Children at 4 months what should be able to. Child development in the fourth month of life

your child

Nutrition and baby care

Sleep and safety

Educational games

Developing a sense of balance

Game 1. "Ball riding"

At this age, the baby develops many new motor skills, but it is still difficult for him to maintain balance in some positions due to lack of coordination of hands and feet. The game is aimed at developing a sense of balance.

You will need

An inflatable ball (fitball) with a diameter of 70–80 cm, a soft diaper, a carpet or a blanket as a mat.

Game plan

1. Put the baby on the ball with his stomach. Place one hand on his back and hold both legs with the other. 2. Gently rock the ball forward, then back, then right and left. 3. Turn the child on his back and lay on the ball so that his head does not throw back. Repeat the same movements in this position. 4. Put the baby back on the tummy and, with light pressure on the lower back and buttocks, make the ball begin to spring under the baby. Hold your legs while doing this exercise.

Note to parents

1. You need to practice on the ball no earlier than 1.5 hours after feeding. 2. If the baby likes to touch the surface of the ball with his face, as well as with his bare hands and feet, you can do without a diaper. 3. After each lesson, the ball must be washed or wiped with a damp sponge. The game was prepared by Maria Baulina, a neuropsychologist, candidate of psychological sciences, a specialist in child neuropsychology and the development of the child's psychological functions.

Development: watching the baby

The baby is growing and gaining weight, every day he becomes more active. At 4 months, boys weigh 6.2-7.8 kg with a height of 61.8-66.0 cm, the corresponding figures for girls are 5.6 - 7.2 kg and 59.9 - 64.3 cm *.

The “fastest” children can already move independently: they try to crawl, lying on their tummy and helping themselves with their hands, or take a frog pose and push off with their legs. It happens that it is easier for babies to back away, and they do not immediately learn to crawl forward. Many babies can roll over from tummy to back or even from back to tummy.

The child actively uses his hands, exploring the world around him. He reaches for objects and rakes them with his palm. His fingers are not yet dexterous enough. A child should examine a new toy or other object comprehensively: grab it, put it in its mouth, examine it from all sides. After all, the only way he can figure out how to play with them.

If earlier the child clearly saw objects that were at a distance of up to 30-40 cm, now he can focus his vision depending on whether an interesting object is closer or further away. The baby is better at distinguishing colors and can even see differences in different shades of the same color. He happily reacts to the appearance of new objects and a change of scenery.

At this age, the child distinguishes all the basic sounds and reproduces some of them. He can imitate the facial expressions of mom and dad and repeat some syllables, for example, “ba-ba”. Even more he likes to reproduce coughing, mumbling, piercing scream, and he repeats them over and over again, now lowering, then raising his voice.

*Based on data provided by experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) based on the results of the Multi-Focus Growth Standards Study (MGRS).

It included children who were cared for in accordance with WHO health guidelines, such as breastfeeding and the mother not smoking. To date, the results of the MGRS are recognized world standards against which the development of children can and should be compared, regardless of their place of residence, type of feeding, and belonging to different ethnic groups and cultures.

Behavior: understand the baby

Now, while awake, the child no longer requires your constant presence nearby, giving mom a break for a few minutes. He can play with his arms and legs for several minutes in a row, repeating the same movements several times. This is completely natural, because at this age, babies usually repeat all the actions many times in order to become aware of them before starting to master a new skill. For example, a baby can say the syllable “yes-yes-yes-yes” for several days, without trying to diversify its vocabulary, and then also repeat “boo-boo-boo-boo” for a long time.

The mirror is a favorite pastime of children at this age. The kid can admire his reflection for a long time, smile at him, study the movements of his hands. Faces of any kind and shape fascinate children: they look with interest at the faces of people, dolls and even scary, at first glance, ritual masks. But the greatest interest of the child is caused by mom and dad. Communicating with parents, the baby pulls their hair and strokes their heads, feels their forehead, nose, and chin. If mom talks, she tries to get her fingers into her mouth, trying to understand how such interesting sounds come from there.

The baby has a sense of humor: he can laugh merrily if dad makes funny faces or makes funny sounds, imitating animals. In young children, fun and fear are closely related. Laughter releases tension, but overexcitation can frighten the baby and cause tears. Just now the child was bursting with laughter when he was tickled and lifted up, and now he is crying loudly. During noisy games, it is necessary to carefully monitor the baby so as not to overexcite him and offer the baby a more relaxed activity in time.

Nutrition

A four-month-old baby usually needs 6-8 feedings and 900-1000 g of breast milk (or an adapted infant formula recommended by a pediatrician) per day*. The composition of mother's milk varies depending on the needs of the baby. Now it contains more healthy fats and minerals.

