Teaching a child at 4 months. Psychological and emotional development. General rules for conducting educational games

20.04.2019

Your baby is 4 months old. He became different not only in appearance, but also in behavior. This is not the same helpless baby that you brought from the hospital. He knows a lot and every day acts more and more meaningfully and confidently. It is believed that at this age adaptation to environmental conditions is completed and all systems of the body change.

General physiological development

By this age, the baby gained another 750 g, the breast volume increased by 2.5 cm, and the head - by 1 cm.Now babies weigh 6-7 kg (plus or minus 1 kg), and the growth rate is 60-63 cm (plus -minus 3 cm).

During this period of life, babies begin to grow nails and hair quickly. It is necessary to cut off the regrown marigolds in time, since the child still does not know how to control the handles and can severely scratch himself.

Is increasing physical activity infants and the periods of daytime sleep decrease. Now it takes 14-15 hours a day to sleep, and the wakefulness period between sleep and feeding is 2 hours.

Most babies still feed primarily on breast milk, and today all pediatricians in the world agree that this is best food for the kid. But if it happens that you cannot breastfeed, then there is nothing to worry about. The main thing is to choose the right mixture and complementary foods, referring only to well-known brands.

Skills and abilities

There are also many new things in the development of a child in the fourth month. He makes his first attempts to roll over from his back to his tummy. Show the little one a bright toy, let him take an interest in her. But do not give it to him in his pens, but put it next to him. The kid will reach for the toy, groan. This will help him learn to turn to one side, and later on to his stomach. By the end fourth month kids can already lift upper part body in the "on the tummy" position, while they confidently hold their head and turn it in different sides... Toddlers can crawl forward a little, stretching their torso on their arms.

The 4-month-old baby is already trying to roll over on her tummy, getting ready for sitting and active crawling

At this age, the child prepares for the sitting stage. He can pull himself up with the handles, grabbing the fingers of an adult. The so-called grouping of the child occurs: he is pulled up by his head and body and freely held in this position.

In the fourth month, the movements of babies become more accurate and confident. They develop an “eye-hand-mouth” coordinating function. Everything that the kid has got into the handle, he will grab and pull into his mouth. He also pulls into his mouth and his hands.

At this age, the child begins to distinguish the colors and shapes of objects, so it is recommended to give the baby toys variety of colors and forms. In addition, the little one has favorite toys and those with which he plays reluctantly.

Features of the nervous system

A four-month-old baby is fading away unconditioned reflexes, and instead of them, conditional ones are formed. For example, grasping reflex: before, the kid immediately grabbed the object, but now he looks at it, and only then reaches for it.

The search reflex was expressed in tactile sensations, and now it is also visual. For example, seeing a bottle, the baby opens its mouth. He prepares for the act of sucking.

Psycho-emotional development

Conduct a simple psychological experiment: stand next to the baby, smiling at him. And he will smile back at you. If you turn away, then the baby will try to appeal to you with inviting sounds. If a child at 4 months old does not react in this way, this is a signal - he does not show initiative in communication. You need to think about this. Communication and affection are important characteristic feature psychological development baby at 4 months.

During this period, children really need communication with their beloved mom and dad. When he sees them, he begins to actively move, thereby expressing his joy.

During this period, children show one more psycho-emotional feature- a complex of revitalization. When a mom or dad appears in a child's field of vision, his arms and legs begin to actively move, he can squeal, babble and smile.

Babies of the fourth month of life are very wary of to strangers... And even to relatives whom they rarely see. A crumb can cry if a stranger approaches him. At this age, babies are not yet able to recognize the image of an adult if it has changed a little: as soon as the mother puts on glasses, for example, the baby does not recognize her. Such a metamorphosis can also scare him.

Visual and auditory perception of the child is intensively developing. At the 4th month of life, the baby does not just see, he is able to follow with his eyes a moving object or an object that is no further than a few meters. And if the object is removed from the field of view, then the little one will immediately forget about it and remember if it is shown to him again. Different games are based on this feature of children of this age.

Kids on this stage development make the first attempts to "talk". Of course, they still “speak” in their infant language (they are walking, babbling), but mothers and fathers are already able to understand them.

The kids are smiling, laughing loudly, screaming. At this moment, you need to support your baby in his desire to communicate, talk more with him, encourage his speech activity.

Name items aloud, comment on your actions (even if you are just changing diapers), sing songs to him, read nursery rhymes, play games. You can repeat the sounds that he makes after the baby, thereby teaching him the first basics of dialogue. Not understanding the meaning of phrases and words, the baby will listen to the tonality and emotional colors of the voice. All this stimulates the baby to start talking and reading faster.

Nutritional aspects

Juices: to give or not to give?

Surely there are grandmothers in your family who remember how, in their youth, children were given juice as early as 2 months. Indeed, it was so. This generation really wanted to feed their children more satisfyingly, to give them more vitamins.

From 4 months you can start complementary foods. As a rule, this is porridge or vegetables. Fruits and juices are given to the child later.

