Your baby’s senses have now developed. They can see and hear their surroundings better. They enjoy seeing different objects. Their interest in familiar objects may decrease. Your baby grows rapidly each month and discovers new abilities.
Vaccines
At the end of the 4th month, your baby will receive the second doses of pneumococcal, rotavirus, and pentavalent vaccines. The rotavirus vaccine is given orally, while the other vaccines are injected into the thigh muscle. After the combination vaccines, there may be effects such as fever and restlessness; after the rotavirus vaccine, short-term and temporary diarrhea may occur. Depending on your baby’s condition and your doctor’s advice, you can use medication, especially for fever.
Along with vaccinations, you should have your baby’s routine check-ups done, such as height-weight gain and head circumference measurement. 4. By this month, your baby’s Moro reflex, which was present at birth, should have disappeared. Your doctor should check this, and if it hasn’t disappeared, a neurological examination may be necessary.
Physical Development
When placed on their stomach, they can turn themselves onto their back. Some babies can easily turn when lying on their back as well. Since falling accidents are common in children who can turn, you should not leave your baby alone in an unsafe place. Many babies show their first signs of teething at 4 months. Persistently rubbing their gums with objects or their hand, increased salivation, restlessness, loss of appetite, and mild fever are the most common symptoms of teething. Teeth don’t appear immediately after these symptoms start; the process can take several months. Some babies have started to get used to a sleep routine. They sleep early, don’t wake up multiple times at night, and usually wake up early in the morning. Their vision continues to improve, and they try to take in everything in the room they’re in. The number of colors they can distinguish has also increased. By this month, many babies reach about twice their birth weight. Although feeding frequency has decreased due to their stomachs growing, they get hungry at longer intervals than before because they consume more at each feeding. 6. Until 6 months, only breast milk or formula is recommended for babies. The 4th month is too early to start solid foods. Starting solid foods too early can cause many problems, especially digestive system issues and allergies. If you think your baby isn’t getting enough nutrition, it’s beneficial to seek help from your doctor. Since they will put everything they grab into their mouth, you should be careful not to leave small pieces around and ensure that the toys you give them don’t have detachable parts. You can gradually start sitting babies who can hold their head and back when placed in a sitting position for short periods during the day, with support.
Cognitive Development
Their interest in sound-making toys continues to grow. You can give your baby a clear plastic bottle with a few small objects inside that make noise. Both the objects inside and the sound made by the bottle’s movement will attract your baby’s attention. As their neurological systems have become more regular, babies at this stage begin to develop emotions such as excitement, curiosity, fear, and frustration. Their attention span for an object, game, or person has increased. They get excited to grab swinging objects and those with vibrant colors.
Emotional and Social Development
Their attachment to the mother will increase further. They become restless when they can’t see their mother and react by crying. When they see a person they like, they open their arms towards them to show that they want them.
Language Development
Your baby, now a step closer to talking, has learned to use their vocal cords, tongue, and palate to make sounds. As their sense of hearing has fully developed, they start conducting sound experiments, repeating the sounds they hear. Responding when they say something will encourage them to talk more. You can talk to your baby about all kinds of topics. They will listen with interest to everything, including your daily life, a memory, your future plans, or the story of their birth.
→ You can also read our article on 5-Month-Old Baby Development.
