14 Week Old Baby Development

Learn everything you need to know about your 14 week old baby. Track important developments and milestones such as talking, walking, growth, memory & more.

By Parents Editors

Published on June 8, 2017

Your Growing Baby

Keeping Baby Happy

Until now, your baby hasn't been able to grasp the difference between pictures of things and the real deal. So he might have reacted with the same interest to a photograph of you and your actual smiling face. By this week, the difference is starting to click, and you might notice that he responds more effusively, with smiles and coos, to seeing another baby in the flesh than he does when he eyes a photo of one in a book. His sense of self is also developing, and he probably adores looking into a mirror—although at this age, he probably doesn't know he's seeing himself. He just enjoys admiring that handsome guy who's so quick to smile back.

Another happy change: Your baby starts to see the world in full color around 14 weeks. He can make out subtler hues that he had trouble distinguishing before, although infants this age still tend to prefer bright primary colors such as red and blue. No wonder he always seems to be looking around with awed amazement—imagine how new and vibrant his world must suddenly seem.

This week your baby probably loves listening to music—and now that he's becoming more engaged and engaging, he has more ways to demo how much he enjoys it: bopping to something upbeat, or calming down when you sing a soothing lullaby, for example. For some babies it's a surefire way to stop a crying jag in its tracks, so try putting on some Michael Jackson the next time your little one starts to wail.

Health and Safety Info

Changing Eye Color

Are your baby's blue eyes turning green or brown? Chances are good that whatever color his peepers were at birth won't last, and you might notice that his eye color is starting to change right about now. Dark eyes don't tend to get lighter, but frequently caramel-color eyes will become dark brown, and pale blue eyes might change to a deeper shade of blue, green, or even brown. Most babies will have their permanent eye color by 6 months.

No matter what color your baby's eyes are, your doctor will make sure they're healthy by checking them for a red reflex—a flash of red that reflects off the back of the retina when your pediatrician shines a light into your baby's eyes. It's the same effect that you see in photos, when the light from the camera flash makes eyes glow red. But while you hate it in photos, in real life it's happy news that means your little one's eyes are free of cataracts. Since cataracts can develop over time, your doctor will probably do a quick look-see at every checkup. She'll also scan your baby for strabismus, or a lazy eye. Until 6 months of age, a little eye immaturity is normal; it might even seem like your baby is cross-eyed at times. But if one eye is pushing in a certain direction all the time, your pediatrician will want to know.

Your Baby's Eyes

Must-Knows

Is He a Late Bloomer?

As your baby starts doing more—laughing, rolling over, learning to clap—you might get caught up in a bit of milestone madness. Naturally, you want your child's development to be right on target—and sure, you wouldn't mind if he's an early achiever. But if you find yourself constantly comparing your child to other babies his age, stressing because your niece could already talk at 6 months, or worrying that most of the other kids in day care are rolling over and your little guy is still happy to stay in one place, you've got milestone fever.

Don't obsess too much. The average dates that babies achieve certain milestones are merely rough approximations of when babies start to do certain things; there's nothing hard and fast about them. Some babies hit the milestone earlier, some later. Even if your little one is a genuine late bloomer, it doesn't mean he's doomed to a life of being below average. After all, Albert Einstein didn't start talking until he was three years old! If there's anything you're really concerned about, talk to your pediatrician. But more often than not, you just need to be patient. Your baby will hit the milestones at his own speed. And whenever that happens, he'll love to have you there, cheering him on.