Baby at 4 months old. leading social manifestations. child and objects

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The development of a child in the 4th month of life is remembered by parents for a huge number of changes. Toddlers by this age, for the most part, have already coped with colic, their gastrointestinal tract works more stably, so they have more time to explore the world around them.

Physiological indicators and reflexes

In the fourth month of life, the baby is still actively gaining weight, for the most part due to insufficient physical activity so far. In one fourth month, a child can gain up to 750 g of weight, and this will be the norm. On average, children at this age weigh from 6 to 7 kg, their body length ranges from 60-63 cm.

Separately, it is worth noting that at this age, a number of reflexes with which the child was born disappear:

Based on the Robinson reflex, the baby develops conscious grasping - he tries to grab everything that he sees in front of him.
Moro reflex. It manifests itself if you sharply slap the surface on which the child lies. A newborn baby at this moment will throw up his arms to the sides, after which he will close them on his chest. At the 4th month of life, the reflex practically ceases to manifest itself.
Bauer reflex. The baby tries to crawl in a position on his stomach, if a support is placed under his heels. At the 4th month of life, the reflex fades. Its development will lead to the development of crawling skills by 5 months.

Closer to the 5th month of life, the baby should completely disappear:

It is not recommended to check the presence of reflexes on your own - this should be done by a doctor. Their presence at 4 months will indicate neurological disorders.

Organ development in a four-month-old baby

From the 4th to the 6th months of life, the development of the crumbs' organs is especially active. The child looks more proportionate, his head no longer seems too big and is almost comparable in volume to the chest. The child as a whole becomes more harmonious, his arms and legs get stronger and finally straighten
at the elbows and knees. It will only take a few months for the baby to finally get stronger and start sitting, crawling, standing and walking.

In the same period, hair actively begins to grow, which after birth can change not only its color, but also its structure. For example, if the baby was born fair-haired with curly hair, then in the fourth month of life, his hair may become dark in color, and there will be no trace of curls. Hair changes over several months, during which the color of the child's eyes may also change.

Together with the hair, the nails of the child will also actively begin to grow. Parents should keep track of the moment when the nails grow enough for trimming in order to protect the baby from microtrauma.

In the fourth month, some babies develop their first teeth. Parents need to be prepared for the whims and discontent of the child - he can be distracted by special teething rings. They will massage the gums, reducing pain. Profuse salivation will become the main proof that very soon the baby will delight loved ones with the first teeth.

At the age of 4 months, the baby basically learns the world by taste and touch. He often holds fingers or even a whole fist in his mouth. Experts insist that parents try to wean children from bad habit starting from the very early age thus preventing the formation of a defective bite.

Motor activity of a four-month-old baby

The development of motor activity in children at the age of four months occurs especially bright. Babies learn new moves, making their first awkward attempts to crawl, roll over, sit on cushions, and even walk while holding mom or dad's hands.

Naturally, at 4 months it is too early to plant a baby without support. His spine is not yet ready for such a test. To speed up the process of strengthening the back, you can do simple gymnastics with the baby, inviting him to rise from a prone position, holding his fingers, with a short pause at the top point. Implementation of such simple exercise sure to bring joy and pleasure to the child, accelerate the development of the spine and abdominal muscles.

You can help your baby learn to roll over on his tummy by placing a diaper or hand under his side and rocking him slightly.

It's funny to watch the baby at the time of his play with his own legs. At this age, he raises them high enough for his fingers to reach his mouth. A four-month-old baby is already trying to crawl on his own, and this helps him overcome short distances, reaching his goal. In the prone position, the baby rises on his elbows and makes an attempt to push off with his feet, however, the vast majority of children manage to crawl back, not forward.

The movements of the child at 4 months become more coordinated, the infantile tension of the neck disappears, the head holds steady and no longer collapses.
to the sides. The baby shows a keen interest in toys and objects around him, tries to reach out and touch them.

If you offer a rattle to a baby, he will definitely take it and will study it, both tactilely and visually. Interesting feature at this age - arching into the bridge from an overabundance of feelings, both negative and positive.

Toys, hearing and vision of crumbs at 4 months

For a four-month-old baby, the most favorite toy is own body. He enjoys playing with his own fingers and toes, touching his ears, nose and lips. When something falls into the hands of a baby, he examines the object or toy from all sides for a long time before trying it. A small researcher gets acquainted with the properties of objects, remembers how they feel or taste, warm or cold.

