Baby at 4 months. The fourth month of a child's life and features of its development

At this age, the baby's favorite toy is himself. The baby is tirelessly trying to understand who he is, where he is and what he feels. He likes to touch his face, feel his nose, mouth, hair with his fingers. By 4 months, many babies can put both hands together and play with each hand alternately.

An important feature of this period is the intensive development of emotions. At the sight of his mother, the baby expresses his joy not only with a smile - for the first time, parents hear his laughter. The child becomes more sociable, so try to take him with you everywhere in the apartment. To do this, you can use a portable sun lounger or a stroller.

Now the baby explores the world around him through direct interaction with him. Let your son or daughter “help” you with household chores, be present at lunches or dinners, “participate” in conversations. The baby no longer waits passively to be spoken to or smiled at. He searches for faces himself, then smiles, babbles and makes us smile back.

Learning to understand each other

By 4 months, the child establishes contacts with other people. The little man is ready to smile at everyone, but the most joyful smiles are for parents. He reacts to their attention, enjoys games and conversations, actively gives voice and babbles. All these are signs of desire and willingness to communicate.

It is a mistake to assume that the child does not understand the speech addressed to him. He draws all the "necessary" information in your intonations. In response to the words addressed to him, the baby begins to “walk” and smile. From the outside, it is sometimes even difficult to understand who - an adult or a baby - is more active. As a result, a closer bond is established between the child and parents than ever before. During this period, there is a very rapid development of speech skills. The kid spends a lot of time training his new abilities.

By the end of 4 months, it is easy to distinguish vowels and consonants in the child's speech, among which the most common are rude "m", "b", "p". Their appearance in the baby’s active speech is one of the first not by chance: due to the fact that the baby sucks the mother’s breast, he already has well-developed lip muscles, thanks to the work of which we subsequently enjoy the first “ma-ma-ma”. Now it becomes obvious why in different languages, the word "mother" has almost the same sound.

And while "talking" is an important stimulus in a child's development, it's far from the only way to communicate with him. Both adults and children can use the language of facial expressions, gestures, and various actions. For example, a baby can demonstrate with all its appearance an unwillingness to go to bed.

It has already been said that one should not be afraid to "spoil" the baby, constantly rocking him in his arms. Do not worry about this now, however, a three-month-old little man needs help learning to fall asleep on his own. Show imagination and patience. To make the ritual of going to bed pleasant and understandable for the child. Putting your baby in the crib, be calm, cheerful and confident, try to talk and smile.

Motor skills of a 4 month old baby

A 4-month-old child is often called a "grab" - his ability to use his hands becomes more perfect. He begins to feel, take, throw objects, tries to reach the toy lying next to him. Most babies in their fourth month of life are able to reach out and hit the sling attached to the crib.

Their actions are carried out in a certain sequence: the child strikes the suspension, freezes, looking at the result of his action, cries out animatedly, and then resumes the blows with increasing force. In the desire of the baby to see something new, unusual, his ability to behave more consciously and purposefully is manifested.

According to the level of development of motor skills, children of this age differ markedly from each other. Someone can already roll over from his stomach to his back, while some babies are still limited in their movements. But do not rush things and try to teach the child to what he has not yet matured in ITS development. Persistently train only what the baby can do: turn his head, rise, lying on his stomach and leaning on his forearms, straighten his legs.

I see, I hear, I feel...

In addition to interest in their own hands, the baby noticeably increases interest in objects that have fallen into them. Now he is able to hold the object in his hands for a longer time and carefully study it. If the baby puts a rattle in his hand, he will first examine it, and then bring it to his mouth. When you hold an object in front of your baby, he tries to grab the object with both hands.

The baby shows the ability to predict events that are about to happen. For example, when he sees his mother's breasts, he immediately falls silent. Obviously, a connection is established in the mind of the child, based on a definite stereotype. The breast he is looking at is not just a visual image, but something that should be in his mouth and satisfy his hunger.

Along with the fact that the child begins to realize the functions of surrounding objects, he acquires the ability to respond to their disappearance. The baby will follow the moving rattle and stare at the place where he last saw it. The baby is trying to remember the trajectory of the rattle, but does not yet understand that with the help of a glance it is impossible to return it back.

At the same time, a strong connection is established in the mind of the child between what he saw and heard. He turns his head at the sound of his mother's voice. The sound of a rattle draws his attention and the baby may turn almost completely to see it. The list of favorite pastimes is headed by musical toys, radio, tape recordings and even the sound of a metronome. The child will turn towards any source of noise.

The baby's fists are almost completely unclenched, and he begins to actively explore objects with his hands. To prolong the pleasant sensation, the child will rub the edge of the soft blanket with his thumb, along which his palms slide. Now the baby is not passively enjoying. And he is actively looking for new pleasant sensations.

