January 27, 2021 | No comments | Development of a child up to one year by month
The first year of life is the time when a child grows at a very fast pace. Even at 3 months, the baby seems mature compared to a newborn. The task of parents during this period is to create conditions that could contribute to its harmonious development. An important point is getting used to the daily routine. In order to observe the biological rhythms of the baby, young mothers and fathers need to know how much sleep a 3-month-old baby should sleep, what to do while he is awake, what elements to add to the regime, what amount of food is normal for this age.
- 1.1 How much should a baby sleep at 3 months: night and daytime sleep norms
1.1.1 Children's sleep rules: the opinion of Dr. Komarovsky - video
- 2 How long should a 3 month old baby stay awake?
- 3 Feeding mode
- 4 Daily routine of a 3-month-old baby
4.1 Approximate daily routine for a three-month-old baby - table
- 4.2 Is it necessary to establish a daily routine for a child: doctor’s opinion - video
Sleep rules for a 3 month old baby
Sleep is a very important component for infant health. The quality of a baby's sleep affects not only his health. Restless sleep day and night, frequent crying of the baby lead to a general nervous state of all family members.
Parents often worry why their baby won't sleep if they are supposed to spend a certain amount of time sleeping. How much sleep is enough for little ones depends on their age and individual characteristics.
Important! Despite the average norms for daytime and nighttime sleep, some babies may sleep more than others.
This daily sleep schedule (in the figure below) contains average norms for infants of different ages.
Sleep standards for infants
From these standards it is clearly visible how, as the child grows, the hours of night sleep increase, and the hours of daytime sleep decrease.
Features of infant sleep:
- During the first two months, the baby's sleep consists of segments of 2-3 hours, since he must be interrupted for feeding;
- From the second month, the duration of night sleep increases slightly, the break between feedings stretches out;
- In the third month, children usually begin to sleep 6-8 hours at night without interruption, which makes life much easier for parents.
What to do if you have frequent sleep disturbances
In order for the baby to wake up less during REM sleep phases, and for their gradual reduction, it is necessary to provide comfortable conditions:
- Correct temperature. The optimal temperature in the baby's room during sleep is 18-20°C;
- Severe fatigue and lack of daytime rest make it difficult for the baby to fall asleep at night;
- Some children are prevented from sleeping by a wet diaper or feeling hungry.
- To eliminate anxiety and worry from the mother’s absence, you need to place the baby’s crib next to the mother’s.
Baby's crib next to mom
The reasons why a child wakes up and cries can be completely natural. The main thing is not to wake him up even more. If the baby cries a lot, you need to approach the crib and comfort him, but do not pick him up. When he is simply groaning, it is better not to approach the crib so that the baby learns to fall asleep on his own. A hungry child needs to be fed, a soiled diaper needs to be changed. Any additional actions and sounds will cause him to finally wake up.
The duration of sleep can change at different periods of the baby's development and in accordance with the progress of his individual development. However, significant deviations from average norms require specialist consultation.
Duration of walks with a 3-month-old baby
How much should a baby weigh at 2 months?
Walking for infants is very useful; they have a beneficial effect on the development of the baby’s immunity and stimulate the development of brain activity.
Important! Sunlight promotes the production of vitamin D, which is necessary to strengthen bone tissue.
During the first three months, the walk should not be long, its duration is approximately half an hour. After three months of age, you can extend the time spent outside, repeat it several times during the day, combining it with sleep, since the baby often falls asleep in the stroller. On a nice warm day, the time spent in the fresh air can reach two and a half hours.
Baby on a walk
When is the best time to walk with your child depends on the time of year. In autumn and winter, especially on cold days, the ideal option is to go for a walk at midday, when the air temperature is near its daily maximum. In late spring and summer, when it is warm and even hot, the best time is in the morning before 12 o'clock or after 5 pm.
Important! Walking in severe frost, wind, rain, and heat is not recommended.
