10 week old fussy baby: Newborn development at 2-3 months

10-Week-Old Baby Milestones – Happiest Baby

By
Dr. Harvey Karp, MD, FAAP

Do you ever feel like someone is watching you? If your baby is 10 weeks old, you’re absolutely right! At this age, babies adore studying our face! Although your little one has been able to recognize you for weeks, they are increasingly fascinated by all the fun faces you can make. And it doesn’t take long for one of those expressions to prompt a smile from your little admirer.

Whether your newest addition is your first child or has joined a family with big sibs, every baby comes with an adjustment period. Changing diapers, feeding your baby, and maybe even getting out of the house on walks may feel like a breeze by now. But, what about the other ways you used to spend your time before your baby arrived? Although you have a new list of priorities, it’s wise to still put self-care on the schedule and make an effort to spend quality time with your partner and friends.

Not having a babysitter is no reason to skip the date night entirely…babies can be fine restaurant companions! Believe it or not, your baby is a quieter third-wheel at this point than they will be a year or two down the road.  

Your 10-Week-Old Baby’s Development

Colors, Textures, Shapes—Oh My!

Your baby has been taking in their surroundings from the very beginning. But now they are really starting to make sense of the world around them! By recognizing patterns, seeking out familiar faces, and processing all sorts of sensory information, they are constantly learning.

This is all an important part of your baby’s cognitive development, which is a big term that describes how we pick up, mentally organize, and learn to use knowledge. In other words, it’s all about putting the pieces together! Babies also don’t need anything too fancy to learn a whole bunch. Sensory toys and activities are great for sparking your baby’s curiosity. And that includes those “toys” you already have in your house, like crinkly wrapping paper or shiny kitchen pot. 

10-Week-Old Baby Milestones

There are two (equally important) categories for motor skills: gross motor skills that use large muscles and fine motor skills that use smaller muscles. Those two sets of skills often work in harmony, such as when you lift your arm and wiggle your fingers.

When it comes to your 10-week-old baby, some of the gross motor skills they are actively working on probably include learning to roll, keeping their head and upper torso raised during tummy time, and kicking their legs. During what appear to be calmer moments, they may also be trying hard to master some fine motor skills, such as moving their fingers, raising their hand to their mouth, and whacking out to grab something, like your glasses. Lots of times they intently look at something—as if they would like to grab it—but rather than reach out, their little hands grasp each other, exploring their own entwined fingers.   

Note: Now that your baby is just beginning to reach out and hit their targets, you must be super careful about burns. NEVER have a glass of hot liquid in your hand—or on the table in front of you—when your baby is in your arms or you’re seated at the table.

Future Baby Milestones to Watch

Your baby is currently between well-child visits (which is when your provider will assess your little one’s development), but at your next check-up (which occurs at 4 months), your provider will likely ask you about these milestones:

• Does your baby smile spontaneously? (More about Baby’s first smile)
• Does your baby laugh?
• Does your baby look at you, move, or make sounds to get your attention?
• Does your baby make cooing noises (oooh’s and aaah’s)?
• Does your baby respond to sounds you make with their own sounds?
• Does your baby turn to look at you when they hear your voice?
• Does your baby open their mouth to show they’re hungry when they see a bottle or breast?
• Does your baby look at their own hands with interest?
• Can your baby keep their head steady when held?
• Can your baby hold a toy when it’s placed in their hand?
• Does your baby bring hands to mouth?
• Can your baby push to elbows or forearms during tummy time?

Every baby is different—so your baby may check off some of these items “early” and other skills may take longer to achieve. It’s important to know that there’s a wide range of what’s considered normal! 

Your 10-Week-Old Baby’s Health

A Yucky Milestone: Baby’s First Cold

Whether the germs come from daycare, the library, or Big Sis, it’s unfortunately only a matter of time before your baby develops their first case of the sniffles. (Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but kids experience an average of 8 to 10 colds during the first two years.) While a fever for a baby younger than 3 months (or any lethargy or irritability) always merits a call to the doctor, a stuffy nose may be treatable with some TLC at home. If there is no improvement or symptoms worsen within a few days, follow up with your pediatrician. 