Activities with a 4 month old baby

Talk to your son or daughter at every opportunity. When telling something, change intonations, speak loudly and in a quiet voice, quickly and slowly, laughing or, conversely, calming the baby. When it's his turn to "say" something, wait until he finishes the "phrase" and then repeat his "speech". The more often you talk to your child, the more he will "talk" to you. Try to call him by his first name. When singing a song or reading a rhyme, replace the words "baby, baby" with the child's name.

The baby likes to listen to music, especially rhythmic. Let him listen to a melody where there is a clear rhythm. Try clapping your hands to the music, or do it with wooden spoons or a tambourine. Listen to music fast and slow, loud and quiet. After a while, the child will learn to notice changes in the rhythm.

Put a cuff with a sewn bell on your beloved child's wrist, and gently shake the child's hand so that he looks at it and notices the bell. Then put this cuff on your other arm and shake it again, this time a little harder. This exercise will help your baby get to know their body parts better and develop eye-hand coordination.

To make the baby utter various sounds more often, sing songs to him in which any sound dominates. If you don’t know these, use A, Usachev’s “Zvukarik” and shift the short rhymes from this book to any melody. Learn a few songs that end unexpectedly and sing them to your little one. After listening to the song several times, he will know that a surprise awaits him at the end. One of these songs is the song-game “We drove, we drove ...”

Continue to introduce your baby to different types of surfaces. Make a pair of cloth gloves, using a different type of fabric for each finger. Put gloves on your hands and have your son or daughter touch each finger.

Physical development of the child

Now the child strives to use his physical abilities as much as possible, so he especially likes to hit various objects with his hands and feet. Attach a toy hanger to your crib that will tinkle or wobble and spin when hit. Arrange the baby so that he can reach the toys first with his hands and then with his feet.

Take the child by the arms and gently pull towards you so that he lifts the torso, then carefully lay back. This exercise strengthens the abdominal muscles and at the same time gives you the opportunity to see the world around you in a new way. To help your baby learn to crawl as soon as possible, place him on his stomach on a hard surface. Stand behind and place your palms on your baby's feet. It will be convenient for him to crawl, pushing off with his feet from your hands.

Between 3 and 4 months, most babies begin to roll over. First, they tend to roll from the stomach to the back, then from the back to the side, and finally from the back to the stomach. Help your little one develop these new skills. Put your hand under your baby's shoulders and gently rock him from side to side. When the child is lying on his side, rocking him, give him a little push and let him try to roll over on his own.

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What should a four month old be able to do? Are there any differences between a boy and a girl at this age? What is the desired height and weight of a newborn at four months? What to do and how to entertain the baby? What games to offer? Consider these questions that interest parents from the beginning of the fourth month of the baby.

Height and weight of children at four months

Important indicators are the height and weight of the baby, which in a certain way indicate the harmony of its physiological development. It is believed that by six months a newborn should double his weight, and at 4 months it is already possible to approximately assume whether he will fit into this norm. The development calendar of a four-month-old baby suggests that he usually weighs from 5 to 8 kg. At the same time, according to WHO standards, the weight of a girl can be in the range of 5-8.2 kg, a boy - from 5.6 to 8.7 kg. You should be aware that WHO is more loyal to extreme weight values than domestic pediatricians, who are more strict and provide for a smaller range of values. The growth of children at this time is from 58 to 68 cm. It should be borne in mind that height and weight should not be divorced from other physical and mental indicators, that is, you need to look at what a child can do at 4 months, what is his general level of development.

Nutrition

In an infant, breast milk remains the only food product at 4 months; for artificially fed children, this function is performed by an adapted mixture suitable for age. Until the age of six months, children do not need to introduce any other additives into their food; breast milk or a balanced formula covers all the needs of the infant's body. Of course, this applies to healthy children who do not have developmental or physical conditions.

At this tender age, children can already begin to cut teeth, which cause concern even when they have not yet appeared above the surface of the gums. Therefore, the infantile colic left behind can be replaced by whiny and irritable behavior associated with a new stage of development - the growth of teeth.

What can babies do at 4 months?

The development of a child at the age of four months goes by leaps and bounds. Although often children develop in leaps and bounds, and the apparent stop in mastering new skills and abilities soon turns into pleasant surprises for parents. By four months, most innate reflexes fade away and are replaced by more meaningful actions.

A special difference between boys and girls at 4 months should not be expected, differences in the level of development are due rather to temperament and the individual pace of muscle and brain maturation. According to one study, the perception of boys as more active is due to the expectations of the observers, and not the actual difference between the behavior of infants of different sexes.

