A four-month-old baby pleases parents with new skills and discoveries. He grew up and got stronger, became more awake during the daylight hours. There are some changes in the daily routine compared to. It still alternates between periods of sleep, feeding, daytime activities and hygiene. The main changes will affect only the duration of these periods of time.

Approximate daily routine at 4 months of age

At the age of four months, the little man clearly distinguishes the faces and voices of adults. Among those around him, he easily recognizes his mother. Sleep time decreased from 16 to 14 hours, and wakefulness increased by 1-2 hours. The child grows, gains weight and height in a special rhythm programmed by nature.

The daily routine of the baby undergoes changes, and at four months it looks something like this:

The baby already distinguishes between light and dark times of the day, and wakes up less and less at night for feeding, preferring to get enough sleep until morning. During the day, he is able to play and spend time without sleep for about 3 hours in a row. The baby is no longer interested in lying around, he loves to listen to the conversations of adults and perks up when they turn to him. During the daytime hours of wakefulness, the baby explores the world through touch, examines the surrounding objects and listens to new sounds.

Baby 4 months: (mother's experience):

Baby sleep at 4 months

The need for prolonged sleep in children at this age remains at a high level. After eating, the baby willingly falls asleep and can take a short nap in the evening. The sleep regimen will be established by itself no later than six months, while the mother cannot always predict at what particular hour her child will fall asleep. Remember that the baby is still too small, and it is not advisable in every situation to follow the schedule on time. It is enough to observe the required total duration of daily sleep.

Norms of daytime sleep

Answering the question of how much a child of four months should sleep, it is worth noting that in a dream the baby should spend at least 14-15 hours a day. At the same time, it takes at least 5 hours for daytime sleep, the remaining 10 hours for night sleep. The duration of daytime wakefulness increases every week, and the sleep pattern changes with it. Some children have four periods of daytime rest followed by three.

On a note! If you see that the child wants to sleep, then do not wait for the right hour “according to the schedule” and put him to bed. It is more beneficial for the baby's nervous system to lull him to sleep at the first signs of fatigue than to try to do this after time has passed, preventing the child from satisfying the need for rest.

Baby food at 4 months

The feeding regimen established for a 4-month-old baby involves a smooth transition to eating five times a day. This is the main difference between the daily routine and previous weeks. Today, mothers have the opportunity to choose the food for their baby - through breastfeeding, mixed or artificial feeding.

Breastfeeding nutrition

The most suitable food for children of this age is breast milk. The baby needs to be fed every 3-4 hours. At night, the interval between breastfeeding becomes longer - about 7 hours. The daily regimen for breastfeeding is most often adjusted no earlier than 5-6 months, because. the baby still prefers to eat not by the clock, but on demand. Meanwhile, the number of meals for breastfeeding is reduced compared to previous months.

On a note! Contrary to many opinions, a 4 month old breastfed baby does not need complementary foods. Up to six months, the nutritional value of mother's milk is quite enough for the healthy development and growth of the baby.

Artificial feeding

On artificial feeding, nutrition is carried out exclusively with an adapted mixture, or with a mixture and mother's milk, the amount of which does not exceed 200 ml per day. At this age, a starter (initial) mixture labeled "1" is suitable for a child. The required amount of the mixture depends on the weight and health of the little child. Based on these data, the doctor calculates the approximate volumes and frequency of meals per day.

An approximate nutritional plan for a 4-month-old bottle-fed baby looks like this:

Important!If it seems to the mother that her baby is not getting enough breast milk, do not immediately try to feed the adapted formula. To begin with, you should seek advice from a pediatrician or a breastfeeding consultant. The specialist will tell you how to increase lactation and recognize whether your little one is eating his fill.

First feeding on IV

For formula-fed babies, the first complementary foods are introduced at 4 and a half months to replenish the body with all the missing substances. Pediatricians recommend introducing “adult” food with caution, gradually introducing one-component vegetable purees into the diet, then cereals without milk and gluten, and then fruit juices for baby food.

Acceptable complementary foods for children over 4 months of age:

The reaction of the baby to complementary foods is of paramount importance: the product must be to his taste. Starting with ½ tsp. new food, its amount increases daily by 1 tsp. Ten days later, the volume of the injected component should be 120-150 ml. So, four feedings a day remain exclusively dairy, and the fifth is replaced by an innovative product.

Feeding a baby from 4 months - what to look for:

The day regimen for artificial feeding has its own characteristics:

• As a rule, milk formula is digested by the baby's stomach longer than mother's milk. Consequently, babies stay full longer, and it’s easier to set up an hourly schedule with such babies.
• In infants on IV with a properly selected mixture, colic disappears by 4-4.5 months, so that children sleep at night much calmer than their peers.
• Milk formula consumption may vary from dose to dose. The baby ate 160 ml in the morning, but did not master 120 ml in the afternoon? This is normal and may not be due to a lack of appetite, but to the time of day or even the mood of the crumbs.

mixed feeding

The mixed feeding diet implies that the baby receives breast milk (at least 1/5 of the daily volume) and an adapted mixture. If a four-month-old baby is on a mixed diet, he should be fed on demand. Pediatricians in this case are advised to give a diluted mixture from a spoon, and not from a bottle - getting used to it can have a bad effect on breastfeeding. It is easier to drink from a bottle, and soon many children flatly refuse to breastfeed.