Today this tactic was abandoned, as it became clear that there are not enough vitamins in the amount of juices that are offered to babies. And besides, the juice irritates the intestinal walls of the child. As a result, he not only does not assimilate these vitamins, he also does not assimilate what he should receive with another diet. This is confirmed by the National Program for Optimizing the Feeding of Infants in the First Year of Life in the Russian Federation - a document signed by two academicians. It also says that up to 4 months, the child should receive only breast milk (or adapted milk formula), and there is no need to feed him with anything.

In general, a 4 month old baby should receive 1 liter of food per day.

Lure

Porridge

At 4 months, you can start introducing the first complementary foods. Traditionally in our country it is porridge. Kasha is also recommended by the Union of Pediatricians of Russia. Porridge should be gluten-free (rice, corn, buckwheat). It is necessary to choose one kind of porridge and offer it to the baby first in a very small amount gradually increasing the portion. Usually start to give 1 teaspoon finished product and adjust the amount to 100 grams.

Most pediatricians do not recommend cooking porridge yourself, it is better to buy ready-made ones that are diluted with water or breast milk(with a mixture). The fact is that industrial cereals are better ground and crushed, they are enriched with vitamins and microelements that children need.

If you cook porridge yourself, then you cannot do it on whole milk, which is introduced much later. Grind the groats in a coffee grinder and boil them in vegetable broth. If necessary, rub the porridge through a sieve.

It is better to give porridge in the morning - we form breakfast, but it is also possible in the evening.

Vegetable puree

One type of complementary food is given about 2 weeks, after which you can begin to introduce something else. For example, vegetable puree. In fact, complementary foods do not always start with porridge - you can start with vegetable puree, especially if the child has excess weight body, constipation or a tendency to diathesis.

The best vegetables for the first feeding are zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli. Vegetable complementary foods it is usually entered during the day, because with its help lunch is formed. Start giving your baby vegetables with 1 teaspoon and in 2 weeks bring them to 100-150 g.

So, closer to 4.5-5 months, your baby is already having breakfast and dinner with porridge (100 g), lunch vegetable puree(100-150 g). Supplementary feeding - with formula or breast milk.

special instructions

Start complementary feeding only if the child is completely healthy and in a good mood, otherwise he will not be able to positively perceive the new taste of food for him.
The first complementary foods are best given in the morning or at lunchtime, in the morning. You should have time to observe the reactions of the infant's body. Focus on the skin (whether there is a rash, redness), redness around the anus and on the buttocks also speaks of allergies. Watch your stool, the following reactions should alert you: increased stool frequency, mucus, greens, or lumps in the stool.

Now the baby has become more interactive, it is interesting to spend time with him, to play. Games for crumbs are not only fun, but also a way to develop various skills and abilities

Games with a baby at 4 months

Children of this age can have fun and play interesting games.

Finger games

The adult folds his fingers, imitating a duckling, and says:

You duckling are not food,
You'd better look for mom.
Quack-quack-quack, quack-quack-quack! (the whole rhyme is sung 2 times).

Over time, the baby will also begin to make this gesture with his fingers.

And now a fly has arrived - w-w-w-w (we show with our hands how a fly flies). Let's drive the fly away:

Kishshsh fly, fly away!
Kishshsh fly, fly away!
Kishshsh fly, fly away!
Don't bother to sit still! (with our hand we show how we wave off the fly).

The poem is sung several times.

Hanging toys help develop fine motor skills and coordination of movements

Cam opening game and development of tactile sensations

Run the palms of the little one over your face, opening your fist. Say: "Mom is good, good."

Movement coordination game

Hang a pacifier or small toy on a chain and chat in front of your baby. He will pull his hands and try to grab the object. Let the chain swing slightly from side to side so that the baby can “fight” before grabbing it. But be sure to do so that he managed to get the coveted toy, reward the kid with a kiss and praise: "You are my clever girl!"

Exploring your own body

The cub can be kept busy by wearing brightly colored clothing such as socks. He will definitely be interested in them and start playing with the legs. He will also like the toy-bracelet on the handle.

Sound Games

Playing with sounds is a favorite pastime for children of this age. Your task is to make different sounds: here you are a lion, and growl, now you are a locomotive, and puff. And now you are a kitty. Purr. Soon the child will remember these sounds and start repeating them after you.

These activities are sure to bring a lot of fun and joy to your tomboy.

Caring for a baby at 4 months is simple: as a rule, it is bathing, washing, treating the ears and peephole, washing the head. It is important during this period to start doing gymnastics for babies.

Care and hygiene

With a 4-month-old baby, you need to do gymnastics daily (provided that he is cheerful and healthy).

Place the baby on the back:

Handles up and down, then in a circle to one side and the other.
Cross the handles and spread apart, then cross again.
Turn the baby to the left, then to the right side.
Bend and straighten your legs, make them circular motion- first with one leg, then with the other, and at the end with both.

Put on your tummy:

Bend your knees, then straighten them, spread them apart and bring them together.

Gymnastics - important thing at this age, but everything should be in moderation. The kid should not overwork. 5 minutes in the morning is enough for a 4 month old baby. Sing to him during gymnastics funny songs, read the nursery rhymes, the main thing is for him to feel the rhythm. In the end, don't forget to praise the baby.

