Week Fourteen: Beginning to Blossom
Your baby is now 14 weeks old — and there’s a quiet shift underway. The sleepy haze of the newborn weeks is lifting, and in its place is a baby who is wide-eyed, responsive, and deeply curious about the world around them. You might feel like you're getting to know them all over again.
Of course, with more alertness and activity comes more stimulation — for everyone involved. This week often feels like a turning point for families: your baby is no longer a newborn, but not quite mobile either. It’s a precious, in-between stage full of sweet expressions, big emotions, and growing connection.
Development
At this stage, you’ll notice your baby becoming much more expressive and interactive. Many parents say this is when they start to truly see their baby’s personality emerging. Some babies are sociable and love meeting new faces; others are more reserved and prefer the comfort of familiar arms. Both are perfectly normal.
There’s also a lot happening behind the scenes. Your baby’s hand-eye coordination is improving rapidly — they may reach for toys, swat at objects, or spend long periods simply staring at their hands in fascination. Bringing hands to the mouth is a favourite activity this week, not only for soothing but also for learning about themselves.
Some babies will begin rocking to the side or experimenting with rolling motions. You might notice more intentional head and neck control, especially during tummy time, where your baby might now lift their chest with the support of their forearms and look around with great interest.
Your baby is also refining their ability to follow movement — tracking you as you walk past or turning towards sounds with greater focus. This is a beautiful time to play face-to-face games like mimicking sounds, smiling exchanges, and gentle singing.
Sleep
Your baby may be stretching their sleep slightly at night, perhaps giving you one or two longer blocks — but frequent night waking is still entirely normal and biologically expected, especially for breastfed babies. There’s no need to worry if sleep hasn’t “improved” in a way that others might expect.
If you’ve been using a bassinet, it might be starting to feel a bit cramped. Babies this age are often ready for a more spacious sleep environment. If you're room-sharing or bed-sharing, check that your setup is safe and continues to allow close proximity while meeting your baby’s growing need for space to stretch and move.
You might also notice more movement during sleep — little wriggles, rolls, or flailing arms — which can be unsettling at first, but is all part of a developing nervous system. Some families find that sleep becomes more disrupted in the evenings, particularly around dinner time. This unsettled stretch is often known as the “witching hour,” but rest assured — it’s a common and temporary phase.
Evening fussiness doesn't mean anything is wrong. Your baby is simply processing a full day of stimulation. Offering closeness, quiet, dim lights, and gentle rocking or feeding can help ease them through it.
Feeding
Feeding continues to be a huge part of your baby’s day (and night). At 14 weeks, many breastfed babies begin to show signs of distractibility — pulling off the breast to look around, smiling mid-feed, or breaking focus in response to movement or sound. While it can feel a bit frustrating, it’s actually a sign of growing awareness of their environment.
If feeds become scattered or difficult, try offering them in a quiet, dimly lit space — or during drowsy moments when your baby is more settled. Many babies still prefer to have their biggest feeds in the evening or overnight, which is completely normal.
You might also notice the beginnings of interest in watching you eat. This doesn’t mean they’re ready for solids just yet — readiness usually comes closer to six months — but it’s part of the developmental journey toward shared mealtimes.
Cluster feeding may still be part of your daily rhythm, especially in the late afternoon or early evening. This is a normal pattern for many babies and doesn't mean your milk supply is low. It’s your baby’s way of tanking up before longer night stretches — and seeking comfort after a stimulating day.
Play and Interaction
Your baby is ready to engage — and you don’t need anything fancy. A mirror, a gentle song, or your voice is often more captivating than any toy. That said, soft objects that encourage reaching and grasping can support your baby’s new motor skills.
Tummy time is getting more rewarding now. Your baby may lift their head and chest more confidently, turning their face to follow sounds or movement. This builds important upper body strength and spatial awareness.
Simple games like peekaboo, naming body parts, or softly repeating the sounds they make are wonderful ways to connect. Babies love repetition — it creates safety and familiarity. Try using the same song or rhyme during play or nappy changes each day.
You might also notice that your baby responds to familiar voices or lights up when a known face enters the room. These early social connections are the foundation for communication and emotional bonding.
Top Tip of the Week
“If your baby is fussing during feeds or seems overstimulated, try turning down the lights, softening your voice, and holding them skin-to-skin. They don’t need a solution — they need you.”
Real Life Reflections
Fourteen weeks can feel like a beautiful — and challenging — time. You’re likely more confident in some things, and more tired from others. You’ve probably hit your rhythm in some areas, and are still floundering in others. That’s okay.
The constant need for soothing, feeding, and attention can feel relentless — especially during fussy evenings. If it helps, remember that this stage is a normal, healthy part of infant development, not a sign that anything is wrong. It won’t last forever, even if it feels like it right now.
Where possible, accept support. Let someone else prepare dinner, hold the baby, or take over a task. If you’re solo parenting during these hours, reduce your expectations and keep things simple. Warmth, closeness, and consistency are enough.
You are not failing. You’re responding. That’s what parenting is.
Looking Ahead
In the coming weeks, your baby will likely begin rolling, experimenting with new sounds, and shifting into more predictable rhythms of sleep and feeding (though not always in ways that look “structured”).
This is a great time to refresh your knowledge of safe sleep practices — especially for co-sleeping or room-sharing — and prepare for increased mobility.
Further Reading:
Cluster Feeding: Normal, Natural and Hard Work Understand the common experience of cluster feeding during this stage and how to navigate it effectively.
Power Pumping Your Milk Supply Learn about techniques to boost milk production, especially during periods of increased demand.
Skin-to-Skin and Babywearing Explore the benefits of continued skin-to-skin contact and babywearing beyond the newborn stage.
