Developmental Progress of 3 Month Old

Hey J.! Baby Einstein is GREAT!! I have two children under the age of two. If I ever want them to sit still and have some stimulation, I will out them in front of the tv, and that's where they stay! I have a 19 month old boy, and a 7 month old daughter that NEVER sit still. As soon as I put one of those DVDs in, I will know where they are! It works wonders!!

Let him chew on his fist if that is what he wants. My son never had interest in teething rings. He did like plastic spoons and soft books.
My son watched TV until about 4-5 months old. I bought the Einstein dvds to make myself feel better, but it really doesn't matter. He just likes the colors and movement right now. I never worried about TV, it was on all the time for the 3 months of my maternity leave. From then until now, he hasn't had any interest in TV. He wants to be moving, playing and reading. I am just getting him interested in TV now and he is starting to learn all the characters on NOGGIN. I want him to watch some, because it makes my life easier (I'm talking 30 minutes a day). Up until this point, I haven't been able to get much of anything done! He still prefers his books which I am very thankful for. So you son's TV watching now won't affect what he does later. He could love it or hate it, just let him watch if it keeps him entertained!

Everything you state is NORMAL, relax every child is different lol I have had 4 myself, Yes Baby Einstein is really good both DVD & CD. I played the CD's all the time, in the car at home,Late night colic is what really nice to calm the last two down.Any kind of clasical music is really good brain music, each does something different for the good.

My 2oldest son &daughter got hooked on BARNEY at about that age.. & our 2 youngest son & daughter was hooked on TelliTubies & Dora & that kid science show at that age.. Durning the day I play the educational tv shows{PBS} it helped our kids in speach as they talked clear at and early age, repeating the songs & rythms improved motor cycles.

Yes the natural handmade toys{the fits} are are always better then any manufactor toys. Your son is exploring that is good I would be more concerned if he had not yet found his fits then him wanting it. Him being attracted to sounds & effects of even TV personal I look to being good sign that eyes are working if he can follow things with his eyes detecting colors, follow sound getting a little beboopish when hears music or can reconize certain sounds.
All in all look at the hand out at the WIC or doctors office or even online. You can compare his mental & phsycial growth to what they say he shoudl be doing or have done by now, I really never went by them as I found they were slower then what my children was by about 3-4 months,and everychild is different, but it gave a good rough example of where they should be by that age. I find out later that due to some advancement of early age in our daughter, that mentally & physically is older for age however educationally she is slower. There were things she should have done but didnt, things she did early that should shouldnt have. Never crawled rolled then walked at early age. In this her mind lacked the cordination stimulation that is important in comprehension. This effects commen sence(she such the blonde sorta speak but every street smart. But is not multitask able. She cant be given more tehn one thing at a time do to. ALL this comes from the lack of crawling longer or in her case hardly not at all.
So now at 13 we incourage her to incourage the 2&4 yr to play crawling games..
If in short you are concern talk to your ped about your son.Or even to a Learning Speach personial, We have our duaghter in this program & they have tought me alot about our daughter disabilties in learning & why.THEY REALLY WORK !! her c-d-f average is now A b& High C...
Hope what I have said comforts you & helps you.
Congrads on the baby & good luck with your family.

Dear J.,

Look up TV turn off network on the internet. I regretted having my youngest watch those video's. It is not as instructional as one would think. It is more instructional to have the parent teach the child and show them things. The TV has been proven to stimulate the brain in abnormal ways. For instance it is recommended by experts to not watch TV before bed as it makes it more difficult to go to sleep. You want your son exploring, touching, feeling and seeing things in his immediate world. Not watching things through pictures. See the difference. I hope I am not preaching but we learned the hard way how destructive TV could be when our 6 year old started copying suggestive behavior from a movie. Lilo and Stitch is a popular kids movie that teaches kids rudeness and getting physically rough with others. We now watch movies rarely and they are carefully chosen. It is shocking how negative an impact TV can have. We actually got rid of cable TV in our home because of what we observed in our kids.

