and can use this time to start learning about facial expressions.
Now that Baby is talking a little more, even if she isn’t exactly saying words yet, this is a great time to start talking to Baby, and leaving spaces in the conversation for her to talk back. Even better, when Baby babbles to you, try answering her! She will love the attention, and the encouragement may give her the incentive she needs to expand her vocabulary of noises. She probably started with repeating vowel sounds, but she could start adding consonants soon now too!
Milestones
- Laughing: Once Baby starts smiling, laughing is the next link of the social chain. Laughing reflects an understanding of the world that is far more advanced than where she was just a few short weeks ago. These laughs can seem novel at first, but you’ll be making Baby crack up for years to come, so get used to it!
- Recognizes a bottle or breast: For the first three months, Baby might not have paid much attention to where her food is coming from – she knows that food is coming, so why worry about it? Nowadays though, Baby might be able to recognize a breast or bottle when she sees it, showing her taking a more active interest in her meals.
