Holding a 3 week old baby is more comfortable when compared with their first week of life, as they grow in size with developed limbs, and muscles.
At the age of 3 weeks, your baby develops into the responsive one from the unresponsive newborn. Here is what you can look for in your baby during this week. Prepare yourself according to the changes in your baby. At this stage you are ready to enjoy the parenthood together with the growth of your new one.
This article discusses the milestones of 3 week old baby. It presents some tips to take care of your 3 week old baby.
3 Week old baby’s physical and cognitive development:
As your baby travels to their second week, it is the great shift into an active little one. By the end of 3 weeks your baby becomes more active. They look like entirely different one when compared with the one that you brought the home at the first week.
Here are a few physical and cognitive developments in your 3 week old baby:
1. 3 week old baby’s height and weight:
3 week old baby’s weight and height varies with the gender.
- Female babies are around 52-53 cms of long with the weight of 3.5-4 kgs
- Male babies are around 53-54 cms of long with 4-4.5 kgs
The baby may grow about 1 to ½ in the height and 1 ½ to 2 pounds during this month. Your baby may grow slower or faster than this. This is just an average.
2. Baby’s head movements:
This is one of the milestones for 3 week old baby. Neck muscles of the 3 week old baby are going to be very week. They can raise their head briefly for few seconds. You may notice baby turning head from side to side at this age.
3. 3 week old baby Cry:
Babies cry a lot in during the first 12 weeks of their life. It is the only way of their communication with you. Gradually, you could be able to identify various kinds of crying in your baby including hungry cry, tired cry, uncomfortable episodes of cry etc.
The soothing thing that you can do is to rule out the cause. There are many things to check for in the crying baby. Some of them are changing the nappy, putting off or changing the clothes, gently rocking and feeding them.
Crying for more hours especially can be a sign of colic, which usually starts at the age of 3 weeks. Babies usually get out of this colic condition at the age of 12 weeks.
4. 3 week old baby’s n feeding schedule:
A 3 week old baby drinks more milk when compared to first two weeks of their life. They tend to suck more which makes them feel tired and have longer cycles of sleep.
Your baby’s stomach remains the same and they can not hold large amounts of milk so that they tend to have less amounts of milk for more times. They are required to feed for every two to three hours. Babies might take half ounce per feeding during the first two days of their life, this may gradually increase to 1 to 2 ounces at each feeding. This amount may increase to 2 to 3 ounces by the end of 2 weeks.
Don’t offer your new born baby whole cow’s milk till they turn 1 year. Never prefer to give soy milk or homemade formula milk to your baby as they lack in the balance of nutrition baby needs as per their age.
5. Pacifier for 3 week old baby:
A pacifier helps to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in babies. Pacifiers are the contentment for the baby between the feeding cycles. 3 to 4 weeks is the best age to introduce pacifiers for the baby to promote the sucking reflexes. Pacifiers help the baby to get into sleep on their own.
6. 3 Week old baby sleep schedule:
Sleep schedule is one of the 3 week old newborn milestones. Pediatricians suggest that sleeping on the mother’s chest provide the babies much comfort. Babies are recommended to sleep in their own bed under the supervision of their parents during the night time. Increased feeding schedules make your child feel tired and set into quick, longer sleep periods. You baby can easily get into the sleep after feeding or casually cuddling.
The constant hunger cycles do not allow your new born baby to have specific sleep schedules. In order to offer comfortable sleep schedules for your baby, wrap your baby in a light cloth that is compatible with the surrounding temperature.
7. 3 Week old baby’s nap schedule:
Make your newborn’s nap time different from the night sleep. This helps them to avoid mixing up day and night. Keep the doors and curtains open and some fresh air and light to enter into your baby’s room.
Make your baby’s room dim and free from the noises during the night time.
8. 3 Week old baby Hearing:
Baby’s start to hear the sounds when they are in their mother’s womb. Sounds of the outside world may become louder and clear for your newborn.
Some unexpected sounds may startle your baby and some may soothe your baby. Besides your voices, your baby will enjoy listening music.
9. 3 week old baby’s vision:
This is one of the three week old baby milestones. At this stage, your baby might recognize your face at the distance of 8-12 inches from them. You might recognize the improvement in the attention span.
Babies prefer to look at the shapes and objects with light and dark borders.