The introduction of complementary foods should be started with very small portions: 10 g of vegetable purees and 10 g of gluten-free cereals (rice, buckwheat, corn porridge - optional). Gradually increase the amount of complementary foods up to 50 g per day. New dishes should be added to the baby's diet one by one, carefully observing his reaction to each product. Offer your baby broccoli or cauliflower vegetable puree for breakfast. After 7-10 days, if the baby tolerated the new product well, you can cook rice or corn porridge for him, diluted with breast milk (or a mixture).

Remember that during this period, breast milk (or infant formula) is still the main source of nutrition for the baby, so it is necessary to supplement the baby with milk at each meal.

Baby care

Time to recharge! Make sure you and your baby are "cheerful, cheerful and healthy" - and you can start.

Lay the child on the back, make circular movements with his handles. Then raise and lower the handles. Gently turn the baby first on one side, then on the other. Lightly press your hands on his tummy, lift his legs and shake them slightly.

Lay the baby on your stomach. Bend his legs at the knees, then straighten them and spread them apart. Then connect the legs together. Turn the baby over on its back. Raise his arms up, lower down, cross and spread apart.

Carefully observe the child, do not let him overwork. Sing fun “sports” songs so that the baby can feel the rhythm of the exercises. At the end of the lesson, tinker with the baby, lightly tickle him, kiss him and praise him for his efforts.

Education and communication: we are engaged with the baby

Play simple games with your child, such as hide and seek. Hide your face behind the palms of your hands or cover yourself with a blanket, the baby will surely begin to laugh joyfully when you suddenly appear in front of his eyes.

Build a small cardboard slide and slide the toy on wheels down it in front of your baby. This observation will help the child in the future to better understand the causal relationships between phenomena.

Put squeaky toys that can be easily squeezed in each hand of your baby. Gradually, he will learn to squeeze both toys at the same time. Such games are great for helping children learn to make decisions and coordinate actions.

Help your child explore different parts of his body. Put colorful socks on your little ones feet. At first he will examine them, and then he will try to grab his leg and even take off his sock. Do not forget to praise the baby when he manages to do this.

Children at this age love to play "sound" games: roar like a lion, or puff like a train. If your baby makes any sounds, repeat them, imitating the baby's facial expressions. Pause so that the baby can insert his “word”. He will definitely appreciate your attempts to “speak” his language, and, at the same time, learn the rules for constructing a dialogue.

Dream

At this age, children sleep 17-18 hours a day*.

There is no one magic tip on how to put your baby to sleep, but there are some general guidelines to help calm your baby and set him to sleep.

Bathe your child in a warm bath before bed and give him a light massage to help relieve muscle tension.

Try rocking the baby in your arms: perhaps he feels safe only cuddling up to mom or dad. Some babies fall asleep faster with monotonous rocking in a stroller or bassinet.

Many children calm down by listening to quiet, flowing music or soft speech, such as the leisurely reading of a "grown-up" book aloud.

Note:

(*) The above norms are averages, the duration and time of sleep depends on the temperament of the baby. The main criterion of the "norm" is always the well-being of the baby, smiles and cheerfulness. If you still have any doubts, consult your pediatrician.

Safety

Parents often leave children unsupervised during sleep, so you need to make sure that the baby will be safe in the crib or stroller.

Now that the child has become more active, once again check the strength and reliability of all elements of the child's bed. Always put your baby to sleep on their back. The mattress should be flat and not too soft. Do not use pillows, remove soft toys from the crib. Bedding should be made of smooth, breathable materials, no fluffy sheets or blankets.

What does the baby (4 months old) look like? Development, as they say, is evident. The child has become more proportional: the head is no longer larger than the chest, the arms and legs are straightened and strengthened. At this age, the child's eyes become darker, they acquire their color forever. If the color of the eyes does not change before 6 months, then they will remain the same light. The baby loses its thin first hairs - they gradually roll out and fall out, new ones grow in their place, maybe even of a different color or shade.

Physical development at 4 months

Within 4 months of life, the baby should gain an average of 700 grams in weight. Relative to their weight at birth, the total increase in mass becomes 3600-3700 grams. He should also add 2 centimeters in height this month. Now the child is already 13 centimeters larger than it was when it was born. Assessing the development of a child at 4 months, it is necessary to take into account the volume of the head and chest. In a properly developing baby, the volume of the chest should be greater than or equal to the volume of the head. The average figures for boys are: 41.9 centimeters - head circumference and 42.8 centimeters - chest. In girls - 41 and 41.8 centimeters in volume, respectively. We repeat, the above norms (child development) at 4 months are only indicative. Each child is an individual organism. Only a pediatrician should evaluate the rate of increase in height or weight, as well as other physical indicators.