A baby at this age already notices that individual objects either appear or disappear from the field.
vision. He already has toys that he prefers and that he can demand from adults with special zeal.

The development of vision also goes on as usual. If a month ago the child was able to distinguish objects at a distance of no more than 40 cm, then by the end fourth month he can distinguish objects at a distance of more than three meters from him. The kid already sees the difference between the main spectral colors, smoothly looks from one object to another.

Hearing development in an infant at this age also shifts to new level. A baby hears almost as well as an adult. He reacts to music, turns his head to noise, to the voices of loved ones, remembers new sounds, demonstrating interest.

In an effort to communicate

A four-month-old child is already making the first attempts to conduct a dialogue with others. The baby remembers the sounds uttered in his presence and tries to repeat them, enjoying the sound of his own voice. Especially active kid becomes with the appearance of parents, whom it meets with joyful cooing. If you do not maintain a "conversation" with the child, he may be offended and react with a cry.

On the 4th month life, the child still enjoys contact with his parents, and especially with his mother. With his whole body, he shows how much he wants to be picked up. The baby enjoys watching moving objects - both animate and inanimate. He is already able to memorize the faces of close and frequent acquaintances.

At 4 months, the development of speech skills is especially active, because parents need to constantly communicate with the baby. Communication at this age for the crumbs is not just a pleasure - it is a need that cannot be ignored.

Sleep pattern and stool at 4 months

At the 4th month, the baby defecates “in a big way” less often than a few months ago - an average of 2-3 times, and as soon as complementary foods are introduced into his diet, this number is halved.

child in daytime sleeps less and stays awake more to the delight of parents. On average, the baby sleeps no more than three times during the day, and sleeps at least 10 hours at night.

Features of the mental development of the baby

If a month ago the child's mood largely depended on his physical satisfaction, then in the fourth month the baby is especially keenly interested in the outside world.

Now the actions of the little one are supported by emotional overtones. The child learns to express feelings and emotions, which become more diverse. The baby already experiences not only feelings of fear or hunger. He can already feel annoyance, joy, satisfaction, and even
disappointment. That is why doctors recommend expanding the horizons of a four-month-old baby: take him with you to visit, travel, walk more.

Remember that at this age a child is a maximalist: he perceives everything either in white or in black, and there is a middle way for him. If the baby is in pain, then everyone will know about it, and if it’s good, he will definitely notify those around him with a happy smile.

But most importantly, remember that normal mental development will be possible only if a strong emotional connection is maintained between the baby and the parents.
What can a baby do at 4 months?

If the development of the child occurs at a normal pace, then at the 4th month he already knows how to:

Parents can stimulate the development of the baby if they follow simple recommendations:

And most importantly - do not stop communicating with the baby at the 4th month of life, changing the timbre, volume and intonation of the voice. Call your baby by name more often, clap your hands to the beat of the music, sing songs and recite poems with expression, watching the child's reaction.

A child is 4 months old: what changes await the baby by the age of four months?

Your baby is already four months old. A new step in the development of a small person begins. The changes are visible to the naked eye: outwardly, the baby becomes more harmonious and proportional, he looks less and less like that funny “tadpole” that you took from the hospital. But also big changes waiting for the baby in psychological development.

You have probably noticed that every day for your baby is a time of wonderful discoveries, learning something new about this still so incomprehensible world. In addition, the child acquires more and more new skills. Of course, to us adults, they may seem quite simple, but, believe me, for little man these are real achievements!

The kid is growing ... And with him, the anxiety of parents is growing: am I doing everything this way? Am I doing the right thing with my baby? Does he lag behind his peers in development? How can you help your child develop properly and fully? These and millions of other similar questions spin in the minds of moms and dads every day.

Whatever it was, Dear Parents, remember one thing important rule: now the baby most of all needs your attention, sensitivity and, of course, love. However, these tasks will remain super-relevant in the next few years.

And now let's try to figure out what changes await your baby in the fourth month of life?

Weight gain for the fourth month is approximately 600 grams, in height - an average of 2 centimeters. That is, on average, the baby's weight during this period will be about 6300-6800 grams, and height - within 60-65 centimeters. Naturally, these indicators are very average, and your baby is unlikely to match them exactly. Remember that each child is individual, he can gain weight and grow faster or slower than normal. Consult a specialist in the event that the baby does not gain weight at all, or goes over the allowable indicators too much.

Starting from this important four-month “threshold”, the baby will stop gaining weight as intensively as it was before. Each month now the supplement will be slightly less than the previous one. But growth up to a year will remain stable: about 2-3 centimeters per month.

