3-Week-Old Baby: Head Lifts, Witching Hours & First Real Smiles

Week Three: From Frog Legs to 45-Degree Head Lifts 🐸➡️💪

My daughter turned three weeks yesterday and suddenly her head pops up like a meerkat during tummy time. She still looks like a bobblehead, but I’ll take the win.

Tummy Time = Mini Gym Session

Two or three short bursts on a play mat build neck and shoulder strength. By now some babies lift 45 degrees [^3]. Roll up a receiving blanket under the chest for a boost—my little one lasted three minutes before face-planting, then demanded milk as payment.

Crying Decoded

Evening clusters of fussing—aka the witching hour—are common. True colic follows the rule of threes: crying ≥3 h, ≥3 days/week, ≥3 weeks [^4]. If the screams outrun your coffee supply, try the 5 S’s (swaddle, shush, swing, suck, side). And remember: it’s okay to set baby down in a safe place and take a 5-minute breather.

Growth Spurts & Percentiles

Doctors don’t compare your baby to your neighbour’s—they compare today to last week. A jump from 20th to 50th percentile may signal too-fast gain; a dip could flag feeding issues [^5]. Bring your questions to the 1-month visit.

Spit-Up, Poop & Vitamin D

Spit-up: Looks like a crime scene, usually measures one tablespoon [^6]. Keep burp cloths handy.

Poop palette: Breastfed stools resemble mustard with seeds; formula-fed can be yellow-brown or greenish [^7].

Vitamin D: 400 IU daily for all breastfed babies; partially formula-fed infants may need drops too [^8].

Umbilical Stump & Skin Woes

The stump dries and drops between 1–3 weeks [^9]. A tiny blood speck is normal; redness or ooze needs a call. Meanwhile, tiny pimples, cradle cap and mottled skin are the week-three fashion—harmless and temporary.

Day-Night Mix-Ups

If your 3 a.m. party animal thinks midnight is noon, limit daytime naps to three-hour stretches and expose baby to natural light during feeds [^10]. Night feeds stay dark and boring—no TikTok for either of you.

Postpartum Me: Leaks, Spots & Confidence

My living-room outfit now includes a hands-free pumping bra and a swipe of concealer for the new-mom raccoon look. Speaking of leaks, I once tried to soothe my baby while sitting on a nursing pillow only to realise the pillow was actually my own lap—true story, and apparently a favourite in my mom-group chat.

When to Phone the Doctor

• Fever ≥38 °C (100.4 °F)
• Jaundice spreading to arms & legs
• Fewer than 6 wet diapers in 24 h

You’re three weeks in and already an expert in your baby’s unique language. Celebrate every tiny head lift, every accidental smile, and every quiet moment you manage to sneak for yourself.