Development of the child by months 4. Development of the child in the fourth month of life. If something doesn't go according to plan

The baby is 4 months old. A new stage of his life is coming. Having confidently mastered the first motor skills, the little one seeks to find out the essence of the things around him and learn everything that is possible.

What is he 4th month old baby

The movements became not only confident, but also conscious. Now the baby grabs hanging toys without much difficulty, reaches for the proposed object or hands, improves the technique of flips from back to stomach and back. Hands and feet are already coordinated enough to start crawling in the next 2 months.

The back muscles have become stronger and with the help of an adult, the baby can rise to a sitting position, and he likes it. But do not be zealous. Any motor skill should come on its own. Raising the baby by the hands up, you should focus on its capabilities and not rush things. Excessive haste can lead to undesirable consequences. The baby will definitely sit down on his own, but only after the muscles of his back are strong enough to support the spine.

The baby has changed not only in his skills, but also in behavior. More and more it requires communication. A smile, laughter, babble, different intonations of a cry help the little one to better convey his attitude to what is happening, and his mother to understand his desires. Hearing and vision now play a leading role in stimulating emotional and motor changes. The kid recognizes his parents and other people not by smell, but by voice and appearance.

The period between 4 and 5 months of life plays an important role in the formation of motor, emotional and mental skills. The kid is not sitting yet, but is already striving to see what surrounds him with might and main.

He also changed outwardly. Instead of fluff, smooth hair begins to grow on the head, and the bald patches on the head that formed in the first four months gradually close. Fingernails and toenails have become hard, grow very quickly. You should monitor their length so that the baby does not get scratched. Some peanuts have changed eye color. Someone got folds, someone stretched up. Character traits and type of temperament are already well traced.

Physiological changes and physical development

At the fifth month of life, the baby is still gaining weight and height quite quickly. For the next 30 days, the goal is 600 grams of body weight and 1-3 cm of height. Almost all children during this period weigh twice as much as at birth. On average, the weight approaches 7 kg, and the height is 64 cm.

The maturation of the nervous system allows the baby to almost completely abandon innate reflexes and act on the basis of their own desires. The ability to control your muscles, to master skills gives the little one new opportunities, shows how to achieve your goals.

If the baby's first tooth has not yet appeared, then by this time most children have increased salivation. Normally, the first milk tooth can appear up to 6 months, so between 4 and 5 you should take care of purchasing special teething toys. They are usually sold in a pharmacy or in the children's section of stores.

Boundary indicators of the main physical parameters of a child's development

Psycho-emotional development

Along with physical success, the baby at the 5th month of development shows major achievements in psycho-emotional development. The baby knows and recognizes the closest people well: mom, dad, grandma, grandpa (if they are often nearby). It is during this period that children begin to fear strangers. Some toddlers allow strangers to pick themselves up, but at the same time they behave with caution, others begin to act up and try with all their might to return to a familiar environment. The formation of the division of people into “us” and “them” indicates the emergence of basic trust in the world around us, the formation of basic psycho-emotional attitudes.

baby world

The child's world consists of those people whom he sees quite often. The brain cannot yet retain the image for a long time, therefore, with rare visits and communication, even close relatives become unfamiliar people, and it will take some time for the child to recognize them as a loved one.

The development of the senses, primarily sight and hearing, allows the baby to gradually understand the meaning of different intonations. Preserving the psychological comfort of the crumbs during this period requires adults who are nearby to control their emotions and the form of expression of their feelings. Do not swear or get angry next to the little one. Even if your anger is not directed at him, he will feel uncomfortable and will definitely react by crying. The emotional stability of the crumbs during this period is an important element for uniform and stable development.

social contact

Social contact plays an increasingly important role in the development of the child. Attention from adults, games and dialogues contribute to many important mental processes. The kid not only likes to be talked to, he needs to communicate, as the main way to develop mental abilities. There is an active memorization of the basic speech forms, articulatory movements, the ability to convey emotions through facial expressions and movements. The baby already confidently pronounces many sounds, seeks to build syllable chains. When in high spirits, your little one can make whole audio monologues for several minutes.

Up to 4 months, in most cases, the baby resorted to negative emotions under the influence of physical discomfort. Cold, hunger, drowsiness, pain were the stimulus for crying. But now the range of emotional manifestations has become wider, the baby may cry from sadness, the desire to get or do something. Active hand movements and gestures are added to crying with different intonation. Often, children hold out their hands to their mother when they want to be taken.

An indicator of the development of the child's nervous system is the ability of the crumbs to independently engage in toys for 5-10 minutes. Increased motor abilities and innate curiosity make the little one touch, shake and taste everything that is within sight.

Speech development

To help the baby develop the psycho-emotional sphere, it is worth stopping lisping and distorting words already at this age. Speech directed at the child must be clear and intelligible. It is ideal to talk face to face with the child, so that in addition to sounds, the little one sees your articulation, facial expressions.

Try to call your child only by their first name. All kinds of bunnies, cats and sweets can be used, but try to resort to them as little as possible. Between 4 and 5 months, the formation of a speech basis occurs, the baby begins to get used to his name and memorize the names of the most common objects.

Small achievements for future big victories

The period between 4 and 5 months of life is filled with new discoveries. Development goes by leaps and bounds and almost every day is marked by a new perfection of skills. By 5 months, the little one can:

• Raise your head while lying on your back. The baby understands that the world is huge and in order to explore it, you need to change the position of the body. Wanting to rise vertically faster, he intensively trains the muscles of his back and neck. As a result, by 5 months, he begins to raise his head, lying on his back in an attempt to sit down. Encourage your child to practice this skill. Let's grab two fingers and try to lift the body. If you perform this action several times a day, then progress will be obvious. Every day, the baby will lift his body up from the surface with more confidence, trying to take a comfortable sitting position.
• Begins to choose the most interesting subject. The development of vision gives the baby the opportunity to decide on the most desirable toy to explore. A month ago, he took what was offered in his hands, and today he can already push your hand away and demand another object that is in sight. It is good during this period to offer the baby a choice of several toys, laying them out in a circle in the field of view of the crumbs. To stimulate motor activity, you can put the baby on a hard surface and spread out various toys in a circle from him. In an effort to reach out, the baby will train the ability to crawl.
• Accurately control the movements of your hands. By the age of 4 months, the baby has almost completely subdued his hands. He knows how to grab and hold, bring an object to his eyes and push it away from him. The meaningfulness of actions with limbs is an important stage in the formation of a new person. To stimulate the development of dexterity, you can offer the little one a variety of games. Lay the baby facing the edge of the table and place a few rattles in front of it. Let him drop the suggested items. He will see them fall and make a sound. Thanks to such a simple exercise, various causal relationships in the brain will be fixed, the baby will better navigate the capabilities of his body.
• Guss and babble. The development of a child's speech goes through several stages. The ability to make various sounds and combine them into syllables is the first stage. By training these skills, the baby lays the foundation for future speech. To help your baby pronounce sounds more clearly, you can repeat what was said after him, showing him how the position of your lips changes. Children are imitators. Speech is born on the desire to repeat after mom or other adults. The more your baby can see you talking, the better.

motor skills

Motor skills in the 5th month of life develop very quickly. The development of the nervous system makes you move consciously and strive to consider and study all the objects around. Moving after his desires, the little one already confidently tosses from his back to his stomach and back, makes conscious movements with his hands, tosses and raises his head from any position. Lying on his stomach, the baby tries to rise as high as possible, using not only his shoulders and head, but also his arms. Resting his palms on the surface, the baby bends his back very strongly, training his muscles. These exercises, along with lifting the body from a supine position, will soon allow you to sit down, crawl and walk on your own.