Walking with a child

The peanut begins to show an active interest in the world around him. During the walk, try to tell him about everything that meets on the way: children playing ball, animals, plants and vehicles. It is necessary to go out into the fresh air with your daughter or son at least twice for 1.5-2 hours a day.

The child's regimen in winter and late autumn may vary depending on weather conditions - in severe frost, wind and heavy rain, it is better to stay at home. Also, the child's regimen in the summer can be adjusted on too hot days, which are safer for the baby's health to spend in a ventilated room.

The pros and cons of walking at different temperature conditions can be seen in the table below.

The physical development of the baby

It is important to engage in strengthening and developing muscles in a small child regularly and devote time to this not only in the morning. Gymnastics with a baby is an important step towards preparing and mastering the skills of turning over and crawling. Pediatricians consider the optimal 5-7 minute load, performed with the help of the mother in the morning, afternoon and evening.

• At 4 months, children tend to roll over on their own into the “tummy” position. By strengthening your back muscles, you can speed up the learning process. It is useful to play with the baby in the "ball". Rolling the baby on the tummy and back, accompany the lesson with a fairy tale that he has become a ball and now wants to roll far, far away. This exercise makes the abdominal muscles flexible in children.
• An exercise to strengthen the spine and arms will prepare the baby for the sitting skill. The child grabs the index fingers of an adult; then the parent gently and low pulls the baby towards himself. After counting to ten, lower it back to the supine position.
• To stimulate crawling, an adult can put his hand under the heels of the baby when laying out on the tummy. The little one will use his palm as a support - trying to push off with his legs, he will make an attempt to move forward. So that the efforts of your child are not in vain, make the surface comfortable for crawling - it can be a floor covered with a blanket or blanket.

Gymnastics and possible exercises with the baby (video):

Games and development at 4 months

Four-month-old children are awake for at least eight hours during the day. A selection of interesting developmental activities for your baby can be a good help for a young mother for every day.

"Excursion"

The baby likes to spend time with her mother in her arms and look at everything around. Take the youngest member of the family for walks around the house. "Traveling" in his parents' arms, he replenishes his passive vocabulary with the names of various objects. All the information heard from adults is gradually stored in the baby’s memory, which will be seen very soon - your child will turn his head towards the subject that was mentioned in the conversation.

"Shurshim - we ring"

Fine motor skills and tactile sensations contribute to the development of intelligence. It is useful for the baby to introduce objects / toys that have a different texture surface. Children enjoy rustling paper, crumpling a teddy bear and examining a rattle with holes. It is important to focus on the material, and not on color - toys oversaturated with shades scatter attention.

"Musical minute"

Rhythmic music is what delights four-month-olds. Simply clapping your hands to the beat of the melody helps to develop a sense of rhythm from the cradle. Just pick up a child and dance with him to the perky music - this activity improves mood, develops memory and coordination.

"Magpie - white-sided"

The little ones are very amused by finger story games, such as “Okay”, “Hide and seek”, “Goat is horned” and various game actions with their legs and arms. In combination with funny faces, stroking fingers, the brain centers are activated - they are responsible for the preparation of the articulatory apparatus, and, in the future, speech.

When the baby reaches the age of about four months, adults notice that it has become more difficult to fall asleep, sleep more restlessly and wake up more often. Such changes make mothers worry and look for reasons why a child’s strong and healthy sleep is suddenly disturbed.

Meanwhile, you should not be nervous: the so-called regression of a child’s sleep at 4 months is a phenomenon that fits into the neurological norm and is due to natural circumstances.

Features of sleep at 4 months and their causes

At this age, the baby makes a sharp leap in both physical and mental development. He:

• already knows how to roll over on its side, and also masters the science of turning from back to tummy and vice versa;
• makes attempts to crawl;
• begins to pronounce more complex sounds;
• understands the surrounding world in an expanded format, distinguishes and analyzes its components;
• moves from understanding objects to understanding actions.

All this, of course, creates a load on the psyche, which continues to work during periods of rest. That is why you can observe startling in a dream in a child at 4 months, although this has not happened to him before. These are not convulsions, this is precisely a nervous strain.

In addition, at this age, the quality of sleep in an infant changes: it does not "cut off" instantly, but falls asleep through the nap stage, as happens in adults. At such moments, the slightest rustle or creak is enough for the baby to wake up. At the same time, unlike adults, the child still does not know how to quickly fall asleep again after such an awakening. Hence - whims, crying, unwillingness to go back to bed and, as a result, a short restless sleep of a child of 4 months - in the event that the mother still manages to lull the child. This is the same regression that can last from 2 to 6 weeks. It will have to be experienced, and it will be easier to do this if you study in detail all the nuances of this period.

What to do if a child's daytime sleep at 4 months is less than 30-40 minutes?

Most often, this situation is a consequence of the above features: the baby cannot move from the superficial phase of sleep to the deep one and wakes up at this stage. As a result - lack of sleep, poor health, anxiety of the crumbs and, of course, mothers. How can this be dealt with and is it necessary?

First of all, it is worth observing: there are children for whom 30-40 minute dreams several times a day are a normal state. If the baby is cheerful, cheerful, calm and eats with appetite, then in your case the sleep rate of 4 months for a child is exactly that. If the opposite signs are observed, measures should be taken. The most effective of them:

• 15 minutes before the planned laying to provide the crumbs with a calm atmosphere. You can vilify in your arms or hold it under your chest, turning on quiet soothing music in the background;
• prolong periods of wakefulness, but do not overdo it, so as not to provoke overwork;
• well ventilate the room before going to bed;
• make sure that the baby does not go to bed hungry;
• if the baby is still awake, you can give him a drink of water, shake, turn over to another side, stroke or sing a lullaby. Over time, the algorithm of these rituals will be deposited in the child as a prerequisite for falling asleep. So we teach to move from one phase of a child's sleep at 4 months to another.