It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness and hygiene of the baby:

clean the nose and ears as needed with special cotton swabs with limiters;
bathe your baby at the same time every day;
it is enough to wash your hair once a week;
after using the toilet, the baby must be washed;
trim his nails once a week.

When to worry

The development of a child at 4 months does not always follow a pattern and does not always correspond to some kind of standard. All children are individual. However, the averages are exactly as described above. You can rely on them, but do not panic if your results are slightly different. You should only worry when the baby:

does not want to communicate and does not notice the people around him;
does not liven up at the sight of mom or dad;
does not imitate sounds;
does not smile or laugh;
not interested bright toys and pictures.

In these cases, we can talk about a suspicion of a slight developmental delay, so the child should be shown to the pediatrician.

The development of a child at 4 months is more active than before. The kid has finally adapted to the world around him and is ready to learn new things every day. Both the psychology and the body of the child are changing. Height and weight increase, and the emergence of new skills pleases parents.

The kid is able to grab a toy that has light weight, and hold in the handle for 30 seconds. He understands that the rattle needs to be shaken in order for it to make sounds.
The child should be able to roll over from tummy to back and back.
In the prone position on his tummy, he can rise on the arms, while holding the head.
If you hold the baby by the armpits, he should rest on the floor with his toes and push off.
The child mainly opens his palms. He should be able to put his palms together and pat them lightly.
The baby can stick his fingers in his mouth.
During feeding, he tries to support his mother's breasts himself, his weight already allows him to do this.
The child reacts when called by name.

Child physiology

The baby's weight in the 4th month increases by 700-800 grams, therefore total weight the baby reaches 6-7 kg. The circumference of the chest and head circumference increase. Growth also becomes larger by a few centimeters. At four months, the usual height of a baby is 60-63 cm.

The proportions of the baby's body become more harmonious. If at birth the head was very large in relation to the whole topic, then by 4 months it becomes proportionally smaller. A too large head at this age may indicate a number of diseases. Therefore, a doctor's examination is required.

Nutrition for a four month old baby

For breastfed babies, breast milk is still the only food in the diet. If the baby has no health problems, and the mother's milk is enough to saturate him, then no complementary foods should be introduced.

Feeding is usually six meals a day. But sometimes babies at four months already switch to food 5 times a day. For children who are on artificial feeding, the introduction of the first complementary foods is possible. If there is a tendency to loose stools, suitable as complementary food applesauce... Babies prone to constipation are given mashed and grated prunes. The total volume of any complementary food begins with a quarter teaspoon, gradually increasing to several teaspoons. In case of occurrence allergic reaction for any kind of complementary foods, you should immediately stop using it.

If the baby was born prematurely or in the cold season, it will be useful to give him cottage cheese. The use of this product prevents rickets. Only very fresh cottage cheese without lumps, almost liquid, is suitable for the kid.

In the fourth month of life, there is an increase in the total amount of food consumed, which is 150-170 ml.

Baby care

At four months, the baby already begins to grow hair on the head. They are still short. But even because of short hair possible excessive sweating of the scalp. In this case, be sure to cut the hairs.

Nail growth at this age also requires attention. They need to be trimmed periodically so that the baby does not scratch himself and cannot comb the body with his nails. The fingernails are trimmed in an arched line and the toenails in a straight line. This will prevent the nails from growing into the skin.

The fourth month is a time of great activity for the child. He moves his arms and legs while lying in the crib. Therefore, he can easily throw off a blanket or diaper. Once in a cooler environment, the baby is freezing and may describe himself. A wet baby gets supercooled rather quickly. Mom does not always have time to react and change clothes for the baby. And hypothermia leads to colds.

That's why essential is hardened. For an infant at 4 months old, these are rubdowns, which are usually carried out after bathing. The entire body of the baby is wiped with a damp sponge or damp towel. First, the mother wipes the baby's chest and arms, then puts the shirt on. Then he rubs the legs. During the whole process, you should talk with the child, tenderly articulate your actions. This will calm the baby, he will not be capricious.

In the fourth month of life, the baby occurs an important event... He must prepare for DTP vaccine... It works against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough. Together with her, she is given a polio vaccine. DPT is done three times, the intervals between vaccinations are 6 weeks.

To safely get vaccinated, the baby must be healthy not only at the time of vaccination, but also a month before. If the baby has developmental disabilities, children's doctor can install special schedule vaccinations and prescribe medication to prevent the consequences.

To a child in the last days new foods should not be given before vaccination. It is also necessary to strictly observe the daily regimen and monitor the observance of cleanliness. If one of the relatives is sick with acute respiratory infections, it is undesirable for him to approach the child. Be sure to wear a mask to prevent the spread of infection.

On the first day after vaccination, the baby has a decline in appetite, an increase in body temperature, he is capricious. This is normal, but the temperature should drop the next day. If the fever persists or a rash develops on the body, see a doctor.