Baby development at 4 months

The baby already knows how to hold his head well. When he lies on his back, he lifts it all the time to take a good look at himself and everything around. During the time when the child is playing, lay it on the tummy more often, let the back and neck strengthen. The baby is already confidently holding its head on its stomach, but let it learn to just as confidently and easily turn its head from side to side. Lying on his tummy, the baby has time to look at everything around him, and also tries to grab a toy or something else that is interesting to him with a pen, while holding himself with his head raised, relying on only one pen. Also, the child tries to turn on his side or even roll over from his back to his tummy. He will learn to do it faster if you help him. How to do flips correctly is described in the article below. In addition, you can stimulate his coups with the help of bright toys. Place a toy near the baby so that he can take it, turning over on his side.

The child continues to explore himself - he lifts up the handles and watches them. Hand and eye movements are coordinated. He can also hold small objects in his hands.

The kid already recognizes his relatives, when they talk to him, he will definitely answer with a smile.

Fill your house with colors

The eyes of the child move synchronously and coordinated. The baby can examine objects at a distance of 20-30 cm from him. Activate the development of a child of 3-4 months of life - hang large and bright toys above the crib. The baby will examine them, learn to hold his gaze on one object, and also turn his head from side to side to see a new toy or follow its movement. You can also use a play mat for children. Lying on his back, the baby will examine the toys above him. Also, the child should have several different rattles, convenient for grabbing by small hands. You must be sure of the quality of the toys, because the child will grab them, feel them and put them in his mouth. The baby will be interested in watching moving toys, such as a musical carousel above the crib.

Develop speech

He already understands well where the sound comes from, and the 4-month-old baby turns its head towards it. The development of a child, more than ever, depends on the people around him - he needs communication, the voice and smiles of adults. Talk to him more, voice everything around him. Listen to what your baby is babbling, and repeat after him, encourage him and praise him, then the child will “gurgle” for a long and expressive time, training his speech apparatus. Smile and laugh more, the child will copy your laughter and "giggle" in his own way. Soon he will repeat sounds after you, and in the future syllables such as “ga”, “gu”, “da” and the most long-awaited “ma” and “pa” will line up from them. The child does not always understand words, but he catches intonation well and distinguishes between soft and loud sounds. Many children love to listen to music. Therefore, it is possible to turn on quiet and calm music while the baby is awake.

How to organize your daily routine

The baby became much more active at 4 months. Developing it now requires more play time. Now the baby sleeps during the day 3, less often 4 times, night sleep is stronger and longer. Now it is 8-10 hours. The morning begins, as before, with a daily examination and toilet of the baby. The child is washed with water at room temperature and dried with a soft towel. If necessary, clean the nose and ears. Evening bathing should also be present in the daily routine of the child. Walks in warm weather should be twice a day for two and a half hours, and in cold weather - for an hour and a half. Do not go outside if the air temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius. In your free time at home, play with your baby with big bright toys. All game items must be different in shape, color, and material. How to play with a baby at this age? Games that stimulate the development of a child of 4 months of life are described below. You can also leave the baby alone for a while. But do not forget, he is already very mobile and can roll off the bed. Put him in a crib or a specially equipped place to play. In general, the daily routine at this age is built on the principle: "sleep-feeding-waking-sleep". The more the child is in the fresh air, the more actively he plays at home, the better his sleep and appetite. What are the changes in breastfeeding for 4-5 months? The development of the digestive system allows you to introduce the first complementary foods to the baby. What it will be, it is better to consult a pediatrician. You can start with both fruits and vegetables. For feeding, the child already eats more, the approximate serving is 190-200 ml of milk formula or breast milk.

play with baby

Right now it is necessary to train the child's coordination, the accuracy of hand movements, his ability to grasp objects of various shapes. What will the baby be interested in at 4 months? The development of vision and tactile sensations determine his curiosity for various bright things. Help him explore this world in a playful way.

The development of a child 3, 4 months of life with the help of games should be carried out after the baby has eaten. He is calm and cheerful. For the game, cubes and balls of small sizes are used, convenient for the hands of the baby. The selected items must be the same color. The child is laid out on his stomach and balls are laid out in front of him. Let the kid play with them as much as he is interested. When he starts to get distracted, a cube is placed in the middle of the balls. The child immediately reacts to a new object, he will reach for it and want to pick it up. You can swap objects, and in order to make it convenient for the child to look from one toy to another, place them no further than 5 cm from each other. The game lasts about 5 minutes. You can repeat it every day, as long as it is interesting to the baby. Then you can take a short break and return to it after a few days. During this entertainment, the child visually evaluates objects, noticing the difference between the cube and all other objects (balls). Trying to pick up a cube, the child tactilely feels the difference in shape. This game actively trains the muscles, coordination of movements and the ability to pick up various objects.