• Common cold symptoms for babies include stuffy or runny noses, fussiness, sneezing, coughing, decreased appetite, difficulty nursing or taking milk from a bottle, and low-grade fevers. (Remember, you’ll want to see a doctor if your baby’s temperature rises above 100 degrees during the first three months. ) 
• Signs of a more serious illness, such as pneumonia, flu, or croup, include wheezing, high fever, vomiting, shakes or chills, rapid breathing, and a worsening cough. If any of these symptoms appear, seek medical treatment as soon as possible. 
• You can help treat a common cold by using a nasal aspirator to clear your baby’s nose, keeping a humidifier in their room, using a nasal saline spray, very slightly elevating the head of the bed (don’t put anything in your baby’s bed that could cause suffocation…and never elevate more than one inch), and offering lots of breastmilk or formula.

One old home remedy is to put two to three drops of fresh milk right from your breast into a dropper and then into your baby’s nose. Sounds odd? Interestingly, baby germs go up into the breasts and the immune tissue inside can make antibodies specifically against the illness the baby is fighting off. It’s like a tailor-made antibiotic.

< Your 9-Week-Old Baby | Your 11-Week-Old Baby >

About Dr.

Harvey Karp

Dr. Harvey Karp, one of America’s most trusted pediatricians, is the founder of Happiest Baby and the inventor of the groundbreaking SNOO Smart Sleeper. After years of treating patients in Los Angeles, Dr. Karp vaulted to global prominence with the release of the bestselling Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block. His celebrated books and videos have since become standard pediatric practice, translated into more than 20 languages and have helped millions of parents. Dr. Karp’s landmark methods, including the 5 S’s for soothing babies, guide parents to understand and nurture their children and relieve stressful issues, like new-parent exhaustion, infant crying, and toddler tantrums.

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Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or
condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or
yourself, please contact your health provider.

Indie, 10 weeks: Unsettled, crying… and colic?

by Amanda Snedden

Dec 8, 2022

2 min read

Indie’s sleep story…

Indie was a pretty chilled baby… until it came to the afternoons and evenings! She napped well in the morning from 8-10am, then had a nice long lunch nap from 12-3pm, but then in the afternoon she refused to sleep and became more and more unsettled.

Maria tried rocking and feeding her, and going for walks, but Indie just continued to cry. From 5pm until 8pm everyday, she wouldn’t sleep, she wouldn’t feed… she would just scream the whole time! Come 8pm everyone was exhausted and Indie would finally fall asleep. The relief was short-lived though as she would then wake hourly from 1am until 7am.  

Indie was also quite a windy baby and didn’t burp overly well – sometimes it could take Maria up to 30 minutes to get a good burp out of her. During the afternoons she would take even longer to burp and became very distressed at the same time. This meant she also swallowed more air while crying. After 3 weeks of her baby crying every afternoon and evening, Maria took Indie to the doctor for some help. 

Maria’s GP diagnosed Indie with colic, which Maria found very hard to deal with because she felt like there was nothing she could do. Every afternoon Indie would strain, kick, grunt and flail her arms, seemingly in pain, and Maria felt helpless. Her GP said the colic would get better at 12 weeks but things only seemed to be getting worse. So Maria decided to see if we could help.

We quickly ascertained that little Indie was a great napper – in fact, she was napping a little too well! She was having a massive 5 hours of sleep between 7am and 3pm, meaning she didn’t actually need any more sleep during the day – she needed more awake time.

BUT because Indie was having all of that sleep earlier in the day, this lead to Indie becoming very overtired and hard to settle later in the day. So we advised Maria to start adjusting the lengths and times of Indie’s naps to match the schedule in our Sleep Program. This would ensure Indie’s sleep was more evenly distributed across the day.

It only took a few days for Maria to notice massive improvements. Soon, Indie was happily having an afternoon nap each day, meaning she was no longer getting overtired by the end of the day. She was not nearly as unsettled as she had been and to Maria’s amazement, her colic symptoms completely disappeared!

Further consultation with her GP confirmed that Indie’s “colic” had in fact been severe over tiredness. Over tiredness can mimic the symptoms of colic, causing babies to become extremely unsettled in the afternoon and evening – a time commonly referred to as “the witching hour”. 