Developing the baby

How to develop a baby at 4 months old? Special meaning gets a daily routine for the baby. The bedtime should be the same. Many moms introduce their own bedtime rituals to help their baby relax, calm down, and fall asleep quickly. It can be light strokes, a lullaby, or the soft sound of calm classical music.

A 4-month-old baby will walk longer than in more early age... It is advisable to go out with him for a walk twice a day.

Staying outdoors in summer can take up to 2-3 hours. In winter, walks are not so long, especially in frosty weather. And yet it is advisable to walk with the baby for at least an hour.

At 4 months old, babies often ask for pens to their mother. It is not surprising, because from a height they can better see the world... But do not follow the baby's lead. His height and weight are quite large. It may be too difficult for a mom to carry her treasure in her arms. In addition, the baby will soon get used to it and will be capricious if left in the stroller.

But dad is quite capable of lifting the baby on the arms. His height and weight should not embarrass the parent. But how much joy the baby will experience, examining the surroundings from a height.

At 4 months old, the baby continues to actively walk and gag. He learns the language a little, listens to his mother's speech. Therefore, be sure to talk to him, read poems and fairy tales. Keep your speech sweet and expressive. This will create emotional comfort for the baby.

Try teaching your child to speak vowel sounds. He will repeat after you. Organize a small puppet show... The actors can be toys in the shape of animals. Move toys, imitate their voices, play a mini-play in front of the baby. Try to show emotions during the performance: joy, surprise, grief. It is now important for a baby to be able to perceive emotions.

A 4-month-old baby begins to take in and taste everything around, including his fingers and toes. This is an important part of his development - he learns the world with the help taste buds... Do not interfere with this. But what needs to be done is to wash all toys with soap every day.

For the safety of the baby, remove everything from him. small items which he might accidentally swallow. Take it all away sharp objects, as well as everything that cannot be taken in the mouth.

Do not leave stuffed items near the crib. The baby can tear them up and the filler gets into his mouth. In addition, the weight of the toys should not be too heavy so that the baby does not accidentally injure itself.

When mom is around, you can use the most different toys... Soft and hard, light and heavy, rough and smooth, big and small. The materials for making toys should also differ: plastic, rubber, wood or fabric. Give them to your baby. Let him feel the toys, while tactile sensitivity develops.

The following toys are indispensable for the development of the baby's eyesight and hearing: bells, rattles, rubber tweeters, cardboard books with large drawings.

In some babies, teeth are already beginning to be cut at 4 months. At the same time, the baby can be capricious and sleep poorly, sometimes even the temperature rises and a runny nose begins. During the appearance of the first teeth, increased secretion saliva. In order to alleviate the condition of the baby, buy rubber teethers for him.

Thus, at 4 months, the child will be able to do a lot of things that were previously difficult. For example, roll over. His height and weight will increase, his eyesight and hearing will become stronger. Use in games various toys but watch out for safety. Everything that you give the baby, he will definitely taste.

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She divorced her husband five years ago. From marriage, two children 9 and 11 years old. Tired of deciding and dragging everything on myself family problems, and besides, my husband began to walk. She left him, as they say, "with one bundle" ... All this time I was equipping the house from scratch, paying off three loans, raising children, it was not easy. Thank God I was lucky and I changed jobs and started earning more. More or less, life began to improve. A year ago I met a man ... And Oh my God ... This is the man I dreamed of. The complete opposite of mine ex-husband... And care and attention. One But ... He is a single father ... His wife left him with a child, went to his to the best friend... In principle, this situation did not scare me and I thought, well, where are two children there and the third will not be a hindrance ... But it turned out that everything was not so simple ... I'm like wise woman I immediately began to look for an approach to the child, bought her toys, completely replaced her wardrobe, the poor child did not even have decent things, everything was so washed out ... I bought her a bunch of beautiful rubber bands in the garden. I tried to please in every possible way. The girl is 5 years old ... The child is problematic, does not understand anything, in the garden they complain about her that she does not obey, does not want to study .... At home she creates whatever is horrible, does not react to comments. She says that she understood and immediately creates again !!!
Mom does not participate in the upbringing of the child, she does not pay alimony, referring to the fact that she pays a joint loan ... Well, okay, God be with her ...
We all lived together for a year ... I thought that she would change and we would live happily ... But nothing changed ...
I was enraged by her behavior and on the basis of this I was constantly in no mood, so we began to swear with Alexey. I couldn't tell him that his daughter pisses me off ... I understand that he loves her more life... I thought about parting, but I love him and he loves me very much ... and he communicates well with my children, goes to chess with his son ... I don't know what to do .. It seems to me that his daughter will never change and I can never love her ...