Keep in mind that all children develop differently. Someone will first crawl, and then sit down, others will first sit down, then crawl. Quite often, children first sit down and stand up, and after mastering this skill, they begin to crawl. Each of these scenarios is the norm. If suddenly your baby has not crawled by 6 months, but is already confidently sitting down, then there is no reason to worry. The choice of one or another variant of the development of events depends on the easiest movement for the crumbs. It is easier for some to lift the torso, for others to move their legs, for others - with their arms.

Hearing and response to sounds

The hearing of a child in the 5th month of life is well developed. The baby distinguishes and recognizes a large number of different sounds. Forming visual-auditory knowledge, the baby needs a variety of exercises that stimulate the development of hearing. Classical music, singing and dialogue play a big role in the development of mental skills.

Between 4 and 5 months, it is worth actively offering the baby to study the sounds made by different objects. Show how you can tap the rattle on different surfaces to get a new sound.

It should be understood that the development of hearing is closely related to vision. It is very important at this stage not only to offer to listen to various sounds, but also to show and name the objects that make them. The more objects the baby will differ in appearance and sound, the faster the initial knowledge base will be formed.

Vision

Successful mastering of hand movements is impossible without improving vision. At the fifth month, the little one already sees well, distinguishes the main colors of the spectrum, and begins to use peripheral vision. Gradually, the baby learns to determine the distance to the object and accurately grab the object of interest to him. To help your baby continue to improve skills, offer him bright objects and toys for play, continue eye muscle development exercises, show the world outside the crib and stroller.

At the fifth month of life, the baby forms a knowledge base. Vision plays an important role in this process. If up to this point you have not visited the optometrist, then try to do it in a short time.

First tears

One of the features of this period is the appearance of tears. Prior to this, when the baby was crying, the lacrimal glands did not secrete moisture. By 4 months, they are included in the work, and when the baby is upset or hurt, tears begin to flow from his eyes. Do not be afraid if you notice wet eyelashes or cheeks after crying. This is fine. The eye moisturizing system works well. If the baby is crying, but there are no tears, then this is not an indicator of a malfunction in the body, perhaps the glands have not yet matured, or the reason does not cause a strong emotional experience.

innate reflexes

Normally, by the beginning of the fifth month, innate reflexes fade away, being replaced by conditioned and conscious movements. The step reflex completely disappears and the baby no longer tries to move its legs if it is placed vertically on a hard surface. If earlier, lying on his stomach, having received support on his leg, the baby unconsciously pushed off with his leg, now he does this only, wanting to reach for the object. All movements of the little explorer are made for a specific purpose, and not following involuntary muscle contraction.

If your baby has residual congenital reflexes by 4-5 months, it is recommended to visit a neurologist.

Care and hygiene

The basic principles of child care remain the same. In the mornings, it is worth washing and wiping the baby with boiled water, keeping the ears and nose clean. During the day, it is necessary to keep the groin area clean, and bathe in the evening.

Bathing

If necessary, when sweating or irritation appears, various decoctions of herbs (chamomile, calendula) can be added to the bathing water. Sometimes, with sleep and behavior disorders, pediatricians prescribe various herbal infusions to reduce unwanted manifestations. The prescribed dosage and frequency of use should be followed. Remember that even herbal infusions have their contraindications and negative manifestations.

Bathing soap is not required. It is best to use detergents after a bowel movement to cleanse the groin area. The remaining areas of the child's skin do not require additional treatment, except for pure water.

Diapers

At the fifth month, it is good to start reducing the amount of time your baby spends in a diaper. So the baby will begin to understand the difference between dry and wet things and in the future it will be easier to potty train him. You can offer the crumbs to be in a diaper only during a night's sleep and daytime walks. In the warm summer months, you can go outside without this wardrobe item.

If you carefully observe, then during this period you can already notice that the baby is pooping at the same time, which allows you to build a schedule for walking.

Ventilation and room temperature

Important for healthy sleep and development are the conditions in the baby's room. It is advisable to monitor the temperature of the room. The optimum temperature is considered to be 21 -22 degrees with a fairly high humidity (not lower than 50%). Often, with insufficient humidity in the room, the baby develops dry crusts in the nasal passages, he breathes noisily.

Maintaining the optimum temperature and humidity is facilitated by frequent airing of the room. This should be done at least 3 times a day for 5 minutes in the cold season and 15-30 minutes in the warm season. For the time of airing, you should take the little one out of the room and close the doors. It is ideal to open windows before going for a walk so that the air in the room changes well.

Nutrition

At the fifth month, the gastrointestinal tract is almost ready to digest new food, but breast milk remains recommended.

Children on breastfeeding at the fifth month of life increase the time between feedings. Now the baby asks for a breast every 3.5-4 hours. Saturation time does not exceed 15 minutes. The regurgitation has practically disappeared. After eating, it is not recommended to spread on the stomach or engage in active games. It is good to vilify with a column and entertain with poems or songs.

Lure

The introduction of complementary foods is necessary for children who are bottle-fed and with low weight gain. It is advisable to introduce complementary foods at this age after consulting a pediatrician and adhere to strict rules. Usually at this age they are introduced to an apple or a banana. But it is necessary to rely on the recommendations of a doctor in choosing a product.

At the fifth month, the baby can already digest juice and fruit puree. The new product is introduced in small doses gradually. Usually start with a third of a teaspoon. After a week, increase the amount of the product to half a teaspoon. After another week, you can increase to a full teaspoon.

After that, the amount of the product increases daily by half a teaspoon to the age norm. If there is no reaction, then after a month the 2nd morning feeding is completely replaced by complementary foods.

New foods are introduced in the morning before the second feeding. You should carefully monitor the reaction of the body. Rashes, changes in stool and behavior can be symptoms of an allergic reaction. With such manifestations, it is worth temporarily stopping the introduction of complementary foods.