Following the sleep schedules in our Program helped Maria to redistribute Indie’s sleep more evenly between 7am and 7pm so there was no time that she could become overtired. Not only did this completely resolve Indie’s “colic” symptoms, it improved her night sleep too:

I actually can’t believe it – Indie doesn’t have colic at all! She just needed to nap at slightly different times and not as much in the mornings. As an added bonus Indie now only wakes once or twice in the night rather than hourly as well!! Thank you Little Ones xox

If you suspect your baby might have colic, or if you’re struggling with “the witching hour”, our Sleep Programs can help you rule out over tiredness as the cause. You’ll get instant access to customisable sleep schedules, comprehensive troubleshooting notes, gentle settling methods and more. Our team of expert sleep consultants are also available, day and night, to provide you with more personalised guidance and support.

Related Blog Posts

The child often asks for breasts: how to understand that the child does not have enough milk?

Published: 06/27/2023

Reading time: 3 minutes

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The birth of a baby is a joyful event, but it is also associated with worries and experiences. Especially if the child in the family is the first of the parents, there are many questions that are not so easy to prepare in advance. One of them: “Why does a child often ask for a breast?”

Breastfeeding at a glance

Mother’s milk is the best food for a newborn. It contains in the right proportion important substances for growth, development, and protection against infections. It is always at the right temperature, it does not need to be cooked and thought about storage. In addition, the lactation process adapts to the needs of the baby: the breast produces exactly as much milk as the baby needs. Pediatricians agree that it is not worth restricting a child in breast milk in the first month after birth, and then the baby will form his own feeding regimen. And yet, many mothers are worried if the baby began to ask for breasts more often. Is it related to hunger and lactation disorders? Or is something bothering the child, and in this way he seeks solace? Let’s consider these questions in more detail.

Psychology of newborns

Breastfeeding is not just a process of satisfying hunger, but also a close psycho-emotional connection between the baby and mother. In his mind, they continue to remain one, and separation is perceived painfully. Thus, there are 2 main psychological moments why a child often asks for a breast:

1. The baby is used to the mother’s body – this is a familiar environment where it is warm and safe, and the beating of the heart has a calming effect. After birth, the child enters a new world for him, where there are many unfamiliar sounds, smells, and pictures. It is especially difficult to lie alone in a crib, which seems huge when you get used to the pleasant crampedness. The natural desire is to hide. And the most suitable place is under the mother’s breast. There is warmth, a familiar smell and a beating heart. And mother’s hands create a cozy cradle.
2. The areola around the nipple contains Montgomery’s glands, which secrete a secretion that smells like amniotic fluid. This smell is familiar, it gives a sense of security and the baby calms down.

Why is the baby hungry? The natural response to hunger is the desire for breasts. In addition, in infants, the stomach is able to hold a small amount of food, and the process of sucking is difficult for them. Saturated and tired, newborns fall asleep. But the rapid digestion of milk again causes a feeling of hunger. No matter how hard it is for the mother, it is not worth denying the baby the breast, since the subsequent lactation process and the formation of a sufficient amount of milk depend on it. Including night feedings are very important, since from 3 to 8 in the morning more of the hormone prolactin is produced, which contributes to the production of milk. But if the child began to often ask for breasts, the mother begins to worry about whether he has enough food and whether everything is in order with lactation. Let’s analyze the possible reasons for such a famine:

• baby only eats foremilk. And it actually quenches thirst. Back milk is more fatty, it is it that brings saturation;
• the baby does not latch on properly. It is very important from the very beginning to monitor how the baby captures the areola of the nipple. How to check: the baby’s mouth is wide open, the lips are turned out, the tongue lies under the areola, the nipple is deep (at the base of the tongue), the tip of the nose and chin are pressed to the chest;
• mother’s lack of milk. Such a problem can occur for various reasons (malnutrition, stress, illness, etc.), but it is important to seek help from a specialist in time and start taking action.

3 more reasons why a baby may ask for a breast. At the same time, the mother may think that he is hungry, but in fact the baby has:

• the sleep pattern has gone astray. Often a child needs a breast not to satisfy hunger and thirst, but to calm down and fall asleep;
• problems with the tummy. Gas and colic are a common problem in babies. Experiencing pain and discomfort, the baby seeks to calm himself in the usual way and asks for a breast;
• activity has changed during the day. Experts believe that regardless of the type of feeding, babies behave more restlessly in the afternoon.

Changes in appetite

In the first year of life, the child grows very quickly. Changes in his body are also reflected in his appetite: it can change in certain periods.

Lactation crisis . During this period, the woman’s body adapts to the needs of the baby. If there was even a short break in feeding, then the volume of milk decreases slightly. Because of this, the child may experience a feeling of hunger. That’s why he starts asking for breasts more often.

