Four Months Old
FOUR MONTH OLD
DATE: WEIGHT: LENGTH:
DEVELOPMENT:
Your baby is now getting to be a very sociable creature. She smiles, coos, laughs, and loves to be talked to. She is usually crying less, also. She is ready to have her horizons broadened with variety and scenery – different rooms and different positions. Propping her in a sitting position helps to enhance her view of the world. She is able to hold her head steady. Taking her outdoors is also fun. She follows objects well with her eyes, loves mobiles, toys and music boxes. Other bright, large objects will fascinate her, and she will be batting at them and reaching soon. She will soon be rolling over, first from abdomen to back and later from back to abdomen.
FEEDING:
Feeding time is a very important part of your baby’s life. The emphasis is still on nursing or formula, and babies generally drink about 24-36 ounces per day. Breast fed babies often go through a period of seeming disinterest at 4-6 months where they suck for short periods and then pull away to look around. If this happens, realize that it is just a stage related to baby’s growing curiosity with the outside world. Be patient, yet firm, and try nursing away from distractions and this will soon pass.
Even at this age, it is not necessary to introduce solid food yet. Most babies grow well on milk alone. Babies drool a great deal and chew on their fingers often at this age. These behaviors may not necessarily mean that he is hungry or teething.
Iron-fortified infant cereals (rice, barley, or oat) can be started betweem 4-6 months if he has good head control and is able to take food from the spoon without most of it being extruded by his tongue. Allow 3-4 days before trying another new food so that anything that does not agree with him can be easily pinpointed. The usual sequence of foods is cereal, then yellow vegetables, green vegetables, fruit, poultry, and meat. The quantity of solid food taken is not important; the mistake is more often overfeeding than underfeeding infants. Avoid giving more than three ounces of fruit juice per day and no other sweet liquids until the baby is old enough to drink from a cup.
It is better not to prop the bottle for feedings. He needs handling and loving. In some babies, drinking (breast or bottle) while lying on their back may cause fluid to block the sinuses and Eustacian tube and lead to ear infections.
Sterilization of bottles is no longer necessary, although a clean technique in handling formula and bottles is always important.
SLEEPING:
Most babies are now sleeping through the night, though they are usually the first in the family to awaken each morning and loudly lets everyone know that they are ready to start another challenging day. If you are having trouble teaching your baby to sleep through the night and this is disturbing your own rest, ask your pediatrician for advice.
SAFETY:
No longer is your baby safe on couches or tables. No strap can be trusted with this “escape artist”. She is becoming more mobile, and scooting and rolling are just around the corner. Care should be taken where an infant seat is placed as they are easily tipped over. Continue to use her car seat whenever she rides in a car. Keep your hot water heater no higher than 120 degrees to avoid scalds. If you use a microwave oven to heat formula or baby food, be extra careful to test it before feeding so as not to burn baby’s mouth. Because she is putting everything in her mouth, make sure that objects within her reach are not poisonous or small enough that she could choke on them.
IMMUNIZATIONS:
The second DPT and polio vaccines are given at this age. You may give the baby acetaminophen (Tylenol, Tempra, St. Joseph AspirinFree, etc) if she develops fever or fussiness. Be sure to let us know if there is a more severe reaction like a fever over 105 degrees, continuous crying for over three hours, or extreme sleepiness.
This is a happy age. Your baby is very responsive and enjoys anyone’s attention. Take advantage of her sociability and enjoy her.
SUGGESTED READING:
Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problem – Ferber