New foods should not be introduced if the baby has a fever, nasal congestion, or an allergic reaction. The baby should be cheerful and happy.

Sleep and daily routine

In the fifth month of life, children sleep for 10-11 hours at night. Most babies wake up in the morning to have a snack, but some toddlers rest all night without waking up. Each of these scenarios is the norm. The duration of a night's sleep depends on the degree of maturation of the gastrointestinal tract, the density of dinner, the type of nervous system of the little one.

During the day, the baby can sleep up to 4 times. At the same time, 2 sleeps will be long for 2-3 hours and 2 short ones (up to 30 minutes). Some toddlers refuse short sleep by 5 months and switch to 2 single daytime sleep lasting up to 3 hours. No need to worry if the baby switched to such a schedule a little earlier. If at the same time he is cheerful, cheerful, active, then there is no reason for excitement.

By 5 months, the temperament of the baby is clearly visible. Early birds get up very early and adhere to the regimen without problems, other children wake up much later and go to sleep more difficult. To make your own life easier and accustom the peanut to the routine, it is advisable to adhere to a certain daily routine. To do this, daily procedures should be carried out at the same time, accompanied by constant songs and nursery rhymes. Getting used to a certain sequence of actions and associating your behavior with the procedure, the baby will sleep better, feel confident, and you will be able to plan the next day.

hardening

Strengthening the immune system in the fifth month of life is facilitated by measures to harden the body. If you have already started holding such events earlier, then you should not stop them. Gradually, you can lower the proposed temperature by a degree, bringing it to 18.

Baby hardening consists of several types.

1. Rubbing with water at room temperature.
2. Air and solar baths.
3. Lower temperature for swimming.
4. No wrapping and excess heat.

Hardening is carried out to accustom the body to respond correctly to changes in ambient temperature, the ability to resist cold, and stimulate blood circulation. With the right approach on the part of parents, hardened children are 4 times less sick from hypothermia and better resist various infections.

Swimming

By 4 months, innate reflexes have practically disappeared, so if you have not started to visit the pool earlier, learning will take place not at a subconscious level, but as a new skill. Now the baby will explore the possibilities of movement in the water through conscious movements. The benefits of water procedures are difficult to overestimate. Influencing the nervous system, improving motor skills, favorably influencing mental abilities, bathing, swimming and playing with water are an excellent stimulus for development.

It is worth noting that with a baby you can not swim in open sources. Rivers, lakes, seas and oceans are not the right place to learn to swim. Until the baby has completed a full course of vaccination against polio (3 years), you should refrain from such activities.

For learning to swim, it is best to choose a pool or a home bathroom.

The water temperature for training should be room temperature or slightly lower. Warm water (above 25 degrees) relaxes the child and does not motivate him to move, so all your attempts to show how to move will be perceived as not quite high quality. Water at room temperature will stimulate the baby to move in order to disperse the blood and tone the state of the brain cells.

Manual baby. How to teach self-study

One of the questions often found on the forums is weaning a child from being constantly carried in his arms. At the age of 4-5 months, this does not seem to be such a big problem, because the little one still does not weigh that much. But it's better to think about it now. A little more time will pass and the baby will already weigh much more and his habit of exploring the world from his mother's hands will get stronger. It is quite difficult to wean older children from such a pastime. It is worth trying to learn to play independently now.

So that the baby does not ask for hands, it is worth giving him an interesting lesson. By 4-5 months, it is already clearly visible what types the baby prefers, he has favorite toys. As often as possible, give him the opportunity to do what he loves.

Another way to keep a child occupied is to provide him with a new subject to study. Since long-term memory is not yet mature, the baby very quickly forgets about old toys. Don't put everything in front of him at once. Place three to five rattles and hide the rest. After a week, make a complete replacement of items. You will be surprised, but the baby will study old toys with such enthusiasm, as if he had never seen them.

Well helps to wean from the constant wear on the hands of exercises for articulation. Within 5-10 minutes, talk to the baby face to face, clearly pronouncing a variety of sounds. After that, the baby will think about what he saw for some time, training his own abilities.

Use modern technical innovations and devices: a swing, an arena, special chairs for non-sitting children. The baby will see the surrounding objects without the need for the use of mother's hands. You can offer him to additionally play with toys, listen to music, look through a book for the baby.

How to develop

At the fifth month of life, daily developmental activities are already necessary. They can be divided into 3 types:

• Teaching motor skills and development of the musculoskeletal system.
• Development of mental abilities.
• Improvement of the senses.

Each of these types can be used separately or create a set of developmental exercises that includes classes to develop all the necessary skills.

Motor skills and strengthening of the muscles of the body are improved through exercise and exercise throughout the day. It is good to do 3-5 approaches during the day after waking up. It is good to do a warming massage before the exercises and, after completing the complex, relax the muscles by stroking.

You can count, turn on music, recite poems and sing songs. In duration, one approach can take up to 20 minutes. The main requirements are a cheerful mood and the desire of the child. If the little one is not set up for active movements, you should not force him, offer him another type of activity.

Mental faculties are trained along with the improvement of the senses. Between 4 and 5 months, an initial knowledge base is formed. The kid associates the appearance of an object with its sound, name, taste. The incentive for the development of abilities is the provision of broad opportunities for knowledge. No need to take things from the hands of the child, it is better to monitor their cleanliness and safety. Already during this period, it is worth checking the house for the presence of unwanted objects in the area accessible to the baby, buying or making bolts for shelves, plugs for sockets, etc. Every day the baby will be more active and the day is not far off when he starts to move.

It is recommended to turn on classical music for the baby, read books, show and talk about the objects around him. The more diverse things the baby sees, the easier it will be for him to subsequently master speech, use new ways of thinking.

Improved vision allows you to offer at this age a mirror for the game. The baby will look with interest at his own and your reflection, objects in front of him and behind him. Gradually form an idea about yourself. But do not expect that he will understand that this is a reflection. Such an understanding will appear no earlier than 1.5 years.

You should offer the little one to develop sensory skills. To do this, it is most convenient to buy or make a developmental rug. Made of fabric of different touch, filled with various types of cereals, this item stimulates the development of different centers of the brain.

Visiting a pediatrician and medical aspects

At 4 and 5 months, you need to visit the pediatrician for a monthly checkup. The doctor will check the harmony of development by measuring height, weight, head and chest circumference, be sure to listen to the heartbeat and breathing. Look at the degree of appearance of teeth and the condition of the skin.

If necessary, a visit to a neuropathologist, orthopedist, ophthalmologist, otolaryngologist will be scheduled. If you have doubts or questions, feel free to ask.

