You have a 4 month old baby. We are quite sure you are overwhelmed at the pace your baby is growing! You are admiring his or her personality and at the same time, wondering how best care you can provide to the infant. Why worry when we are there?!
Caring for 4 months baby may not be very easy as it may seem, you need to know what can keep your baby healthy, happy and how to do the right parenting. It is quite a difficult task, and one must keep a note on several things such as height and weight, health and concerns, doctors’ visits, feeding and safety. Here we give you an all in one guide on how best to look after your infant!
4th Month Baby Weight and Length:
4 months and you will notice how your baby has doubled the birth weight efficiently. Usually, about 1 to 1¼ pounds weight (which is around 560 grams) and approximately 0.8 inches (about 2 cm) in length are gained by the baby. Allow your doctor to maintain a constant record of your baby’s weight during his visits. Head size is essential as well as this is an indicator of your baby’s health. Either too long or too thin and you should get it checked by your doctor for safety. Even though the first year in itself is a time for rapid growth, you don’t want to take risks.
4 Month Baby’s Development and Milestones:
Amazed by the way your infant is growing? Here are some general milestones and developmental changes one can notice in a four month old baby.
1. Body and Movement:
Developing is just the word you can use to describe your little one right now. There is more to look forward to in every field for him. You can keep his neck aligned and make sure it is easy for his head and spine to grow the right way. Don’t start them to sit on their back already as it is not the right time yet, and they are still too young. To ensure the support when you are cuddling them is maintained as your child’s head is at a more significant proportion right now and it will be hard to keep it aligned well for more than a few minutes.
See More: 5 Months Old Baby Development & Milestones
2. Rolling:
Infant in 4 months is usually when your baby will start to roll. Usually, this is from the back towards the forward direction for the first few weeks that this happens and then he starts to roll back the other way. Floortime for him is essential, so make sure the floor doesn’t have sharp corners and has a carpet at all times. Try to be around and not just to record his first moments, but to make sure he does not hit any corner of the wall.
3. Social and Emotional:
Your baby now recognizes and smiles at people. He smiles and replies to others’ smiles. He may also love to play already and is quite active with his toys. One can even notice the excitement on the baby’s face when he sees someone he likes coming towards him.
4. Language:
Well, now you can observe your baby babbling. He listens to sounds and voices nearby and responds by babbling. You can clearly by now understand if he is happy or sad.
5. Movements:
You will be shocked to see that your 4 months baby will now begin to reach for toys. While this is a significant development, he can use a hand to grab toys and follow them with eyes. He begins to watch others face carefully and responds to familiar affections. He can also bring hands to mouth in some instances. Few babies may even roll from tummy to back just at four months!
Given these, you must rush to your health care provider if your baby does not,
- Watch around things around him.
- Do not smile at people and familiar faces in the home.
- Do not make sounds.
- Cannot roll eyes around.
- Do not bring toys and items to the mouth.
Four Month Old Baby Food and Diet:
Breastfeeding shouldn’t be a difficult process as it was before. Your baby has now mastered the art of sucking the milk or formula as needed, and he has finally learned what needs to be done when he sees food. You won’t have to keep him hungry and experiment with his food habits if you detect the difficulties earlier.
You can now introduce well mashed solid food and check if he is having digestion issues and if there are risks of allergies to certain foods and supplies. It is essential to check if the baby is ready to have these foods, with the help of a few signs. If your baby opens his or her mouth to taste meals or can sit upright on a high chair, you can try feeding mashed foods like sweet potato, avocado and bananas. This is a common cause of feeding food for 4 months baby in India and can be rechecked with a doctor for personal opinion.
4th Month Baby Health Problems and Safety:
Babies are prone to several illnesses and safety issues. It is crucial to make a note of a few cautions. While sickness like fever, motions and cold are quite frequent in 4 month olds, it is necessary not to neglect any of them and consult doctors every time. If they are due to bacteria or viruses, the doctor can suggest immediate medication to get rid of the same. Further, the required immunizations should be noted from your doctor as well.