308

Olga Morozova

Hello. I here already somehow created a topic about the neighbour's dogs, how to scare them away. In autumn, in September, a neighbor's dog killed our kitten, in the middle of the day, one might say, in front of the neighbor (the owner of the dog) and ours (I and my son saw). They simply did not have time to do anything, how much does a 3-month-old kitten need? I then on the nerves of the neighbors said a lot about their dogs. They apologized, promised to look after them, but at the same time the phrase sounded: hunting dogs (ordinary mongrels at the same time) and cats will still attack, they are called (((
Honestly, I didn't want to more cats start, but in October for her daughter's birthday they brought her a gift-kitten .. There is a pot at home and the cat walks there, but only in small, but mostly used to the street. They let her out, looked after her all the time. And that week, a neighbor's dog jumped over the snowdrifts to our yard and grabbed the cat right from the porch. At that time, I was hanging clothes to dry under a canopy, he did not see me, but I didn’t see him / didn’t hear him right away, he attacked without a sound. I jumped out at the screeching of a cat. I beat it off, while he slashed his teeth along the sleeve of his jacket and tore my sleeve. When she calmed and treated the cat a little and calmed down herself, I went to the neighbors, said I will complain. The weekend passed, they did not take any measures (the dog ran down the street and continues to run). Today I wrote a complaint to the district police officer, but he was struck by his words, they say, we cannot take any measures in relation to the owner of the dog, there is no punishment or fine for this. Only if you go further and sue them for material and moral damage. But I don't want to mess with the court because of the cat and the torn sleeve. Are there really no laws so that the district police officer, relying on them, could somehow influence the owners of dogs who strangle cats on self-walking and in other people's yards? In general, I wrote a lot, just if you start a war with your neighbors, then relying on the laws ... Maybe someone will tell you something ...

263

Elena Nefedova

I must say right away that doctors were bypassed in 2 years, no one saw any problems. Is this character?
The younger daughter 2.1. He does not speak very much, no phrases, probably 20-30 words. The rest cannot be disassembled. The executive, understands everything, responds to the name, fulfills requests. She goes to the potty, eats herself.
But last months 4 the behavior is just out ... She freaks out if something is not for her. And when he freaks out, he starts throwing everything. That is, it is straightforward to take everything that is at hand and tosses it. Or brushes off the table. A toy, a remote control, a cup, whatever. Very touchy. Throw something - I can slap her on the hand. That is, in strength - as I simply put my hand on her hand, even the slightest pain is not discussed - it starts to roar and yell, everything turns red. And as long as either I don’t give up or someone doesn’t come to feel sorry for her, she won’t calm down.
Another joke - if he doesn't want to go somewhere on the street - he sits down on the ground. And no, that's all. Either stand there for half an hour, or grab and run by force. If you leave, it won't run after me. Well, it also happens at home can lie on the floor in protest.

Is it okay? With the eldest, nothing like this has ever happened. So I'm slightly shocked, although everyone around me just says how lucky I am that my youngest daughter is so calm and obedient. Whereeeee? By the way, they adore her in the garden, she just behaves perfectly there. How so?
And this behavior is with me, and with my husband, and with grandfathers - grandmothers !!

211

Katerina

Chatting topic. Do you think out the skills of your children? Will explain. A friend's son is a couple of months younger than mine, and now she proudly sends me a video where her baby crawls like a worm on the floor. She happily writes that he begins to crawl. And for me it's just fussing on the carpet))) Or he otklyachivaet ass back, and she thinks that he gets up on all fours. I'm just either too critical of my son, or a realist. But until he specifically crawled at least 30 centimeters, somehow I did not say that he was starting to crawl. And if he sits with a support on one hand, it is not sitting yet. Which camp will you join and why?

204

Anonymous

I got a job half a year ago. Child 3.5. Goes to the garden. I walked normally in the fall. I went out for a full day. And now I have been sitting at home for almost the entire February and half of March. I got settled on an acquaintance, no one said anything to me for passes, but at the last time they already hinted that it would be necessary to solve something with the hospital. I found a nanny through an agency, but my mother raised a panic that the nanny was not needed (my mother is still a commander), she herself meets him from the garden, but the hospital says we will sit in turns, she’s 2 days, I’m three. But often she flies off somewhere, then she has a theater, then she doesn't want to at all and everything is unreliable. And nothing good came of it. As a result, the nanny found some other shift work and now she cannot come at a click, only on her weekends. Mom also teases that I will give half of my salary to the nanny. I can't work normally. I don’t want to leave, because my husband now doesn’t earn enough for everything, I buy clothes for myself, for women's needs, plus I pay for my vacation, I can save it for a mortgage, we save up. Mom realized that we just couldn't save up for an apartment, she stopped reproaching the bought apartment, before that my husband was constantly bothering about what he was thinking about when he was creating a family. The husband, although he considers himself a breadwinner, is not enough for everything. And I do not want to lose my job, experience, qualifications. And it's also very hard mentally to sit with a child for 2 weeks. I'm better at work, but I can't get there. Only goes to the garden for 5 days and again for 2 weeks at home. I am constantly nervous. How to work and watch the child at the same time. How do women do it?

160

LTA LTA

Good afternoon, dear forum users. We need a collective mind, my brain is no longer working. Given: there is a small studio for preparing for the Unified State Exam and the OGE: Russian, English, society and mat. I plan to expand - open a second one in another area, and change the name of both studios. The so-called rebranding. Now the name is Abvege. I want something interesting and to the point. The husband offers a "studio preparation for the exam surname name". I don't like it, it's too pretentious. The room is small, three classes and the administrator's desk, behind which I stand if there is no lesson. You can't call it courses. I would be grateful for your advice: what can be called more interesting.