Games of the 4th and 5th month

Any games of this age are continuations of previous games. With their help, the baby learns to control his hands and properly grasp objects.

Toddler (4 months), development of grasping objects of various shapes

For the game, objects of rectangular and triangular shape are used. You can replace them with bars and pyramids. Each item will need three pieces. The child is laid out on his stomach, and one toy in the shape of a rectangle is placed in front of him. He immediately becomes interested in it and wants to take it in his hands. After he took the toy in his hands, another exactly the same rectangle is laid out in front of him. The kid will probably throw the first toy and begin to study the second. After that, the third rectangle is taken out. Let the child play as much as he wants. Continue playing the next day. On the third day, a triangle is placed near the rectangles familiar to the child. A new subject should interest him. Also add the second and third triangles. The game is played for 3 or 4 days, then you need to take a break and return to it in a week.

Massage techniques and gymnastic exercises

The development of a child of 4-5 months directly depends on how parents deal with him. Massage and gymnastic exercises have a positive effect on the body of the baby. They not only stimulate the development of motor reactions, but also have a beneficial effect on the nervous system.

Exercises for children of the 3rd and 4th months of life

This is a set of exercises that can be done daily, starting from three months.

Crossing arms

The baby lies on its back. Grasping the baby’s hands, the mother puts her thumbs in his hands. After that, she spreads her arms to the sides and brings them together on her chest so that they cross. The exercise is repeated 8 times. But it is necessary each time to change the handle, which will be on top. Such movements stimulate the development of the muscles of the arms and shoulder girdle.

Flips from back to stomach

The chest lies on the back. With her right hand, the mother clasps the child's thigh. In the left hand of the baby, the mother puts the index finger of the other hand. Turning the child's pelvis to the left, the baby turns the head and shoulders in the same direction. It turns out a coup from the back to the stomach, while the handles are under the child's chest. The exercise should be performed alternately in different directions.

Stroking and kneading the back

The child is laid out on the tummy. His arms are under his chest. Stroking: the mother strokes the child with her palm from top to bottom - from the head to the buttocks, and vice versa, from bottom to top - with the back of her hand. Kneading: with progressive circular movements of the index, middle and ring fingers, the mother massages the long muscles that are on both sides of the spine. Movements are performed from the bottom up - from the lower back to the neck.

belly massage

The child lies on his back. Stroking: the mother strokes the baby's tummy clockwise with the palm of her right hand. It is not necessary to press on the tummy, especially to be careful in the liver area. Rubbing: The mother places her hands under the baby's lower back and gently rubs the external obliques. Movements start from the sides and gradually move to the center until the palms are connected above the navel.

"Swimming"

The child is laid out on the tummy. Mom grabs the left leg of the child with her thumb and forefinger, and the rest with the right. He puts his right hand under the baby's tummy, while slightly lifting him above the table. When the baby lies in the mother's palm, his head and shoulders should be slightly raised. The exercise is performed once a day and lasts only a few seconds. This exercise has a very good effect on the muscles of the back, legs, strengthens the spine.

The development of a child of 4-5 months of life allows you to do, in addition to the above, the following exercises.

Flexion and extension of the legs (simultaneously)

The child lies on his back. Mom wraps her arms around the child's legs, while the thumbs are on top of the lower leg, the little fingers rest on the feet. It is necessary to simultaneously bend both legs of the child, pulling them to the tummy, and unbend back. The exercise is performed 8 times. It develops leg muscles.

Back massage with patting

The child is laid out on the tummy. Mom pats the back muscles with the back of her fingers, which are located along the spine, starting from the buttocks and moving towards the neck and back. At first, patting is done only with the index fingers, then others are gradually connected. At the same time, remember that the massage should begin and end with stroking.

Exercise "Hang-gliding"

The child is laid out on the tummy. Mom puts her hands under the baby's tummy so that the little fingers touch and the thumbs are on the sides. Then you need to lift the child. The baby's body is tense, and the head and legs are raised. This exercise stimulates the development of the child at 4 months, it strengthens the muscles of the back and buttocks.

In this article:

The first three months for mom and baby is a huge and very stressful job. Responsibility lies, of course, with both parents and even partly with relatives: care, upbringing, games ... However, mother is the most important character in the life of a little person. It is she who, like no one else, should know and understand her baby at any age.