So, what do kids know at this interesting age?

roll over. Not only from the tummy to the side and back, but also from the back to the stomach. If suddenly this important skill still hasn’t succumbed to your child, try to encourage him to turn over with the help of a bright toy, voice, do muscle training with the help of baby swimming or massage.
Lying down, keep the upper body on outstretched arms, leaning on the palms. In this position, the baby can see a lot, he is keenly interested in the world around him.
Keep your head in line with your body without straining your neck.
Crawl like a plastunsky. Usually a child at this age already manages to move a little, pulling himself towards an attractive thing for him.
Hold a rattle or other handy item with the handle. Moreover, this is no longer a grasping reflex associated with the capture of any object thrust into the palm, but an arbitrary, volitional process in which the desire of the baby participates.
Understand how to move or shake a toy to hear a sound.
React to the sound, voice, turning the head in the direction from which it is heard.
Get to know your name.
Cooing and babbling, pronouncing the sounds and syllables "ma", "pa", "ba", similar to the first words. He responds with joy to these sounds repeated by his mother, especially if they are equipped with rich facial expressions and different intonations.
Distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar faces.
See objects at a distance of several meters.
Make sounds of different range and volume, for example, a loud squeal or a quiet purr under your breath.
To object when trying to take a toy from him is something that a child can do at 4.5 months, but not always.

Pediatrician Komarovsky E.O. believes that it is absolutely not necessary to sit down children at this age. Although children may be able to maintain a semi-upright position for some time, being in soft pillows, such sitting is by no means useful for the development of their spine and can turn into problems in the future. The development of the musculoskeletal system goes on as usual, passing through a period of crawling, which strengthens the back muscles enough for further sitting, standing and walking.

Komarovsky's position on joint sleep and night feeding is quite categorical. He admits that children of 4 months old can be breastfed 1 time per night, and after 6 months they do not need nightly feedings at all. Dr. Komarovsky considers a separate bed in the parents' room to be the best place for babies to sleep. Not all parents are suitable for such recommendations, not every child sleeps quietly separately and eats by the hour at such a tender age. In any case, moms and dads have the right to choose.

Educational activities and games for babies 4 months

Do not forget that no cards and educational materials can replace live and direct communication with adults. The child develops in play and communication, connections in the brain arise and strengthen not only from the intellectual load, but also from the atmosphere of daily acceptance, care and affection. Games and activities complement and enrich simple communication, which consists in showing the baby objects in the room and on the street, talking about their properties, colors, and sounds made. Babies at 4 months actively explore the world and rejoice when they are given such an opportunity, wearing in their arms or in a sling. Various activities should be a joy for both the child and the mother, they allow you to diversify everyday life. How can you play with a four-month-old baby?

encourage him to crawl and grab toys, placing them at a small distance from the baby so that he can reach an interesting object with little effort;
if the baby has not mastered the flip technique enough, you can give him your finger and help start the movement;
start playing finger games with your child for nursery rhymes, for example, magpie-crow, horned goat, patties, which develop both motor skills and the emotional sphere;
offer new bright rattles, soft balls, ordinary objects of different colors, but do not overwhelm the baby with toys, it takes time to master;
buy or sew a developing mat for a baby with elements of different textures and colors, buttons, zippers, animal figurines. Learning it is a pleasure for the crumbs.

Another month of the little man's life has passed, during this short period many changes have taken place, many new skills have been acquired. Therefore, the daily routine also changes, as it must meet the new needs of the child. Just like before, it includes feeding, walking, educational games, hygiene procedures and massage. Only time periods change.

Sample routine for a four month old baby

The daily routine of a baby at 4 months, as a rule, is already developed easily. You can offer an approximate schedule, but it should be borne in mind that for each baby it will be a little different. For this reason, you should not follow it very strictly, since the individual characteristics of each baby will make their own adjustments.

From 6 to 8 o'clock in the morning after waking up, the first feeding, washing and hygiene procedures take place. After that, you can do light gymnastics in combination with air baths.

From 8 to 10 in the morning - sleep.

From 10 to 12 - the second feeding, active wakefulness with exercises, massage, games to accelerate development, compatible with communication.

From 12 to 14 hours it is recommended to take a walk, it is best to combine it with sleep.

From 14 to 16 - the third meal, an active game, activities for development, a walk around the apartment.

16-18 hours - evening exercise, combined with sleep or acquaintance with the outside world.

From 18 to 21 is the fourth feeding, playing and bathing.

From 21 to 22, it is advisable to prepare the baby for bed.

At 22 or 22.30 night feeding.

From 23 to 6 - night rest.

A child at 4 months of age should not follow the daily regimen thoroughly, but there are points that must be taken into account:

the intervals between feedings should be four hours;

the duration of daytime sleep is about six hours, divided into three parts.