From the fourth to the sixth month of life, the baby's organs develop at different paces. Due to this, the proportions of the body of the crumbs are harmonized: the head no longer seems (and is not) larger than rib cage. The imbalance goes away, and the baby becomes more proportional. The legs straighten, lengthen, become stronger. Very soon, in just four to five months, your baby will be able to get up and show what they are capable of!

Hair starts to grow. This also changes the color and structure of the hair. The fluff with which the baby was born falls out, giving way to new hairs. Most likely, they will be very different in color from their predecessors. This hair change will last one to two months. By the way, it is likely that the color of the baby's eyes will also change at this time.

In parallel with the hair, nails begin to actively grow. Parents must definitely cut them on time - long nails on their hands can cause microtrauma and scratching. Usually, kids are not very happy with such “cutting” procedures. However, no one promised that it would be easy.

We must be prepared for the fact that this month the first teeth may begin to erupt in the crumbs. Help your baby - offer him special teething rings. Such devices are designed to be sucked, chewed, and thus knead the gums. If the first teeth already begin to “beg” out, the baby will begin to salivate a lot. Profuse saliva can cause a rash on the chin. If you notice a similar phenomenon, contact pediatrician, it will help you deal with the problem easily.

The main body of knowledge of the world for the crumbs is now the mouth. The baby can get used to constantly sucking his fingers. Experts recommend now to wean the child from this habit in order to avoid improper formation of the jaws.

Most babies become more active in their fourth month of life. Their movements are varied: attempts to crawl with the help of arms and legs, flips from the back to the tummy and back, like sitting on pillows, and even the first steps with the support of the mother. Of course, the baby is not yet ready for a full-fledged sitting - his spine and muscles have not yet grown stronger for such a load. Therefore, you should not try to seat your little one ahead of time - such “trials” can harm him. At the same time, you can and should help the baby strengthen the muscles of the back, tummy and arms with a simple exercise: put your fingers to the baby so that he is able to grab them, and slowly raise your hand, and with it the baby. When the child rises, hold him for a few seconds in sitting position and gently lower back to the back.

Basically, during this period of life, babies learn to roll over on their tummy. To help the baby in this difficult task, try to get one leg behind the other and push it to the side. Next time, put your hand under the child's shoulders and rock him little by little from side to side.

In the meantime, the baby can already raise his legs so high that the hands can reach his knees or even fingers. And, if earlier there were only fingers in the mouth, very soon the baby will be able to suck on the fingers on the legs.

Usually in the fourth month of life, babies make their first attempts to crawl. Such movements help the baby to move small distances in order to get to the “things” that are interesting to him. In the prone position on the tummy, the little one rises on his elbows, and at the same time tries to push off the floor with his legs. Experts say that half of the babies start their "creeps" back, not forward. Most likely, it is easier for them to crawl.

The movements of the crumbs become more stable, the previously inherent posture of a tense neck gradually disappears, the head is kept on middle line without collapsing. The kid pulls the handles to the toys and all the objects of interest to him, willingly grabs everything that comes into his field of vision, feels the objects. If you give the little one a rattle, he will grab it, hold it firmly in his hand, examine and feel it from all sides for a long time and with interest. When something greatly pleases or, on the contrary, angers the baby, he makes a “bridge” - he strongly bends the back.

The most interesting toy for a four-month-old peanut, this is himself. What could be more entertaining than touching your nose, pulling your hair, feeling your face, and, of course, getting your hands into your mouth! Such simple and unpretentious operations always bring interesting new sensations. The kid knows how to connect both handles together and play with them.

Having grasped an object with the help of two handles, the baby will not immediately put it in his mouth. First, the baby will carefully examine it, study it. The baby is already able to determine how far the handle needs to be stretched to take the toy that interests him. He tries his best to figure out different properties objects - how heavy they are, how soft they are, or how smooth they sound. Plus, in the fourth month of life, the baby already notices that objects disappear or appear.

The baby has "favorite" toys. He will not fail to tell you about this if you give him “not that”. The baby will be loudly indignant at such disrespect for his addictions, and will happily go on a spree, finally getting what he wants.

Previously, the baby's vision allowed him to clearly distinguish objects at a distance of 30 - 40 centimeters from him. Now, by the end of the fourth month of life, the baby can see well at a distance of 3.5 meters. The child is able to distinguish the main spectral colors. The eyes move more smoothly, and now the little one is able to easily follow a moving person or object.

