All Things Month 4

Information is for month four of baby’s life.  I am in no way a doctor, medical professional, or even experienced in child care.  This is just information that I have gathered from books, websites, my pediatrician, and hearsay.  The time schedules and suggestion of eat/wake/sleep cycles are from Babywise.  The progression of development is from What to Expect the First Year.  Feeding amounts are the recommendations from my doctor.  Everything else is from various websites and friends.

Feeding/wake/sleeping:

• 28 – 32 ounces in 24 hours
• The first and last feeding of the day are the two strategic feedings.
  • It doesn’t matter what schedule your baby is on, all other feed-wake-sleep cycles will fall within those two “fixed” feeding times.
  • Need to remain consistent
• Between 10 and 15 weeks, the 7 feeding cycles will merge into 6
  • Late evening feed is dropped
  • Sleep stretches to 10 – 12 hours
  • This phase continues until baby starts solid foods, sometime between 4.5 and 6 months old
  • Baby’s wake times are significantly longer
  • Below is an example schedule

 

By the end of month four, baby may be able to:

• Lift head 90 degrees on tummy and turn head side to side
• Lift head when held in arms at your shoulder
• Anticipate being lifted
• Laugh out loud
• Follow object in an arc 6 inches from face from one side of face to the other
• All things from 1-2 weeks
• Things accomplished in month 1
• Things accomplished in month 2
• Things accomplished in month 3

 

Activities you can do with baby:

• Blow bubble toward baby and let her swat at them
• Can place baby tummy down on boppy with a shallow pan filled with water in front of her.  Blow bubbles, and the water-filled pan will provide the bubbles a place to land.  You can also grab a straw and blow bubbles in the pan of water.
  • Can also be done in the side lying position.
• Butterfly game
• Try on various items as a hat.  Baby will think it is hilarious.
• Sit baby in a cushioned area.  Place her legs so she is sitting with bottom of feet touching each other and heels are close to her bottom (like she is doing the butterfly stretch).  Let her try and sit on her own, letting her fall if she topples.

  

 

• While baby is doing some tummy time, place your palms against the bottom of her feet.  This will help her push herself along the surface, and teach her that moving her legs gets her mobile.
• Row the boat
• Place carrot peels in front of baby and let her discover with fingers and mouth (being careful not to let baby swallow any).

  

• Gather leaves with baby, allowing her to touch the grass and leaves with bare feet and hands.
• If baby has good head/neck strength, but isn’t quite sitting.  You can place baby in a small storage bin to give back support with a few toys in with her.

  

•  Place leaves in a ziplock taped to the floor.  Place baby in tummy time position in front of the leafy ziplock.  Baby’s tummy position can be modified by placing a boppy under her chest.
• Place baby tummy down on boppy (or on a blanket).  Place a mini flashlight inside a colored tupperware or water bottle.  Place in front of baby with the lights out.
• Set a basket of items that baby can easily grasp in front of her during tummy time.
  • This can also be done in side-lying position or seated in mom’s lap.
  • Items may include rings cut from a paper towel roll, golf balls, rattles, or rings from a stack and play.
• Month 3 Activities
• Month 2 Activities
• Month 1 Activities