Here are some of the baby development milestones to watch for in babies ages 3 to 6 months.

By the age of 3 months, most babies are beginning to smile and laugh and to make cooing noises when spoken to. Some babies are able to pull themselves up and stand with support. By 5 months, babies discover their hands and feet and enjoy playing with them. At 6 months, most babies are able to roll over in both directions.

Many babies ages 3 to 6 months are able to grasp objects and move them from hand to hand. At six months, many babies recognize the sound of their own name.  Some of the more advanced skills for a 6 month old baby are crawling, sitting up without support and imitating simple sounds. Some babies begin to cut teeth at 6 months.

The range of development skills begins to vary quite a bit from baby to baby after the age of 6 months. Parents should remember not to compare their baby with others too much and to talk to their doctor about any developmental concerns.

When my youngest son was a baby, it took him a long time to complete toilet training. At age 3, he was good about peeing in the toilet but would request a diaper when he needed to poop. After a well-meaning friend suggested that we take him to a psychiatrist, we discussed the problem with our pediatrician. She smiled at us and said, “When he’s a man, do you think he’ll need a diaper to poop?” Her humor defused our worries and within a few weeks the problem worked itself out. As soon as our son started preschool, he stopped requesting diapers. Since then, I try to remember to take the long view when it comes to worries about childhood development.

Reference: babycenter

Every baby develops in unique ways.  Parents who try to compare their baby with others are likely to be frustrated or puzzled because of the wide range of normal development.  Being informed about expected baby development milestones can help, but it’s important to remember that milestone charts should be used as a guide rather than a rule.  When in doubt about your baby’s development, be sure to talk to your pediatrician.

With these precautions in mind, these are some of the milestones you can expect to see in the first 3 months of a baby’s life.

Some babies may smile or laugh in the first 3 months and some are able to roll over.  These are more advanced skills that most babies master by the age of 6 months.

Reference: babycenter

Baby's First Flight - flickr:jyri

Many parents take their new baby to see grandparents and other relatives during the holiday season.  This may involve an airline flight.  With some forethought and preparation, you can avoid some of the problems that can occur when flying with your baby.

Every Christmas season seems to have a hot toy that everyone wants, and this year is no exception. Zhu Zhu Pets, which are inexpensive robotic hamsters, are this year’s must-have toy. The designer of this toy is Cepia LLC, a company with 16 employees located in St. Louis, Missouri. The toys are actually made in China, where a factory of 30 people is unable to keep up with the demand for the toys. According to Cepia LLC, Zhu Zhu Pets are a great alternative to live hamsters because they don’t “poop, die or stink.” They also don’t bite.

This YouTube video shows Zhu Zhu Pets in action.