You should definitely tell your doctor if:

• The baby does not make contact, does not coo, does not babble, does not respond to the speech addressed to him.
• There are no independent coups from the stomach to the back or vice versa.
• The baby often spits up on breastfeeding.
• He sleeps and eats badly.
• Unable to grab the offered toy on his own.

Depending on the situation, the pediatrician may prescribe an additional examination by other specialists. In such a situation, it is worth trying to implement the recommendations as soon as possible.

Your baby is already a step away from the first moves around the house. There are a few important things to think about right now:

• Home security. To provide the crumbs with ideal conditions for development, you need to get used to thinking in advance. The baby is not crawling yet, and there should already be plugs and blockers in the house. The baby is learning to roll over - in no case leave one at a height. The health and safety of the child primarily depends on how you can predict the possible development of events.
• Attention. Although the baby does not talk yet and sleeps a lot, you should not think that he does not need your communication. Children do what they see. The more often and more you communicate directly with the baby, the sooner he will master speech. He already needs not only care, but also enough attention.
• Potty training and independence. At the fifth month, it is worth taking the first step towards growing up. Show your baby how good it is to do it yourself, how wet and wet panties differ. All these actions will not teach the baby right away, but will become the basis for further mastering the skills.
• Time for yourself. The baby has grown up and mom should think about additional activities for herself. Try to build your life so that it is full of events related not only to the child. Do not get carried away with social networks and forums, walk more. Saturating your life with emotions will make you happier. And next to a joyful mother, the little one will feel more confident.

Entering a new stage - movement and knowledge - brings with it many new events and changes. Every day your baby will become more mature and understandable. He will use facial expressions and gestures, intonation and movements to express his desires. If you try, you can provide a convenient daily routine and nutrition. You will not notice how time flies and the baby crawls and sits down. Be careful and careful at this time, do not force things, but enjoy what you have.

There is a small time gap between a newborn baby and a child at 4 months. But for him, the crumb changes very much, serious metamorphoses occur with him. What a child should be able to do at this age, the norms of his development - all this is described in the article.

How does a 4 month old baby develop?

Four months ago, this little man could not, in fact, do anything. Turning over, consciously grasping something in his hand, just raising his head - everything was something unattainable for him. Even his parents he saw very badly. Today the situation has changed. Of course, complete independence is still far away, but the baby moves towards it every day.

Height and weight of a 4-month-old baby

Throughout the third trimester of intrauterine development, the baby is actively growing. Moreover, it is not so much about the development of internal organs (this process takes place earlier), although it also takes place at this time. From the 28th week of pregnancy, the child actively begins to gain weight and height.

After birth, this trend continues. By four months, the baby is stretched by an average of 10 centimeters from the indicator at birth.

Baby weight at 4 months increases too. On average, a full-term newborn weighs 2.5-3.5 kilograms, by four months the child usually gains another 2 or even 3 kg. That is, either doubles the weight, or comes close to it.

Important! Above are averages for age. There are individual development schedules. To determine whether the baby is growing normally, whether it is lagging behind, only a doctor should. If the baby's indicators are less, it is possible that he will be prescribed supplementary feeding with mixtures. If it is much more, they will be sent for examination to an endocrinologist to find out the cause of a serious weight gain.

Nutrition and sleep of a four-month-old toddler

At 4 months old. babies and toddlers have an enviable appetite. As a rule, they eat formula or breast milk. The average interval between feedings is 2-3 hours. At night, the gaps usually increase. From 4 months, according to WHO, you can gradually introduce the baby to other foods, cereals, for example. Less often, vegetable purees from zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower are the first. This acquaintance is called the first feeding. Pediatricians (including Komarovsky) are advised to wait with "adult" food until the child is six months old.

Four-month-olds still sleep a lot - an average of 15 hours a day, with 10 of them spent at night. The rest falls to the share of daytime sleep. The rest regimen should be given close attention - in children, growth hormone is produced during sleep.

Motor skills at 4 months

With a newborn baby, it was easier - he either lay in the arms of an adult, or in a crib, on a developmental rug, in a chaise lounge chair, in a stroller. A 4-month-old baby already wants to see more, reach out, get to know each other, learn. This stimulates the development of his physical skills:

• The baby begins to understand that you can grab an object with your hand and bring it to your eyes, studying and examining it from all sides. Even though he is still bad at such actions, he tries to grab onto a toy, his mother’s finger, any object that interests him. Moreover, this childish action is no longer reflex, like a newborn, but conscious.
• A 4-month-old baby not only loves to grab everything with his hands, but also drags it into his mouth. It is better not to interfere with this, simply by removing in the crumbs access area what cannot be licked. Toys must be safe: no small parts (that can be detached or broken off), toxic substances. So the child learns this world - with the help of all available methods of study.

• Some children roll over on their side and on their stomach at this age. Some - and back on the back too. However, if that hasn’t happened yet, it’s too early for mom to worry - the crumbs have time up to 6 months to master these skills.
• The most nimble little ones are already learning to move in space themselves. It is still far from full-fledged crawling, but some babies at 4 months can master moving with repulsion with legs or sipping on their hands. By the way, children often begin to crawl at first not forward, but backward. This is not a parental concern. This type of movement is easier, because the little one can master it first. He will also learn to crawl forward, but later.
• Separate, amazingly active crumbs are already sitting. In this regard, parents accept congratulations from doctors with a particularly lively fidget.

Development of vision at 4 months

Vision should also keep up in development; at 4 months old, a baby can see much more than a newborn. A child of a couple of days old can distinguish a large object at a distance of about 35 cm from his eyes, does not know how to “catch” it with his eyes when moving, does not concentrate on details. A four-month-old baby can:

• Distinguish colors, at least basic ones. Red, green, blue and yellow do not merge into one tone for him. Children with especially developed eyesight can even distinguish shades of the same color, ophthalmologists say.
• See small details. Child at the end of 4 months can perceive not only any large object or object in front of him as a whole, but also highlight details on it. For example, toddlers of this age love to feel and look at their mother's face.

• Focus your gaze. A 4-month-old baby is able to consider not only objects lying nearby, but also those that are far from him.

Important! In the month of life, the child is prescribed a scheduled examination by a number of specialists, including an ophthalmologist. It is highly recommended not to skip it. If the baby has problems (a birth defect, the consequences of birth injuries, developmental disorders of the visual system, etc.), then the specialist will detect them in time and take measures.

Speech development in a 4-month-old baby

At 4 months, it is too early for a boy and a baby girl to talk. But the future basis for further speaking is laid in this infancy - from a month to a year. The child learns to control his voice, intonation. Namely:

• At this age, the first syllables may appear, as yet unconscious, simply as a repetition. These combinations of sounds cannot be considered as the first words. But it is imperative to encourage their appearance, to play along with the child.
• The kid likes to change the volume of the voice. He learns to speak in different ways: sometimes in a whisper, then starting to scream loudly. This should not be taken as dissatisfaction expressed by the child, immediately calm him down, give him a pacifier. Let him talk in his own way - this will give him a good basis for further development of speech.