The sleep pattern of a child at 3-4 months: night and daytime sleep

At this age, according to medical standards, the baby should fully sleep about 10-12 o'clock at night and order 4-6 hours in the afternoon. Daytime sleep is always divided into several sets with 1.5-2 hour periods of wakefulness between them. Specific hours should be determined based on the convenience of all family members.

Night sleep should ideally be uninterrupted, but this is far from always possible to achieve - the baby, overexcited by the knowledge of the world during the day, continues to digest information during rest. This, in particular, is evidenced by the sleeping postures of a child at 4 months old: an attentive mother will notice that in a dream her child is trying to crawl, pulling her legs under her, or roll over. And with these actions he wakes himself up.

You can quickly put your baby to sleep by giving him a breast, a pacifier, stroking his back or laying him in the usual position for falling asleep. If you can’t do this in a few minutes, you will have to pick it up or swing it right in the crib. True, there is a possibility that the child will get used to falling asleep only under such rituals, but for the sake of a good sleep, it is worth patience: by the time the child’s sleep regression at 4 months is over, he will learn to fall asleep without outside help.

Why does a 4 month old baby cry in his sleep?

The main reasons are overexcitation and overwork. In this case, the recommendations given above work. In addition, a four-month-old baby may sob or cry in his sleep for the same reasons as babies of a different age: hunger, cold, wet diapers. This is easy to deal with - you just need to eliminate the cause.

Do not neglect evening bathing: this is not only a hygienic procedure, but also a way to relax, and, moreover, another ritual that helps to establish a sleep schedule for a 4-5 month old baby.

Whether to practice co-sleeping is a question that only the parents themselves can answer. This method has both advantages and disadvantages: on the one hand, you can always immediately, just noticing that your 4-month-old baby is tossing and turning in his sleep, hug him, stroke him, breastfeed and thus prevent full awakening. On the other hand, there is a risk of crushing and injuring the baby, and dad is not always happy with this state of affairs.

Finally, I would like to note the following: the baby is always sensitive to the state of the mother. Therefore, if she is nervous about the fact that her child falls asleep for a long time, hysteria before bedtime, spins, groans or shudders, it is likely that poor sleep in a 4-month-old child will develop from a temporary inconvenience into a permanent problem that will drag on for a long time. Stay calm and do not forget that this is the next stage of your child's growing up, which will soon be replaced by a more favorable one.

Every day it becomes more and more interesting to watch the baby. A four-month-old baby becomes a daily source of pleasure for relatives. Inexhaustible interest and surprise in his eyes, a smile at the sight of which parents forget about everything in the world, except for all-consuming love, and a huge emotional response. At such moments, sleepless nights, worries about the child's health, and other difficulties are forgotten - all this fades into the background. A grown-up kid is interested in communicating with adults, he already clearly distinguishes his name, his individual “words” are extremely close to meaningful speech.

Changes in the daily routine

Now the baby sleeps much less, only 16 hours. And this is great, because parents have as many as 8 hours to show care and attention to the most dear creature in the world for them. Usually, children at 4 months eat 5 times, one of the meals is at night. For the whole day, the baby sleeps only three times, night feeding takes place in a half-asleep mode, which is very convenient for parents. The daily routine of a 4-month-old baby may look like this:

• 07:00-07:30 - early breakfast.
• 07:30–08:00 - washing, hygiene procedures.
• 08:00–08:30 - the baby is left to himself, at this time the mother can take a shower.
• 08:30–09:00 - communication with the child, calm games.
• 09:00-11:00 - sleepy hour.
• 11:00-11:30 - second breakfast.
• 11:30-13:00 - walk.
• 13:00–15:00 - sleep, it is often combined with being outdoors, of course, if the weather permits.
• 15:00-15:30 - lunch.
• 15:30–17:00 - educational games, gymnastics, preparation for a walk.
• 17:00–19:00 - time for sleep, if it is sunny and warm outside, traveling through the streets of the city will only benefit the baby.
• 19:00–19:30 - dinner.
• 19:30-21:00 - communication with relatives, bathing, massage.
• 21:00–23:00 - sleep, smoothly turning into feeding.
• 23:00–23:30 - the baby receives a nightly portion of milk, many children at this moment suckle the breast or bottle in a half-asleep state.
• 23:30–07:00 - sleep.

It is important for a mother to adapt to the child and live in the same rhythm with him, falling asleep and waking up at the same time. While the baby sleeps during the day, you can calmly and without stress redo household chores, with a successful scenario, even half an hour will be left for yourself. It is extremely important to feel critical moments when fatigue prevails over all other sensations. It is better to postpone some work for later and take a break, believe me, sometimes it is useful to be a little lazy.

Feeding a 4 month old baby

The diet of a breastfed child does not change. If your baby is on artificial nutrition, you can think about introducing the first complementary foods. Be sure to check with your pediatrician first. It is worth refraining from adding new foods to the diet in the following cases:

• the child has an unstable stool, diseases, including the gastrointestinal tract;
• the baby is prone to allergies.