Some tips for walking with a 3 month old baby:
- If possible, you should choose a walk in a park or green area, avoiding too noisy places and proximity to polluted highways;
- It is better to walk with the baby immediately after feeding;
- On cold days, it is necessary to reduce the walking time;
- You can determine how to dress a child as follows: usually the baby requires another layer of clothing compared to the parent. If, for example, a mother goes outside in a blouse or T-shirt, then the baby also needs outerwear.
Duration of wakefulness of a 3-month-old baby
How long a 3 month old baby should be awake during the day is determined by simply subtracting the required sleep time from 24 hours. The main thing is not the total amount of this time, but how it is distributed throughout the day, and what is the duration of the periods of wakefulness.
How much should a 4 month old baby weigh?
In accordance with the norms, a three-month-old baby will sleep 14-16 hours a day. Of these, 8-10 hours are at night, the rest of the time is distributed 3-4 times for an hour and a half during the day. In this case, the baby can stay awake for no more than one and a half hours at a time, then he must rest.
Important! Very active behavior of a child late in the evening or at night can serve as a sign of the baby’s fatigue and lack of total hours of sleep per day. When a child is too tired, it is more difficult for him to calm down and get enough sleep.
Sleep hours are the basis of a baby's routine
At the age of 3 months, the child spends a lot of energy getting to know the world around him, and his development is very intense. The brain actively perceives and processes information, which becomes more and more every day. To avoid emotional overstimulation and not cause stress on the nervous system, the baby needs a lot of time to rest. Adequate sleep is very important: this is how a small body restores energy reserves.
According to the terminology of the World Health Organization, in the first 28 days after birth, the baby is called a newborn. At the end of the period, the child begins the second month of life. According to this rule, a 2-month-old baby is in the third month of life, and a 3-month-old is in the fourth.
The quality of children's sleep determines the lifestyle and mood of all family members
How much should a baby sleep at 3 months: night and daytime sleep norms
At 3 months, the baby sleeps a total of 16 hours a day: 10 at night, 6 during the day. Daytime rest is divided into 3-4 time periods of 1.5-2 hours. There are no clear recommendations on what time you should put your baby to bed at night, because all children are different. If the baby sleeps peacefully, you can carry out the last feeding at 22-23 hours. This way parents will be able to relax for more time. If your child is restless and constant night awakenings are normal for him, you can consult a pediatric neurologist.
...most often the cause of sleep disturbances is neurological problems, so we always recommend a consultation with a neurologist and a neurosonogram.
Butuzova O.V., practicing pediatrician
https://health.mail.ru/consultation/1751718/
Decades ago, doctors advised waking babies to feed at night. In most cases, such attempts resulted in crying babies who did not want to eat at all and upset parents. Modern pediatricians recommend listening to the child: if he himself does not wake up from hunger, it means that his body has enough of the reserves of nutrients that he received during the day. The baby's calm sleep indicates that his nervous processes are balanced, and the parents have created all the conditions for a comfortable rest.
Children's sleep rules: opinion of Dr. Komarovsky - video
Why is it difficult to train your baby to sleep through the night?
A situation where children wake up every half hour or hour at night is not the norm. It should serve as a signal to parents that something is bothering the child. The reasons may be as follows:
- unbalanced nervous processes - babies startle sharply in their sleep, twitch their arms and legs, react violently to extraneous sounds and light stimuli, become very overexcited during the day;
- fear - for some children, the absence of a mother nearby can be an alarm signal;
- malaise - fever, runny nose, colic, digestive problems;
- hunger.
Several recommendations will help eliminate these reasons:
- remove external irritants - do not allow too sharp sounds near the crib, wear comfortable, loose clothes, make the sleeping place cozy;
- feed the baby before bedtime;
- make you feel that your mother is nearby - this is easier for those parents who practice co-sleeping; another option is to place the baby crib close to the adult and remove the side wall;
- consult a doctor if you have concerns about your baby’s health;
- limit active and noisy games before bed, replacing them with calm and relaxing procedures.