Hearing in a child during this period is developed almost in the same way as in an adult. The kid reacts to music, can determine the source of the sound, distinguish mother's speech from father's, listens with pleasure to his own sounds - sneezing, coughing, mumbling. Those sounds that he likes the most, he is ready to repeat again and again, making them louder, quieter, and having fun in this way.

Also, the baby begins to “talk” more. There are attempts to pronounce open sounds "a" and "o". The first consonant sounds of the baby are indefinite “b” and “p”, as well as “m”, which merges with vowels, provoking a semblance of such a long-awaited “mother”.

When a mom or dad appears, the baby recognizes them, and invites him to talk - he laughs and hums loudly. In this case, the baby adapts to the rhythm, pace and volume of your voice. If you abruptly cut off the "conversation", the little one will get upset and start crying. Therefore, you should not leave him alone without first switching his attention to his favorite toy.

When the baby notices that you want to take him in your arms, he tries to help you with his whole body - he tenses up, tries to jump up and pull himself into your arms.

The baby is occupied by everything that has color and moves: pets, leaves on trees, cars. He is already beginning to recognize his relatives: not only mom and dad, but also grandparents, sisters and brothers. On their faces, he instantly reacts with a joyful smile.

Children in the fourth month of life, as a rule, go to the toilet "in a big way" 2-3 times a day, and in the case of the introduction of complementary foods and once a day. Of course, these moments must be monitored in order to prevent constipation.

Wake time is increasing. Sometimes children can please mom and dad with the ability to sleep three times during the day and for 10-11 hours without waking up at night.

But do not forget that babies in the fourth month of life can be very different from each other, including in terms of physical development. Each crumb has its own development schedule, and you should not be artificially ahead of events. It is best to help the baby develop the skills he already has: turn his head, rise while lying on his tummy, straighten his legs, lean on his forearms.

In the first three months of life, there was a direct relationship between the baby's mood and the level of satisfaction of his physical needs - he cried because he was hungry, or had a stomachache, or tried to "call" his parents. Now, thanks to the intensive development of the brain, the improvement of the work of the nervous and digestive systems, the baby begins to take a keen interest in the outside world. And what is there, outside of himself? Oh, how interesting!

From now on, any action of the little one has an emotional connotation. That's just the experience and wide opportunities for expressing their emotions, feelings and attitudes to surrounding events for the crumbs is still not enough.

The feelings of the baby become more diverse. In addition to the previously known fear and hunger, interest, annoyance, curiosity, surprise, disappointment appear (albeit for short periods of time). To comprehend and study environment, the little one must interact directly with it. Therefore, experts recommend giving him as many opportunities for learning as possible: taking him with you everywhere, involving him in “help” with cleaning or cooking. It's so important to full development crumbs! The baby now experiences any events very violently: if he feels bad, then everything is absolutely terrible, and if it is good, then everything around is beautiful!

The most main feature this period of life crumbs - an acute need for communication. It is no longer enough for a baby to just eat and sleep, he needs the attention of mom and dad. Contacts with loved ones and relatives have already been established: the baby recognizes all family members, smiles at everyone, enjoys attention to himself, conversations, games, almost continuously hums and babbles. But, of course, the most joyful and warm smiles rightfully go to mom and dad.

Communication gives the baby great pleasure. He maintains a dialogue as best he can - he hoots, hoots, utters individual sounds, repeats your facial expressions, maintains the pace and volume of your voice. But communication for the crumbs is now not just a whim, but a vital need. Therefore, you should not leave him alone for a long time, even if he does not cry.

At this stage, the child already perfectly understands the speech addressed to him, well feeling the intonation of the conversation. Speech skills develop at an intensive pace. The baby devotes a lot of time to "training". The nasolabial muscles are already quite well developed, due to which the first vowels and consonants appear. The baby begins to react to the sound of his name - freezes, turns his head, listens.

The baby distinguishes between familiar and unfamiliar voices. Hearing a previously unknown voice, he can sometimes be frightened and cry. But most often the baby with great pleasure "gets acquainted".

The baby at this age will be very happy active games with parents. Delight is caused by daddy's "tossing" up, coups, tickling, as well as funny faces or sounds. But be sure to know the measure - excessive excitement of the baby can lead to fear.

And be sure to remember that the pledge of normal mental development crumbs are a strong emotional connection with mom and dad.