A four-month-old baby has already gone through a period of adaptation to environment... He has a turning point when all systems of the body begin to develop intensively. The baby's movements are becoming more confident, individuality is manifested, and their own habits appear. The kid begins to actively explore the world around him.

Physiological indicators of a 4-month-old baby

By this age, the baby should have the following indicators:

For a month, babies should put on weight up to 700 grams, and grow 2-2.5 cm. By the age of 4 months, the baby is showing more and more activity, and is already demonstrating his skills.

Physiological indicators of the crumbs in the fifth month of life are actively developing:

Vision	The child distinguishes both objects and their color can take a long time to consider the toy that interested him. The baby has the makings of visual memory. He looks up from one object to another, by the beginning of the 5th month distinguishes between flat and voluminous objects.
Hearing	Hearing aid almost completely formed. When a sound appears, the baby turns the head in his direction. The child listens in the speech addressed to him, distinguishes intonation. Babies react differently to rhythmic and slow melodies. In the first case, they liven up, and with a lullaby they calm down and subside. The baby reacts to harsh sounds wide opening of the eyes.
First sounds	By the age of 4 months, the baby begins actively walk and gag. It makes some sounds , for example, "ma", "ba", "pa", which impatient parents perceive as the speech of the child. The kid already knows how laugh and cry out loudly.
Waking and sleeping time	Waking time the crumbs are increasing. It goes unnoticed for 3 times a day daytime sleep, all the rest of the time devoting to the knowledge of the surrounding world. At 4 months, the child should sleep well all night, as a last resort, interrupting it for 1-2 feeds.

Fine developing baby at 4 months has a sufficient number of skills:

Makes attempts turn on the side, back and back.
When feeding he supports his mother's chest with his handles.
Lying on my stomach , rises on his hands and holds his head well.
Understands that in order to extract sound from the rattle, it must be shaken.
Retains items in hand for up to 30 seconds.
Can sit down when pulled lightly by the hands.

Neuropsychological development of a baby at four months

By the age of 4 months, the baby begins the stage of "revitalization". The kid is actively trying to establish contacts with the outside world, he enjoys communication with adults and strives for it.

At this age, the baby's brain and nervous system are actively developing:

The child appears more emotional reaction for any events.
The kid confidently distinguishes people close to him from strangers, first of all, highlighting his mother.
The baby is actively communicating with others through sounds and gestures, especially rejoicing when he sees small children.
Although the child is not yet showing stormy joy at the sound of his name, but already reacts to it, turning his head towards the speaker.
A four-month-old baby is already showing feelings such as surprise, curiosity, grief, or annoyance, although these emotions are still fleeting.
The kid can entertain yourself for a while by playing with toys.
At 4 months, the child is actively developing tactile sensations... This is manifested in the fact that he drags all the objects next to the crumbs into his mouth, in this way studying the world around him. Keep your baby's toys clean.

Nutrition for a baby at 4 months - is it possible to introduce complementary foods?

The opinions of experts about the age at which complementary foods should be introduced differ.

Some of them are advised to start feeding the baby from 4 months, others say that when enough milk from a lactating woman, it is better to start complementary feeding from 6 months.

Since not all mothers breastfeed their babies, we will consider what products, besides milk formulas, can be given from 4 months. If the baby is gaining weight normally, then it is better to use it as the first additional food vegetable or fruit juices and mashed potatoes .

Few of modern mothers cooks independently - squeezes juice or grinds vegetables. A huge assortment of food for little children on the shelves makes life much easier. For the first feeding, choose one-component formulations of cauliflower, zucchini, pumpkin, carrots or apples.

If the baby is not gaining enough weight or the mother does not have enough milk, complementary foods begin with porridge. At the same time, they use not a milk mixture, which is produced as a substitute for breast milk, namely porridge (oatmeal, buckwheat or rice).

Complementary foods are introduced starting from half a teaspoon, gradually increasing the volume.

Physical development of a child at 4 months - what is a baby capable of?

By the age of 4 months, the baby's need for various movements increases. He vigorously jerks his legs and arms, tries to turn on his side, tummy and back, tries to crawl.

You can help the baby become dexterous and stronger with the help of simple activities:

Learning to roll over on our own	The baby is placed with his back on a flat surface and shown to him any bright object while moving it to the right so that the child reaches for it. Trying to reach for a bright toy, he will turn on its side. Re-engage the baby so that he turns on his tummy. ... Help the little one if he doesn't succeed right away. Let him hold the desired toy, then turn to the right.
Swing	The child lying on his back is taken by the handles and slightly pulled towards himself so that the baby slightly lifts the torso. Gently return the crumb to its place. This exercise helps to strengthen the abdominal muscles and helps the child to see what is around.
We reach for a toy	The child must learn to take toys from different positions - lying on his back, tummy or on his side. To do this, they are placed at a small distance to encourage the baby to reach out to the things he likes. Such actions strengthen the arms, back and abdominal muscles, help to quickly master the skills of crawling.
Practicing exciting movements	The first time a child tries to grab a toy , he makes a lot of unnecessary movements, since the first time it is impossible to take it. To help your toddler learn to grip and hold various subjects, do a simple exercise. Easy-to-grip objects are placed in the baby's hand ... After the baby learns to hold them tightly in his hands, they carefully take the toy from him and give it again. After the child begins to confidently reach and hold objects hung over the bed, they are slightly moved away from the baby, forcing him to reach for them.
Squeezing and unclenching toys	To train fingers and hands, show your baby how to squeeze rubber toy ... The sound that she makes will interest the baby, and he will gladly repeat the action of adults.

