3-Week-Old Baby
By week three of parenthood, that initial adrenaline has worn off and exhaustion is likely starting to creep in. But with each passing day you get a little more insight into who this tiny person is, and that can make it all worthwhile. At this stage, your 3-week-old baby is continuing to take in the world around them and get used to all the sights, sounds, smells and sensations. And nothing in the world is more comforting to them than your face, scent and touch. Here’s what to know about 3-week-old baby development and more.
Growth
If your 3-week-old baby didn’t start or finish a growth spurt last week, then you can expect that to continue, fussiness and all. Or, you might be on the other side of the spurt and notice that baby has returned to a mostly calm state. Phew. Your 3-week-old baby should continue to grow about 1 inch a month and 5 to 7 ounces a week; this week it will likely be on the higher end of their usual.
Emerging skills
It may not look like your 3-week-old baby is doing much, but they’re constantly learning. In fact, their brain is forming more than one million new neural connections every second. Impressive! You’ll likely notice that each day, your child seems to be a little more aware of their surroundings. Their eyes continue to adjust to light, they may make eye contact on occasion and they may stay awake—and asleep—for slightly longer stretches of time. High-contrast images are the easiest for baby’s developing eyes to focus on and will be the most interesting to them.
Feeding
How much should a 3-week-old baby eat? It hasn’t changed since last week; your infant should have about 2 to 3 ounces of breastmilk or formula per feeding, which adds up to about 22 ounces a day. They’ll still eat every two to three hours around the clock, or about 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period. Formula-fed babies may eat every three to four hours.
Wet diapers are an easy way to gauge whether your 3-week-old baby is drinking enough. They should have a minimum of six wet diapers a day (more than that is totally fine!) and shouldn’t go more than eight hours between wet diapers. If they do, that’s a sign they’re dehydrated. Try to increase the amount they’re eating and consult your pediatrician when in doubt.
Parents also often worry about their newborns getting “stopped up,” but be wary of supposed home remedies for 3-week-old baby constipation. At this age you shouldn’t feed them anything besides breast milk or formula without checking with their doctor. Every baby is different, so don’t worry if your child only poops every few days; breastfed babies tend to poop more and their stool has a loose consistency. Formula-fed babies usually poop slightly less often, but their bowel movements are usually larger, pastier and stinkier. If you’re concerned, try giving baby a warm bath and moving their legs like a bicycle to help their bowels to loosen up. However, if they’ve gone more than four days without a bowel movement and it has a hard, pebble-like consistency, then they might be constipated—it’s best to call your pediatrician.
Sleep
How long do 3-week-old babies sleep? The answer is still a lot. Your child needs 14 to 17 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. While you still won’t be on a schedule, you may spot some emerging 3-week-old baby sleep patterns. For example, your newborn may have one longer stretch in the evening, or their naps tend to be a certain length. It’s still hard to plan around, but you may have a better idea of what to expect.
Some parents are blessed with solid sleepers from early on. But if you’re dealing with a 3-week-old baby who’s not sleeping, it can really wear on you. Make sure you have a calm sleep environment that is preferably dark with white noise. Try putting baby down in their crib or bassinet when they’re drowsy but not asleep. If they start to fuss, you can try singing a lullaby, gently patting their bellies or using a pacifier. If they cry you can pick them up, rock and shush them, and try again when they’re calm. As they say, you can’t spoil a newborn, and you should certainly comfort and hold your 3-week-old baby lots.
When a baby seems like they’re actively fighting sleep, it can actually mean that they’re overtired. It may seem counterintuitive, but as the saying goes, “sleep begets sleep.” It’s worth trying putting them to bed sooner or more often than you would think.
Common ailments
Colic Around three weeks is when it starts to become apparent whether baby is colicky. If your 3-week-old baby spends more than a total of three hours a day crying for more than three weeks, then they have colic. You’re not alone; one in five babies are colicky, and any number of things—from gas to sensory sensitivities—may be at the root of it (the causes aren’t entirely understood). It can be incredibly challenging when it feels like you can’t comfort your child; the good news is that colic tends to peak by 5 to 6 weeks and usually resolves by 3 to 4 months.
Cradle cap You may have noticed scaly patches on your 3-week-old baby’s scalp. If so, the cause is likely a super common condition known as cradle cap. Babies 3 weeks to 1 year are most likely to be affected, and it usually clears up on its own within that time frame. The cause is unclear, but it doesn’t appear to be a sign of allergies, eczema or poor hygiene. The patches may be dry or greasy, and sometimes for a 3-week-old baby, red skin will appear on the scalp as well. You don’t need to do anything to treat it, but there are some things that can help resolve it faster. In most cases, you can simply wash baby’s scalp with a mild shampoo to help loosen the scales. Your pediatrician can also prescribe a special shampoo as needed. After bath, a soft brush can be used to gently remove some of the dry patches.
Congestion Is your 3-week-old baby congested? Though there’s no reason to panic, you’ll want to give your child a hand, since infants don’t start breathing through their mouths until they’re 3 to 4 months old. Some steam and moisture can help break up the mucus, so try setting up a humidifier or briefly sitting with baby in a steamy bathroom while the hot shower is on. Try a squirt of saline nose drops and then use a nasal aspirator to suck out the snot. A soft tissue or saline wet wipes can help wipe away boogers. Take baby’s temperature and monitor for any other signs of illness. If your infant develops a fever of 100.4 or more, take them to an emergency room.