Many mothers are interested in knowing what the baby will be able to do in the fourth month of life? In summary, it can be argued that:

recognizes mom and dad and gives them preference over other people;
recognizes the voices of people he knows and can distinguish them from strangers;
can independently roll over from the tummy to the back and vice versa;
lying on the tummy, easily raises upper part torso, holds the head and turns it in weight left and right;
with genuine interest examines everything that happens around him;
"sings", displays roulades, tries to pronounce vowels and consonants, the first syllables;
can grab an object with one or both hands at once;
hears the sound of his name and reacts to it;
lying on the back, raises the head and shoulders;
distinguishes and highlights "favorite" toys among the "unloved" ones;
tries to play with the breast or bottle during feeding;
can react differently to familiar and unfamiliar things, showing different emotions;
can please you with the first tooth;
knows how to distinguish tastes;
actively communicates, laughs, roars, and cries when the game stops abruptly;
smiles at his reflection in the mirror, studies it;
distinguishes color, shape, volume;
recognizes acquaintances even in a new guise;
drags all unfamiliar objects into the mouth;
feels the faces of the parents, studies them.

Every mother wants to help her baby develop harmoniously. To do this, you should listen to simple tips:

1. Increase the amount of time you walk with your baby. In summer, you can walk for 2-3 hours, and zamy - up to two hours. During walks, the child name everything that the baby sees: people, trees, houses, animals, etc. Repeat sounds after the child, introduce new ones.

2. Twice a day - in the morning and in the evening - give the baby a massage. How to do it correctly, the pediatrician will teach you.

3. Come up with a special bedtime ritual: bathing, lullaby, gentle stroking. Such a ritual must be observed constantly, and the baby will fall asleep better.

4. Play with the little one! Continue the games you started earlier - use the bags with different materials, big colorful toys. Such fun will not only please the baby, but also help development. fine motor skills and tactile perception.

5. Support and stimulate the child's interest in knowing the world, give him the opportunity to see and try as much as possible. Do not forget to ensure that objects in the crumbs' reach are clean and free of small parts. Also, try not to overexcite the baby.

6. Add new exercises: spread the arms of the crumbs in different sides, and then cross them on the chest (repeat several times), turn the baby's legs so that his pelvis turns a little. In this case, the baby will begin to turn his shoulders and head in the same direction. Help him turn by lightly pulling on the handle.

7. Buy crumbs rubber squeakers that make a sound when squeezed. Such toys will help develop dexterity and dexterity of handles. To develop coordination and thinking, offer your child different rattles, with thin or thick handles, with rings.

8. Attach an unbreakable mirror to the wall of the baby's crib. You will see with what interest and delight the baby will observe his facial expressions, smile at his reflection.

9. Encourage the crawling of the crumbs, stimulate it by “luring” with a toy or things unusual for the baby: pots, cups, scoops. But, when the baby crawls, do not move the toy away so as not to discourage the desire to crawl. After the game, be sure to praise the baby, smile, and gently stroke.

10. Keep in touch with your child! During the conversation, change the speed and volume of speech, speak different voices. Repeat the "speech" of the crumbs. Call your baby by name often. Clap your hands to the beat of the music, change slow and fast music, its volume, rhythm.

11. Tell your little one fairy tales, poems, nursery rhymes. This should not be done monotonously, but emotionally and vividly. Use funny fun games, For example:

stomp legs
The kid lies on his back, and his mother bends his legs in turn, and then brings and spreads his arms, saying:
stomp legs
Let's go thresh, Rake handles
Hay to return.

Horn pushers
Mom brings the bent legs of the baby to the tummy, turns it on its side, saying: Pushers - horns, op! Changelings!

Go!
Mom pulls the baby by the legs towards herself:
Let's go - let's go for salt, for salt.

Kovalek
Mom taps on the heels of the crumbs, singing: Kui, forge, farther, Give me a boot, On a small leg, Gold horseshoe.

If you notice at least one of the following symptoms, be sure to consult a doctor:

if the baby is indifferent to feeding, does not show emotions in response to a human voice or game;
if you observe twitching of the bow and face;
if the baby suffers from constant sleep disturbance;
if the child does not react to light and sound, or reacts weakly.

And, of course, universal recipe- love your baby! And then he will definitely grow and develop, delighting his parents!

What can a 4 month old baby do?

Develop in your child the desire to imitate, especially speech. Listen carefully to the baby's cooing: highlight your son's or daughter's favorite sound and try to repeat it during the "monologue". Join the "conversation" of the child, and after a while he will begin to repeat the sound after you. Introduce new sounds into your “conversations” (first you need to take vowels).

