0 to 3 months social and emotional development

Developmental milestones include:

• Between 4 – 8 weeks, she watches you face when you talk to her
• Between 5 – 7 weeks, she begins to give you proper smiles
• By 3 months, she can laugh out loud.

What can I do to encourage her social and emotional development?

• Make faces with your baby. In the early days, you face will be your baby’s favourite ‘toy’ so be expressive and get in close so she can really focus on your features
• Be an appreciative audience for her smiles and laughs – if she gets lots of positive feedback from you, she’ll try her party trick again and again!

Signs that suggest a developmental problem:

• By 8 weeks, she is not smiling to engage with you socially
• By 2 – 3 months, she’s not watching the faces of those around her
• By 2 – 3 months, she doesn’t watch a face when she’s being spoken to

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 her. But if you are worried about her development, talk to a health professional for a little reassurance.