• Along with mastering the volume, there are intonation expressions. The child notes that the speech of his parents is always different, and learns to recreate the emotional coloring himself.

Attention! Any attempt by the baby to “talk” should be resonated with an adult. Mom and dad should play along with a 4 month old baby, stimulating the development of his speech apparatus. This is how they raise the baby. The baby will gradually understand that speaking is not just a movement of the tongue and lips, but a communication channel.

Mental development at 4 months

The baby develops comprehensively from the very birth. The most noticeable gap between the initial and current states is observed in terms of mental development:

• The baby usually already knows his name, rejoices at him and turns to the call. If at this moment he is busy with something, you can not wait for a response - the concentration of attention in such a toddler is still weak, it will not be enough for everything. During the period of calm, having heard a familiar name, the child will try to turn to the caller.
• Not only the name causes children's delight. The baby will react to any new, loud or sharp sound. If it sounds frightening for a small person, then he will burst into tears, if he arouses interest, he will smile joyfully.
• The most important difference between a baby from a month to a year is the desire to explore the world around. A normally developing baby at 4 months old will look around, stop looking at what interests him. This is an important parameter, it will be checked by a pediatrician at a scheduled examination.

Parents should be aware that the baby's psyche is still unstable, because it is more difficult for her to cope with a large flow of information. Mom and dad want to show the huge world to the baby (especially at a time when everything is interesting to him), but what is normal for an adult is an emotional overload. Human nervous activity is regulated by two processes: excitation and inhibition. In children, especially in the first year of life, the first of these processes predominates significantly. Therefore, it is difficult for the brain to cope with the processing of an overabundance of information. Hence the whims (seemingly out of the blue), tearfulness, the inability to fall asleep (despite all the fatigue) of the child. These are signs not of bad behavior, but of discomfort. The kid still doesn’t know how to act up just like that, any of his screams is a message about problems.

How to understand a 4-month-old peanut

A newly born child has only one way of communication - crying. He does not distinguish between discomfort from hunger and discomfort from fear, for example, because he cries in approximately the same way. Over time, when the mother gets to know her baby better, when he gets to know himself better, the situation changes. The same crying takes on a different tone, and parents can identify “hungry” tears, “terrible”, “tired”, etc.

What does a child like at this age:

• A 4-month-old baby is curious, but is still limited in movement, so he will sit in his arms with great pleasure. He will settle higher and will survey the surroundings from a new height. This pastime will keep him busy for a long time.
• A four-month-old baby will be happy to follow himself in the mirror. The child now loves to watch. He does not yet understand that he is following his own reflection, but this does not make him less interested.

• The crumbs in the fourth or fifth month have a certain sense of humor. He begins to understand that he can be laughed at. So, if dad makes a funny face, the baby will laugh.
• A 4 month old baby loves rattles. The fact that you can take an object, turn it over, shake it, and thereby make a sound, is especially intriguing to a curious baby. This game develops cause and effect thinking.

What to do with a 4 month old baby

With a small person in his four months, conversations, lullabies and massages are not enough, as with a newborn. He needs to be played with. Any action develops such a baby. Still, you should be wise in your choice of activities.

Fitball

The fitball is a large and elastic durable rubber ball, this is a real find for a young mother. On it, you can both rock the baby on the handles and play with it, for example, roll the baby on the tummy: first - in a circle, imitating the sound of a flying plane, then - only back and forth, depicting, for example, the sounds of a train. A child can “spring” on a gymnastic ball - this will strengthen the muscles of the tummy and back.

Such exercises are very useful, as they have a complex effect: the development of the vestibular apparatus, and intensive strengthening of the muscles of the back and abdomen, and new impressions for the child.

Pool

Many sports facilities with swimming pools offer classes in the Mom + Baby format. From the age of four months, attending such training will be a good decision. Before visiting, you should prepare: take a certificate for the little one and the parent, and also get special diapers for swimming.

Parents should not worry because they do not know how to behave in the water with a child. There is a trainer in the class who will tell you what to do and how to do it right.

Classes in the pool are very useful, especially when they are held in the evening. Exercises in the water comprehensively develop the child's muscle groups, teach him not to be afraid of water (which will later become a good help for learning to swim independently). Swimming is also a source of new impressions and sensations for a child, tiring him both physically and mentally. After the pool, kids usually sleep soundly and for a long time.

If it is not possible to visit the pool, bathing must be included in the child's daily care program. Although not as large as a swimming pool, it still usefully loads the muscles of the child and his psyche.

Activities with mom

Mostly a 4-month-old baby develops by looking at his mother. The parent should be aware of the importance of this fact. It is unacceptable to show complete indifference to the development of the crumbs, as well as to devote the child 24 hours 7 days a week. Everything must be approached wisely. What activities can mom do on her own:

• Talk: read books, talk about the world, sing, recite poetry. All this will occupy the child and form a good basis for the development of the speech apparatus.
• Do your own massage. This procedure, as it was relevant from birth, has not lost its relevance in the fourth or fifth months of the child. Such an activity develops the muscles of the child, helps him get acquainted with his body, sit down.
• Play with cards. Many authors of developing methods produce their own sets of these teaching aids. The simplest option is when an object is depicted large on one side, and a brief summary of it is on the other. Mom shows the card to the child, clearly pronounces what is drawn there, then it’s good to give the child the object from the picture in live, natural size.

The age of 4 months is the time of children's discoveries and achievements. Parents should carefully monitor the condition of the crumbs. If they have any suspicions that something is going wrong, they should immediately visit a pediatrician.

Video

Each stage of a baby's life is accompanied by a number of changes, the analysis of which helps parents to make sure that he grows without deviations from the norm. It is very important for moms and dads to monitor the development of a child at 4 months, because during this period, boys and girls should already be able to do a lot of things, he has new physical and psycho-emotional features. Find out what is typical for babies at this age.

What does a 4 month old baby look like?

To make sure that the baby is growing healthy, you need to evaluate the appearance, physical skills, behavior, reflexes. The combination of these parameters indicates the general level of development. The easiest way to evaluate the external data of the baby. For 4 months, active growth of hair and nails is characteristic. In some crumbs, the formation of saliva increases due to the constant licking of hands and other objects.

The baby becomes more proportional, he has the same head and chest circumference, straightened and strengthened arms and legs. The eyes darken, become as close as possible to the color that will be in adulthood. The first hairs from the head fall out and roll out, and in their place new, stronger ones can grow, moreover, even of a different shade.

