Chorevia

Day 61 of 120 · Week 9

Month three

Last reviewed · 3 min read · 10 sources · Plain-text version

The 4-month list is the road ahead, not today's test. Which newborn reflexes fade when, the first hints of personality, and forearm push-ups on the floor.

A South Asian mother lies on her stomach on a living-room rug, face to face with her nine-week-old, who is pushing up onto both forearms on a floor blanket in morning light.

The shots are behind you. Month three begins with a baby who is starting to act on purpose, and a list that describes the months ahead rather than today.

Heart

Something new is showing up: a preference, a mood, a way of looking at you that is all this baby's. The AAP describes this stretch as one where newborn reflexes fade, babies stare at their hands, and personality starts to show (AAP).

Head

The next milestone list is the 4-month one. It names skills at least 75% of babies show by that age, so it describes the road ahead, not what your baby must do today (Zubler et al., 2022). By 4 months, most babies smile on their own to get your attention, coo, hold their head steady, and push up onto forearms on their tummy (CDC). Born early? Use corrected age for milestones during the first 2 years (AAP).

Body

The reflexes you watched in the first weeks are on their way out, each on its own schedule. The startle (Moro) and stepping reflexes usually fade around 2 months, rooting around 4 months, the palm grasp at 5 to 6 months, and the "fencing" tonic neck reflex at 5 to 7 months (AAP).

Try today

  1. The same baby on the floor blanket, chest lifted onto the forearms, eyes on a soft red toy the mother holds just above the blanket.

    Forearm push-up tummy time

    Time: 3 to 10 minutes, several times a day · Forearm push-up tummy time in the guide

    1. Lay your baby tummy-down on a firm, flat surface with elbows tucked under their shoulders.

    2. Get down at eye level and talk, or set a toy just in front of them.

    3. Slowly move the toy up a little so they lift their chest to follow it.

    Make it work:

    Pushing up onto forearms is a 4-month milestone (CDC); WHO's target is at least 30 minutes on the tummy a day, spread out, while awake (WHO).

Watch for

  • Normal

    a startle that's weaker than it was a month ago.

    Tell your pediatrician

    if a reflex seems different on one side, or if your baby moves one side of the body better than the other (AAP).

  • Normal

    fussiness and a sore leg in the day or two after the shots.

    Call your pediatrician right away

    for any fever before 12 weeks, even after vaccines, and don't give fever medicine before your baby is seen (AAP).

  • Normal

    a baby who hasn't started on the 4-month list.

    Don't wait and see

    if your baby doesn't smile at you or can't hold their head up on their tummy (CDC); or call your state's early intervention program for a free evaluation (CDC).

For you

The mother at the kitchen counter writing a short list on a notepad, the baby awake in a bouncer seat on the floor beside her, straps buckled.

A new month, the same rules for your own body. The CDC's urgent maternal warning signs still apply: a headache that won't go away or gets worse, changes in vision, a fever of 100.4°F or higher, chest pain or a fast-beating heart, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding, extreme swelling of your hands or face, thoughts about harming yourself or your baby, and overwhelming tiredness. Seek care immediately for any of them, and tell any provider that you were pregnant within the last year (CDC).

Their own line says the rest: "If you feel like something just isn't right, or you aren't sure if it's serious, talk to your health care provider" (CDC).

If you're the partner: read that list once, today.

Sources

This guide is general education that summarizes published research and guidance from groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the WHO. It isn’t medical advice, and every child develops on their own timeline. Your pediatrician knows your child; if something feels wrong, call them. In an emergency, call 911.

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