Your 3-week-old baby (2024)

Your baby is three weeks old and everything might still feel a bit hectic right now, but you'll soon find your new routine as a family. In the meantime, reassure yourself that a little chaos is normal.

Highlights for your baby at 3 weeks:

• Development: Your baby may be able to lift his head by the end of this week.
• Feeding: Babies often spit up a bit of milk after a feed. This is called reflux and will get better as your baby's digestive system matures.
• Sleep: You should always put your baby down to sleep on his back. This is the safest position for him.

Your 3-week-old baby: development and milestones

By the end of this week, your baby may be able to lift his head briefly when he's lying on his tummy. He may also be able to turn his head from side to side.

His leg and arm movements are less jerky and, as he gains more control of his muscles, he'll soon be much more co-ordinated.

Although you can't be sure yet, your baby's probably beginning to develop some eating and sleeping patterns. However, you should still expect a lot of change and unpredictability for another month or so.

As your baby grows, and his sleep patterns become more regular, just keep in mind that some babies need more sleep, and some less.

Your life with a 3-week-old baby

You are probably feeling exhausted by now, after three weeks of interrupted nights and round the clock baby care. If it's any consolation, sleep deprivation has been the bane of every new parent's life since time began.

Try to encourage healthy sleep habits already at this age. This will help you all sleep better as your baby grows.

On another note, you may notice that your bleeding (lochia) may be darker and more profuse when you breastfeed. Don't worry - it's just that your uterus contracts as the milk is let down. If it continues to be bright red or very heavy in the next couple of weeks, contact your doctor.

You may be enjoying your postnatal massages, and they do help in soothing stiff muscles from holding and breastfeeding your baby at all hours and in all positions. Do take care of your back however, by supporting your baby with a pillow as you feed. Rather than bending down to feed your baby, lift your baby up to your breast. This will protect you from back and neck pains. For ideas on how, see our breastfeeding positions.

Things to do with your baby at 3 weeks

• Your baby likes bold lines and shapes. Try hanging up a colourful cot mobile with high-contrast patterns or any colourful toy over your baby's cot for him to look at. It might keep him interested for a while when he wakes up.
• It will be quite a while before your baby says his first word, but that doesn't mean he isn't starting to get the hang of language. All those sounds he makes, from gurgles to coos, are early attempts to communicate. And the more responsive you are, the more you'll encourage him to keep up his end of the "conversation".

  When he makes his noises, make the same ones back as if they are words. Accompany the noises with expressions and add in some words or noises of your own. Having a baby conversation in this way shows your baby that his sounds matter and you listen to them.

Parent tip: A parent-tested sleep trick

FAQs at 3 weeks old

• What is the best massage oil for my baby?
• When will the soft spots on my baby's head harden?
• Are the tradition newborn bathtime customs safe?
• Vomiting in babies: what's normal and what's not?
• How should I cut my baby's nails?
• Will pinching my baby's nose make it pointed?