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Your newborn to 3 month old: what to say and do

Communication begins through sounds, body movements, facial expressions, and changing attention. Babies increasingly notice voices and faces, calm or brighten in response to familiar people, and begin adding early smiles and coos to simple back-and-forth exchanges.

Ideas to try with your newborn to 3 month old

Feeding · Talking & Understanding

Talk in the feeding pauses

Your baby is feeding calmly and looking up at your face.

Try

Talk when they pause sucking, then go quiet when they start again.

“Hello, little one.”

“Mmm, warm milk.”

“There you are.”

How to do it

  1. Stay quiet while they suck.
  2. When they stop and look up, say a few sing-song words.
  3. Go quiet again as soon as they start sucking.

Conversation guide

Child
[sucks, then stops and looks up at you]
Parent
[softly, sing-song] 'Hello, little one.'
Child
[gazes at your face, then sucks again]
Parent
[goes quiet while they drink]
Child
[stops sucking, looks up]
Parent
'Mmm, warm milk. There you are.'

Why this matters

Your baby learns to tune in to talk. Talking in their feeding pauses gives them their first turns.

What not to do

  • Avoid jiggling them to restart the feed; talk to them, then wait.
Getting changed · Talking & Understanding

Socks off, legs up

Your baby is calm on the changing pad and you're changing their clothes.

Try

Say one step, then pause for their reply.

“Socks off.”

“Legs up.”

“Arms in.”

How to do it

  1. Say one short step, then do it.
  2. Pause face to face and wait.
  3. When they coo or kick, answer it, then go on to the next step.

Conversation guide

Parent
'Socks off.' [pulls them off]
Child
[kicks]
Parent
'Legs up.' [pauses, face close]
Child
[coos] 'Ooo.'
Parent
[nods] 'Legs up, yes. Arms in.' [slides a sleeve on]

Why this matters

Your baby practices taking turns in a chat. Pausing after each step leaves room for their coo or kick.

What not to do

  • Avoid rushing through the steps without stopping for their reply.
Awake time · Feelings & Comfort

Smile, then wait for theirs

Your baby is awake, calm and looking at your face.

Try

Smile and say hello, then wait.

“Hello, you!”

“There's that smile!”

How to do it

  1. Get face to face, about a forearm's length away.
  2. Stay still and wait a few seconds.
  3. When they smile, smile back and name it.

Conversation guide

Parent
[smiles] 'Hello, you!'
Child
[stares]
Parent
[keeps smiling, waits]
Child
[slow smile]
Parent
'There's that smile!'

Why this matters

Your baby learns to smile back at you. Waiting a few seconds after your hello gives them time to answer.

What not to do

  • Avoid filling every second with talk; the pause is where the smile comes.
Soothing · Feelings & Comfort

Sleep song, then down drowsy

It's time for sleep and your baby is drowsy in your arms.

Try

Sing your one sleep song, and lay them down as it ends.

“[your sleep song]”

“Night night.”

How to do it

  1. Sing the same song every sleep time as you rock them.
  2. On the last line, lay them on their back in the crib, drowsy but still awake.
  3. If they stir, rest a hand on their tummy and hum the last line again.

Conversation guide

Parent
[rocks, sings softly] 'Hush, little baby...'
Child
[eyes heavy, relaxes]
Parent
[sings the last line, lays them on their back in the crib] 'Night night.'
Child
[stirs, eyes open]
Parent
[hand on tummy, hums the last line again]
Child
[eyes get heavy again]

Why this matters

Your baby learns their song means sleep. Laying them down as it ends links the song to their crib.

What not to do

  • Avoid trying a new song to keep things fresh; the same one signals sleep.
Bath time · Exploring & Discovering

Drip, drip, splash

Your baby is calm in a warm bath or getting washed.

Try

Let some water drip and name the sound.

“Drip, drip.”

“Splash!”

“Warm water.”

How to do it

  1. Let a few drops trickle from your hand.
  2. Say the sound it makes.
  3. Pause, then answer their coo or kick.

Conversation guide

Parent
[drips water on tummy] 'Drip, drip.'
Child
[goes still, looks]
Parent
[pats the water gently] 'Splash!'
Child
[kicks] 'Aah!'
Parent
[another slow drip] 'Drip, drip. Warm water.'

Why this matters

Your baby practices listening and answering you with sounds. Pausing after each drip leaves room for their coo.

What not to do

  • Avoid talking through every drip; the pause lets them notice the sound.
Going out · Talking & Understanding

What caught their eye?

You're out on a walk and your baby is awake, looking around from the stroller or carrier.

Try

Watch where they look, then name it.

“A tree!”

“The leaves are moving.”

“You like the leaves.”

How to do it

  1. Point to what caught their eye and name it.
  2. Add one more short sentence.
  3. Wait for a sound or look, and answer it.

Conversation guide

Child
[stares up at a tree]
Parent
[points] 'A tree! The leaves are moving.'
Child
'Ooo.'
Parent
[looks up with them] 'Up in the tree. You like the leaves.'

Why this matters

Your baby starts sharing what they see with you. Talking about what they're watching keeps them looking.

What not to do

  • Avoid pointing out things they haven't looked at; follow their eyes.

Explore this stage

Communication

Your baby communicates through sounds, facial expressions, body movements, and attention shifts. They increasingly notice voices and faces, calm or brighten for familiar people, and add early smiles and coos to simple back-and-forth exchanges.

Social & emotional

Connection is built through repeated, responsive exchanges. When your baby sends a signal and you respond, they learn that people are predictable and caring, which lays the foundation for trust and attachment.

Common patterns

Crying, changes in alertness, and turning away are the main ways a newborn communicates their state. Babies move quickly between looking, listening, and needing a break, so short, quiet interactions often work best.

How you can support them

Respond warmly and promptly when you can, but you do not need to be perfect. Simple serve-and-return moments—imitating a coo, smiling back, or narrating a diaper change—build communication and security.

Newborn to 3 month milestones

See all 20 milestones

Nara is educational and doesn’t assess or diagnose. If you’re worried, talk to your child’s doctor.

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Sources