Height Weight

Due to the still low physical activity, the increase in body weight is large, amounting to 0.75 kg. Boys and girls gain weight equally. Growth increases by an average of 2.5 cm. The circumference of the chest and head become the same. To make sure that the development of a child at 4 months occurs without deviations from the norm, compare personal data with the averages shown in the table below:

Child development at 4 months of age

At this period of life, not only the appearance of the baby changes, but also the behavior. He becomes more attentive, more active, experiences a wide range of emotional reactions, both positive and negative. There is curiosity towards one's own body, close people, surrounding objects. During wakefulness, the baby seeks to communicate with parents, active games. Unconditioned reflexes of newborns disappear and fade away.

Behavior

All babies have different personalities, but there are common signs that he is developing in accordance with the norms. Features of the behavior of crumbs at 4 months:

1. A lively reaction to the mother's voice in the form of laughter, babble.
2. Positive emotions on new bright toys.
3. The child recognizes his name, begins to respond to it.
4. Exploring your own body. The child examines the hands, feels the face, pulls the legs into the mouth. The kid likes to watch his reflection in the mirror.
5. The baby recognizes the relatives who spend time with him, but most of all he singles out his mother. The kid enjoys verbal communication with her, tactile contacts.
6. With strangers, the baby behaves wary. He may be afraid of one person, and show interest in another.
7. There is an improvement in vision. The baby follows moving objects with his eyes, begins to distinguish colors, especially yellow and red.

reflexes

The age of 4 months is characterized by the disappearance and extinction of many voluntary reactions. What reflexes of the newborn are becoming less and less pronounced:

1. Robinson's unconditioned reflex is transformed into purposeful grasping. The child takes small objects, holds them in his hand for a while.
2. The Moro reflex fades. With him, the baby throws up his arms with open palms and again collects them on his chest, if you clap on the surface on which he lies.
3. The Bauer crawl reflex fades. If you stimulate the reaction (create support at the heels of the baby lying on the tummy), then the baby will be able to crawl at 5 months.
4. The Talent and Bauer reflexes completely disappear. Their presence indicates possible neurological disorders.

What should he be able to do?

There are a number of physical and psycho-emotional skills that a four-month-old baby should have. Parents need to understand that in each family, the development of a baby at 4 months proceeds differently. The absence of this or that skill does not necessarily mean that the baby has health problems, so mom and dad should not panic ahead of time. Find out what a 4 month old baby should be doing.

physical skills

The body of the baby every day becomes stronger, stronger. What babies can do at 4 months:

1. The baby begins to roll over on his own from his stomach and back. The muscles of the back are already strengthened for this. He is able to lie in a bed on his stomach, confidently hold his head, consider the environment. For a short while, the baby is able to rise on the palms, holding the torso. However, it is still too early for the baby to sit, even with the support of the pads, the spine is still weak for this.
2. In the supine position, the baby raises his head and shoulders.
3. The child is more confident with his hands. He is able to hold on to his mother, to the bottle when feeding. The baby's palms are open almost all the time. The child is able to put them together, clap, hold objects for up to 30 seconds, shake rattles.
4. If the baby is taken by the armpits, he rests on the surface with his fingers and pushes off.
5. When crying, the child should already have tears flowing, because the lacrimal glands are already fully functioning.
6. The hypertonicity in the arms goes away, while in the legs it still remains.
7. The work of the digestive system is getting better. By 4 months, most babies have colic.
8. Due to the active development of hearing, the baby must turn his head to sounds. At 4 months, babies begin to distinguish relatives from strangers by voice. You may shake your head to the beat of the music.
9. Strabismus and weakness of the eye muscles should be completely gone by 4 months, because the muscles are strengthened.

Psycho-emotional development

It is very important to assess not only the physical skills of the child at 4 months, but also the mental ones. The baby becomes emotionally developed, for peace of mind he needs to communicate with adults for a lot of time. The kid among all people feels the greatest attachment to his mother, distinguishes her from the rest, adopts the mood. The child is already able to get upset if she is sad, or smiles in response to her good mood. During games, the baby can laugh, feels joy.

What changes in the psychological state are typical for 4 months:

1. The establishment of elementary causal relationships begins. For example, when he sees his mother's breasts, the baby understands what he will eat now.
2. The appearance of such emotions as curiosity, resentment, joy, fear.
3. Memory develops. The baby is able to distinguish objects that he saw earlier.
4. The baby still perceives mother and himself as one whole.

Speech skills

The child walks a lot of the time. He is able to pronounce the sounds "o", "a", "m", "p", "b" very clearly. Some babies at 4 months even make their first attempts to compose syllables, but this happens very rarely. If your baby does not know how to do this yet, do not worry, this is not considered a deviation. At 4 months, the child should actively communicate with parents: respond to intonation, try to "answer". The development of speech in boys is sometimes slower than in girls.

Features of caring for a four-month-old baby

The morning of the baby must certainly begin with hygiene procedures. You should wash your face, wipe your eyes, if necessary, clean your nose and ears. At the age of 4 months, the child should often trim their nails, because they grow very quickly. Walk with your baby twice a day. The duration of your stay in the fresh air is determined independently, focusing on the weather.

The approximate daily routine and diet of a four-month-old baby is presented in the table below:

Nutrition and sleep

Feeding rules are determined in a way: natural or artificial. Features of proper nutrition for a child at 4 months:

1. A breastfed baby drinks only breast milk so far, but is rarely applied to the breast. As a rule, he eats while falling asleep, then in a dream and immediately after waking up. The feeding regimen has already been clearly worked out.
2. With artisans, things are different. A certain volume of infant formula should be given approximately every 3.5 hours. It turns out 6 artificial feedings per day. As a rule, 0.9-1 l of baby food is consumed per day, and 150-170 ml at one time.
3. A child on an artificial mixture can be introduced at 4 months of the first feeding with food. Juice will do, a little liquid puree. Complementary foods are introduced into the diet for breastfed children no earlier than six months, as modern experts recommend.

In a day, the baby is awake for more than two hours in a row. He sleeps in total up to 15 hours, 10 of which fall at night. Three day dreams. It is recommended to put the child at night between 19 and 21 hours. In order for the child to fall asleep well, develop a certain evening ritual, for example, bathing, stroking, lullaby. Do not skip a single element and repeat everything every day.

How to develop a child at 4 months

Parents must make every effort to ensure that the baby grows normally. Pay attention to the child, play with him, do exercises and massages. Remember that an emotional connection with mom and dad is very important, and the level of development of the child will depend to a certain extent on whether it is strong. Be sure to spend more time with him and try to talk about everything: household chores, toys, household items.