Mastering the coup

To help your baby learn (or train) to roll over on their side, place a large bright toy. Move this toy away so that the baby has to reach for it. After several attempts by the baby to reach the toy, move it towards him. Tie a bell on a ribbon to the baby's arm or leg - the child will really like it and will allow you to better feel your body.

At 4 months, the child learns to voluntarily grab toys; movements become clearer and more precise. The baby has “feelings”, he notices the appearance and disappearance of objects, their qualities (for example, heaviness), is able to correlate various properties objects (optical, sound, etc.).

The actions of the hands are still random, without a purposeful volitional effort. Infants begin to re-attract an accidentally grasped object, followed by palpation and examination: now the baby examines the object with his lips and tongue, can throw it in a certain place, for example, on the floor, to cause a sound.

From 4 months, the child can already lie on his stomach, lifting the body and leaning on the palms of straightened arms. Under the child's palms, you can put flat foam rubber pads (1-1.5 soi). To the pillow, you need to pick up a set of covers from fabrics of different colors and textures (flannel, silk, oilcloth, etc.). It would be nice to sew flat buttons of various shapes to the other side of the cover.

Lying on his stomach and leaning on his forearms, the baby holds his palms on the surface of the pad. An adult takes the child's hand by the wrist and runs the baby's palm along the surface of the pad, trying to cause groping movements.

Ribbon and cord exercises are useful: when the baby lies on its back, an adult puts a smooth ribbon in his hands, and then a cord with knots. Carefully pulling on one end of a ribbon or string, an adult encourages the baby not only to grasp the object more firmly, but also to intercept it.

Offer the baby to capture objects of various shapes ( Stuffed Toys, large cubes from the designer, rings of different diameters, etc.). Such exercises develop both fine motor skillsand touch.

Fun games

Mom puts the child on a pillow, rhythmically throws it up, and then throws it off or rolls it down:

Carcasses, carcasses, sat on the pillow,
The girlfriends came
Pushed off the pillow.
I will lift my daughter (son) up a steep hill.
Wow! They rolled, they fell off the hill.

The child lies on his back, the mother first bends his legs in turn, then brings and spreads the arms:

Legs-tramples went to thresh,
Rake handles to turn hay.

Bent legs lead to the tummy, turn over on the side:

Pushers - horns, op!
Changelings!

Pull the legs towards you:

Let's go - let's go for salt, for salt.

Mom taps on the heels of the baby in time with the nursery rhyme:

Kui, Kui, farther,
Give me a shoe
For a small foot
Golden horseshoe.

Mom strokes her hand, and then the baby's hands on the called parts of the body:

There is a forest (hair),
Here is a clearing (forehead),
There is a hillock (nose),
Here - the heart lives (put the child's hand and let him listen to the beat of the heart).

Theater of one mother

In order for your baby to listen to poems and fairy tales with pleasure, they must be told vividly and emotionally. You can even arrange a small puppet show with the toys you have at home. From 3-4 months old, children follow with admiration small bright animals, each of which has its own voice, timbre and rhythm. In addition, in this way, kids learn to perceive and convey emotions, rejoicing with you at an elongated turnip, crying over a broken testicle, cooing after the runaway Kolobok ...

Research by scientists has shown that children who were told poems from the first weeks did not have any problems with memorizing large volumes of rhymed, rhythmic text in the future (didn't you suffer at school, memorizing poetry?!). They had a better developed phonemic hearing, there was a greater susceptibility to foreign languages.

1. THE FOURTH MONTH OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT

This is the third month since the birth of the baby. Most children have normalized intestinal microflora by this time. . Unpleasant colic and frequent bloating because of the accumulated gases, the baby is no longer so often tormented.

At three months, the child learned to reach for objects that are next to him. Thanks to a strengthened musculoskeletal system and constantly improving fine motor skills of the fingers, the baby easily grabs and holds the toy. Some moms start introducing complementary foods as early as 3 months.

In this material, we will tell you about what you should be able to Small child at 4 months of age, how to properly organize the daily routine and nutrition with complementary foods, what weight should a four-month-old baby have with normal development, how to properly strengthen the muscles of the baby if it does not roll over on its own.

At this age, the baby tries to imitate the sounds around him. In the volume, tempo and intonation of the sounds that he produces, you can find similarities with the manner of speaking parents. The child expresses his emotions more vividly - he rejoices and smiles when his mother or father appears next to him, invites him to communicate.

