Caring for a baby from four to six months
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
What to do if the child has a lot of tears and drooling
In the fourth month of development, the child begins salivary salivation. In some children, saliva runs a stream. This is due to the fact that before this age, saliva was formed much less. Its function consisted in a kind of lubrication of the oral cavity, so that the child could more closely cover the mammary gland. From the age of four months, the child begins to form more saliva, as the body prepares to feed on dry food. In addition, he just does not know how to swallow his own saliva, so it flows from the mouth.
Together with the salivary glands, tearful ones start to function more intensively. And if earlier tears were produced in a small amount, sufficient only for moistening the eyes, now they can be associated with emotions. Earlier the child cried without tears, and now, when he is upset, tears run down his cheeks.
Sleep
From the age of four months the child must sleep freely in his crib. Under your head you can already put a small pillow. The child should not sleep on the same side. It's not that he sleeps on his left side (this is bad for adults suffering from hypertensive heart disease). For a small child this does not matter (if he is healthy and he does not have a congenital heart disease). But when it changes the position of the body during sleep (or you do it), then stagnant phenomena in the muscles, which are in a compressed state, pass.
Most babies are more comfortable sleeping on their stomachs since birth, especially those who are being tormented by gases, because pressure on the tummy partially alleviates these pains.
Newborns and children of the first 2 months of life wake up at about 6 am, as it is time for them to eat. After eating, they fall asleep again. At 4-6 months there is already no need. But if you, starting with the period of newborns, have taught the child that with his first movement in the crib you jump to him, depriving him of the opportunity to doze off again, he will wake up in the year and two before 7 am, preventing you from sleeping even on a day off. Although, perhaps, more importantly, whoever has a child - "lark" or "night owl".
In five to six months the child no longer has to wake up at night. Due to the fact that his motor activity has increased significantly, he is more tired by the evening, and the amount of food eaten in the evening allows him to sleep until 7-8 am. If he woke up and cried at night, you need to find out what's bothering him. One of the causes of poor sleep is the psychological discomfort in the family. If you scandalize and shout (at each other, at the child) - no quiet dream can be no question! Control your emotions! And if you need to "release steam," draw a target of 20x20 cm. Glue it on the door (the tree is slightly softer than the concrete wall) and sign from below: "In case of a fit of hysterics, beat your head here." If this happens, then do it. They say it helps a lot! The next reason for poor sleep, and for older children, may be late active games. (Correctly say grandmothers: "Do not slow the child before going to bed!"). And if you do not slow it down, but you have a noisy merry company sitting at home, sitting until midnight, this can also disturb the sleep of the baby. Well, the last reason is illness. If the child has a fever, a stomachache, a cough, a shortness of breath - do not hesitate to call an ambulance - it's better to "perebdet" than to miss an appendicitis, meningitis, or some other byaku!
[