At 4 months, the development of the child reaches new barriers, and you will have to overcome the difficulties of further education in other ways than before. From birth to three months, you learned to live according to a schedule: feed, change diapers, walk, bathe, massage, cope with colic, stay up at night because of the first teeth, smile, talk to someone who cannot answer you yet. At 4 months, these joyful and exciting everyday life fade into the background: a new period begins. You are raising a son, and this is really important to realize. Until the 4th month, you had a baby in your arms - now it's time to communicate with a small, but a man.

What can a 4 month old baby do?

Regardless of who was born to you - a boy or a girl, a child
at 4 months should have in stock a huge range of large and small skills. This is what is characteristic of a four-month-old child.

Can play with his body parts - fingers and toes. Including pulling the legs to the mouth.
Knows how to distinguish between favorite toys, pull them up to him, play on his own.
All items must be sent to the mouth.
Abundant salivation portends the imminent appearance of the first teeth.
The baby can roll from side to side and roll over on the tummy.
He knows how not only to hold his head and raise his body, but he also reaches out to toys, lying on his side or on his stomach.
Knows his name, mother's and father's voice, remembers the best friends of the family.
The child hums, “sings along” to familiar melodies, interrupts parents in a conversation.
At night, the child sleeps, and during the day he wants to play and communicate.
Often asks to pick him up with gestures and shouts. He likes to be upright more.
The child is trying with all his might to start sitting as quickly as possible.

Now let's talk about sons. You can safely add masculine strength and perseverance to the above skills. Nature has decreed that the boys begin to run away from the sheets much more lively and diligently than the girls. Fortunately, the baby boy is easier to soothe, if only by the fact that he can be positioned in pillows in an approximately sitting position,
"on the rise". This will distract the boy from thoughts of escaping for a few minutes. It is absolutely impossible to plant girls because of the development of internal organs, and not just because of weak bones.

Boys at 4 months willingly play with their genitals. This is a normal reaction of the baby to his body. Now he studies himself and remembers what's what.

Some children, and more often boys, require their first solids at this time. It takes much more strength to develop than when they were in diapers, and mother's milk is not enough to get enough energy, as well as to fortify a growing organism.

Typical day for a 4 month old baby

Mom with a four-month-old baby is not bored. Caring for him is very different from caring for a baby. From the very morning, the child is drawn to communication and games. The best way out for parents will now be to turn any action into a game: go to the bathroom - “hike”, sit down to eat - “refueling the helicopter”, listen to music - “play musicians”. Accompany each action with a detailed verbal transcript. So
the kid both remembers actions, and plays with you. Accordingly, he gets tired, absorbing information.

Oddly enough, to tire the child in the morning is your direct responsibility. Healthy daytime sleep boosts the immune system, gives strength for further development, stimulates digestion and, most importantly, does not allow the baby to think about whether this family needs him or not.

How can a child think that he is not needed? Very simple! Boys and girls of 4 months are well versed in emotions and capture the mood of their parents. In families where there is no time to play with children (and it happens), babies develop more slowly and experience stress from the cradle, feeling useless. And this will greatly affect their further development.

Boys, as a rule, single out their mother at the moment. With girls, the issue of communication is somewhat different: they communicate with everyone, are interested in their father's affairs - in their own way, in a childish way. A boy needs a mother and her inner world.

A walk with a four-month-old baby turns into an excursion. This is how communication with the outside world and the development of its perception as a whole proceeds. First you study the yard, then the nearest parks and alleys. You meet animals and talk about them, show how to feed the birds... Passers-by are also interested in a small child. It is necessary to tell that, in addition to his family, there are other uncles and aunts, and there are also the same little boys and even girls. In fact, the child can only understand
part of your speech, but he will immediately catch the intonation and perceive the conversation as a pleasant communication with his parents.

As before, personal hygiene remains a necessary item in the life of a child. Boys don't always need powder. Sometimes it is enough to take a baby bath and leave your little naughty one to lie on a towel so that the body is ventilated and dried. Also try to overshadow "grandma" stereotypes and do not wrap your child too much in warm down jackets, diapers, blankets and cotton pants. If you cause the body to overheat, you can get problems with the genitals, or rather, with the son's testicles. Dress your child for the weather and temperature. If the baby has a temperature of 36.6, then he feels the cold no more than you do. Excess clothing is a thermos without oxygen.

Height, weight, nutrition

As a rule, boy heroes are more impressive than little ladies - this is a normal development. By four months, their weight can reach 8-9 kg with a height of up to 68 cm. If your baby weighs 10 kg, but his height has crossed the 70 cm mark, this may be a genetic highlight, and not at all an alarming sign that he is developing incorrectly. But a visit to the doctor does not cancel even the most excellent indicators.

The pediatrician should examine the baby monthly, not counting your visits to him with individual questions.