The kid sees objects well at a distance of up to 4 meters. The baby tries to focus his gaze on an object in his field of vision.

By 4-5 months, the baby's hearing is almost as well developed as that of an adult. The child turns his head to the source that makes the sound, carefully peers in that direction.

The muscles of the crumbs are noticeably stronger - lying on the tummy , he can raise his upper body and head high, leaning on strong arms.

Some four-month-old babies already know how to roll over from the back to the tummy, but most babies are just learning to do such exercises. In addition to the daily strengthening massage, try to engage in the training of coups more often: swing it in different directions, putting your palms under your back , gently push the little one on the side, winding one leg after the other. Let the baby try to roll over from the barrel to the stomach on his own.

Photos of babies at 4 months of development (beginning of the fourth month):

IMPORTANT!

Read bedtime stories to your child and sing lullabies. It is useful to show the baby theatrical performances with toys and finger games for psychoemotional and phonemic development. The more you engage with your child, the faster he will learn to speak over time.

2. WHAT CAN AND WHAT A CHILD SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO AT 4 MONTHS

The baby should easily lift the upper body from a prone position on the tummy, leaning on outstretched arms;

Should be interested in the actions taking place around him, the sounds heard, the smells heard;

Turn the head in different directions;

Pull objects that come under the arm into the mouth into the mouth;

May be able to hold light objects with thumb and forefinger;

Able to imitate the heard sounds and voices well;

At the end of 4 months he can pronounce some syllables;

Must respond to an adult's spoken name.

How to help your baby learn to roll over in a playful way:

The kid perceives and masters any skills better in the course of game. If the child still does not know how to roll over, tell him funny nursery rhymes, rhymes and gently touch different parts body when you change the position of his body during classes.

Prepare a space for exercise. Place a thick blanket on the floor and fasten rattles or bells to the sides. The baby will turn his head to the sounds of the bell and be fed by the body. Gently help him turn on his side with your palm. You can also use your favorite bright toy child during classes - when the toy is in the field of view of the crumbs, he will reach for it with a handle, turning over from the barrel to the stomach.

3. HOW TO ORGANIZE A CHILD'S DAY REGULATION AT 4 MONTHS

In the table - a variant of the organization of sleep and wakefulness of a little man:

Many parents are faced with such a problem as the unwillingness of the baby to fall asleep according to the daily routine. If the baby is not sick, he has no problems with digestion and teeth are not cut, then there may be the following reasons: baby can't fall asleep without motion sickness in your arms or without a pacifier , and also because of the overexcited crumbs going to bed too late. Try to put him to bed early and be sure to teach him to fall asleep without motion sickness.

In order for the child to always have an excellent appetite, keep every day the same intervals of time between sleep and feeding. At 4 months, try to follow the following sequence: baby's sleep - feeding - a walk on the street or educational games - sleep.

How much does a four month old baby sleep?

Happy infant should sleep at least several times for about two hours. At night - a long, deep sleep 11-12 hours with a break for feeding.

What time should a baby go to sleep during the day?

Each baby has its own individual biorhythm. Focus on signs of fatigue - he begins to suck his finger, rubs his eyes, yawns, twists his head.

In the evening, it is advisable to put the baby to bed between 19.00 and 20.00

Before going to bed at night, be sure to follow the same bedtime preparation ritual. For example, play a calm game with the baby, then a relaxing bath with chamomile, and a lullaby when he is already in bed. If the child does not sleep well at night and often wakes up (even if not hungry), it is advisable to consult a pediatrician for advice and, if necessary, undergo a comprehensive examination.

4. NUTRITIONAL FEATURES AND MENU OPTIONS FOR A 4-MONTH BABY

The infant continues to eat mother's milk (if for one reason or another it is not transferred to artificial feeding), but complementary foods are gradually introduced into its diet.

Daily amount of food eaten by the baby should be equal to about a sixth of the total weight of the crumbs (860-930 gr). The number of feedings is 5-6 times daily, taking into account breastfeeding.

Include in your child's diet first vegetable puree- it is the least allergenic and is easily absorbed by the baby's digestive system at 4 months. Make the very first complementary foods not from a mixture of different vegetables, but from one product. Give mashed potatoes little by little, increasing the amount of complementary foods gradually ,to digestive system The baby has adapted to the new diet.

