Week-by-week library · about 3 months old
Week 12: your checklist
Quick answer
What should I actually do at about 3 months old?
The three-month mark is when a lot of families feel the newborn fog genuinely start to lift. 6 concrete tasks below, grouped by what they're for.
What's going on this week
By around three months, many families report more predictable naps, more smiling, and a workable rhythm forming, though every baby's timeline varies. If a return to work is happening this week, treat the first few days as a real adjustment for the whole household, not a switch that flips cleanly.
Your checklist
Night-shift logistics
- If you're both back to a work schedule now, rebuild the overnight rotation around it explicitly rather than letting old habits linger.
Feeding support
- Settle into whatever the ongoing feeding logistics look like post-return (pump schedule, bottle prep, or both) and keep your part of it consistent.
Appointments & paperwork
- Check that the SSN card and birth certificate are both in hand and filed somewhere findable; you'll need them again for tax season and school enrollment later.
Visitor management
- A good week to revisit visitor rules now that routines are more established; loosen them if they've been serving their purpose.
Household & gear
- If a return to work just happened, do a supply check: enough bottles, formula or milk storage, and diapers on hand that a bad week doesn't turn into a supply-run crisis.
Partner care
- This is a good week to name out loud that the hardest stretch is largely behind you, and to actually thank each other for it.
Sourced to
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
Last reviewed by the First Dad Guide editorial team.