Games

If you entertain a small child, you will bring significant benefits to the baby's body. How to develop a baby at 4 months in a playful way:

1. Hang bright decorations above the baby at such a height that he grabs them with his hands. It is desirable that they make sounds and have a different texture.
2. Alternately, let the child touch the rattle, soft toy, doll, rubber squeaker, and other bright objects. The main thing is that their size and shape differ. You can put the toy in the crib if it is safe. This is useful for developing tactile perception.
3. Play hide-and-seek and peek-a-boo, magpie-crow.
4. Blow soap bubbles in front of the child, let him watch how they fly.

Physical exercise

Not only games, but also exercises help to ensure that the development of a child at 4 months proceeds normally. What exercises should be done with the crumbs:

1. Take the baby by the handles, slowly lift them up and down along the body, then smoothly cross on the chest and spread apart.
2. Lay the child on his back twice a day. Grab the handles and make circular motions.
3. Turn the baby from one side to the other. Then put on your stomach. Bend and straighten your legs.

Frequent problems

Every parent should clearly understand that absolutely all children are different. There are kids with early or vice versa belated development, not all fit into generally accepted norms. However, there are a number of signs, the presence of which at 4 months indicates that the child needs to be shown to the pediatrician:

1. The baby does not want to take toys and other objects or cannot hold them in his hand for a while. This indicates problems in the development of fine motor skills and motor skills.
2. Cannot learn to roll over on stomach.
3. Tilts head back when pulling up with both hands.
4. Does not react to communication with people, stingy with emotions.
5. Lying on the stomach does not rise, does not rest on the handles.
6. In an upright position, it does not rest on the surface with its feet.

Video

A child at 4 months continues to master new skills, learns the world around him. The baby changes outwardly, becomes larger and stronger, due to which motor activity improves, movements become more confident and coordinated. The crumbs develop their own habits, a manner of behavior is developed. The emotional and psychological development of the child is more active at 4 months.

Photo from pixabay.com

The body size and weight of a child at 4 months is almost 2 times larger than a newborn. Thanks to this crumb, new skills become available. How much should a child who is 4 months old get? Weight gain remains consistently high, the monthly increase is about 600–750 g. In the period from 3 to 4 months, the baby grows by 2–2.5 cm, some crumbs manage to gain more than three centimeters in a month.

Parents at a scheduled examination by a pediatrician are required to ask how much a child should weigh at 4 months, and whether his body weight is normal. If there are deviations from normal parameters, then developmental pathologies are likely, and not only physical, but also psychological.

Speaking about the physical development of a child at 4 months, it is worth mentioning how he looks at this age. Outwardly, it differs from a 3-month-old baby in larger sizes. The child is chubby, natural folds are expressed, cheeks increase, arms and legs are plump, the palm and fingers become larger, due to which the grasping reflex improves. The subcutaneous fat layer is large. The fontanel may still be open.

At this age, gender differences are already visible. For example, girls at 4 months are smaller in weight, height and circumference than boys.

Table with norms of height, weight and circumference

Height, weight and other parameters of the child at 4 months in the table.

The height and weight of a child at 4 months increase in direct proportion. If the baby does not gain kilograms, then he is shorter, and vice versa. The average weight of a boy is 7 kg, height is 63.9 cm, girls are 64 kg and 62.1 cm, respectively.

Breastfed babies at 4 months may be overweight or underweight. For them, the concept of normal weight is relative, since overfeeding or underfeeding is possible. But children on artificial feeding are gaining well, as a rule, their body weight is always within the normal range.

Mental and emotional development at 4 months

The behavior of the child at 4 months changes. If the emotions of a three-month-old baby are more reflex, then a four-month-old is conscious. The child closely follows the actions of the parents and the world around, masters new skills, hence the variety of reactions to what is happening.

What can a child at 4 months

By 4 months, a child should be able to:

• to recognize father and mother in person;
• experience new emotions - experience, disappointment and curiosity;
• recognize parents by voice, distinguish from strangers;
• respond to your name;
• distinguish colors;
• for a long time to concentrate on the toy you like, smoothly look from one object to another;
• to walk, to pronounce various sounds;
• laugh out loud, burst into laughter;
• express emotions correctly - respond to positive moments with a smile and cry for negative ones.

A feature of the psychological development of a child of the fourth month is that he develops his own tactics of behavior. The baby can already distinguish between favorite and unloved toys, play on his own, although the baby does not tolerate prolonged lack of attention from his parents.

How to develop a four-month-old baby

Babies at 4 months are driven by interest. This is worth considering when trying to develop new skills. That is why it is necessary to attract bright toys, new objects that the baby has not seen before.

The child develops faster if the parents carry it in their arms, and do not leave it in the arena.

At the age of 4 months, a child needs to develop associative thinking, for example, the image of a mother should be associated with love and care. In a playful way, you can teach the crumbs to express their emotions correctly. You need to constantly communicate with the baby both at home and while walking on the street, you can turn on music for him.

It is necessary to acquaint a 4-month-old baby with new sounds, to study the properties of objects (shape, color, structure), and one's own body. Tactile contact is important, as is the development of fine motor skills of the hands. Thanks to this, the child develops psychologically.

Physical activity

The leap in the development of a four-month-old baby is noticeable compared to a three-month-old baby.

What should be able to

In the fourth month of life, the child is able to do the following:

• pulls up to the toys suspended above the crib and grabs them;
• can hold an item in hand for up to 30 seconds;
• rolls over on the side, from the back to the stomach and vice versa;
• lying on his back, can raise his shoulders and head;
• supports the breast or bottle during feeding;
• lying on his stomach, leaning on his hands;
• turns his head towards the source of the sound;
• pushes off with toes from a hard surface, if you hold the crumbs by the armpits.

Babies at 4 months old can even sit up if they are seated in pillows, but this should not be done. A child can only be seated when he sits on his own. Until he has done this, it is impossible to sit down, otherwise there will be big problems with the spine. But you need to regularly spread it on your stomach, although the baby himself can already roll over.

How to develop

Photo from vskormi.ru

To develop motor skills with a child at 4 months, you need to practice. Exercises for coups, laying out on the stomach, pulling up by the handles, pushing off a hard surface will help. Such exercises train the muscles.

Any achievement of the baby should be accompanied by encouragement.

If the child has increased tone, then massage is necessary.

medical questions

At 4 months, the child can be given a second DPT and polio. But the interval between the 1st and 2nd vaccinations must be at least 45 days.

Lifestyle

A four-month-old baby is more awake, and therefore has a lot of time to develop and learn new skills. Parents are left with one thing - to help the baby in this, to properly care for him.

Daily regime

The daily regimen of a child at 4 months has already been developed and it is important to adhere to it. The period of wakefulness increases, sleep takes 13–15 hours a day: 10 hours at night and 3–5 hours during the day. It is advisable to put the baby to bed in the evening no later than 22:00, then he will wake up at 7-8 in the morning.