Most often, apple juice is offered as the first food for children. 1 drop is enough for the test. It will probably seem to you that this is very little, but we do not advise you to rush things. It is the excess of the dose that causes acute eating disorders. Every day you can increase the serving by 1-2 drops. If on the same or the next day after the introduction of a new product, a rejection reaction occurs (diarrhea, frequent stools, vomiting) or the child becomes very restless, leave the baby's food system alone, postpone the juice intake for 1-2 weeks.

Which is better: buy juice or make your own?

To prepare a drink, 1 apple slice will be enough. Ideally, from your own garden. In the early days, buying special baby food is impractical for one reason: the minimum daily portion. Since the shelf life of a jar of juice for a baby is limited, you will have to use most of the product yourself or pour it out: it is undesirable to give it to your daughter or son the very next day.

• never offer your baby stale juice;
• the daily portion should be divided into several doses;
• it is strictly unacceptable to give "cocktails" - a mix of two or more juices;
• you should not pour complementary foods into a bottle, a spoon is more suitable for this purpose, later, when the baby grows up, you can replace it with a drinking bowl;
• the digestive system of a child at 4 months is not yet sufficiently developed for juices with pulp.

wakefulness

Often parents begin to seat the baby, believing that it is more convenient for him to observe the world around him. Although many children do not experience discomfort, but, on the contrary, express satisfaction and joy, this is not worth doing for one reason - the spine is not yet formed, there is a risk of damage to the fragile skeletal system. We will give you a simple but true advice: the baby can sit from the moment he can do it on his own. Thus, the possibility of excessive load on the spine is excluded. The time when babies learn to sit up on their own may come at different ages. Someone copes with this at 3.5 months, other children sit down after 5 months. Take your time!

Games

At four months, babies need active communication. Games with adults contribute to their socialization. It is during these periods that children learn to interact with the outside world. Popular games:

• "A horned goat is coming."
• Hide and Seek. Of course, you don’t need to run around the rooms, just hide behind some object, and then appear in front of the baby. Kids love this kind of fun.
• "First steps". If a four-month-old child is placed upright on his feet, he will reflexively take a few steps, naturally with your support.

An important element in raising a child is gymnastics. As before, give the child hands to raise to a sitting position. Do side swings. Play bike. Accompany all movements with a conversation with the baby. Do not hesitate, he will definitely find something to answer you. What matters is not what you say, but with what intonation. During periods of falling asleep, be sure to sing calm lullabies to your baby. They help create a sense of security. Under the lulling melody, the child will fall asleep faster, moreover, his sleep will be calmer and more complete.

Mode Correction

What to do if the baby does not live according to the schedule, but in free mode? In this case, the life of the whole family turns into hell: you can’t make any plans, your parents don’t get enough sleep, the situation in the house is heating up to the limit. First of all, it is necessary to exclude physical ailment, often it is the disease that causes whims and a chaotic lifestyle. Other Tips:

• Start the rituals of going to bed - draw the curtains, turn on the dim lights, if it is already dark, try to create a favorable atmosphere for sleep, calm, without scandals and nervousness;
• If the day is confused with the night, it is unlikely that you will be able to cope with this problem in a week or even two, but gradually try to make sure that by the evening, when it is time for bed, the child is tired. To do this, you can perform gymnastics with him, devote enough time to massage. Important! Avoid overly active games before going to bed - this excites the baby's nervous system, which will make it difficult for him to fall asleep.
• Try to follow the regime at least approximately, alternating periods of sleep with wakefulness and feeding.

Even in the most tense moments, do not yell at the child, this will only ruin everything. Understand correctly, he is not to blame. Only with patience and love can you make him calm and happy. Good luck!

Four months of age is a milestone that leaves early infancy behind. The baby's daily routine, formed during the first 2-3 months, changes due to an increase in the duration of wakefulness and a decrease in the number of feedings. The baby becomes calmer, as the intestinal colic that caused pain and interfered with restful sleep disappears.

Most children go through excruciating colic by this age, so parents note a more even emotional background, increased activity and curiosity of children

Daily schedule in 4 months

The main change in the regimen of a child at 4 months is the reduction in the amount of sleep to 16 hours a day, which affects his schedule. In daylight, the baby rests 3 times for 2 hours. At night, he can sleep continuously for about 10 hours. Three times a day's sleep will continue for a long time. As you grow older, the duration of rest periods will gradually decrease.

The table shows an approximate daily schedule for a four-month-old baby:

The schedule shown is not binding. You can make changes to it taking into account the characteristics of the nature and condition of the child. An important point is to ensure the two basic needs of the baby - nutrition and good rest.

The specified number of sleep periods during the day and meals every 3.5 hours are considered optimal, the rest of the time the child can play with his mother or on his own, as well as walk.

Features of the diet

How many times a day does the baby eat? Up to 4 months, the baby's food is six times a day, then the number of feedings is reduced to 5. The exact meal schedule depends on whether the baby is breastfed, artificial or mixed.

• A breastfed baby eats 4-5 times a day with an interval of 3.5 hours. For 1 time he eats more milk than before. It is not recommended to introduce complementary foods at this age, since breastfeeding fully provides the child with nutrients.
• In "artificial" children, the feeding schedule is clearer than in babies receiving natural nutrition. For 1 meal, the child should eat 180-200 grams of milk formula. This is enough for him to stay full for 3.5-4 hours.

