Your baby's physical development: 3-6 months

It’s amazing what can happen in a few short months – in the blink of an eye, your newborn has turned into a busy baby who can do so many new things! Follow his progress as he physically develops and hits new developmental milestones.

3 – 6 month developmental milestones include:

Between 4 - 6 months, he rolls over
By 4 months, he can lift her head and chest when he's on his tummy
By 3 months, he plays with his fingers and looks at his hands
By 3 - 4 months, he can grasp an object
By 5 - 6 months, he can chew
He can make and hold eye contact
He enjoys looking at brightly coloured objects

What can I do to encourage his physical development?

To practice his grasping skills, offer him a soft rattle (or any other small soft toy that makes a noise) so that he can discover that he can make a noise with it when he moves it.
Give him plenty of tummy time - at this age, he should enjoy it more
When he's on his tummy, put toys in front of him and encourage him to reach out to grab them -he'll probably do this accidentally at first.

Signs that suggest a developmental problem:

His muscle tone is exceptionally low or high (he's tight or floppy)
His fingers don't spontaneously extend
His legs and arms remain flexed the majority of the time
His eyes don't follow what is going on around him
You are still consistently struggling to settle him
He is not putting on weight at an acceptable rate
He is disinterested in his surroundings

All children are different and develop at different rates, so don't be overly concerned if your baby is acquiring new skills at a different rate to those around him. But if you are worried about him development, talk to a health professional for a little reassurance.