Nutrition Features

The regimen of a 4-month-old breastfed baby is somewhat different from the schedule of an artificial baby. And first of all it concerns the feeding itself. When breastfeeding, additional complementary foods are not required, since mother's milk fully covers all nutritional needs. And the reduction in the frequency of feeding is due to the fact that at one time the baby sucks out more milk than before.

Per day, the rate of milk consumption in a four-month-old baby is up to 1000 ml, and one serving is equal to 200 ml. Therefore, the regimen of a 4-month-old bottle-fed baby also implies the preparation of 200 ml of the mixture in one bottle.

For artificers, the first complementary foods are introduced at 4 months. Some experts believe that it is best to use kefir, non-dairy cereals or cottage cheese for this purpose. But most pediatricians believe that the best complementary foods are vegetable juices and purees, and then fruits. The feeding of a 4-month-old formula-fed baby with the addition of complementary foods may alternate with large intervals, since digestion in this case is somewhat slower.

An obligatory moment in the introduction of complementary foods is to monitor the reaction of the baby. Food should not cause him negative emotions. You should start with one small spoon, and then gradually bring the volume to 150 ml. As soon as this happens, one feeding is completely replaced by complementary foods, and the remaining four are carried out in the same way as before.

With insufficient milk supply from the mother, mixed feeding is used. In this case, the four-month diet should include 500 ml of breast milk, 400 ml of formula and 150 ml of complementary foods.

Baby sleep at 4 months

At the age of four months, the baby still has a high need for sleep. He needs about 16 hours per day for a good rest, but the sleep pattern changes somewhat due to the increase in wakefulness.

Normally, a child needs to rest for about 10 hours at night and six hours during the day, which should be divided by three. However, such a rule should not be strictly observed, some children still need to sleep at least four times a day, and many do well if they sleep once a day. There are crumbs that wake up at night and ask for food every three hours.

It is during this period that the baby may have problems with sleep. The crisis of sleep at 4 months is that the baby becomes more restless, sleeps less, is naughty, often wakes up at night. And this is not always associated with any disease. Often this phenomenon is observed as a result of the intensive growth of the body and its restructuring into an adult state.

What can be done:

Try to adapt to new conditions, and help the baby in this. For example, if he does not sleep well at night, you can put him to bed a little later, in which case you will have to entertain him until he sleeps. This will help him sleep the rest of the time until morning.

Be sure to give the baby maximum attention. Goodwill and support are very important for him during the period of intensive growth of the organism.

Make your child's free time as entertaining as possible. The more active he spends his time, the better and sounder he will sleep.

Games for development

The period of wakefulness now takes about eight hours, and this time should be filled with hygiene procedures, communication, gymnastics, but the bulk of the time should be occupied by educational games for children of 4 months.

It is useful to take tours of the apartment with the baby. At this time, he should familiarize himself with the objects and their names. Approaching each thing with a child, you need to loudly and clearly, several times call this item. All this is gradually deposited in the memory, which over time will become noticeable. During this period, it is enough to pronounce the name of an already familiar object, and the baby will turn his head in his direction.

What else to do with a 4 month old baby? It is very useful to put beautiful music for him to listen to, and it is even better to clap your hands softly to the rhythm to develop a sense of time. It is also recommended to spin with a baby in your arms.

It is possible already at this age to give books with bright large pictures, to accompany the viewing with explanations. It is necessary to read poems and nursery rhymes, tell fairy tales.

How to play with a 4 month old baby? In order to develop tactile sensations, you should give the little one toys that are different in color and texture. It is very important to handle and wash all toys, as they often end up in the little explorer's mouth and can cause infection. Today, there are many devices that help in the development of the baby. These are educational mats and entertainment centers for the development of the organs of vision, hearing and fine sensory abilities.

When a baby is 4 months old, the development and care of a girl is not too different from caring for a boy. The only thing that should be strictly observed is that washing should be done in the direction from front to back. Violation of this rule can lead to the fact that cystitis or even pyelonephritis may occur. It is not excluded the introduction of infection into the genitals.

The development of a child at 4 months, whether it is a boy or a girl, is approximately the same. Only boys have a slightly greater weight gain and growth compared to female babies.

Abilities and skills at four months of age

The development of the baby does not stand still, let's take a closer look at what a child can do at 4 months:

Grasping ceases to be reflex and becomes voluntary and conscious. Now the baby squeezes the fist only when he wants to take the object. This is a great progress, since he has the first training in controlling the movements of his own body and the development of coordination begins.

What else does a baby do at 4 months? He not only examines the object in his hand, but also makes some movements (knocks, touches individual parts with his finger, pulls into his mouth). True, due to the fact that his muscular system is still poorly developed, this has not happened for a long time yet.