How to properly develop the perception of a four month old baby

A baby at 4 months of age behaves like a real discoverer. His desire to learn new things has no boundaries. The task of the parents is to support this craving and help the baby in every possible way. Many exercises can be used to develop perception.

Here are just a few of them:

Getting to know different sounds	Show your baby the sounds made by a bell, drum, metallophone or tambourine. Introduce your child to new toy, then show what sound it makes and let the baby touch and get to know the source of the sound better. What will get: Repeating the procedure several times, you will consolidate your knowledge. child about the sound of the object. Over time, the baby will learn to correlate the names of things with their image and sound.
We study the properties of objects	Take some items from different materials- wood, plastic, metal and rubber. All things should be small size and fits comfortably in a child's pen. Invite the baby to take turns touching the toys. What will get: Mastering groping actions, the baby learns the world better, he develops tactile sensations and fine motor skills.
Getting to know your body	At 4 months of age, the baby is interested in his body taking pleasure in looking at their hands and feet. Take the baby by the hand and touch your fingers to its nose. Explain what it is called, show where your nose is, let the baby touch it. Repeat the same steps with other parts of the body. Let the baby touch its ear, handle or leg. What will get: Tactile actions in conjunction with words help the baby to ensure the integrity of perception, combining visual, tactile and auditory sensations.
Developing a vocal repertoire	The kid makes more and more different sounds every day. ... He likes to babble, listening to his voice. To develop vocal perception and mastering different sounds, talk to your baby more often, call him by name, tell fairy tales or sing songs. Give your kid a teddy bear, dog or cat, explain that the bear growls, the dog barks, etc. What will get: The kid will combine visual and auditory sensations and learn to correlate an object with its name.

Inexperienced young parents believe that at the age of 4 months the baby understands little, and the main attention is paid to feeding and hygiene.

In fact, the more adults communicate with a little person, the better it will affect his mental and emotional. Communicate with your baby as much as possible, satisfying his craving for knowledge of the world.

The child is 4 months old. The four-month-old baby has become more active, emotional and mobile. His tactile sensitivity increases, the baby is focused when touched and smiles when tickled. During wakefulness, the baby carefully examines everything around. Let's consider in more detail the physical and mental development.

Physical development of the child at 4 months

The baby's motor activity at this stage is still limited, because he spends most of the time lying on his back. Therefore, the weight gain over the previous four weeks will be relatively large - about 0.7 - 0.8 kg. The crumb grows over the previous weeks by 2.5 cm - 3 cm, and many clothes are already becoming small for him. The chest circumference and the head circumference are already almost equalizing their indicators and by the fifth month rib cage will be slightly larger in girth than the head.

Table of indicators of average values of physical development

Important! Although every mother knows that her baby develops at her own individual pace, you should still pay attention to the average parameters of the majority. infants given age. The boundaries of the norms make it possible to identify whether there is a developmental lag, and whether one should pay attention to the correction of one or several indicators of physical development (the most important for assessing the height and weight).

Basic skills of a baby at 4 months

Time	Mode item	Approximate duration
6.00	Feeding, washing, morning toilet(diaper change)	30 minutes.
6.30 – 7.30	Wakefulness, light gymnastics	1 hour
7.30 – 9.30	Morning sleep	2 hours
9.30	Feeding	30 minutes.
9.30 – 11.00	Wakefulness, games, morning walk	1,5 hour
11.00 – 13.00	Daytime sleep	2 hours
13.00	Feeding	30 minutes
13.30 – 14.30	Wakefulness, massage, gymnastics	1 hour
14.30 – 16.30	Daytime sleep on fresh air	2 hours
16.30	Feeding	30 minutes.
17.00 – 18.00	Wakefulness, games	1 hour
18.00 – 19.30	Evening sleep	1,5 hour
19.30 – 20.00	Wakefulness after waking up, communicating with mom	30 minutes.
20.00	Feeding	30 minutes.
20.30	Bathing, preparing for a night's sleep	30 minutes.
20.30 – 6.00	Dream	8 - 9 hours

Five secrets of good sleep for babies

Closer to six months, babies begin to be active in time more than before, overexcited during the day from events and emotions, which often leads to sleep disturbances. Mom has to look for original ways help your baby when he cannot sleep. Below are a few tips to help you style little fidget sleep.

1. Daily walks

Sleep in the fresh air comes to babies very quickly - light rocking of the stroller, the noise of trees, the breeze ... And the baby sniffs sweetly in 10 minutes. As a rule, children sleep longer on the street than at home. You can feed your baby before the walk. A well-fed toddler falls asleep faster and sleeps better.

