The baby is 4 months old

A 4-month-old baby is a baby who knows how to entertain himself. He enthusiastically studies his arms and legs, he touches his nose and cheeks, plays with his fingers and even knows how to fold his palms. The emotions of a four-month-old baby are also developing intensively, he reacts to familiar faces not only with a blissful smile, but also with a ringing laugh.

It is during this period that a small person begins to make a chain of contacts with the outside world, any walks, be it to the park or the store, are a lot of new impressions for the child. The baby still "cooes", but new intonations appear in his sound combinations. The child's speech apparatus really develops quickly, he is able to pronounce syllables similar to the syllable "ma". Sometimes observant parents think that the child pronounces articulate words. Of course, this is not true, but it would be a mistake to think that at such an infancy the child understands little. The emotional sensitivity of a child at 4 months is very high, he perceives any family conflicts acutely and instantly absorbs negative information. Since the baby cannot consciously analyze the reason for the parents' quarrels, he reacts emotionally, and often somatically - with illnesses and irritability, poor sleep. In addition to emotional intelligence, the baby's cognitive functions are actively developing, he begins to understand that objects can perform certain functions (cup, spoon). The child can visually track and show with his eyes the trajectory of the toy that the mother moves. The baby is able to understand the relationship between what he sees and hears. Having seen the mother's breast, he can calm down, because he understands that he will soon be given something to eat.

At the age of 4 months, the baby should be more active not only in the physical sense, but also in the psycho-emotional sense.

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Baby 4 months: physical and mental development

• The baby can roll over onto its side from a tummy position.
• When in the arms of a mother or father, the child confidently holds his head.
• A 4-month-old child is actively trying to sit up on his own; attempts should not be stopped, but early “sitting” should not be encouraged either – the spine is still too weak.
• Quite meaningful grasping reflexes are developing. Everything that can be reached, the child takes in the full sense of the word - "into his hands". Therefore, sharp and dangerous objects, including food, should not be in the visible vicinity of the baby.
• In the prone position, the baby actively lifts his chest and entire body, leaning on his hands and elbows.
• The child quickly reacts to sounds, noises and even intonation of speech.
• The baby tries not only to "coo", but also to pronounce syllables.
• A four-month-old baby can enjoy new toys, books and new events. The baby is able to show curiosity and his facial expressions become extremely expressive.

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Baby 4 months: height and weight parameters

The baby continues to gain weight, but not as intensively as in the first three months of life. On average, the baby gains 600-700 grams. These figures should not be considered universal, everything depends on the individual characteristics of the baby, hereditary factors, the form and mode of feeding. If the baby is still breastfed, a weight gain of 400 to 500 grams is quite acceptable. The baby's height also continues to increase and on average increases by 8-10 centimeters, if we compare the height at birth.

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4 month old baby: daily routine and sleep

During this period, the child should increase his night sleep to the norm of 11-12 hours. If the child wakes up at night, he should be fed or have his diaper changed. Daytime sleep should be two times a day, less often it is allowed to put the child to bed three times. The general standard is considered to be a 16-hour daily sleep of the baby at this age, which includes both nighttime and daytime sleep.

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Physiological changes in digestion

A baby at this age should have a bowel movement every day, any delay in bowel movements or diarrhea may indicate an improper diet or its insufficiency. Urination remains within the three-month norms - 9-10 times a day. Complementary feeding is introduced to the child gradually, starting with small portions. As soon as the baby gets used to one product - mashed potatoes or cottage cheese, you can gradually introduce him to the next product. Any food that is included in complementary feeding should be boiled (heat treated). Raw vegetables and fruits (grated apple, etc.) should not be given, since the baby's digestive tract has not yet fully formed. Diathesis and colic are evidence of improper feeding of a small person, or signs of an illiterate diet of the mother if the child is breastfed.

A 4-month-old baby is not only a joy for parents, but also a completely reasonable person who needs to be treated with care and attention. Reading books, poems, listening to children's music, walking and talking - all this forms the psycho-emotional sphere of the baby, which is extremely sensitive during this period.