Growth spurts . The child grows either faster or slower, which is reflected in the appetite. During such periods, there is the greatest hunger and frequent demand for breasts. To deny the baby in his natural needs is not worth it.

How to understand that the baby has enough milk

In the first days after birth, the baby eats an average of up to 30 ml of mother’s milk per feeding. It’s not scary if he ate more one time and less the next, most likely he will just ask for the breast again faster. As a rule, with a normal feeding regimen and a sufficient amount of milk from the mother, by the age of one month, the weight of the child increases by 500-600 g. And yet, how to understand that the child has enough milk? There are 2 easy ways to do this.

Wet diaper test . Calculating the daily number of acts of urination and defecation of the crumbs allows you to give a very clear answer to the question of whether the baby has enough food. The age of newborns in a certain way affects the number of “going to the toilet.” So, in 3-4 weeks of life, children walk “in a small way” 20-25 times a day. When using diapers, it is very difficult to follow this. Therefore, for a while they will have to be abandoned in favor of diapers. If the baby urinates 20-25 times, and at the age of 6 months to 1 year – 15-16 times, then his mother’s milk is enough for him. Reducing the number of urination to 8-10 times a day suggests that the production of breast milk in a woman has decreased. And if there are less than 6 used diapers, this is a clear sign that the baby does not have enough mother’s food. In this case, it is necessary to urgently consult with a pediatrician.

Weighing. To control the amount eaten, many mothers buy special baby scales. How to use them correctly? To do this, take a sheet of paper, draw a table on it. The first column is the time, the second is the weight before feeding, the third is the weight after eating. Next, you need to weigh the hungry baby, write down the data and attach it to the chest. After feeding, also record the weighing information in the table.

How long should one feeding last

The answer to this question is purely individual and depends only on the baby himself, because each crumb already has its own character. Some children tend to eat as soon as possible – 10-15 minutes is enough for them. Others eat slowly, savoring, enjoying the process itself. From the chest, they may not be weaned for 30-40 minutes. Mom should not worry that the child eats for so long. But if the baby suckles for more than an hour, this does not benefit anyone, so you need to try something to distract him. Also, during feeding, it is not recommended to change the breast, as the interruption of the process is annoying for the baby. Let the baby put more effort into extracting hindmilk from the half-empty breast. This, by the way, is much more difficult, but no less important for the child and for the lactation process.

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Article content

• Breastfeeding at a glance
• Neonatal psychology
• Why is the child hungry
• Appetite changes
• How to tell if your baby is getting enough milk
• How long should one feeding last

Products from article

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How to calm a child quickly – Lifehacker

Likbez

Adviсe

October 9, 2019

Lifehacker has collected only working methods for different ages.

How to soothe a newborn

1. Pick up, snuggle up to your chest

A versatile method that works for babies of all ages and even adults. Hugs soothe, give a sense of security, convince you that you are not alone in this harsh and terrible world. They also increase the production of the hormone oxytocin (not for nothing it is sometimes called the “hug hormone”), which increases the level of satisfaction with life and reduces pain.

In general, take the baby in your arms, remembering to support the head at the back of the head with the palm of your hand, and press it to you. The crying, if it doesn’t stop immediately, will surely become quieter. And there, before the child calms down, not far.

2. Swaddle or, conversely, unswrap

Newborns still have strong physical memories of the time when they were in their mother’s stomach. Therefore, perhaps the child needs to feel that he is in a safe, restrictive cocoon. Swaddle him.

Another option (if crying has already begun in diapers) is to free the baby’s arms and legs from the fabric. Maybe he’s wrapped too tight and feels uncomfortable.

3. Give a breast, bottle or pacifier

Even if the baby is not hungry, suckling will help him calm down.

4. Rock your baby to white noise

Ideal if you have a white noise generator. Then just turn it on and rock your baby to these soothing sounds.

However, if there is no special device at hand, it does not matter. Use the old grandmother’s method. Take the child in your arms, rock him rhythmically and hiss quietly above his ear in a monotone: “Sh-sh-sh-sh.”

5. Use Dr. Hamilton’s 5-Second Technique

The video, which California pediatrician Robert Hamilton posted on YouTube, has already amassed over 36 million views. And no wonder – it contains an almost magical way to instantly soothe a crying baby.

