The first few months of your baby’s life are a whirlwind of growth and development. As your baby reaches 4 months, you’ll see an ever-growing list of milestones, challenges, and new routines. In this article, you’ll learn about the new aspects of your 4-month-old baby’s life, from milestones to feeding and sleeping schedules, health concerns, fun activities, and safety tips.
As your baby approaches 4 months, they begin to reach new and exciting developmental milestones. The new motor skills they will develop include:1
- Holding the head up without support
- Holding the toys with their hands
- Shaking the toys with their hands when the toy is hanging over them
- Pushing themselves up on their elbows and forearms while lying on their stomachs
- Looking at their hands with interest and bringing them to their mouths
Your baby will also develop new and exciting social skills during their fourth month. These skills include:1
- Making ringing sounds, such as “aah” or “ooooo”
- Repeated sounds come back to you
- Smile to get attention
- Laugh when you try to make them laugh
- Move around and make noises to get your attention
As your baby reaches 4 months and beyond, his foods start to drift a bit compared to the first 3 months of his life. Your baby will typically eat 4 to 6 ounces of breast milk or formula every three to four hours at this age.2
During this time, many babies experience a growth spurt and have periods when they want to feed or breastfeed more often. This can make it difficult to have a consistent feeding or breastfeeding schedule. Their feed frequency will be removed again after their growth is over. It is important during this time that you follow your baby’s feeding cues and feed or breastfeed as often as needed.3
Many parents wonder when they can introduce solid foods to their babies. Introducing solid foods is usually not recommended until your baby is six months old. If you have questions or want to start introducing solid foods earlier than six months, consult your baby’s doctor.2
As your baby grows, his sleep patterns continue to evolve. At this age, your baby will typically sleep 12 to 16 hours a day. Your baby will also take a few naps during the day. They usually take two naps that last about 1 ½ to two hours each. Your baby may take more frequent, shorter naps during the day, which is also normal.4
If you haven’t established a bedtime routine, this age is a good time to start. Start with relaxing activities such as a relaxing bath, reading a book or soft singing to help your baby relax. As they fall, you will notice that they are sleepy. It is recommended that you place them in their crib while they are tired but not yet fully asleep. This helps them learn how to fall asleep on their own.4 However, this may not be the case for all babies and some may still need the help of a caregiver to get them to sleep.
Another critical aspect of creating a bedtime routine is determining when your baby should sleep at night. Aim for sleep between 7 and 8 p.m. can be ideal, as putting your baby to bed later can lead to overtiredness, making it harder for them to fall asleep and stay asleep.5 But it’s important to remember to follow your baby’s cues, such as yawning or rubbing his eyes, as not all babies need the same bedtime.
As your baby’s schedule becomes more predictable, now is a good time to create a typical daily schedule. Your daily routine will still revolve around feeding and sleeping, but you can make a more specific routine.
A sample daily schedule might look like this:5
- 7am: Morning feeding after waking up for the whole day
- 7-9am: Play time
- 9-11 am: Morning nap
- 11 a.m. – 1 pm: Feeding/play time
- 1-3 pm: Nap
- 4pm: If you don’t wake up from an afternoon nap, wake up and feed
- 4-5pm: Playtime
- 6-7pm: Start bedtime/feeding routine
- 7-8pm: Bedtime
- 11pm: Dreamfeed (optional)
At 4 months of age, your baby will have another well-child visit with his pediatrician. At this visit, your pediatrician will monitor his weight gain, do a physical and developmental exam, and discuss any immunizations your child may need. Your doctor will check to make sure your 4-month-old’s weight is gaining appropriately. On average, most 4-month-olds should have doubled their birth weight, gaining about 1 to 1 ¼ pounds this month.6 Your doctor will compare your baby’s weight at this appointment with his previous weights to see if he is growing as he should.
After your doctor has checked your baby’s weight and growth, they will discuss the vaccines recommended for your 4-month-old. These vaccines include their second dose of the following:7
- Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP) vaccine
- Haemophilus influenzae (HiB) vaccine.
- Polio vaccine
- Pneumococcal vaccine
- Rotavirus vaccine
Your baby’s 4-month well-child visit is the perfect time to discuss any concerns you may have about his development. Some concerns you may want to bring up with your pediatrician are:7
- Your baby can’t hold his head up.
- They have not started babbling or mimicking sounds.
- They don’t respond to your voice.
- They cannot hold a toy in their hand.
- They show no interest in their hands or can’t bring them to their mouths.
As your baby grows, he will continue to be exposed to illnesses and there are some common childhood illnesses that you should be aware of. These include the following:8
Many of these ailments can be treated at home, but it is essential to seek medical attention if you have any concerns or if any of the following occur:8
- Fever that lasts more than three days
- Signs of dehydration such as dry/chapped lips, decreased amount of wet diapers, or decreased tears
- Difficulty breathing
- Increased irritability or restlessness
- Reduced energy
At 4 months of age, your baby is more alert and active, and playtime becomes more engaging. Here are some ideas to play with your little one:1
- Talk, read and sing to your baby
- Play peek-a-boo
- Play on the floor or play mat with your baby
- Let them catch a colorful toy while you move it around
- Supervise tummy time
- Give them soft toys to explore, such as rattles or cloth books
- Respond positively when your baby makes and imitates sounds
Maintaining a safe environment is vital for your baby at any age, but even more so now that they are more active and alert. It is important to assess your baby’s environment for any safety concerns. Some general safety tips to keep in mind include:9
- Make sure you are using the correct size car seat and that it is fitted correctly
- Place baby gates at the top and bottom of the stairs
- Never leave your baby unattended, especially with pets or other children
Some general bathroom safety tips include:9
- Use of a non-slip baby bath
- Filling the bathtub no more than 2-3 inches deep with warm, not hot, water
- Always stay close to your baby during the bath
Sleep safety is an often overlooked aspect, but it is one of the most important safety threats to consider. Providing a safe sleep environment can help reduce the risk of SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome. Some sleep safety tips to remember include:4
- Always place your baby on their back to sleep
- Using a firm/flat mattress with a tightly fitted sheet
- Do not put toys, pillows, blankets, unfitted sheets or bumper pads in the crib
- Moving any item your baby can reach from their crib, such as strings, ties, ribbons or items on a shelf or chest of drawers
Watching your baby grow in leaps and bounds during this time can be rewarding and exciting for parents. A basic understanding of your child’s development, sleep and feeding schedule, health concerns, and tips to keep him safe will help make this time even more rewarding.
