4 Months Baby Development
4-month-old baby’s mobility and body control have increased a little more. This month, the baby starts to turn left and right while lying on his back.
4 Months Old Baby’s Physical Development
Physical development is the most easily observed area of infant development. The baby, whose head, shoulder and back muscles get stronger, can hold his head upright for longer periods of time. She spreads her arms, folds them across her chest, and enjoys watching her hands and arms move. When held under the arms, the baby can stand upright and unsupported for a while, when his feet touch a hard floor, he moves his legs by making movements similar to stepping. Although the baby can stand in this position, it should not be held for a long time.
Height Weight Ratio of 4 Month Old Baby
Knowing how much the baby’s height and weight should be on average makes it easier to follow whether the baby’s physical development is progressing in a healthy way. A 4-month-old baby girl has an average weight of 6 kilograms and an average height of 61 centimeters. A 4-month-old baby boy has an average weight of 6.5 kilograms and an average height of 63 centimeters.
Intelligence Development of 4 Month Old Baby
In this month, the baby can watch and follow moving objects and people for a long time. The sounds around it are still intriguing. He turns his head in the direction of the sound and looks for its source. The images and sounds that he can perceive have increased, so he begins to learn more. He starts to respond to the games of his parents and loved ones, albeit a little. Talking to the baby from birth, explaining and introducing the people around him, and making eye contact are very important for the development of intelligence.
Emotional Development of a 4-month-old Baby
The baby cries to express his needs this month as well. He will cry when he is hungry, sleepy and bored. While the arrival of a loved one silences the baby, the baby, who does not like to be alone, may begin to cry and become cranky when the people with whom he plays and communicates leave.
Psychological Development of a 4-month-old Baby
The infant’s psychological development encompasses many areas such as cognitive, emotional and social development. The 4-month-old baby has begun to shape his understanding of the world and himself. In the 4th month, the baby starts to smile when there is something he likes and responds when shown affection, when spoken to or around him, he starts to respond with chirping and babbling, and develops methods to calm himself down. The baby’s cognitive development also continues; In the 4th month, the baby gradually begins to learn the daily routines, such as understanding that his diaper will be changed and adjusting his position accordingly, and calming down before he sees the breast when the mother takes him in his arms to breastfeed. Repeats moves that have pleasurable results. The baby can easily make eye contact this month. Making eye contact with the baby is the foundation of social skills. In order for the baby’s psychological development to continue in a healthy way and for the positive perception of the world and himself to be shaped, the most important thing that parents should do in the first months and in the 4th month is to respond to the needs of the baby. In this way, the baby will feel safe and his psychological development will continue in a healthy way.
How should a 4 month old baby be fed?
Breast milk or formula is still the baby’s only source of nutrition. Until the 6th month, the baby does not need any food other than breast milk. In the 4th month, if the mother’s milk is sufficient, only breast milk, if the mother cannot breastfeed or her milk is not enough, it is sufficient to be fed with formula.
Transition to Complementary Food in 4 Month-old Babies
The 4th month is an early time to switch to solid food. This is because the baby’s digestive system is not fully developed to properly process foods other than solid food and breast milk/formula. The baby’s digestive system will be ready for complementary foods after 6 months. Although experts do not recommend starting complementary foods for the first six months, they state that in exceptional cases, foods such as fruit juices, home yoghurt (cow’s milk is not used), finely ground rice and oats can be given to the baby in very small portions without mixing.
Feeding Range of 4 Month Old Baby
The feeding intervals of the baby, which should be fed every 3 hours in the previous month, begin to increase in this month. Breastfeeding or feeding the baby 4-5 times a day is sufficient. If the baby does not gain weight in a healthy way and does not continue to grow, it may be considered that the feeding is insufficient and additional food should be given in consultation with the doctor.
Feeding a 4 Month Old Baby Who Cannot Get Breastmilk
The baby may not be able to breastfeed for many different reasons. The most worrying situation about infant feeding is when the baby cannot get breast milk. However, in such a case, it is appropriate to feed the baby with formula. Formula foods are foods that are prepared very close to breast milk in structure. Formula foods should also be chosen according to the age of the baby. Feeding a 4-month-old baby with formulas prepared for 4-month-old infants is important in order to get the necessary nutrients. A doctor should be consulted to regulate the feeding routine and foods of the baby who cannot be fed with breast milk. After consulting the doctor, a 4-month-old baby can be given vegetable soups, fruit juice and yoghurt in addition to formula.
Night Feeding for 4 Months Old Baby
Baby will still need to feed at night at 4 months. This month, it will be sufficient for the baby to feed only 2-3 times a night. The baby does not need to be awakened to feed, but should be fed when the baby wakes up.
How to Provide Sleep Pattern for a 4-month-old Baby?
The 4th month is an early time to establish a sleep pattern. Even though the baby is shorter than the previous months, he still needs morning sleep and feeding at night, and the perception of day and night has not developed. This makes it difficult to establish a sleep pattern. A 4-month-old baby’s daytime sleeps are shortened and nighttime sleeps are longer. The baby sleeps an average of 9-10 hours at night, and a total of 3 – 3.5 hours during the day.
Teething in 4 Month Old Babies
This month is an early period for baby teething. Babies usually start teething around 6 months. However, some babies may start teething much earlier, around the 3rd and 4th period. It is normal for the baby to need to chew and drool more during the teething process. Giving the baby toys that he can scratch his teeth with and vegetables that he can’t pluck and swallow will be comforting. During the teething period, the baby may be more cranky compared to previous periods. For babies with a lot of restlessness and crying, tooth-relieving gels can be taken by consulting a doctor.
4 Months Baby Vaccination Schedule
For the health of the baby, vaccinations should be followed regularly and each vaccine should be given without skipping. This month, the baby should have the second dose of the Pentecostal and pneumococcal vaccines administered in the second month.
4 Month Old Baby Flu Prevention Methods
Diseases such as the flu and the common cold are especially common in autumn and winter. Breast milk is one of the most effective things to protect the baby from flu during these periods. Breast milk naturally protects the baby from diseases with the substances that strengthen the immune system. Apart from this, to protect the baby from the flu, to take care of the cleanliness of the house, to ensure that the people who care for the baby wash their hands frequently, to try not to keep the baby indoors for a long time during the flu seasons, to prevent the contact of the people with the flu with the baby, not to kiss the baby too much while loving the baby, and to ask other people not to kiss. Among the things you can do to protect the baby from the flu.
How Should 4 Month Old Baby’s Toys Be?
In addition to the toys used in previous months, audio books, soft blocks in different and bright colors and finger puppets can be added this month.
4 Months Old Baby Activities
This month, the baby can focus longer on objects around him and follow moving objects. It is important to show him and name different objects. In addition, playing games that introduce different objects with the baby, who starts to recognize the objects around him by taking them to his mouth, are very useful baby activities. Showing and naming objects that are okay for the baby to take to the mouth improves the baby’s knowledge. Laying the baby on his back on the play mat, placing a favorite toy, a colorful and careful object and waiting for the baby to reach for the object is an activity that will strengthen the baby’s body muscles.
4 Months Old Baby Intelligence Games
Talking to the baby is one of the most important intelligence exercises. Talking to the baby from birth, telling the people around him, naming them, expressing his feelings and needs when he cries is very important for the baby’s intelligence development and baby education. It is a baby game that prepares the infrastructure for the baby to learn in the future, making the baby listen to different sounds, making various animal sounds and telling him their names. It is a game in which the baby learns the cause-effect relationship and enjoys the fact that the parents touch the rattle, the mobile and the toys that make a sound, and the baby, who enjoys the sound, touches the rattle again to create the same sound.