You son sounds perfectly normal. As far as moving across the floor, I would say he is advanced on that score.

My daughter chewed her hands also. She started teething at around four months. One of the signs is lots of drooling and they get fussy. He could be starting to teeth, it is hard to tell.

Congrats on your son. Enjoy him.

D.

Hi J.,
Congratulations on your Baby Boy. Everything you mentioned sounds like my son. We bought a bunch of Baby Einstein Videos and my son loved them. My son is now 3 1/2 years old and we still put the videos on from time to time and he still laughs as he did when they were new. Another thing that we thought was scary with our son, was when he was about to sit up and really acknowledge what was on TV. We thought he would get whiplash from the Car Commercials. When ever one would come on, his little head would flip around so fast to watch it.
When he began to walk, he would be in his room and the sound of a car commercial would be on and he would run out to see it.
I insisted he was too young for a car. laugh.
What we think he was really interested in is the wheels.
Anything with wheels. he will lay his head on the ground and try to figure out why the wheels will move round and round.
Very Cute, until, we were at a Indoor Playground. They have a little toddler size train that runs on track. My son laid his head on the track and watched another kid come at him.
Thankfully, the kid stopped. :)
I highly recommend the Baby Einstein Videos.
I think one of my best ideas was that every little boy needs a train. We bought him his first "Thomas the Train" When he was about 18 months. We like the wooden kind. The plastic ones break to easily. We have over twenty engines and a few extra cars and a bunch of track. We also have about 10 or 12 DVDs.
They are very sweet videos. If you are not familiar with Thomas the Train, check your PBS station. Sunday mornings about 9am, they are on here in Pinellas County. Also, if you have the extra Cable station with a box, find the Free Kids on Demand, It is listed there as well.
When your son gets older and if you allow TV, I also say to given Noggin a try. www.noggin.com They are very geared towards the little guy. No Commercials. Very Cute.
On a last note, I would like to recommend "Harold and the Purple Crayon". These stories are over 50 years old and HBO has created videos of these stories. I found it on HBO on Demand one late night when my son would not go to sleep. I was looking for somekind of night night video or songs. I love it so much I bought the DVD complete works of "Harold".
You can get the books at a local bookstore. You might be able to find the books at your local Library too.

You may be able to find all the above recommendations at a local consignment shop too. I have found a few that have videos.

My son did alot of rolling, he kind of skipped the crawling and went to running. (Laugh). Seriously. He did not crawl much. He pulled himself a little though. I was realy surprised once. I left him on the floor near the TV. Went to the bedroom to get something, when I returned to the hall there he was at the entrance looking down the hall at me. Luckily my camera was in reach and I got a wonderful shot.
Priceless.

As for the fist in mouth. My son has never sucked his fingers or thumb. Didn't really care much for pacifiers either.
Teething rings were minimal. But used. I think he preferred my fingers. :)

Just remember to enjoy every single day. They grow toooooo fast. And keep that camera handy. :)
Congrats and good luck.
V.

Well my son is almost 8 months old. He has been watching the Baby Einstein movies for several months now. He really likes them. And about the fist in his mouth, I was wondering the same thing about that age. He is probably not teething yet, just exploring his hands. My son was about 6 and a half months before he got his first tooth. I don't think that tv is bad as long as he is not sitting in front of it all day long. Just make sure he is doing a variety of things that will stimulate his mind. Well I hope I helped a little.

T.

Hello J. and it sounds like you and your family are enjoying one another! All reserach, not some, indicates that television is bad for the brain for all children under 2. So many connections are being made for your child's brian every second and the TV is not helping. In fact, I recently read research that shows that early TV may increase the connections that attribute to ADHD. So, as a child development specialst, please put away the TV for 2 or more years. Your face, the words you say and the attention you give your child are the key factors to his optimal growth!

