Baby guide week twelve

Week Twelve

Your baby is now twelve weeks old!

Congratulations on making it through the first three months! Your baby will have grown dramatically, and his or her personality will be well and truly beginning to emerge.

You may also feel that you are beginning to emerge from the fog as baby settles into a routine and begins to sleep longer at night in between feeds. Some babies are regularly sleeping 6-8 hours at night by 12 weeks, others take a little longer. If you are concerned about your baby's sleep patterns, talk to your Well Child provider or local Plunket Family centre.

Your baby's next lot of immunisations are due at or around 12 weeks, these are a follow-up dose of the ones he or she received at six weeks. You can expect your baby to react to these immunizations in a similar way to the six week ones - some babies have no reaction at all, others are extra sleepy for a few days, and some get a mild fever. Your GP or practice nurse will be able to give your further information on possible side effects.

Your baby will also be due for another Well Child Check with your Well Child provider. This may be a Plunket nurse, your GP, a Maori or Pacific Island health provider or other community based health organization. At this check, your baby's sight and hearing will be checked using the chart in his or her Well Child book. Your Well Child Provider may also give you some information on starting solids in preparation, as babies are usually ready for solids some time between 4-6 months. The World Health Organization recommends waiting until 6 months, and your Well Child provider will be able to give you some idea about what signs indicate your baby is ready.

The past three months will have been a whirlwind of activity and emotions, and the next few months, and even years, will be just as exciting! Before your baby's first birthday you can expect him or her to roll over, sit, begin crawling, and possibly even start walking! Enjoy!