It measures height, weight, checks the skills of the child. He prescribes vitamins and complementary foods if height and weight are not up to the norm, or advises a diet if the weight exceeds the norm. The height and weight of boys and girls, of course, is different, but these parameters are determined by standards that are not prescribed in the books. If mom and dad have an impressive height, then the child will not be small. If the weight of a neighbor's boy is one kilogram more than yours, and they were born in the same month and year, then for sure initially, after giving birth, they were already in different weight categories. Not worth it

fatten the child on purpose and worry too much about growth if your parameters do not match the table in the textbook a little.

If you or your doctor think your child is malnourished, supplemental foods can be introduced to help keep development going. This is not currently a problem, as the children's departments are full of a variety of complementary foods for children. There is no need to empty your wallet for foreign colored jars. The Institute of Baby Nutrition of the Russian Federation takes great care of the health of children and develops an excellent menu for the smallest. If the time for complementary foods has come in the summer, everything is even easier. With the advice of a leading physician, you can prepare your own food from vegetables and fruits, making safe steamed purees, without salt and sugar.

Do not give your child everything at once. Complementary foods must be introduced very carefully: an allergic reaction to any product can appear suddenly.

In boys, rashes form on the cheeks and on the inside of the legs, in the inguinal region. Red spots that look like sweatshirts are a signal that the boy is allergic to a new product. Don't panic - just don't give it to your child again. It is enough to try complementary foods once a day to pay attention to changes. Do the same with liquid cereals and fruit purees. If your child plays calmly, sleeps, continues to amuse others and tries a new portion of interesting products with pleasure, you are a happy mother.

Games with a boy at 4 months

Do I need to immediately switch to the "military education" of the child if you have a son? Everyone has the right to a childhood, and the boy should be brought up according to his age. Now he is 4 months old - he is hardly interested in the exchange rate, the war in
neighboring countries or how to properly fold clothes in a closet. A smiling mother, an active dad in games and 5-7 minutes a day of "Masha and the Bear" on TV are important to him, which also cannot be excluded from education.

If you are adherents of the "Spartan" system, when children are deprived of the opportunity to get acquainted with the phone, tablet and other modern technology - you can try to do without a diaper, a pacifier, a mashed potato mixer, and even without this article written on the Internet. Understand that our children are a new generation, obliged to know what world they came to.

Protecting them from harmful information is a noble cause, but familiarity with the modern world is necessary, and your prohibitions will only briefly push back the inevitable.

No one says that children should have modern toys in their hands almost from birth, but the knowledge of the world cannot be canceled and separated from how the development of a new person is progressing. The kid will be happy with anything, because he is just starting to explore the huge world. A TV with a children's channel turned on for 5 minutes will not harm the child.

Physiological games with boys

Boys at four months always imitate their parents. Take this into account and start the exercises: spread the blanket on the floor and start building funny faces to each other, roll from side to side, pull the handles towards each other. Boys love these games. Fathers are especially fond of crawling, rightfully getting a chance to return to childhood to play scouts. The son will be delighted, laughing out loud and pronouncing incomprehensible, but cheerful sounds.

Of course, you can also throw the baby up - only low. It is better to pass this lesson on to dad, because he has strong and reliable hands. In the game, the baby wakes up attachment and trust in the father, motor skills develop, the concept of balance appears.

Take a bright toy and pull it towards you. The kid should crawl to it or grab it with its handles and pull it. Take another one and place it so that it barely reaches out, and put a glass jar between your son and the toy. The kid must understand that the toy must be obtained by moving the barrier. This is the development of logical thinking and physical education for the whole body of the baby.

Proper care of the child, attention to him and, most importantly, the love of parents help the little person grow up as a happy and full member of society.

The development of children in the fourth month of life continues to take place at a rapid pace. In most children, the period of colic ends, the work of all organs comes to a stable and normal state. Motor activity in infants of the fourth month of life increases significantly, and the child begins to achieve his first successes. Because your pediatrician and neurologist will pay close attention to your baby's developmental standards, you should know what your baby should be able to do at four months. So you can help the baby develop the skills and abilities necessary for age.

reflexes

In a four-month-old child, some reflexes continue to fade, and certain skills are formed on the basis of others:

the grasping reflex by 4 months is reborn into meaningful movements, the baby now takes everything he can reach into his hands, holds objects in his fist for a long time and feels them with his fingers. It is now that the development of fine motor skills begins;
during this period, the crawling reflex begins to fade. If a baby lying on his stomach put his hand under his heels, he instinctively starts to push off with his feet from the support that has appeared. If you regularly stimulate this reflex, then for 5 months the baby can crawl on its own.

