3 Months Old: Milestones And Red Flags

There’s so much happening in your baby’s world at three months old. At 3 months old, many babies are getting stronger, more alert and more interactive. You may notice better head control during tummy time, more hand movement, more cooing and smiling, and more interest in faces, voices and the world around them.

That said, development is not identical from baby to baby. Some variation is completely normal. “Children develop at their own unique pace,” says Dr. Jessica Lynch, developmental paediatrician at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. “There are also ranges for reaching developmental milestones.” If you have questions or concerns about how your baby is developing, check in with your doctor.

Milestones

At 3 months old, babies are usually making progress across movement, communication and social development.

Nadine Korah, Attending Physician in the Division of General Pediatrics at the Montreal Children's Hospital, says one of the biggest physical milestones at this age is stronger head control, especially during tummy time. “They should be able to put their arms up and lift their head against gravity.”

You may also notice gains in fine motor skills. Babies this age often open and close their hands more easily, bring their hands toward their mouth and start batting at nearby objects.

Communication and social milestones matter just as much. By this age, many babies are turning toward voices or sounds, making cooing noises, watching faces closely and starting to smile socially. They may also track you or a toy with their eyes as it moves.

3-month milestones

• Lifts their head during tummy time
• Has better head and neck control
• Pushes up a little with their arms when on their tummy
• Opens and closes their hands
• Brings their hands to their mouth
• Turns toward voices or sounds
• Coos or makes other small sounds
• Watches faces and may track people or objects with their eyes
• Starts smiling socially and engaging more with caregivers

Red flags to look for

Most babies do not hit every milestone at exactly the same time, but some signs deserve a conversation with your doctor sooner rather than later.

Movement

Dr. Korah says it can be concerning if a baby still cannot lift their head at all or has very poor head control by this age. “Especially if their heads are still floppy and their neck is very weak,” she explains. “Also, if they are very, very stiff as a baby, go and see your primary care physician.”

Other movement-related concerns include always favouring one side of the body, keeping their hands tightly clenched most of the time, or seeming unusually floppy or unusually rigid.

Hearing and communication

Responding to voices and everyday sounds is an important developmental marker at 3 months old. A warning sign would be if your baby does not react to loud sounds, does not turn toward your voice, or does not start to make cooing sounds.

Social and visual development

It is also worth bringing up if your baby is not making eye contact, is not watching faces, does not seem interested in people around them, or is not tracking movement with their eyes.

If you notice one of these signs, it does not automatically mean there is a serious problem. But it is a good idea to mention it at your next well-baby visit, or sooner if the concern seems pronounced or your instincts tell you something is off.

Fun age-appropriate exercises

At 3 months old, tummy time is still one of the most important activities for this age group. “Even if they don’t like it, do it every day,” Dr. Korah says. If your little one seems to fuss and struggle, try to make it more fun and interactive.

“At this stage of development, one of the best ways to engage in play with your baby is to set up a safe space to play on the floor,” says Dr. Lynch. You don’t need any fancy toys, she says. “At 3 months, soft rattles, cloth toys with different textures and unbreakable mirrors all encourage babies to explore by reaching for and touching objects.”

Parents can join in, too. “You want to get your face all the way down so they can copy you and have a bit more motivation to lift their heads,” says Dr. Korah. She also recommends talking aloud to your 3-month-old. “Read books or talk about and narrate what you’re doing,” she says.

What parents should do if they are unsure

If you're not sure whether your baby is on track, try paying attention to patterns over a few days instead of focusing on one moment. If a milestone seems delayed, or your baby has a clear red flag such as poor head control, no response to sound or very limited engagement, bring it up with your doctor or nurse practitioner. You can also review Health Canada’s developmental screening guidance if you want a better sense of how concerns are assessed.

You can also use this age as a reminder to build development-supporting routines into everyday life: tummy time every day, face-to-face play, talking and reading out loud, and giving your baby safe objects to look at and reach for.