Some experts believe that in the 5th month of life, "artificial" should be given complementary foods, since the mixture does not cover their needs for vitamins, trace elements and other substances. This issue is resolved individually together with the pediatrician - if the doctor does not see indications for the introduction of new products, you should wait. If necessary, it is desirable to use purees and juices that are liquid in consistency as the first complementary foods. Kashi should be introduced later. Gradually, one feeding is replaced by an “adult” product; at the remaining meals, a baby should be offered a milk formula at 4 months. The total number of meals is a maximum of 5.

The meal schedule for formula-fed babies is especially important - the mother must clearly calculate the amount of formula for feeding at a time

If the mother produces an insufficient amount of breast milk, then the child's diet is supplemented with milk mixtures. The daily menu of a baby at 4 months on mixed feeding should consist of:

• mother's milk - up to 600 grams;
• adapted milk formula - up to 450 grams;
• complementary foods (mashed vegetables) - up to 170 grams.

periods of wakefulness

The daily routine of a child at 4 months involves an increase in periods of wakefulness. What to do with the baby during these intervals?

After waking up and eating, the baby must be washed and combed. Over time, he will get used to the fact that morning procedures mark the beginning of a new day. The next step is to charge it. Fitball exercises are very useful. In addition, you can put the child in an upright position so that he lightly rests his legs on a hard and rough surface. It is important to hold it firmly under the armpits and not load the spine.

Charging will help the baby cheer up and make him more active. He will be happy to accept further interesting activities, so it is better to do the exercises in the morning, and not in the evening.

Useful pastime options:

• finger gymnastics for the development of fine motor skills;
• a fun game of "coo-coo", from which almost all children are delighted;
• general strengthening massage, including light stroking of the back, feet, palms, legs, arms.

Evening pastime necessarily includes traditional bathing. Ideally, it is preceded by massage and gymnastics with the baby. Do not forget that bathing a 4-month-old baby is necessary every day.

Walking is an integral part of a child's daily routine. How many should there be? At least two - before lunch and in the evening. Walking is worth it at any time of the year, regardless of weather conditions. Fresh air is very beneficial for children.

In most cases, babies sleep soundly during walks. Rest can last up to 3 hours, especially if the child is not hungry. During this period, it is advisable to take a walk in a quiet park away from highways. It is better to entrust a walk in the evening hours to the father, who by this time will be free after work. Mom can use the break to do household chores - for example, cook dinner.

While walking, the baby may sleep soundly - this is normal. Sleeping in the open air has a beneficial effect on the baby's body, saturates the tissues and blood with oxygen.

Restless sleep at night

It is better to start preparing for a night's sleep with swimming. Water procedures are a kind of ritual that signals to the baby that the time for sleep is coming and it's time to rest. After a busy day, heavy feeding and a warm bath, the child will quickly fall asleep and will not disturb the parents until the morning.

What to do if the baby wakes up several times a night? Is it possible to change the mode of a restless baby at 4 months, making his sleep deep and long?

One way to solve the problem is to remove the first part of the night's sleep. During this period, the baby should play. At first, this approach may cause resistance in him, the baby will be capricious and whimpering. Many parents will consider this a real torture. At the same time, waking up in the evening and having plenty of “talking” with mom and dad until 22:00-23:00, the baby will instantly fall asleep after bathing and feeding. His sleep will last until at least 6:00 in the morning. Parents will have the opportunity to relax and pay attention to each other.

The daily routine of a 4-month-old baby should include an average of 5 feedings (the exact number depends on the type of food), 4 periods when the baby is awake, 3 periods of daytime rest and a long night's sleep. By teaching the baby to do everything by the hour, parents provide normal conditions for its development and form an optimal rhythm of life for the family.

Attention! All information on the site is provided for informational purposes only and is for informational purposes only. For all questions of diagnosis and treatment of diseases, it is necessary to consult a doctor for an internal consultation.

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How will the child's daily routine change when he reaches the age of 4 months?

The baby is growing, he needs new experiences, so the child's day regimen at 4 months should change. Mom needs to get ready to spend more time with him, as daytime naps have become shorter and shorter. The baby has already gained strength, and he needs less sleep than for a month-old baby, and while awake, the young researcher wants to learn about the world around him. The main guide in exciting travels and discoveries, of course, will be mom. The child needs to communicate with different people. It's great if dad, older siblings and other relatives also spend more time with the baby.

Transition to a new daily routine

Sometimes mothers try not to change the baby’s daily routine for as long as possible: sleeping and eating at unusual times makes him capricious. But you cannot support a child for up to a year as a monthly baby, you will have to endure his quirks for several days, pay more attention, and soon everything will return to normal. In the afternoon, a four-month-old child is put to bed 3 times, for about 2 hours. Together with a ten-hour night's rest, this will be about 16 hours, the remaining time should be devoted to communication, development, and games.

The baby's digestive system has already developed enough for him to have 5 feedings. If the child starts crying at the usual meal time according to the old regimen, distract him with some interesting activity. Bright toys, movements, physical education will give the crumbs great pleasure, and the time before eating will pass unnoticed.

For a 4-month-old man, an approximate daily routine is given, but each child is individual, adjust the routine to suit his characteristics.

