The Child 3-6 Months: «The First Motor Revolution» (Part One)

«Change»: this is definitely the key word that accompanies you when you have a small baby. As you mothers well know, or as you'll soon realize, the first months of a child's life are marked by countless, remarkable changes: one day they're happy to be rocked in our arms, and the next they already seem able to grab hold of any object within reach and bring it to their mouth, or to sit up, a little wobbly, but proud.

This is a genuine «maturational process» that unfolds through «developmental stages» and allows the child to gain motor, cognitive, relational, and communicative skills and abilities. The timing and pace of this growth process vary from child to child, but even so, it's possible to identify a physiological, chronological sequence of development.

Motor development, third month

With the arrival of the third month, increasingly intentional movements, with greater muscle control, gradually replace the repertoire of reflexes and involuntary movements that marked the child's first weeks of life. The baby is now able to hold their head up without letting it fall backward when lifted.

Lying prone (face down) on a surface (e.g. mom and dad's bed), the baby begins to straighten their head to look around, using the flexed arms as support.

Placed supine (lying on their back), the baby begins to wave their arms about, in a still uncoordinated attempt to grasp objects placed in front of them.

A few tips for mothers: what to do

• Encourage the prone position often, as well as an upright position in mom's arms, to stimulate trunk control.
• Get the baby's attention, talk to them, sing little songs, positioning yourself in front of them while they're prone, to encourage them to lift and control their head.
• Use bouncers (in moderation) and a stroller for getting around outside.
• Hang a mobile above the crib to encourage and stimulate arm movements and their gradual coordination.