What is a 'normal' 3 month old like?

[DaintreeDream]

Hello Everyone,

My daughter is 3 months old, she has been home for 3 weeks now after spending her first 11 weeks from birth in hospital NICU/SC with Pierre Robin Sequence, she has had a major operation on her jaw to lenghten it and is now home but with a feeding tube and 2 pins out of her chin which have to remain there for another month before they can get removed, as a result Matilda is not able to have tummy time, she has to wear mittens to stop her from pulling on the pins and hurting herself and we are unable to put her on our shoulder to burp/comfort her. When she was in hospital she barely cried and slept alot alone in her cot (both a result of being in hospital). Since she has been home she has become very demanding and contantly wanting to be cuddled/comforted. She grisels (sp?) alot for no reason, also grisles in her sleep from approx 2am-5am without waking, wanting constant comfort. I am coping well and understand why she is like it, I would be too if I had been through what she has been through, my question and reason for the post is to ask what your babe is/was like at the same age? It is hard to see what is the so called norm!

Sorry for the long post but thankyou for taking the time to read it.

[mrsmac]

Having had 3 children I still don't really know what a "normal" 3 month old is like! They are all so different. MIne were all feeding during the night a few times at least at that age and DD2 refused to be on her tummy at all so never had tummy time at that age and now is walking fine!
She has had a pretty rough start to life so i think she sounds like she is doing marvelously.

[Je$$_84]

Hi there, gosh sounds like u and ur bubs have been through alot... As Mrsmac said

Having had 3 children I still don't really know what a "normal" 3 month old is like! They are all so different.

i agree but saying that i have a 13 week old bubs and ATM she does love play time although hates her tummy... i understand ur little 1 cant do tummy time... Tiahna is very clingy, loves cuddles also and sooks for well no real reason except wanting comfort so i'd say ur DD is fairly normal in that respect i put her in her cot to play as she loves the mobile. All babies are so diffrernt... my ds was completley different to DD...

She s;eeps through the night (i'm very lucky) but feeds every 2 hours and only cat naps during the day 15-20 mins most of the time.

i also think that with such a rough start that all these things are normal...

Notice ur DDwas born the day befor my DD. you should join our BB group there are alot of us and are always willing to listen. I u need the link let me know...

[christy]

My Matilda was very similar to yours at that age. She rarely slept... and we co-slept until 16 weeks as I just couldn't get up & down all the time. However, my Matilda did love tummy time. We didn't do a lot of it on the floor, we did it on the fit ball so her head wasn't flat against anything, or on our knees with her head looking down at the floor (usually a book or toy on the ground to look at).

Sounds like your little Matilda has had a lot to deal with in life, as has her mummy!! It was very hard for me when we reached this age because I felt ripped off that my bub didn't hit the supposed magical "12 week" time. We did more and more gentle practices like wearing her in a sling so I could do things around the house, massage to relax us both, and co-sleeping in the morning.

[Morgaine]

Hi MatildasMummy! I think what you described is understandable behaviour for a baby who has been through what she has. Don't worry about tummy time, babies don't NEED tummy time. It is great that you're giving her what she needs. Are you able to use a sling? It might make things easier for both of you and she can have all the skin to skin closeness she wants from you.

[QueenMab]

My DD was very unsettled for the first 3 months, even a bit longer, cried unhappily when she was awake, slept badly... luckily that passed & she is now almost constantly a cheeky, happy little girl. I agree with the others, there really is no such thing as 'normal' baby behaviour, some are happy, some are not, some sleep well, some do not, some feed well, some do not.... etc.

You & your daughter sound like you have been through a lot & may have more trials to get through, I wish you all the best & hope that your darling Matilda starts to feel/get better soon.