“My parents have asked me a million times to share this recipe,” the pediatrician himself explained the appearance of the video. Robert Hamilton has been a pediatrician in Santa Monica, California for 30 years, and the method he describes is the culmination of years of experience.

Hamilton calls the proposed technique “holding.” It consists of only four steps, the implementation of which can be put in literally 5 seconds.

• Hold the baby in your arms and cross his arms over your chest.
• Press the crossed arms with your left palm against his chest and lay the child on the same palm – at an angle of 45 degrees to the floor. Hold the chin with the fingers of the same left hand so that the head does not fall.
• Use your right hand to support the newborn under the diaper.
• While holding your baby at a 45 degree angle, gently rock him. It can be up and down or side to side. Choose the most comfortable option for you. The main thing is that the movements are soft and smooth. Literally after a couple of seconds, the baby will be silent.

Watch Dr. Hamilton’s video for details:

Pediatrician warns: This technique is suitable for babies under 3 months of age. Later, they become too heavy to hold safely in this position.

And one more note. If the child does not calm down, then there are serious reasons for crying. Perhaps the baby is hungry, he is hot, or maybe he just has a wet diaper. Help a newborn get rid of physical discomfort, and he will give you a long-awaited smile and silence.

How to calm a child from 4 months to a year

By this time the baby is strong and begins to realize himself, so simple physical methods are no longer so effective. To calm the child, you have to connect the fantasy. But let’s start with the classics.

1. Pick up

Again, this option is suitable for all ages. Use it as often as possible. While hugging the child to you, whisper something soothing to him in a gentle soft voice.

2. Shift your attention

Hold the child in your arms and walk to the window with an enthusiastic voice saying something like “Wow, look at that big dump truck!” or “Look what a cute fluffy cat in the yard!”. Turn on the cartoon TV. Put on your favorite children’s songs and start dancing with your baby in your arms.

Your goal is to shift the baby’s attention from the situation that disturbed him and caused him to cry, to something new and interesting.

3. Replace emotional activity with physical activity

Take the child under the arms and let him jump on the bed. Or do some gymnastics. Or throw in the air (low). The need to concentrate in order to coordinate muscle activity will cause the infant to stop crying.

Attention! This method is not suitable if there is even the slightest suspicion that the crying is caused by a fall or pain.

4. Turn crying into something funny

For example, tickle a child. Or take his toy and set up a little puppet show. Speak for her in a funny theatrical voice: “Oh, who is crying here? Hush, hush, I’m afraid! – and hide it behind your back. The goal is to make the baby smile. Children’s crying, if you try, easily enough turns into laughter.

How to calm a child from one to 3-4 years old

At this age, most children already understand adults well, know how and like to communicate. This is the basis of the most effective methods of calming.

1. Pick up and sympathize

Hold a crying child close to you, say something like “You are crying. You must be upset about something. Tell me what happened, how can I help you? He will most likely tell you what is bothering him. This will help solve the problem of crying.

2. Be more mindful

Ask your baby to cry more quietly (for example, so as not to wake a resting mother) or in a lower voice, “like a bear”. If he obeys, you win. Crying will turn into conscious vocal exercises, from which the child will quickly get tired.

3. Remind me of an important task worth putting off crying for

It might look like this: “Come on, you will cry later, otherwise it will soon become dark and if you cry for a long time, we will not have time to take a walk. ” Thus, you do not deprive the child of the right to tears. Just ask to be rescheduled for a more convenient time.

4. Find a way to vent the child’s bursting emotions

Offer him, for example, a pillow: “Let’s not cry, we’ll beat her!” And together with the child, start knocking on a soft thing with your fists. You can also give an inflatable hammer or offer to throw plastic balls at the wall. Any kind of activity that will help get rid of negativity will do.

5. Create a funny ritual

For example, as soon as a child starts crying, run for a hair dryer to quickly dry the tears. “So, where is our hair dryer, where did I lose it? Oh, let’s blow on the cat? This will help to switch children’s attention and, perhaps, even make the child laugh.

6. Come up with “bad mood pills”

These can be bear-shaped jelly gummies, chocolate dragees, any other small sweetness. “Who’s crying here? We urgently call an ambulance, she brings us pills from a bad mood! Eat and your tears will dry!” The basic rules for this: there must be one “pill”, and if the child refuses it, this time it will no longer be offered.