Mothers who practice co-sleeping can quickly calm their baby down at night and prevent him from completely waking up.
At the age of 3 months, babies often suffer from infantile colic. The way to eliminate them is to lay them on the tummy. Sometimes, wanting to improve night's sleep, parents allow the baby to sleep at night in this position. Doctors do not recommend this position for sleeping: with his nose buried in the pillow, the child may not be able to turn his head on his own.
At an early age, children are very sensitive to external stimuli. During night feedings, you should only turn on dim lights and try not to talk to your baby. Evening bathing and massage will help the baby relax and get into a calm mood. And if such procedures become part of a daily ritual, the child’s body will perceive them as a signal to go to bed soon.
It is very important to create comfortable conditions in the room where the child sleeps: before going to bed, it should be well ventilated, the air should not be dry, and it is advisable to carry out wet cleaning every day.
Neurologists and pediatricians do not recommend using a pillow until the age of two. A firm mattress is ideal for the development of the spine.
Sleep standards depending on the age of the child
Doctors recommend walking your baby two to three times a day for one and a half to two hours. Most often, children fall asleep during walks.
Sleeping in the fresh air is very useful, so you need to go for a walk in any weather (except severe frost, snowstorm or rain).
How to walk with your child in the cold: advice from Dr. Komarovsky - video
Feeding mode
How much should a baby weigh at 3 months?
A three-month-old baby does not need any complementary foods. His main food is breast milk or adapted formulas. At the same time, the number of times you eat gradually decreases, and the amount eaten increases.
Night feedings do not stop yet, but they are already becoming significantly less, up to 2 times. During the day, the intervals between meals are 3.5-4 hours.
Breastfeeding a baby
Important! The frequency of feeding of breastfed and bottle-fed children varies, since the digestion process of adapted formulas is longer.
Most likely, your baby is eating enough if:
- looks happy, calm and active;
- gains weight, constantly grows and develops;
- feeding frequency – 6-8 times a day;
- wet and dirty diapers on a regular basis.
The need for a daily routine for a child
A clear daily routine will be useful for parents and the baby not only to determine how much the child is awake and sleeping at 3 months. This will help the baby avoid problems with falling asleep and excessive fatigue, and will gradually lengthen night sleep. Ultimately, the daily routine will have a beneficial effect on the health of parents and the child.
How to Create Healthy Sleep Habits:
- It is necessary to establish routine habits that will be repeated day after day, at the same time, 10-30 minutes before bedtime. You can bathe your child (only before going to bed at night), sing him a lullaby, close the curtains so that street light does not penetrate;
- The child should sleep in the same place, preferably in his own crib (with the exception of sleeping while walking). It is necessary to exclude extraneous noise and bright light;
- You need to give your baby the opportunity to fall asleep on his own. If before this he was rocked in his arms, then at the last moment the baby should be transferred to the crib. This way the child will get used to falling asleep on his own.
Sleeping baby
Important! When your baby wakes up at night, do not turn on bright lights or speak in a loud voice. If you need to change a diaper, do it carefully and under the light of a night light. The child will have the opportunity to fall asleep peacefully again.
The daily routine for a 3 month old baby may be something like this:
- getting up, hygiene, food – 08.00;
- wakefulness, active games – 08.20-09.30;
- 1st sleep (probably combined with a walk) – 09.30-11.30;
- food – 11.30;
- quiet activities – 11.50;
- 2nd sleep (possibly during a walk) – 12.30-15.00;
- feeding – 15.00;
- active games – 15.20-16.30;
- 3rd sleep – 16.30-18.30;
- relaxing activities, massage – 18.30-19.30;
- food – 19.30;
- swimming – 19.50;
- night sleep – 20.30-8.00;
- night feedings – 22.00, 01.30 or 03.30.