Feeding

Children need to be fed according to the developed regimen, an average of 5-6 feedings. If a 4-month-old baby is breastfed, then it is too early to introduce complementary foods, he also does not need to drink water. Mother's milk at this age is enough for him.

In case of urgent need, artificial children can be given diluted juices, otherwise it is worth waiting up to 5-6 months. Be sure to drink boiled water.

Dream

A child at 4 months sleeps 3 times a day, night sleep is 8–9 hours. At night, he wakes up 1–2 times to eat.

Care

The health of the baby depends on the proper care of the baby at 4 months. In the morning, the baby needs to be washed, washed away, changed diapers, cleaned ears and nose, and bathed in the evening.

Bathing

You need to bathe a baby at 4 months every day, you can in a bath with a circle around your neck. It is not necessary to boil water.

walks

Walking with the child should be daily. In the cold season, 1-1.5 hours 1 time, in the summer - 2 hours twice a day.

Massage, gymnastics

Despite the fact that the tone, which was increased at birth, is weakening, you should not refuse massage. He relaxes, calms. It is better to do it after swimming before going to bed.

Gymnastics with a 4-month-old child should be done in the morning, when the baby is alert and in a good mood.

Games

A child at 4 months is easily distracted by a new bright toy. He will experience a lot of positive emotions if you play with him. Games:

• "Okay". The game develops motor skills of hands, trains coordination of movements.
• "Ku-ku." Trains reaction and physical activity.
• "Goat-horned". A game to develop a child's reaction.
• "Magpie Crow". Useful for fine motor skills of fingers.

For the development of the baby, it is worth picking up objects that are convenient for the baby to hold. It is better to give preference to musical toys, geometric shapes.

With the onset of the fourth month of life, many of the problems that bother the baby disappear, and he becomes a full-fledged member of the family. He already calmly recognizes mom and dad, actively communicates with them, gives them smiles. The baby already perfectly understands the speech addressed to him, turns his head to the sounds of his own voice. During this period, active games with parents and toys enter his life, new emotions and experiences appear, which the baby actively demonstrates.

The main life task for this period is communication with loved ones. The kid needs to master a large number of sounds and syllables, in which mom and dad can help him, offering various imitative games.

How do babies sleep at 4 months old?

The total amount of sleep per day is reduced to fifteen hours. Of these, night sleep accounts for 10 hours, in which there are two to three breaks for feeding. And the rest of the time is divided into three daytime sleep.

Came it's time to set clear periods sleep - wakefulness. Now it is easier for the baby to organize a full-fledged daily regimen, this is also necessary in order to later make it easier for him to navigate in time.

The development of the sense organs at this age.

Vision

The baby's vision becomes more receptive to the brightness and color of the image. Bright colors still grab his attention, but you need to remember that an abundance of contrasting colors in toys can negatively affect fatigue. Limit yourself to toys with a predominance of one to three different colors.

Pediatricians recommend completely replacing bright toys with calmer and more natural colors. This is especially true for toys in the form of animals or people. The more realistic the picture looks, the easier it will be for the child to navigate in the real world.

Hearing

Hearing for the baby is now the main conductor in the big world. He does an excellent job both with his main tasks of finding the source of noise, and with building connections with the outside world. How well a child copes with these tasks can be assessed by his reaction to various sound signals. So, with annoying or disturbing sounds, the baby may start to turn away or cry, and at the sound of a mother's voice or a cheerful song, smile and wave your arms.

Now the baby becomes an active interlocutor in conversations with parents. He learned to sing along with his mother, build dialogues, though still in his own language, and laugh loudly and cheerfully.

There is a useful exercise for the development of a child’s speech: sit next to him and, looking into his eyes, repeat all the sounds after him. After a short period of time, the baby will begin to repeat the sounds after you.

Talk to your baby more often, so you will help him quickly get used to the first sounds. If you pay enough attention to it, then already now you can hear various syllables like “ma”, “gu”, “pa” and so on.

Tactile sensations

The development of a child at four months is still directly dependent on contact with the mother. The more often the mother takes him in her arms, strokes, makes a light massage and plays with the baby, the faster he masters new actions and the healthier and stronger his psyche becomes.

By four months, the mental development of the child reaches the moment when pain, fear, joy, resentment or curiosity are experienced most acutely. Therefore, contacts with the mother should be as long and productive as possible.

Movements and actions of the baby at 4 months of age

Mom, of course, is interested in what children do at this age? The baby is already confidently turning over, changing positions during sleep and wakefulness. Attempts to rise on the handles, relying only on the palms, are becoming more and more successful. Some children at this age are already quite capable of getting on all fours on their own, however, for a very short time.

Extreme interest in learning about one's own body expressed in constant looking their arms and legs, and attempts to manage them on their own initiative. Also, the baby willingly touches the face of mom or dad with his hands, grabs mom by the hair.

Cause-and-effect relationships are actively formed, so, when he sees his mother’s breast or a bottle, the baby stops crying and waits to be fed.

If you pull the child lying on the back by the handles, then he calmly sits down. Just do not load him too much with this skill yet, because his spine is still very weak and too frequent and diligent sitting down can cause various unpleasant diseases.

A big plus of this period is the fact that the baby can occupy himself for a short time. If you offer him a new fun and squeaky toy, he will turn it in his hands for a long time, and this will give his mother a short fifteen to twenty minute break.

How to play with a child of this age?

The baby is no longer just looking at the toys offered by the mother. He knows perfectly well how to take the rattle correctly, and with what force to shake it so that it makes a sound. If the toys have buttons for extracting sounds, the baby will be happy to press them.

It also awakens a kind interest in the physics of bodies: the child can throw toys on the floor or in the water and watch them fall and gurgle.

• Games in the water are also becoming different. Now the baby needs a whole arsenal of toys, bubbles and buckets for bathing.
• Playing "Ku-ku" develops search skills. Cover yourself or the child with a blanket, and then, with the exclamation of “Ku-ku, who is this,” remove the blanket. If he likes the game, then the baby will laugh out loud and twist his arms.
• Playing "Ladushki" promotes the opening of the palm and accelerates the development of motor skills and cerebral hemispheres.
• "Magpie - Crow" helps to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Gently and smoothly massage the child's hands, starting with the palm and gradually moving to the fingers. At the same time, say "Magpie-crow, cooked porridge, etc."
• Give your baby a small mirror in a hard plastic frame. He will happily look at his reflection and smile.

Recommended at this age increase walking time outdoors. Let the baby not just lie passively in the stroller, but look at everything around. Hang rattles and new toys on the stroller so that the child can grab onto them with handles.

Continue to give your child daily massage and gymnastics. Harmonious physical development is also guaranteed by the rapid development of the psyche and brain.