14-Week-Old Baby
14-Week-Old Baby
At 14 weeks old, baby is probably getting even more interactive and showing off lots of new, charming skills. They’re likely loving one-on-one time with you, cooing, meeting your eyes with theirs and intentionally smiling. So what does a day in the life of a 14-week-old look like? How much should a 14-week-old baby eat and sleep? Here’s everything you need to know.
Growth
At almost 3.5 months of age, the average weight of babies in the 50th percentile—meaning half of babies of the same age and sex weigh more and half weigh less—is about 13.2 pounds for females and 14.4 pounds for males. The average length of a 14-week-old is 23.8 inches for girls and 24.4 inches for boys.
By now you’re probably used to your pediatrician talking about percentiles regarding baby’s height, weight and head circumference. Percentiles aren’t a way to grade your child’s health; they’re simply a tool to help your healthcare provider track your child’s growth over the years.
Emerging skills
What new skill is your 14-week-old showing off? Head control, baby! Sometime before 4 months, your little one will probably be able to hold their head up when supported in a sitting position, and lift their head up about 90 degrees when lying on their tummies. They’re also working on opening and closing their hands; grasping, shaking and batting at toys; and mimicking some of the sounds, movements and expressions you make.
Feeding
How much should a 14-week-old baby eat? On average, breastfed babies this age eat every three to four hours, while formula-fed babies may take in up to 6 or 7 ounces over five or six feedings in a 24-hour period. Keep in mind, though, that every child is different. They may eat more or less, and more or less frequently. What’s important is that they’re full after a feeding, are having wet diapers and are gaining weight.
Sleep
If the pediatrician notes that your 14-week-old baby is growing well, they may not need a nighttime feeding anymore. Most babies at this age need between 14 and 15 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period; aim for nine to 10 hours of nighttime sleep and two or three naps per day that range from 30 minutes to two hours.
Common ailments
Hand foot mouth disease
If baby just started going to daycare, exposure to all kinds of viruses is inevitable. Hand, foot, mouth disease is a generally non-serious but highly contagious viral infection known to sweep through childcare centers. It’s named for the telltale rash that tends to appear on the hands, feet and in and around the mouth, though it’s possible that a rash never appears. Other symptoms include a high fever (usually the first sign), loss of appetite, increased drooling and irritability. Call your doctor if you suspect baby is sick. Since it’s viral, there’s no medical treatment for hand, foot, mouth, but you can address baby’s symptoms to keep them comfortable while the illness runs its course. Rest and hydration are key; you can also offer acetaminophen (Tylenol) if baby seems fussy or uncomfortable. The upside? Baby’s immune system is getting more robust with each illness they catch.
Can babies self-soothe at 14 weeks old?
Just like adults, all babies handle their emotions differently. Some 14-week-old babies have the temperament and patience to put themselves back to sleep after they’ve woken up in the middle of the night, and some don’t. One way to help baby learn to drift off by themselves is to put them down in the crib when they’re drowsy but not fully asleep.
Do babies have growth spurts at 14 weeks?
All babies progress at different paces, but you can expect some rapid bouts of growing between three and four months of age. What are some signs of a growth spurt? Baby may seem unusually hungry and fussy and want to feed more throughout the day; they may also have bouts of fitful sleep.
Sleep tips
While few babies are snoozing more than six hours in a row at this age, if you’re still rocking baby to sleep or they’re waking often, you might think about working toward more independent sleep—for their sake as well as yours.
Putting baby down drowsy but awake can be effective, but this advice can also feel maddening to the parents of a baby who insists on nursing or being rocked to sleep. Change won’t happen overnight, but don’t let that deter you. Create a bedtime routine that signals that it’s time to wind down each evening, and make sure baby’s sleep environment is calm, cool and dark. Blackout shades and a white noise machine can help. Most importantly, don’t feel like you need to tackle everything at once. You can start working on independent sleep with bedtime or one nap before working up from there.
- Bring a reminder of baby with you while you pump. If you’re a breastfeeding, working parent, pumping breast milk in the workplace can be tricky. Though federal law requires employers to provide you with time and a place other than a bathroom to pump, being away from baby might make it difficult to produce as much milk as you normally do at home. To get as many ounces as possible, try looking at photos or videos of your little one, or listening to a recording of them babbling or crying. You can even bring in a piece of their clothing so you can smell their scent as you pump. Seeing, hearing or smelling your babe increases oxytocin, the hormone that’s responsible for milk letdown. (Isn’t your body incredible?)
- First aid kits. If your medicine cabinet isn’t already stocked with first aid items, or if you’ve run low on essentials, now is the time to add to your cart. Especially if your little one is at daycare or around other littles at parent-and-me playgroups, you’ll want saline drops, a nasal aspirator, a thermometer and infant Tylenol on-hand to combat any colds they catch.
- Rattles. Now that baby can grasp objects, now is the perfect time to hand them rattle! These classic toys help improve baby’s fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, and are a great way to stimulate baby’s visual, auditory and tactile senses.
Your 14-week-old baby is learning to grasp and swat objects, and you can help strengthen these skills through play. A rattle is a classic toy that can help baby develop hand strength, coordination and an understanding of cause and effect. Take a rattle and shake it so baby can see what it does. Hold it in front of them when they’re on their back and see if they swat at it or try to grab it (you can also do this during tummy time, but they might not be coordinated enough yet to hold themselves up while grabbing an object). If not, hand them the rattle so they’re holding it in one or both hands. They will likely look at it intently, and may even start to figure out that if they shake it, they’ll hear a fun sound.
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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