Safety precautions should be taken while handling the four month baby such as not keeping sharp objects around the baby, using unbreakable toys, not keep balloons near the baby. And not leaving the baby at a higher place, and not putting the baby in a walker as yet.
Four Month Activities and Schedule:
1. Sleeping:
Now is when the sleep pattern for your baby will fall into place. He will have longer sleeps at night and short day naps. A ten hour night sleep and five hour day sleep (in split and gaps) is standard. It might not seem like a good idea to keep your baby up throughout the day assuming he will have a better sleep at night since he will be tired. That is an entirely wrong idea and not true at all. This is because the day sleep influences how a 4 month old baby sleeps at night. Avoid rocking them to sleep or even feeding while they are trying to sleep, as this gives them the wrong idea, and they might later have difficulty falling asleep otherwise.
2. Toys and Playing:
Talking of toys, you can finally introduce him to unbreakable toys, but do clean them well, since most of it is going to end up in his mouth for sure. Try not to give him too tiny parts. Avoid sharp toys and balloons.
3. Feeding:
As per the food chart, you can breastfeed 4 months baby until his content every four hours. If you are giving solid mashed food, do not provide more than 2 ounces and three times a day, only if the baby is ready.
See More: Toys For 4 Month Old Baby
4. Schedule:
Most of the time, the four month schedule may look appear similar to this. While he sleeps no more than five hours a day, in gaps, you may find most time going to feeding and playing. He should be active during the day when not asleep and babble around often with familiar people.
4 Month Baby Care:
The common points which are often advised by doctors and nurses regarding baby care at four months are as follows,
- Most health care centers recommend keeping your child away from any digital screen until the age of two. However, impossible as it is, do try to avoid programs that involve violence as it might affect your child the wrong way.
- There is a lot of brain development involved by the age of four, so keep a distance from bouncers and use of the well-known perambulators, as these hinder the growth in your child by slowing it down.
- Never let your baby get exposed to bad sun rays. Let him stay indoors at peak sun.
- Cover up your baby well during colder times and winters.
- Morning sun rays, however, are recommended, practice taking him to the mild morning sun.
- Take care of bugs and insect bites around the baby. Prevent them and keep the surroundings always clean.
Additional Tips:
Here are some more additional suggestions on notable things to do with 4 month old baby,
- Always have a regular checkup from your doctor. Give immunization and vaccines on time.
- Do not keep changing the baby’s paediatrician as the health profile can be known well only to one family doctor.
- Make sure there are no tiny or sharp objects around him as the baby will now hold the objects to mouth.
- Spend time with the baby to talk and tell stories. You may begin him reacting and responding to your voice.
- Childproof the areas by now and make sure the environment is child safe. Put locks on cabinets, close the switchboard slowly before the child begins to reach them in the coming months.
Supporting Baby’s Developments:
It is crucial always to spend time with your infant. Your baby will begin to respond to familiar faces, caretakers and babble around. He will make noises and like people talking or playing with him. Cooperating and spending time with him will help in overall activity and physical as well as social development of the child.
Taking care of 4 month old baby is a challenging task, and one requires to give complete focus and attention to the infant. Care should be taken 24*7 and make sure that the baby is receiving all needed physical and social support. Share your thoughts with us. If you have an infant, we love to hear your experiences too.
See More: 4th Month Baby Food Recipes
This guide on development and milestones of four month baby is indicatory. Always consult your health care provider for personalized opinions and checkups. Never neglect to take the baby for a regular checkup and discuss the issues with a certified medical professional for the best care.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers:
Q1. How much sleep does 4 month old baby need?
Ans: A four month baby generally sleeps well at night, for around ten hours at least. In the day, he or she may have slept with good gaps. An average of 5 to 6 hours with gaps is a common scenario.
Q2. Is it ok to travel with four months old?
Ans: Generally, it is okay to travel with 4 month old baby girl and boy. It should not be a problem unless there are health complications or doctors’ denial.
Q3. How do I know when my 4 month old baby begins teething?
Ans: You can know that your baby is teething with some symptoms such as too much biting, more drooling, irritation, rashes around the mouth, and more of sucking. You can consult a doctor for personal opinions.