• 6 o'clock - the baby wakes up and is ready for breakfast.
• 6 hours 30 minutes - morning workout, preparation for a new day.
• 8 o'clock - a tired child plunges into the first daytime sleep.
• 10 o'clock - second breakfast.
• 10 hours 30 minutes - morning toilet, exercises, games.
• 12 o'clock - the second daytime sleep.
• 14 hours - the baby woke up and wants to have lunch.
• 14 hours 30 minutes - wakefulness, games, developmental activities.
• 4 p.m. - after active training, it's time to relax, the third daytime sleep begins.
• 18:00 - dinner.
• 18 hours 30 minutes - games and preparation for a night's rest.
• 21:00 - the child goes to sleep at night. After about an hour, you need to gently wake him up, feed him and put him to bed until morning.

Sleep and food - when, how and how much?

The best food for a 4 month old baby is mother's milk. If you can feed him enough, no supplements are needed, he will get all the necessary components when breastfeeding. Children on artificial nutrition need to increase the portion of the mixture. In order not to experience hunger in the increased interval between feedings, he now needs about 0.2 liters of solution. Some babies at this age begin to give complementary foods. Before introducing new foods into the diet, consult a pediatrician, and if he does not advise, do not rush to change the crumbs menu.

Daytime sleep is desirable to combine with a walk. Just don't go shopping along the polluted streets, go to a park or square. The swaying of the stroller during movement, the rustle of leaves, the singing of birds will lull the baby to sleep, and he will have a great rest in the fresh air. Remember that there is no bad weather, there are bad clothes, and go for a walk in rain or snow. Your child is growing up, he needs to get used to the change in temperature.

Not all children can sleep 10 hours at night. If your baby is waking up and crying frequently, try keeping your 4-month-old baby to bed before nighttime feedings. Perhaps his body simply does not need such a long sleep. Try not to pay attention to the whims, entertain the child, do what he is sure to be interested in. Closer to 22 hours, move on to more calm games, and then bathe the little man, feed him well and put him to bed. After a few days, the baby will adapt to the new regimen, stop being naughty in the evenings and will sleep peacefully until the morning. And the mother will have a great rest at night and the next day she will be full of strength to work with her child.

Time for development, discovery and research

The baby's sleep has become shorter, and the mother needs to prepare in order to use the time of wakefulness with benefit. The kid must understand that after a night's sleep, a new day awaits him, full of discoveries and adventures. Morning washing, dressing and gymnastics will give a charge of vivacity, a signal that interesting activities will begin soon. Involve dad in communication with children, the man has strong hands, he can lift and throw the baby high, causing his joyful laughter.

The motor activity of a 4-month-old baby is growing every day. Work out with him on a gymnastic ball, hang toys so that you can reach them only with an effort. Lay your baby on his tummy on a firm but not hard surface, and put your hand up so that he can rest his legs on your arm, trying to crawl. Teach the little man to roll over: first put him on his side and encourage him to roll in some direction, and after a while help him roll over from his back on his own. These exercises prepare the child's body for crawling. It works well for strengthening muscles and massage, do not forget about this healing procedure. Finger games will not only develop the muscles of the hands, but also have a beneficial effect on the formation of the brain. Develop your child's sense of rhythm. Clap your hands to the music, dance with the baby, sing songs to him. Charging can also be done to a suitable melody.

It is boring for a little researcher to lie in one place, he is interested in seeing the whole apartment. Take it from room to room and tell what is there. Pay special attention to bright and shiny objects. Get moving and musical toys, just don't fill up the crib with a whole mountain of colorful rattles, balls and mobiles. Let the kid focus all his attention on one subject, study it properly. Change toys from time to time. Take care of safety: everything that falls into the hands of the baby immediately ends up in the mouth. All items must be made of safe materials, clean and without small parts that the baby can chew off. It is desirable that the toys were different to the touch, and the child learned to distinguish smooth from rough and hard from soft.

Get a baby monitor with pleasant music and a projector that sends colorful pictures to the ceiling. For a while, she can entertain the baby while you are busy with urgent matters.

If the child does not sleep during the walk, talk to him, show him houses, trees, cars. Choose a place where mothers with prams gather, show the baby to other children, these will be the first lessons of communication with peers. Show your child older boys and girls how they play ball, jump rope, and sculpt sand figures.

The period of each monthly interval is a whole epoch in the life of a child up to a year. Many parents film their children on video. Start filming on his birthday when he is 4 months old, and 30 days later look and be surprised how much progress has been made in such a short period. Make a kind of film about your baby, it will take several years, and he will be happy to see how he learned to crawl, walk, talk.

Features of the daily routine of a 4-month-old baby

How much should a baby sleep at 4 months

At four months, the child's body continues to actively grow and develop: the child constantly receives a huge amount of information and learns new skills. Therefore, he simply needs time to rest and recuperate. The baby spends about 10 hours on night sleep (with 2-3 wakes for feeding), on daytime - about 5 hours.

All young children are often referred to as newborns. This is not entirely accurate. According to the terminology of the World Health Organization, this period lasts only 28 days from the date of birth of the baby.

Sleep allows you to restore strength and avoid emotional overexcitation

Sleep hours

The daytime sleep of a child at 4 months is divided into 3 stages:

• morning - 1.5–2 hours after waking up (lasts about 1.5 hours);
• the afternoon is the longest stage (about 2 hours);
• evening - 2–2.5 hours after the previous awakening.

Reasons for the excitement of young parents

With regard to children's sleep, moms and dads often worry about two things:

• the child sleeps poorly and restlessly;
• the baby does not wake up for night feedings.