Skills

Despite the fact that all children develop at different rates, some babies learn certain skills faster, while others slower, there are skills that every baby should master by the end of 4 months of life:

the child must grab and hold objects in his hand;
the baby should be able to independently roll over from the back to the tummy;
lying on his stomach, the baby should be able to rise on the handles;
if you hold the baby vertically so that he touches the surface with his legs, the baby will rest his fingers on it;
a child at 4 months should actively show emotions - smile, laugh, get angry and surprised;
the baby should be able to distinguish between friends and strangers, as well as respond to the appearance of strangers in the house;
a child at 4 months coordinates the movements of his hands quite well. He knows how to support the breast or bottle during feeding, shakes the rattle and puts his fingers in his mouth.

A pediatrician and a neurologist will check the baby for these skills and assess whether the baby is developing at 4 months as expected.

sense organs

Vision

At 4 months, a baby distinguishes colors quite well and even begins to give preference to one of them. Now is the time to buy bright, but not multi-colored toys.

The development of the visual organs during this period is increasingly associated with thought processes. The kid already distinguishes between his loved ones, should be able to recognize himself in the mirror. The child is trying to copy your movements and articulation, and you can actively use this to train his nascent speech skills and established physical skills.

Hearing

The development of hearing and the brain helps the child to learn about the world around him. The baby turns exactly in the direction from which he hears the sound, distinguishes close people by voice. If you turned on music for your child, then now he may have favorite melodies, which, with the help of whims, he will ask to put on. The child can shake his head to the beat or clap his hands.

Continue to constantly talk with the baby, tell him about everything that is happening around him, read fairy tales to him, comment on all your actions.

The more information a child receives from you, the sooner he will begin to speak, and the wider his vocabulary will be in the future. The baby has already memorized his name and turns his head in your direction when you address him.

Dream

The duration of sleep in the fourth month of life is somewhat reduced, the baby now sleeps about 15 hours a day. Some children may no longer wake up all night, but nevertheless, 2-3 awakenings per night are still considered the psychological norm.

The daytime sleep regimen and the time of the beginning of the night rest in children by four months should already be established. During daylight hours, the child sleeps 3 times. Pediatricians and child psychologists recommend preparing the baby for bed in the evening at 19-21 o'clock, at a later time the baby may feel overtired and this will make it worse to fall asleep.

Emotions

The revitalization complex that appeared in the third month of life is now manifesting itself more and more clearly. When you appear in the room or talk with the baby, he begins to smile, babble and move all his limbs. Four-month-olds are meaningfully excited about familiar adults as well as new toys.
The range of emotions that a four-month-old baby experiences is greatly expanded, he can experience curiosity, fear, joy and resentment - and all this will be very clearly manifested on his face.
A close emotional connection arises between the baby and parents, children feel the mood of adults and, like a mirror, reflect it on their faces. Toddlers begin to act up and get upset when loved ones go somewhere. The psychology of a four-month-old child makes them demand constant communication with adults.

Speech

Children in the fourth month of life actively develop their speech apparatus, and the consonants "p", "m", "b" are added to the stretching vowel sounds. Since the baby already knows how to analyze your movements and make attempts to repeat them, spend time with him talking more often.

Deliberately stretch the sounds, show how the lips should move to pronounce certain sounds.

You will see that a four-month-old child is trying his best and pulling his lips just like you. Regular practice and articulation exercises stimulate early language development, so try to make time for them throughout the day to teach the pronunciation of sounds with your baby.

Weight and height

The child continues active growth and development, and due to the still sedentary lifestyle, he may experience a significant weight gain. For the fourth month, the weight of the baby increases by an average of 750 grams, the circumference of the head and chest lengthens by 15-20 mm.

During this period, the baby grows by 2-2.5 cm. Now you can estimate the growth rate of children, because a newborn baby weighed half as much as a baby at the end of four months.

Feeding

Pediatricians recommend continuing to feed breastfed babies on demand. We can control the volume of milk eaten by a child by weighing it before and after feeding, or simply by observing the weight gain of a four-month-old baby. If the baby is growing at a normal pace, feels good and is capricious in moderation, then you do not need to worry that he does not have enough food.

With formula feeds, you can keep track of how much your baby is eating and put him on a strict schedule. In the fourth month of life, children eat 6-7 times a day for 150-160 ml. per day.

If the doctor considers that a four-month-old baby is ready to introduce vegetables or cereals into the diet, he will recommend that you start complementary foods rich in fiber and advise on what foods the baby can start expanding his menu with.

What should be paid special attention to in the fourth month?