If at three months the baby could already roll over on his tummy, now he knows how to take the same position. And this forces parents to keep him under constant supervision, or to shift him to the floor to prevent him from falling out of bed. With new movements, the child becomes able to get to objects of interest to him.

On the back, the baby begins to raise his head with his shoulders, as if trying to sit down. Therefore, many parents have a question about whether it is possible to plant a child at 4 months. Modern orthopedic specialists are categorically against such an early planting, until the baby sits down on his own. Do not use soft objects for support. The landing site and all supports must be rigid.

From the position lying on the tummy, the baby begins to make attempts to crawl. He raises the pelvic part, and sorts out the legs. Some children succeed at this age to move "in a plastunsky way." In order to develop the desire and ability to crawl, bright and interesting toys for him can be laid out in front of the baby at some distance.

Vision is changing for the better, and if previously the child could only see an object at a distance of 70 cm, now he is able to consider what is within 3 - 3.5 meters from him. Therefore, he is already freely looking at the room or the landscape outside the window.

Hearing begins to perceive many sound shades, music, to catch their emotional coloring. But, despite this, the most pleasant for him is the sound of his mother's voice.

Along with this, the rudiments of speech begin to form. He can pronounce individual syllables, trying to repeat the articulation of an adult. At the height of a positive emotional state, the most intense "conversation" occurs. In some cases, the baby himself can act as the initiator of communication.

At four months, the baby already clearly divides all people into “us” and “strangers”. He considers as his own those whom he sees most often. Often he begins to cry or act up in the presence of a stranger. In order to fall into the category of “ours”, you should at least show yourself to the eyes of the child once every two days. This is necessary because long-term memory at this age is not yet too developed.

Baby problems at four months

One of the most common problems parents face is sleep disturbance. Its solution has already been described above.

Not so often, but sometimes there are signs of teething in a 4-month-old baby:

gums become red and swollen;

hypersalivation occurs;

the appearance of a sour smell in the mouth is possible due to irritation of the mucous membrane;

in some cases, the baby's cheeks swell;

the child constantly pulls hard objects into his mouth and gnaws them;

he has tearfulness, sleep and appetite are disturbed.

Since such phenomena can accompany some diseases, if they occur, you should immediately contact your pediatrician.

Refusal of breastfeeding

Along with a sleep crisis, quite often there is a situation where the baby refuses to breastfeed, and mothers are forced to stop breastfeeding for this reason. What reasons may underlie the refusal of the breast of a baby at the age of four months? This is, first of all, a transitional period with increased sensitivity to living conditions. The slightest violation in the rules of catering, or a sudden change in the routine, can lead to the fact that the child will stop breastfeeding.

There are other explanations for this phenomenon:

Diseases. Often, inflammatory processes in the nose, throat or ear give the baby severe discomfort, and the process of sucking and swallowing is very painful. If treatment is started on time, the appetite will be restored. The same unpleasant sensations can be delivered by inflammation of the gums or damage to the oral cavity by a fungus.

The position in which feeding takes place may be uncomfortable. Especially often this happens with muscle hypertonicity, which occurs in children after a birth injury. In any case, you should either change the position of the child, or eliminate the cause.

Early teething can also be a failure. But this is a temporary phenomenon, and it passes within a few days.

Sometimes the quality of the milk is the cause. In the case when the mother has excessive lactation, the baby chokes on milk and constantly burps it. With a lack of milk, the child sucks vigorously at the breast, but at the same time remains hungry. If at the same time he begins to feed him with an artificial mixture from the nipple, then he completely loses interest in mother's milk.

The child actively explores the surrounding world, and begins to be distracted by external stimuli. The solution to the problem is feeding in a separate visit in the absence of strangers and sounds.

Sometimes a baby’s refusal to breast at 4 months occurs as a result of the fact that one of them has not been used for some time for its intended purpose (due to pain when a crack or lactostasis appears).

We offer you to watch a video about the development and care of a child at 4 months:

When a baby refuses breast milk, it should be remembered that at this age he does not have a better opportunity to receive all the necessary elements, so patience and perseverance should be shown.

The first 4 months of a child's life are considered to be the most eventful and productive. During this time, the baby develops intensively. It is not only about gaining body weight, but also about various skills. The kid becomes more active, more willing to make contact with parents and strangers. He actively interacts with the outside world, which allows him to acquire new life skills. In order not to miss possible developmental deviations, it will be useful for parents to know what a child should be able to do at 4 months.

social skills

By the 4th month of life, the crumbs form a "revitalization complex". This means that when communicating with adults, the child begins to actively move his limbs, smile and joyfully hum. By this time, the baby already knows how to not only smile, but also laugh happily. He perfectly distinguishes between good and bad emotions of adults. Rejoices at the appearance of a new toy.