You son sounds like he is really growing up fast. Congratulations on such great progress. I have an 8 month old that loves the Baby Einstein DVDs. They are really well done. For a shower gift I got the entire set of 17 DVDs. My girlfriend got the entire set for $40 on EBAY. It was $20 for the set and $20 shipping (they were brand new). The catch is--the packaging is in Mandrian. The good news is that the default language is English in all of the videos. For all practical purposes you can't tell a difference in these DVDs and the ones you buy in the store for $14.99 a piece. Good Luck.

J.,

My daughter has the Baby Einstein DVD collection and she loves it. We do not play it to often, but she loves the colors and movement. She also loves to watch football - it is not the shows, but the colors and activity. I see nothing wrong with it in small doses for my daugther. I do not plop her infront of the TV and leave her there for hours. It does stimulate their minds though.

My daughter also has her hands in her mouth all the time, but she is teething. A friend of mine has her son's hands in his mouth all the time and he is not teething. I think that is just a normal stage in growing up and learning new things. My daughter now wants to put everything in her mouth.

Hope this helps.

K.

My son is 11 months old now, but I can tell you about him at 3 months. He loved TV as well so I bought the Einstein DVD and honestly, he didn't care for it. He would just look away and do something else (like roll over or play with a toy). So, I tried Noggin (with Dora and Diego, etc.) and he loves it. I figure if he is going to watch TV, I want him to watch something that shows values and education - not just "stuff". Also, I thought my son was teething at 2 months LOL. He constantly put his hands in his mouth and drooled, but he didn't get his first tooth until he was almost 9 months old so your son might just enjoy playing with his hands. Hope that helps.

I am sorry that i have to keep this simple but I want to first say that is wonderful how your little one is growing. Each child grows at different rates; some slow and others grow at a faster rate. My first son was two months early and he was rolling over before his actual due date. My second who was full term took much longer and takes his good ol'time. About Tv, yes your baby is stimulated but you are having him use the nuerons at a much FASTER pace than verses what he should be doing. He can become over stimulating or cause him later to have trouble staying focused. Because his brain is being trained to focus on things that are at a fast pace. I think a baby video once is awhile is fine and can be peace of mind for you. But there is reason why Tv is not good because it is dealing with the development of the brain. It is like you are asking your three month to run before learning to crawl. Take time and dance, sing and make funny faces for him. This allows him to be stimulated but also you can takes breaks as you watch his expressions. A tv does not watch for your child's signals. I hope this helps, A.

My daughter did a lot of the same things your son is doing. She was rolling onto her stomach by 2 months, which always got me nervous since they always tell you to put them to sleep on their backs, but she'd just roll herself over in the middle of the night. With the TV, you're right, he is fascinated by the colors & sounds, especially if there's music. I've heard a lot of good things about Baby Einstein. As for the fist, he sounds like he might be getting ready to start teething. 3 months may sound early, but it's really not. My daughter started teething at 4 months but unfortunately she didn't cut her first tooth until a week after she turned 1! Every kid is different. Good luck - I hope this helps!

J.
These things are all normal at his age. My daughter likes to chew on her finger when teething. She has never been interested in "traditional" teething toys. Also, she got her first tooth at four & half months so your son teething at threee months is fine.

I would stay away from the TV - the AAP recommends NO TV for children under age 2. There are so many more stimulating things you can do for them. I used to read magazines to my daughter at that age. It was interesting for me b/c it was adult stuff (like Time) & she liked hearing my voice. I really feel TV holds no benefit for infants - I think parents like to think so b/c it is easier for them.

J. we don't come instructions i know and it seems to be hard to know what our child wants at times or just wondering if the things they are doing is normal or not right ....?
well sweetie i am here to tell you you have NO WORRIES at all!
The TV thing is a part of his focus and that is excellent he is intriged by it, now i do recommend that you do get him some DVD's or just VHS is fine either one. they are good and i have used them....understand that when you try and change him up to watch what you want him to or when you get in the way of it he might not like that. lol babies are funny i tell ya!
Teething starts at 2 months and can last for 24 months possibly even more! don't worry his fist is the best thing he can put in his mouth as long as his hands are always CLEAN because no matter what you think these toys and all sit around all day in a basket or on the floor beside him and collect germs, dust and other mites....when he starts to play and teeth on them try and spray lysol daily and wash in dishwasher once a week, that is what i do. i don't know about other moms.
our fine though and he is growing on rate where he needs to be no worries and feel free to contact me anytime you have a question i am a SAHM and homeschool my girls.
take care and have a great day!
____@____.com ~ M.

