Your 14 week old baby is taking in so much of the world around him and he loves to hear you talk about it. Pregnancy is now a distant memory and your baby’s growth is rapid.

Describe your day-to-day life with him and take him out to see new things. The zoo, the animal farm, or even the supermarket can present new objects, words and sounds.

Watch for signs of over-stimulation or tiredness and always stop before he is overwhelmed. ‘Little and often’ works best for new experiences.

14 week old baby

Your 14 week old baby is starting to show his own personality already; is he an extravert or introvert?

Does he love meeting new people or does he take his time getting to know them since you gave birth over three months ago?

Remember to respect his needs, either for extra stimulation or quiet reflection. Just like adults, babies have their own comfort levels.

Your home is full of interesting things too – for example, odd sounds from the vacuum cleaner or food processor and strange sights, such as your washing machine and dryer. Don’t limit your baby’s home to his nursery or play space; give him guided tours and let him watch his world while you work around the home.

14 week old baby weight

At just over the three month mark, your sweet little girl might weigh in at around 12-13 pounds (5.8kg) and measure 23-24 inches (60cm), and your little boy could weigh around 14-15 pounds (6.7kg) and measure 24-25inches (61cm).

Formula fed babies at 14 weeks

In the past, formula fed babies were fed according to strict timetables, with no room for individual variation. The volume of feeds was steadily increased, according to babies’ weight gain.

However, research into breastfeeding has revealed a few misconceptions around breastfed babies’ intake; this leads to the question – should formula fed babies also be given more flexibility in feeding?

It makes sense that there’s no one-size-fits-all for any form of infant feeding.

Our article, How Often Should I Feed My Baby Formula? 3 Things To Know explains how to formula feed your 14 week old baby in a less regimented fashion.

You can also make feed times more like the experience of a breastfeed, by using a technique known as bottle nursing. Bottle nursing is useful whether you are feeding expressed breastmilk, donor milk, or infant formula to your baby. Most babies love this experience.

14 week old baby breastfeeding

Your 14 week old breastfed baby will still have periods of cluster feeding, most likely in the late afternoon or early evening. This is commonly known as the witching hour. This time of day is demanding for most families, as toddlers and older children also become tired, hungry, and in need of extra attention.

As your baby is more likely to be settled in the morning or early afternoon, it can help to use those times to get a head start on the evening by preparing dinner and getting other household chores out of the way.

If partners get home from work during this unsettled period, they can help settle babies between feeding sessions by bathing them, going for a walk with the pram or baby carrier, or giving mums a short break, for a rest or the chance to take a shower.

Tired family members – baby week 14

If both parents are coming home from work at this time and baby is extra tired after being in daycare, ways to minimize your workload in the evening might mean convenience meals or takeout more often than you would like.

One of the more healthy takeout options is a roast chicken; you can always throw together salad or veggies to go with it. Rest assured, this period will begin to improve over the next couple of months, so using shortcuts is one way to help you all survive. Don’t forget to ask for help from family or friends; you might need a little TLC, too.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

SIDS guidelines recommend your baby shares a room with his mother for the first 6-12 months, so you might need to do some rearranging to fit your baby’s cot into your bedroom.

Even if your baby is sleeping for longer periods between feeds at night, there is a period of developmental night waking not far away, so it makes sense to keep your baby close.

Find out more in 5 Sleep Options For Your Baby.

Sleep and settling

Your 14 week old baby might already have outgrown his bassinet or be close to it. The newborn who looked so tiny the first day you put him down to sleep is now taller, heavier, and more active. If you haven’t done it already, it will soon be time to review where he sleeps, to align with baby’s development.

Are you feeling pressure from others to change your 14 week old baby’s sleep patterns? Are family, friends, or health professionals telling you night feeds are no longer necessary and your baby should be sleeping through? Or are you suddenly being ‘gifted’ books about sleep training, controlled crying, or cry it out techniques?

It can feel like you’re under attack, and you might even start to doubt your own beliefs. Luckily, you can refer to some real sleep experts who support gentle parenting practices.

Baby Sleep Books – BellyBelly’s Top 6 Books are written by the specialists in infant sleep we trust, who base their recommendations on current, evidence-based research into normal infant sleep. Avoid the major baby sleep myths and make informed choices that suit your parenting philosophies.

Teething 14 week old baby

Could your 14 week old baby be teething? Yes, it is possible.

If your baby is at the early end of the typical age range for the eruption of first teeth, then you might be seeing signs of teething or even the appearance of a first tooth in your three month old baby’s mouth. At the other end of normal, it might be one year before that first pearly white makes an appearance.

Natal teeth (one or more baby teeth present at birth) are a rare occurrence and a novelty. The reality is most first teeth emerge from the gums at around six months. Rather than blame unexpected crying or other symptoms on teething, though, be sure to check out all other possibilities and visit your baby’s doctor or child health nurse if you’re concerned.

If you think you can actually see white spots on your baby’s gum line, which look like teeth ready to break through, your doctor can confirm whether they are teeth or the more likely Epstein’s Pearls, small benign cysts often seen in babies, and nothing to worry about.

You might like to read Teething Symptoms | 9 Signs Baby Is Teething and When Do Babies Start Teething?

Play and baby’s development

As your 14 week old baby, along with most other babies, gets better at hand-eye coordination, his wide swipes towards hanging toys are getting more focused and he is more likely to reach his target. You can encourage him by sitting opposite and holding a rattle or simple toy he can grasp while you play.

Watch as he concentrates to aim for it. He won’t be able to reach and grasp the small toy at first, but his hands might make contact, which your little one will consider a win.

You can vary the toys and cheer him on, as he gradually fine tunes his skills. Before you know it, your little one will be able to reach out and grab things, so watch out if you wear glasses. Hair (ouch) and noses are popular favorites too.

These skills will be important to him when he starts solids at six months, as they enable him to reach for food and grab it.

The second stage of this skill will be bringing the toy to his mouth to suck and chew. These skills will get lots of practice in the next few months. Remember though, these abilities don’t mean he is ready to start solids; they are just part of his preparations to be able to.

When babies hit the 14 week milestone they are also focusing on mimicking parents’ mouth movements. When you’re talking, your baby will blow raspberries, with a smile, showing his language development has begun.