10. Baby’s ability to smell:
Experiments proved that newborn babies are good at recognizing the odor components.
Along with the hearing and visual sense, babies have the ability to smell and taste. Babies can focus their vision with in the range of about 10 inches during their first month. But, they can find their mother by using the sense of smelling. Babies can smell from the much distances beyond their extent of the vision.
11. Behavior:
All the babies are born with certain inbuilt reflexes. Those reflexes start to appear at the age of 3 weeks. Sucking on the breast, grasping the objects around, moving the hands and legs are all the natural reflexes.
Babies focus on the aspects of your face like nose, or earring or mouth. Babies show response to the sounds often. Babies will start to move their mouths in countless number of ways and may start to smile on seeing your face. Even though your baby can not understand, speak to them a lot and lay the foundations for the speech development which will begin from the day one.
12. Strength of 3 week old baby:
A 3 week old baby gets stronger and changes each day. They can lift their head for few seconds and turn their head from side to side following the caregiver. Upper body strength of your baby starts developing at this stage. It is good, if your baby lies on their stomach under your supervision and tries to use their arms. These attempts will help your child to develop the strength that is required to hold themselves firmly upright.
13. Spitting Up:
Don’t get concerned with the spitting in your newborn as their digestive systems are too small that can hold a few tablespoons of milk.
You might also notice some sounds from the bottom due to the kicks in the digestive system.
14. 3 week old baby poop schedule:
It is more important to monitor your newborn’s diaper. The texture of their stools reveals more about the quality and quantity of the milk they take regularly. Newborns poop schedules and the texture largely depend on whether they are breastfeeding or bottlefeeding. Formula feeding babies may have fewer bowel movements when compared breastfeeding babies. on an average babies usually poop for about 7 times a day during the first week of their life which gradually decreases when they reach their second week and turns more normal by third week.
3 Week old baby care tips:
Here are a few tips that you should take care for in your new born.
1. Proper Feeding:
Ensure to offer regular and proper feeding cycles for your baby. Feeding plays a prominent role in the development and promotion of the immunity in your new born.
2. Help your baby to adjust to the sleep patterns:
A 3 week old baby is too young to get adjusted to the regular sleep routines. Ensure to create a more comfortable environment for your baby to have a better and quality sleep.
3. Ensure the surroundings are more hygiene:
Use the conditioners, soaps with mild fragrance so that they can not irritate your little one. Change your baby’s bed lenin more frequently and soak them in the warm water before washing.
4. Check for the diaper rashes:
New born babies are more prone to diaper rashes. Check their diaper to ensure that it is clean and dry. Any rashes should be identified at the early stages to prevent them from spreading.
5. Keep your baby active:
Some babies may start producing the sounds as soon as they reach 3 weeks. Take this an opportunity and spend more time with them. Make the funny faces, and some sounds that .
6. Navel care:
By the three weeks, you baby’s umbilical cord might have dried and fallen off. But, still you need to take care of their navel area as it is still sensitive.
7. Vaccinations and tests:
Babies get preventive care and protection from you before they are born. Your baby is done with the required tests and vaccinations before they enter into this week. It is recommended for the pregnant women to take the flue shot especially during the influenza season. Flu shot protects the baby for about 2-3 months after the birth.
8. Walk with 3 week old baby:
It is perfectly fine to take your newborn baby for walk when you follow the basic precautions. Getting out in the green environment is good for both parents and newborn.
9. Baby’s skin:
It is more important to take care of the baby’s sensitive skin during the few weeks after their birth. All your baby’s skin perfection are temporary and can go on their own without any medication. But, proper care is require to replenish the fresh skin.
10. Administer some hygiene rule at your home:
It is more important to follow some hygiene tips at your home. Wash your baby’s bed linen, and blankets regularly. Soak them in water before washing. Don’t allow smokers to touch your baby. Avoid smoking in the house to protect your baby from the risk of thirdhand smoking.
Ask your family members and friends to wash their hands before touching your baby. Instruct your little one not to touch your baby’s hands or face. Ask them to gently tap baby’s back and touch the toes.
In conclusion, make every developmental week of your baby successful and memorable by knowing them in advance and preparing yourself to help your baby reach the milestones. The first year of journey is a great chance for you to get to know about your baby. It is also a time to make your baby to trust you. Ensure to keep your baby safe and let them to explore their new world.