Such situations can be explained by individual characteristics: the pace of development, well-being, emotional state. Pediatricians do not specifically recommend waking up children for night feedings: this means that the crumbs have enough of the nutrients that they received before bedtime. Waking up 2-3 times a night to eat is also normal.

A more urgent problem for children in the first year of life is associated with poor sleep and frequent nighttime awakenings. In some cases, consultation with a neurologist can help: anxiety and crying are the result of disorders of the nervous system. If there are no problems of this kind, the reasons should be looked for among the following:

• external stimuli (bright light, noise, sharp sound);
• feeling unwell (colic, fever or runny nose, cough, indigestion);
• physical discomfort (dry and warm air, uncomfortable mattress, tight or rubbing clothes);
• errors in diet (hunger or too much food before bedtime).

The room where the child sleeps must be ventilated. It is important to ensure that the temperature in it does not exceed 20 degrees. Pajamas should be only from natural fabrics of a free cut. Up to a year, the baby needs a hard mattress without a pillow.

How to put your baby to sleep - video

Co-sleeping

Recently, the idea of ​​co-sleeping has gained popularity. This is largely due to the recommendations of the World Health Organization on breastfeeding on demand (the breast is given to the baby every time he wants it, including at night). Moms who sleep with babies note that they wake up less often and the night passes calmer.

The decision on where to organize a sleeping place for the baby, each couple makes their own. And for many, his sleep in his crib seems more correct. To teach a child to sleep separately, you must comply with several conditions:

• spend time actively - the more tired he is, the better he will sleep at night;
• before going to bed, bathe the baby in cool water and feed heartily;
• observe the daily routine in order to accustom him to fall asleep at the same time;
• use a ritual - these are daily actions performed in a certain sequence (for example, massage, wishing good night to the household, turning off the light, singing a lullaby).

You can not start accustoming to sleep separately from the mother during the period of illness or emotional stress.

Dr. Komarovsky about who to sleep with a child - video

4 month old baby wake time

At 4 months, the active time of the child is approximately 9 hours a day. It includes bathing, massage and gymnastics, games and educational activities.

The morning begins with washing and hygiene procedures, and in the evening the baby can fill the bath and interest him in bright toys. The water temperature should be around 37 degrees. Bathing is extremely beneficial for the child's body, as it stimulates blood circulation, strengthens muscles, and helps build immunity.

Bathing babies - video

Physical exercise: massage and gymnastics

Physical exercises can be done 2 times a day: in the morning and after bathing. Evening massage should be relaxing, setting the baby to rest. In addition, it can become part of the ritual of going to bed.

If the baby does not have allergies, you can use baby massage oil. Some manufacturers have special lavender-scented products designed to be used before bedtime.

Exercising in the morning gives you a boost of energy. During it, you can use special simulators, for example, soft balls with rubber spikes. This promotes the development of fine motor skills.

Massage and gymnastics for a baby - video

Games and educational activities

Attention should be paid not only to physical development. Most of the waking time should be devoted to developing activities and games:

• reading fairy tales (forms a passive vocabulary, which will eventually become active);
• development of fine motor skills (bags and pillows with different fillers and textures, rattles);
• children's rugs (lying on the back, the child may try to reach the hanging toys, pull them);
• mobiles in the crib (the baby learns to distinguish colors, listens to music).

Educational toys - photo gallery

Soft play mat allows baby to develop visual perception, as well as fine and gross motor skills Bright toys with pendants stimulate visual and tactile perception After hitting the music mat with legs, a melody begins to sound

How to make walking useful

Pediatricians recommend walking in any weather, even in rain and frost. In warm weather, you need to go out into the air at least 2 times a day for 1.5-2 hours, in cold weather - the duration can be reduced. At 4 months, the walking time in the vast majority of cases coincides with daytime sleep. In winter, you need to remember that a sleeping child does not show physical activity, so you need to dress him warmly.

Is it possible to walk in severe frost - video

Features of artificial and breastfeeding at the age of 4 months

The number of feedings, compared with the age of three months, is reduced and is five times a day. Breastfed babies drink approximately 1000 ml of milk (200 ml at a time). The baby will be full for about 3.5-4 hours after eating. The feeding regimen at 4 months with artificial feeding is the same, except that the break is at least 4 hours. Babies receiving the mixture must be supplemented with water, while babies do not need it.

A breast-fed baby can be easily soothed by simply breastfeeding it during times of whim or illness. This method is not suitable for artificial people, since the amount of mixture drunk per day is limited.

At four months, the baby feeds exclusively on breast milk or formula.

If mother's milk is not enough or it lacks the necessary substances, the baby can receive mixed feeding. Meals take place strictly on the clock and also five times a day. The baby eats approximately 500 ml of breast milk and 500 ml of formula.

Babies who are on mixed feeding should be given a mixture before bed at night. It is more nutritious than breast milk, so the baby will sleep better.

Complementary foods at this age are still too early to introduce: in children who receive breast milk, it appears at 6 months, for artificers - at 5. Only in rare cases, on the recommendation of a pediatrician, porridge or vegetables can be recommended at 4 months.

How to feed a baby at 4 months - video

Daily routine of a 4-month-old baby

The daily routine is very important not only for the baby, but also for the parents. Child neurologists and psychologists believe that a child who grows in accordance with the daily routine is more calm, gets used to sleeping through the night faster, and in the future he does not have problems adapting to the strict schedule of kindergarten and school. Parents also get the opportunity to plan time.

When accustoming the baby to the daily routine, it is important to remember: the parents make the regime, and the child adapts and gets used to it.

