At 3 months old, babies are developing rapidly and reaching important milestones. Here are some things that babies should be doing at 3 months:

• Physical development: Babies will have better control of their head movements and will start to hold their head up when theyre sitting up. When given tummy time, babies might roll from their front to their back, lift up their head, or push up their chest with their hands. They should also have enough upper-body strength to support their head and chest with their arms while lying on their stomach.

• Social and emotional development: By 3 months, babies will have formed a strong attachment to their caregivers and should be responding to them with lots of smiles. They may even talk back in their own way. Babies now like to play with people and may cry when playtime stops. They become more communicative and expressive.

• Cognitive development: Babies will start to recognize their caregivers from farther distances and will now be able to start lifting their head and chest up from a lying position. They may also begin to tell colors apart.

• Sleep: Babies up to 3 or 4 months old need 14 to 16 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period, usually waking every two to four hours to eat.

Its important to remember that every baby develops at their own pace, and some may reach milestones earlier or later than others. If you have concerns about your babys development, talk to your doctor or maternal child health nurse.