At 4 months, the baby unmistakably recognizes his parents among other adults. And this is not surprising, because they spend the most time with the child.

It is noteworthy that children of this age group are able to distinguish their relatives not only in appearance, but also in voices. If they don't see their parents, then they begin to actively look for them with their eyes and listen to the environment.

Level of psychological development

Until the age of four months, children smile reflexively. After 4 months, the baby begins to smile meaningfully. That is, his mood begins to lead the central nervous system. At the same time, the whole range of emotions and feelings is available to the child. the same as an adult.

This is a very important stage in the development of the crumbs. It is at this time that parents should make sure that a close emotional bond is established between them and the baby. In the future, this will allow the child to develop correctly in psycho-emotional terms. It will be easier for him to adapt to the world around him, because he will know that there are people who love him nearby.

Physical activity

By 4 months, babies gain some independence.. They actively turn their heads. During feeding, they prefer to help themselves with their hands. They grab onto mom's breasts or a bottle.

Naturally, these are not all the skills that a baby masters in 4 months of life. There are many more. The main ones are:

Vision and hearing

By the age of 4 months, the baby begins to actively pay attention to all bright or moving objects. Previously, focusing of vision did not work for him. He could distinguish objects located only at a distance of 40 cm. Now he sees clearly at a distance of 3-3.5 m. Now the baby can enjoy the view of his room. Yes, and walks in the fresh air become more informative for him.

As for hearing, by the age of 4 months it becomes as acute in babies as in adults. Now the kids know how to react to the surrounding sounds properly: they get scared when they hear sharp and unfamiliar sounds, and when they hear their mother, they rejoice.

At this age, parents should not allow scandals with a child, since the baby perfectly distinguishes the emotional coloring of speech.

It is desirable that the baby during wakefulness did not remain silent. If mom is busy with household chores, she can play classical music, recordings of children's fairy tales or lullabies for him. All this will benefit the little man.

Speech skills

By the age of 4 months, the child should be able to actively use his speech apparatus. He already properly pronounces the basic syllables: “ba”, “pa”, “ma”. Because of their clear pronunciation, many young parents mistakenly think that the child is about to speak. These are wrong expectations. It's still a long way from full speech. The syllables that parents hear from crumbs at this age indicate only a good mood. Children pronounce these sounds unconsciously, they only copy the articulation of adults. Still, this is a very important step. After all, now the child has another tool to attract the attention of parents.

Possible deviations

When it comes to developmental pathologies, many people forget that all children are individual and unique. Even if you put the children in the same conditions they will develop differently. For example, if a child begins to roll over 1 month later than their peers, this is considered the norm.

In cases where the lag reaches 2 months, then parents need to urgently show their baby to the doctors.

The lack of half of the above skills is a serious reason to seek help. You should definitely go to the doctors in the following cases:

All these deviations eloquently indicate a child's lag in physical and psycho-emotional development. You can't do without the help of a pediatrician and a neurologist.

If the deviations from the norm are insignificant, most likely, the parents simply did not pay due attention to the development of the crumbs.

Parents need to know what to do for the child to develop well.

Schedule

By the age of four months, parents should do everything to make the child more active during the day. It is necessary to increase the time of continuous wakefulness to 3 hours. The child should have enough time to walk, play with his parents. He should have enough time to learn new skills.

A child's night sleep should take from 7-10 hours. In this case, one should take into account the fact that the baby is most likely to wake up at night to eat. Therefore, parents should prepare food for the night ahead of time.

Physical development

Do this exercise no more than 2 times a day.

The baby should also be able to actively roll over at 4 months. If he does not succeed well, this is not a reason to panic. Parents can speed up learning. To do this, they need to put the baby on their back, take the baby’s leg, bend it and take it to the side. The child instinctively stretches the handle in the same direction. Parents should give him a thumbs up. The baby will grab onto it and, using the support, will roll over on its stomach.

This exercise should be done very gently and carefully.

To make the fingers work better for the crumbs, parents can make a special toy for him: a sensory box. It is not difficult to make it: you need to take a cardboard cube and paste over it with various materials. In two sides of the box, you need to make holes of such a size that the baby can stick his hand in there. Inside the box, you need to firmly fasten the laces, buttons, fleecy and smooth fabric, and foil.

The child will actively try to grope different parts of the toy. Thus, fine motor skills will actively develop in him.

Hearing development

Hearing is the easiest to develop. To do this, you need to use various musical instruments such as a bell, flute, xylophone. It is necessary to make various sounds with their help next to the child. In this case, the baby should see what exactly makes the sound. The child should be able to calculate the location of the sound source.