What to feed the baby? Consider a menu option with five meals a day:

CLICK LINK AND EXPAND TIPS FOR COOKING COMPLETE FOOD FOR YOUR BABY AT FOUR MONTHS.

IMPORTANT!

Introduce complementary foods very little for the first week. main food product baby mother's milk still remains;

From the first days of the introduction of complementary foods, feed a four-month-old baby from a spoon, and not from a bottle;

If the baby has already been transferred to artificial feeding, then the portions themselves should be smaller, and the interval between meals should be longer. During the day, the interval is approximately 3.5 hours, at night - about 8. If the baby spit up often and profusely, you can slightly reduce the interval between feedings.

5. WEIGHT AND HEIGHT OF BABY AT 4 MONTHS

How much does a child weigh at this age?

A four-month-old baby is gaining from 19 to 25 grams every day and is added to the existing weight in a month on average more than 630 grams - boys have a little more for girls- slightly less.

Weight

The weight of a child at 4 months - what should be? Average the increase for the entire fourth month of a baby's life is daily from 18 to 24 grams per day, that is, by the end of the fourth month of life, on average, a child gains from 600 to 750 grams per month.

Boys weight from 5.4 to 7.8 kg
Girls weight - from 4.9 to 7.2 kg

Height

In the first 3 months the baby grows for a few see monthly. For 4 months, he grows another 2.5-3 centimeters.

Boys height- from 58.5 to 64.7 cm
Girls growth- from 58.3 to 64.2 cm

6. WHAT ARE THE DISEASES IN 4-MONTH-OLD CHILDREN

Reasons for an increase in temperature:

Excessive physical activity of the child;

The appearance of the first incisors and redness of the gums;

Constipation associated with incorrect introduction of complementary foods or improper diet;

Prolonged emotional stress (crying with a scream);

Heatstroke or overheating on a hot day (including due to out-of-season wrapping);

Colds, inflammatory and infectious diseases.

Reasons for coughing in babies:

Inflammatory processes in the ENT organs (nasopharynx, paranasal sinuses);

Acute respiratory viral infection;

Bronchial asthma;

inflammation of the adenoids;

Getting into the larynx of a foreign body;

Poisoning and damage to the gastrointestinal tract infection.

What is dangerous!

√ if the cough is accompanied by the appearance of greenish sputum, wheezing, blood;

√ if cough with frequent relapses and started at night;

√ if the cough develops against the background of SARS and does not stop for more than 3 weeks;

√ cough appeared unexpectedly and the temperature rose to 38 or more degrees.

Why is crying 4 month old baby:

wet diaper or diaper (monotonous and continuous crying);

Cries because of hunger (calms down as soon as food is offered);

The baby is too hot or cold (it is necessary to keep the temperature in the room at 20-22 ° C);

Feeling of discomfort (tight diaper, rough fabric underwear, presses shoes);

Fright from a sharp sound or other external stimulus;

The child may cry if he is tired and wants to sleep;

Bunnies or bloating (presses the legs to the tummy, releases gas, blushes strongly from overexertion and crying);

High fever and feeling unwell from malaise.

7. VIDEO TRAINING IN STRENGTHENING MASSAGE TECHNIQUES FOR A CHILD AT 4 MONTHS

This video lesson clearly demonstrates ways to strengthen the child's musculoskeletal system. By using special massage you prepare the baby for independent crawling on the floor. The baby strengthens the muscles of the arms and legs. He learns to roll over from his back to his tummy and vice versa, as well as walk (so far with support):

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 condition. Physical activity in infants of the fourth month of life, it increases significantly, and the child begins to achieve his first successes. Since the pediatrician and the neurologist will address close attention to meet your baby's developmental standards, you should know what a 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 in the house strangers;
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.

How more baby will receive information from you, the sooner he will start talking, and the wider his lexicon in 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.

Mode daytime sleep and the time of the beginning of 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 hours, more late time the baby may feel overtired and this will make it harder 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 vowels. 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 training and articulation exercises stimulate early development speech skills, so try to make time for them throughout the day to teach the pronunciation of sounds with the baby.

Weight and height

The child continues active growth and development, and due to the still sedentary lifestyle, he may experience 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 children who are on breastfeeding, 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.

When feeding artificial mixtures you can keep track of how much your baby eats and bring his diet to 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 a developing mat with details for your baby various forms, 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 disease intestinal infections, regularly wash and pour boiling water over your baby's toys. Don't buy for four month old baby those products for which such care cannot be carried out.
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.