Since a four-month-old baby does not yet know how to play on his own, and he quickly gets tired of lying in a crib, contact and communication with adults is very important for a child. In addition, children in the fourth month are actively interested in the world around them, they need to look at, hear and touch everything that is around it.
Talk to a four-month-old baby more often and respond to his cooing, talk about what is happening around, name objects, their colors and shapes.
Children can now be interested not only in a comfortable rattle, so get your baby a developing mat with details of various shapes, rustling, rattling and squeaking. The child likes to touch the surrounding objects, so provide him with objects that are different to the touch, this will develop his motor skills well and help him actively explore the world.
Don't forget to take care of your baby's toys in a timely manner, at four months many babies have itchy gums due to teething and they put everything in their mouths. To avoid intestinal infections, regularly rinse and pour boiling water over your baby's toys. Do not buy for a four-month-old baby those products that cannot be cared for in this way.
Since a four-month-old baby begins to salivate profusely, foreshadowing the imminent appearance of the first tooth, purchase teethers and pain gels for him in advance. To prevent irritation around the lips and on the chin, wipe the skin with a clean handkerchief and care for this area with healing creams.
Develop baby's rolling skills by encouraging him to reach for toys on the side.
Having laid the baby on his stomach, help him push off with his legs from your palms. If you do such exercises daily, you will train the baby, and he can crawl; early development of these abilities will accelerate the formation of other skills.
To develop motor skills, play “finger” games with the baby, for example, “Magpie-white-sided” and “Boy-finger”. Four-month-olds love rhythmic poems and manipulations with their hands, and over time, the baby will make characteristic movements from these counting rhymes on their own.
After bath procedures, gently massage the baby's body, kneading his muscles. To make your hands slip, use for the procedure the oil with which you care for the baby's integument.

A baby who has outgrown a 3-month milestone is significantly different from his former self. Such a baby not only confidently holds his head and turns his neck, but lying on his stomach for a long time keeps his shoulder girdle raised (cobra goat). He reacts to all sounds and perfectly distinguishes facial expressions of adults. In crying, you probably notice that his intonations vary greatly: from offended-sad, to provocatively-scandalous. But the main thing is that the baby no longer only communicates with the outside world by crying. From the age of 4 months, most children develop the so-called infant speech - cooing. It can be fun, enthusiastic, very meaningful, and, of course, infinitely touching for mom. Arrange "dialogues" with the child more often - it is good for him, and you - tremendous pleasure.

At this age, the baby's favorite toy is himself. The kid examines his fingers with interest, trying to synchronize their movements. However, other toys by age will also come in handy, but we'll talk about this a little later.

If a child at 4 months tries to sit up on his own

Once again I would like to emphasize: in no case should you "help" the baby by disembarking. Even if every day you observe the painful attempts of the little one to sit down on their own (rarely, but it happens that even at such an early age children begin to sit down), in no case help or pedal this process. The child will be able to sit down when and only when his bones, joints, muscles and tendons are ready for this. If the baby managed to sit down on his own - great, congratulations to him and you, but if he still can't do it - don't help, then the time has not come yet. Let the baby get a little stronger, and daily, albeit unsuccessful, attempts to sit down are the best training for him now.

And you should not take to heart the stories of neighbors that supposedly someone has a child crawling at 4 months, or even walking at all. Not every baby at this age is able to roll over on their own, and this is also the norm!

4 month old: Need to rule out hip dysplasia

As soon as the child reaches the age of full 3 months, it must be shown to a pediatric orthopedist without fail. Because it is during this period that a serious and dangerous, while completely imperceptible disease, can be detected. At the age of 3 - 7 months, it is treated quite easily, while at an older age, treatment causes suffering to the child and inhibits his physical development. If the disease is left untreated in childhood, in adulthood a person may face disability.

The trouble is that it is impossible to determine hip dysplasia with the naked eye, so absolutely everyone needs an examination by an orthopedist, as well as ultrasound diagnostics (sometimes only an x-ray can confirm the presence or absence of a diagnosis). More often this defect is observed in girls, the following signs can alert the mother: asymmetry of the inguinal folds, uneven abduction of the legs bent at the knees when the child lies on his back, clicks during abduction. But all this is just folk signs, a child (including those who look absolutely healthy) must be examined by a specialist.

The daily routine of a child at 4 months

In the life of the baby, many new opportunities appear, he already needs more time for games and communication. Therefore, he will sleep less and less, and he will begin to use the free time properly. We invite you to join.

How much does a baby sleep at 4 months

The daily norm of a child's life sleep is 15 - 18 hours. Of these, the bulk, of course, falls at night. That is, continuously (waking up only for feeding), the child should sleep at night for about 12 hours. The rest of the time is divided into equal intervals during the day at the "discretion" of the crumbs - 2 or 3 daytime sleep, and maybe short periods of sleep after each feeding (usually the child eats about 5 times during the day and 2 - 3 - at night).