Taking care of the health of your baby, starting from birth, is a priority for parents. Babies in their first year of life need special care. This is a period of adaptation to the environment and, especially, to food. When the child is already 4 months old, you can slowly accustom him to a new diet, introduce cereals, fruits and vegetables into the menu.

It is very important to introduce new products with extreme caution. The baby's body does not yet know other food than mother's milk and milk formulas, so you need to start with 1 teaspoon.

Age of start of complementary foods

Pediatricians are still arguing at what age is best to start complementary foods for an artificial person. Most agreed that 4 months is quite an appropriate age when the baby's stomach can absorb new food. If the child develops well, without visible deviations, fruit juices, vegetable puree or porridge can be introduced into his diet from 3.5 months. In any case, before starting complementary foods, you should consult a pediatrician.

A breastfed child is prescribed complementary foods later, at 5-6 months. During this period, there are much fewer problems with possible allergic reactions. In addition, through breast milk, the baby receives, in addition to vitamins, also immune protection: he receives antibodies that help improve health and increase resistance to external pathogens of viruses.

There are cases when the doctor independently prescribes complementary foods, more often this applies to premature babies and babies with disabilities. Their body lacks vitamins and minerals, and fruits and vegetables are rich in the necessary elements and are safe.

Another reason to start feeding earlier is the cost of ready-made mixtures, and it is also difficult to find a quality product, there are too many fakes. There have been cases when a child had allergies or gastrointestinal disorders from a poor-quality product.

Particular attention should be paid to the beginning of complementary foods. You should not change your diet if:

• The baby is allergic (this is more common on artificial feeding);
• Has stomach disorders;
• Recently had an illness, when the body is still weak;
• On the eve of mandatory vaccinations or immediately after them;
• Other individual problems.

When introducing new foods into your baby's diet, do not rush, otherwise problems may arise, and you will not even know what they are from.

Attention: The frequency of introducing a new vegetable or fruit is 1-2 weeks.

Some pediatricians claim that starting complementary foods early will help your baby get used to a new type of food faster and easier. Whenever you decide to start feeding your baby, remember: caution and attentiveness come first.

How to start right?

The menu of a bottle-fed baby at 4 months does not differ in variety. It is recommended to start complementary foods with gluten-free cereals, vegetable purees or fruit juices. Since the main food of the baby was liquid, juices are ideal for starting complementary foods, and they are convenient to give directly from the bottle. The first thing they try to give to children is apple juice. They are guaranteed not to cause allergies and are easily absorbed by the body.

At four months, the baby is not yet able to sit up on his own, so juiced food will help make it easier to get used to a new diet. After the apple, the safest fruit is the banana. If the baby liked the juice, then you can try to give fruit puree from the same apple or banana.

Vegetables are best given after fruits. They taste different, so moms may have difficulty introducing vegetables into their diet. For easier accustoming to new foods, doctors recommend giving them before the main feeding.

It is necessary to give a little bit to try a new dish. After all, the baby does not know anything but the mixture, so at first he may spit out food, but you do not insist. After a while, you can try again, as soon as the child tastes it, he will stop being capricious.

Remember: You need to start introducing a new product one at a time during meals. Better yet, a couple of days in a row, at the same time observe if the child has a negative reaction.

Why is it better to feed the puree before the mixture? When the baby is full of the main course, then he does not need to try what he does not know, otherwise hunger will push him to taste the novelty.

At first, children are capricious, expecting milk, and do not want to eat mashed potatoes. Try to give a little mixture first, then replace it with a spoonful of mashed potatoes. Gradually switch to the mode of giving complementary foods before the main feeding.

When preparing purees and juices on your own, make sure that there are no lumps in it. The child may either choke or vomit because the stomach simply cannot digest the food.

Do not accustom your baby to sweets by trying to add sugar to any food. In any fruit and vegetable, there is enough fructose and it is much easier to process by the body than sugar. The baby's organs are just beginning to process new food, do not overload them, especially the liver and kidneys. Sugar reduces appetite, accustom a 4 month old baby to natural tastes. This will make your life much easier in the future.

Vegetable puree should be added to the child's diet after fruit puree. Although many doctors are of the opinion that it is better to start with vegetables right away, there is no need to rush, vegetables are digested longer, so there is no need to immediately strain the child's body. They also have less sugar and many children may not like this food.

Safe nutrition of a child at 4 months is extremely important, so remember the list of allowed vegetables and fruits up to a year:

• Apple;
• Banana;
• Pear;
• Peach;
• Potato;
• Carrot;
• Pumpkin;
• Turnip;
• Cabbage (cauliflower, white cabbage);
• Broccoli;
• zucchini;
• Green pea;
• Beets.

If you notice a change in the color of your urine or stool while giving beetroot puree to your child, do not be alarmed, this is a natural reaction. Beetroot is rich in iron, so it is extremely useful, especially with the threat of anemia.

When giving your child vegetable puree, be patient. He will not immediately want to eat it, and sometimes he will constantly spit it out. It does not matter to him that it is useful, he relies on the taste of food, whether he likes it or not.

sample menu

Homemade or store-bought: which is better?

The debate of mothers about the usefulness of homemade purees in front of store ones does not subside. Of course, home-made mashed potatoes are much healthier, because mom cooks them from fresh products and puts her soul into the cooked food. Purchased purees are designed for lazy or too busy moms. Although, what could be more important than a baby in the first year of his life?