Stimulation of the speech apparatus

It's not so much a job for a child how much for his parents. They should do the following exercises:

take the baby in his arms so that he sees the face of his mother;
she should stick out her tongue and shake it from side to side;
puff out your cheeks and snort;
pull out the lips with a tube.

After some time, the baby will begin to copy the actions of the mother. Thus, his speech apparatus will develop faster.

Conclusion

So now you know what a 4 month old baby should be able to do.. He is able to grab objects, manipulate them, hum, emotionally respond to changing environmental conditions. At this stage of a baby's life, parents should help him consolidate new skills and create conditions for moving towards new achievements.

The fourth month is a time of great changes in terms of anthropometric indicators, and neuropsychic development. Left behind the first excitement and sleepless nights associated with colic, feeding difficulties. The development of a child at 4 months is accelerated. During this period, he is learning to learn about the world around him, with curiosity he studies what he saw, heard,touch-tested .

In the language of pediatricians, this phrase means the physical parameters of the body. The score consists of measured height, weight and partial body circumference.

At four months of life, the baby grows more slowly than the earlier period. The difference between the circumference of the head and chest is gradually smoothed out. As you remember, the head of newborns is disproportionately large.
Body weight increases by 750 g, and in general, a baby at four months weighs 2,950 g more than the moment of birth. Height increases by 2.5 cm, chest circumference - by 20 mm, head - by 15 mm.

The nervous system is gradually improving, new skills and abilities are being formed. A regimen is developed: during the day the baby is awake, and sleeps at night. True, night sleep is still with awakenings. But there are children who, already at the age of 4-5 months, begin to sleep all night without waking up for feeding.

A few words about vaccinations

At the age of 4 months, several vaccinations are to be done (the clinic at the place of residence always has a calendar of preventive vaccinations adopted in the region). It is necessary to prepare for them: pass tests, go through specialists. Avoid foci of infection, crowded places of a large number of people (shops, etc.).

Before and after vaccination, the temperature should be taken. Thermometry should be done for another 4-5 days after the injection. Watch the injection site and the well-being of the crumbs. In case of any discomfort, call a doctor.

After vaccination, 2-3 days you can not bathe the baby and go for walks.

Feeding the baby and the rules of care

A breastfed baby needs to be breastfed as many times as he asks. But we should not forget about the increase in body weight. When everything goes according to plan, then complementary foods are not needed (even if the nutrition calendar says otherwise). No need for fruit juices either. It is best for mom to gradually include them in her diet, making sure that the baby does not have allergies.

For an underweight baby, we begin to introduce complementary foods. In order to avoid allergies, it is advisable to try vegetable puree first, and then follow the nutrition plan. But you should avoid foods that are known to be allergenic: fruits and vegetables of bright red, orange, citrus fruits.

For artificially fed children, complementary foods are introduced according to the rules: fruit juices, fruit puree, vegetable puree, cereals. At first, the portions are very small - just a few drops. Gradually increase the volume. But we must carefully monitor the reaction of the child, the stool. In case of a tendency to constipation, it is recommended to introduce pears, plums, buckwheat and oatmeal into the diet.

Whatever the food, it is better to prepare food for him yourself. Fresh vegetables and fruits from your garden, from the garden, are much more useful. Kashi is similar - cook it yourself. The main thing is to put salt and sugar in dishes less than usual. Over time, it is worth starting to add a little oil: first vegetable, then butter.

Caring for a child at 4 months is unchanged from birth: careful hygiene, timely bathing (daily in summer, less often in winter).

Sleep in babies at 4 months is approximately 15 hours a day. Of these, at night - 10 hours, the rest, divided into several parts - in the daytime. Of course, the norms are conditional, each child is individual. How much the baby wants to sleep, so much he sleeps, there's nothing you can do. Consider the presence of an individual need for sleep, the child is able to feel good after sleeping only 2-3 hours during the day.

It is important to develop a routine: go to bed and get up at the same time. And the baby will fall asleep easier, and you will plan your affairs during the “quiet hour”.

Assessment of neuropsychic development

An important indicator is neuropsychic development (baby skills at a particular age). Several important parameters are evaluated.