Or like this:
- getting up, hygiene, food – 07.00-07.30;
- gymnastics, games – 07.30-08.30;
- 1st sleep – 08.30-09.30;
- food, games, massage – 09.30-10.30;
- 2nd sleep (probably outside) – 10.30-12.00;
- games, food – 12.00-14.00;
- 3rd sleep (at home or on a walk) – 14.00-16.00;
- food, games – 16.00-18.00;
- 4th sleep – 18.00-19.00;
- games – 19.00-20.00;
- bathing, eating, preparing for bed at night - 20.00-22.00.
Important! Immediately after feeding, you cannot start active games; you need to wait a little.
How many daytime dreams
The question of how long a 3-month-old baby should sleep during the day is relevant for many families. Normally, daytime sleep takes 4-5 hours. 3-5 episodes of falling asleep occur. The duration of each varies.
Day dreams:
- morning (first) – 8.00-10.00 – for emotional recovery;
- lunch (second) – 12.00-14.00 – for physical growth and development;
- evening (third) – 15.00-16.00 – against overwork.
Normally, they are either short – from half an hour to 40 minutes, or long – from 1 to 1.5 hours.
Activities with an awake baby
When a child is awake, he needs to be occupied with something. There are a number of activities that will stimulate and entertain the baby and contribute to the development of emotional connections with parents.
Useful procedures such as massage and gymnastics can turn into an exciting game for your baby. Physical contact is very important for him, and here kisses and caresses play a big role.
Of the gymnastic exercises, you mainly need to practice extension and bending of the legs and arms. You can do this together and alternately, and also use the “bicycle” exercise.
Important! Physical exercises with your baby should be done only when he is predisposed to them and feels comfortable. If the baby is nervous and crying, they should be stopped.
To strengthen the neck muscles, it is better to place the baby on his tummy. Coordination of vision with hand movements improves day by day, so it will be useful to place bright toys in the baby's field of vision so that he reaches for them.
Baby reaches for a toy
You can also keep your baby busy while bathing: give him small objects to explore and splash around with, talk to him quietly, sing a song.
To stimulate vision, hearing and movement, the child should be occupied with musical games. Listening to music and voices begins in the mother's womb; a three-month-old baby may already prefer certain sounds. Musical and sound toys will be useful here.
Important! Mom or Dad's song is the best sound game a child could wish for.
Creating comfortable sleeping and waking conditions for the child is the main task of parents. If the baby feels good, he will smile often, surprising and delighting moms and dads with his achievements every day.
How long should a 3 month old baby stay awake?
A baby's waking time at this age is about 8 hours a day. Its important elements are not only games and activities with mom and dad, but also bathing, massage, and gymnastics.
Water treatments are very beneficial for babies. Pediatricians recommend doing them in the morning and evening. Morning toilet usually does not take much time: just wash the baby, examine the eyes, ears and folds. Evening bathing can be an element of preparation for bed.
It is recommended to bathe the baby before bed, but only if the procedure has a calming effect on the child
The water temperature should be 36–37 degrees. You can put several toys in the bath - the child will be interested in watching them. Bathing time is 20–30 minutes. The gradual cooling of the water will be the beginning of hardening, but you need to make sure that the baby does not freeze. After bathing, it is recommended to have a light relaxing massage.
Gymnastics, unlike massage, is associated with physical activity. It invigorates and excites, so it is best to do it in the morning or after one of the daytime naps.
A fitball, a large inflatable ball, will be a good helper. Exercises on it are aimed at strengthening muscles, reducing tone, and training the vestibular apparatus.
Your baby's active waking hours can be filled with games and activities that will help develop certain skills:
- developmental mat (concentration, learning new objects and sounds, grip training, development of motor coordination and fine motor skills);
- fairy tales, rhythmic poems, stories about surrounding objects (formation of passive vocabulary);
- soft and plastic toys (variety of tactile sensations, study of textures).