Well first of all, the baby einstein its WONDERFUL!!! buy it you won't regret it, at first he won't look interested but as it goes on he will be and it helps with their brain, development, etc...also if you can as he grows older buy the other dvd's so he'll learn about(body parts,animals,numbers,etc..) those dvd's are excellent a I used them with my oldest son and before he turn 18 months he knew all his body parts and possible animals out there, so try it you'll see the results.

About the fist, don't worry it is normal he is just finding his hands and doing that for him is fun and relaxing too; teeths? maybe no yet for another month or two(ofcourse every baby it's different) but just let him do it, but DON'T let him suck on his thumb if you do you'll regret it later when it will be impossible to break the habit and you'll end up going to the dentist before its really time to go so his teeth won't grow deform, other than that just give him toys to bite on and watch him when he does.

good luck to you, enjoy you son.

I have the baby einstein dvd and love them. However, you just have to limit how much he watches. My son loved to listen to classical music which also helps stimulate the brain. Beethoven, Bach, whatever you can find. They say it helps them in subjects such as, math & science. I just feel you should use your own judgement. Everything else you listed is normal. Different children develop at different stages some faster some slower. Have fun enjoying all of the milestones.

Hello J..
Kudos to daddy, staying home with his son. Whatever the reason, choice or not, you don't find that much.

I of course have to put my 2 cents worth in about the tv. I realize that it's not ideal, but, well, is it not part of life? My husband turns it on the minute he gets up in the mornings, and it's just part of the day, more so as background noise.

when my daughter was about 2-4 months, she use to watch it as well, for the movement and colors. She also liked the Papa Johns Pizza commerical "Hey Mambo", and always turned her head around so fast and smiled at it. I bought Baby Einstein DVDs and play them all day long. Since the t.v is on, at least is something good. She doesn't watch it too much, it's more of like a radio in the background. She sleeps through it and everything. Now, I do live by Baby Einstein. You can get them on ebay for about $4 each. You don't need too many just a couple. the newest ones out have Sign Language in them, Favorite Places, and "baby Wordsworth". My daughter is recognizing everyday objects and picking up the signs, she's almost 13 months. The other one I really liked is Language Nursery. It has nursery rhymes from MANY languages, French, Spanish, English, German, and more.

Ok, now for the rolling over. GO BABY GO. My daughter was big (10 pounder). She was a very late mover, finally scooted at about 9 months, 10 started crawling. She is finally realizing the past month or so that she can roll over, and is starting walking. Such a youngster for you moving already is great. But Whoa, being on the move changes everything. They are some much more work.

Finally, My daughter was a fister. She always chewed her fingers, fist, arm from about 2 months until her first teeth surfaced at 6 months. She never wanted the teething rings or even my fingers. His hands are easily accessible and always there, so they are also easiest for him.

good luck

J.,

Sounds like your little man is a strong and bright boy and right on track developmentally. Teething can start as early as four months but if he is not fussy, etc. the hands in the mouth are probably more about self soothing and exploration of the world around him. He should be rolling over quite well at 3 months. We started letting my daughter watch some Baby Einstein at about 6 months old. She is now 18 months old. I am still very hesitant to rely too much on electronic entertainment but 15-30 minutes a day has worked well for us. The colors and images of TV can be overstimulating and kids pick up everything: mood, language, violence, etc so it is good to be really selective about what is on when they are present. Best wishes and I am sure you are making great choices for your son's best interest. Enjoy watching him grow. The baby stage passes so quickly! : )

R.