First of all, in the fourth month of life, the unconditioned reflexes of newborns fade and disappear (grasping, support, stepping, Moro, crawling), hypertonicity of the hands disappears. Their presence in 4 - 4.5 months, most likely, will require treatment and examination. Here you need to connect doctors: a pediatrician and a neurologist.
General movements - the baby should be able to roll over from the stomach to the side and back, from the back to the stomach, and, leaning on the handles, raise the chest and head. If he still does not know how to roll over, then it is worth “spurring” him up a little by hanging a toy from the side of the crib. Trying to pick up a toy will require you to reach for it and roll over onto your side. The child makes all movements out of curiosity, because he wants to see the world around him. His parents help him by moving the “couch” to different places. Sometimes they even put the baby on the floor, checking for drafts.
Hand movements become precise and clear: he is able to take, or rather, catch the object of interest, hold it for a long time, feel it. The little man began to coordinate his movements. But there is still no purposefulness of hand movements: he accidentally touches the rattle, and then tries to catch it. For more active development, bright toys are hung over it (in the crib). It is necessary to secure the rope holding the rattles stronger, eliminating inconvenience for the child.
The baby touches the mother's breast (bottle) during feeding. And when the mouth is free, he begins to pull his finger into it - acquaintance with his body begins.
In its 4th month, the baby clearly shows emotions, to the delight of parents. His mother is associated with pleasant sensations, a gentle voice, tenderness and love. Therefore, when he sees her, the baby begins to smile, talk, and he has a "complex of revival." He laughs loudly while playing with adults, smiles when they talk to him and stroke him. The dissatisfied baby whimpers, urging his mother to pay attention to him. His crying is no longer reflex, but quite conscious. There is a good reason for crying. Knows how to express resentment, fear, curiosity, joy. He reacts to a stranger by whimpering or crying. Able to remember a person who appears 2 times a week, and each meeting at this stage is like the first time.
Your child develops vision - he looks at bright objects, distinguishes volume, color and shape. Follows moving objects. He gets to know his loved ones. But when he sees his mother, for example, with a different hairstyle or glasses, he does not recognize her. The response will be appropriate.
Hearing also develops. With a sharp sound, the baby looks for the source by turning his head in different directions. Distinguishes familiar voices from unfamiliar ones. It's time to introduce him to music, a suitable melody not only develops an ear for music, but also affects brain activity.
Speech also develops. By the end of the fourth month, the baby walks for a long time. Pronounces sounds (vowels first), syllables and tries to repeat after adults. It is recommended to talk to children more often: slowly, changing facial expressions, clearly pronouncing each sound. And, you should speak in a calm voice, gently and affectionately. It is not necessary to allocate time for learning: it is permissible to do everything “as you go.” For example, on a walk, name all the objects that you meet. And at home, look at the pictures and name the depicted objects. Pay attention to your baby's speech: repeat after him, teaching the baby to imitate. When he begins to consciously repeat after you, start pronouncing new sounds (first vowels, then consonants).
Thinking. The baby understands cause and effect relationships. For example, he saw his mother's chest - it means that they will feed soon; I saw a rattle - so you should take it and rattle, etc.

Note: do not listen to the advice of those who say that children at this age should be planted. Yes, they used to do that, especially with boys. Now the norms, the age of the beginning of sitting, have changed dramatically. Children should sit down with stronger muscles: on the 5th month, and at six months and even later, regardless of gender. At early seating, the muscles are weak, a load is created on the spine, hence problems with posture, pain, etc.

The indicators from the list are conditional, in case of deviations, do not panic. All children develop differently. If you are concerned, it is best to consult your doctor. It is important to remember that a deviation is sometimes observed in a premature baby: a lag in both physical and neuropsychic development. But with good care and loving parents, he will quickly catch up with his peers.

Assistance in development

The full development of the child contributes to:

Communication and conversations. It is not necessary to create situations on purpose, it is permissible to simply carry the baby with you and constantly comment on your actions, talk with him.
Rattles are bright, containing no more than 3-4 colors. The variegation of the crumbs will only tire.
Various games: “Ku-ku” (you hide behind your palms), “Magpie-crow”, “Patty-cakes”, “Horned Goat”, etc. The main thing is to show interest in the crumbs (details on the video). A good idea is to arrange an impromptu puppet theater: children like to follow the little animals, each of them has its own intonation, timbre and rhythm. In the future, they will try to reproduce the sounds they hear.
Books. Babies enjoy listening to fairy tales read with intonation and facial expressions. It is worth buying special educational publications suitable for age. The verses are very helpful. It has been proven that children who listen to poems read by their parents at a young age have a good memory and hearing, they are easily given foreign languages.
Massage and gymnastics (basic movements in the photo).

With regard to devices such as walkers, jumpers, it is too early to use them because of the weak muscles of the spine and back, which are not ready for the load. Better to wait up to 6 months.

Developing children's rugs are very popular. They are even made at home, from pieces of foam rubber and fabric. It should look like a mattress. And "equip" the product with anything. For example, sew on buttons, beads, pieces of fabrics of different textures, etc. Rugs are not only entertainment, but also training for fine motor skills that affect brain activity.

Grow healthy!