Is it gas or reflux?
Is your 3-week old baby fussy and not sleeping? When baby is crying and you’ve ruled out sleep and hunger needs, gas is often the next possible culprit. But it can be tricky to determine if baby is having gas pains or if it’s something like reflux. If your 3-week-old is gassy, it could be because they’re drinking too fast or too slow or swallowing too much air when they eat. Try changing positions so they’re sitting more upright, burp them often and keep them upright for 30 minutes after feeding. If they’re bottle-feeding, they may need a slower or faster flow nipple. To help baby pass gas, try rubbing their bellies, patting their backs, bicycling their legs, putting them on their tummies or giving them a warm bath. If baby arches their back when crying or if burping seems to make things worse, then it may be gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD). It’s pretty typical for babies to spit up after feeding, but if it’s causing so much discomfort that baby isn’t eating or sleeping, then it’s time to check in with the pediatrician.
Should I wake my 3-week-old baby to feed?
By now your 3-week-old baby should have regained their birth weight; if they have, and they’re steadily putting on the ounces (about 1 per day), then it’s generally safe to let them sleep a little longer, especially overnight. You may want to keep their daytime naps to three hours or less as they begin to slowly consolidate their evening sleep. If your child is sleeping way more than usual, is hard to wake or can’t stay awake, you should consult their doctor.
If and when to introduce a pacifier
If you picture a stereotypical image of a baby, chances are there’s a pacifier in their mouth. But should you use one, and if so, when is a good time to introduce it? There are plenty of reasons why it’s a parental go-to: pacifier use is linked with a reduced risk of SIDS, and it can often calm a crying infant like magic. On the other hand, excessive and prolonged pacifier use as baby gets older can lead to dental problems and is even associated with increased ear infections and childhood obesity. Plus, it’s the sort of habit that’s easy to start but can be difficult to stop when the time comes. In those early days, though, anything that helps reduce infant wailing and improve sleep is likely well worth it. If breastfeeding is comfortably established and you’d like to use a pacifier, then go for it.
Standard well visit schedule
Baby’s pediatrician is about to become your new best friend. That’s because the first two years are a crucial time in your child's growth and development, and the doctor will want to keep close tabs on whether they're reaching milestones on schedule. Baby already had a checkup at birth and around three to five days after birth; going forward, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies get regular well visits at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 24 months old. While the examinations will vary from visit to visit, you can generally expect the doctor to weigh and measure baby; make developmental, psychosocial and behavioral observations; perform a physical exam and administer vaccinations when needed. But if questions or concerns come up in between visits, don’t hesitate to reach out to the pediatrician.
- Know when to take a break. It’s common for sleep deprivation to start to take a toll after weeks of interrupted nights. This is when it becomes even more important to try to get some shuteye when you can, or at least get some time to yourself, even if just for a few minutes. Looking after your own physical and mental health is essential. If you feel your exasperation mounting, put baby down in a safe place (like a crib or baby swing) where you can see them and take a few minutes to calm yourself.
- Make a schedule. If you have a co-parent, it’s important in these early weeks to establish a fair division of labor. It can be easy for the breastfeeding or birthing parent to end up taking on the lion’s share of baby’s care. Even if that’s what they want, everyone needs a break sometimes. If you haven’t already, have an open and honest conversation about each of your needs. Consider setting up even a loose schedule that makes one person the “default parent” at predetermined points in the day. You can take shifts overnight, have one parent take over bathtime, or anything else that makes things feel equitable.
- Connect with other parents. Whether you attend an in-person breastfeeding support group, post in virtual message boards or spend those late nights scrolling online parent groups, it can all be a source of much-needed connection. Family and friends can be great sounding boards, but there’s something different about chatting with other parents with babies the same age who are going through the same thing. It can make new parenthood feel less lonely.
- Pacifiers. If you’re planning to introduce a binky, now is a good time to get one. They come in all different shapes, styles and materials, so don’t worry if it takes a while to find the best pacifier for baby. Once you do, be sure to stock up, since they have a habit of disappearing.
- Baby hairbrush. Even if your 3-week-old baby doesn’t have a full head of hair, a baby hairbrush can help combat cradle cap. For help with a scaly scalp, look for a silicone brush that will gently massage the skin. If getting rid of bedhead is the goal, then opt for a soft-bristled brush that will smooth baby’s locks without irritating their head.
- Baby laundry detergent. What with baby spit up and blowouts, you’re probably staring down a whole lot of laundry right about now. Newborn skin is sensitive, so it’s a good idea to use a fragrance-free, dye-free, hypoallergenic detergent when washing their clothes. These are our favorites.
This week, show your infant high-contrast, black-and-white or brightly colored pictures. Not only is this a great way to engage your child (research shows that infants prefer to look at faces and high-contrast images), but it can also help with visual development. Infants this age still only see about 10 inches away, so hold the pictures close to baby while they’re snuggled in your lap, laying on their back or doing some tummy time. In fact, it’s a great way to make 3-week-old tummy time more enjoyable and encourage baby to lift their head, helping to strengthen their neck muscles.
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
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