2. Active games

Healthy fatigue during the day will promote strong and healthy sleep... Play with your daughter or son for about an hour in various funny Games- "Magpie - white-sided", "Horned goat", jump together on the fitball. Then gradually reduce the pace of the game to a calm one, and after 20-30 minutes go for a walk. Usually after active communication the baby is drowsy and willingly falls asleep in the stroller.

3. Bathing before bed

On night sleep babies are the hardest to lay - in evening hours get overwhelmed by whims, but fall asleep infant does not want to. In this case, bathing immediately before going to bed in warm water with soothing herbs (lavender, valerian, juniper). The water "envelops" and relaxes the baby, after bathing he falls asleep soundly.

4. "Simultaneous breathing"

A pacified mother and her calm heartbeat can calm a roaming toddler. Lie down with the baby on the bed or take him in your arms. Try to breathe in time with your child, adjust to his breathing rhythm. Breathe together for 1-2 minutes, and then try to regulate your breathing, making it the way it is during rest and sleep - calm and deep. After a couple of minutes, the baby will begin to breathe with his mother in time and fall asleep.

5. Emotional state

Be sure to pay attention to the behavior of the baby, his attitude. If the baby begins to be capricious after a long wakefulness, this is the first sign that he is tired and is already ready for sleep. Conversely, if the baby refuses to sleep, or the period of time that the mother spends on getting him to bed is longer than the sleep itself, then the baby must be put to bed later.

On a note! It is important to remember that when you are calm, your baby is also calm. Young children are very sensitive to change. emotional state mom. Try to forget about the things to be done and focus on the dream of your beloved child.

Baby nutrition - what to look for for mom

With mother-supported breastfeeding in the fourth month, the baby continues to receive in full mother's milk... The number of feedings per day in the on-demand mode can reach up to ten, in the case of the hourly mode - up to 5-6. At good set weight, taking into account the correct and healthy, full development baby, the introduction of complementary foods at this stage is not required. Breast milk at least until the infant reaches 6 months of age, will fully satisfy the needs of his growing body for nutrients.

Note! World Organization Health advises nursing mothers to keep breast-feeding during the entire first year of a baby's life.

In bottle-fed babies, the situation is different: by 4 months, their secretion increases. of hydrochloric acid, local intestinal immunity is formed and the activity of digestive enzymes increases. By this period, the needs of the baby's body for proteins, mineral salts and vitamins are growing, which cannot be satisfied only at the expense of nutrient mixture... Therefore, by 4 - on IV it is possible to gradually adapt to the consumption of food with a denser consistency, i.e. introduce the first complementary foods.

What is the best way to start introducing complementary foods?

For the first portion of complementary foods in 0.5 tsp. vegetable puree or porridge are suitable. The choice of a specific product for a sample depends on the well-being of the baby and the characteristics of his fragile body.

Porridge	Complementary foods begin with porridge in the event that the crumbs are underweight or suffers from frequent stool disorder. It should be gluten-free and dairy-free. Buckwheat porridge (intended for early baby food), followed by rice and corn porridge.
Vegetable puree	It's worth starting an acquaintance with vegetable puree healthy child, as well as in cases where the baby overweight, or there is a tendency to constipation. Cauliflower, broccoli, or zucchini work well. Children eat vegetables less willingly than porridge, so mom should be patient. If the baby refuses to try mashed potatoes, you can try again to master a new dish after a couple of days.
Fruit puree	One-component fruit puree perfectly satisfies hunger and gives the baby more energy. In a period of 4 - 4.5 months, the toddler can be offered mashed potatoes from prunes, plums, peaches. Such an innovation in the menu will allow the baby to cope with stool retention thanks to fiber and pectin substances.

A new product should be introduced into the baby's menu mainly in the first half of the day, so that the baby's reaction can be traced to the end of the day. In case of a successful attempt, the portion is gradually increased from half a teaspoon to a whole one. For 5 - 7 days, the portion is brought to age norm in 50 - 100 g and replaces one of the previous feedings with a mixture. After 10 - 14 days, you can try adding as complementary foods next product... As a result, by the end of the month, the feeding regime may look something like this:

Exercises with a crumb

Strengthening gymnastics can be carried out with the baby if the hypertonicity has completely gone away. This usually happens in the period up to 3.5 - 4 months. Gymnastics includes various flexion and extension of body parts, stimulation to crawl and roll over, laying out on a fitball. If your young athlete cannot withstand 10 minutes of exercise, you can do a little gymnastics throughout the day, dividing the classes into 2-3 minute parts.

Especially effective in given age exercises:

ball rolling- the baby needs to be put on the fitball with his tummy, and stand next to him, holding the handles. Try to spring a little, shake the ball. The little one will have fun, and in the meantime, all the muscles of the body are involved;
cyclists- we pull one leg of the baby forward, and bend the other at the same moment at the knee. Then vice versa. Repeat the exercise 4-6 times. This technique with legs resembles movement on a bicycle. Be sure to accompany the lesson with music, nursery rhymes, and do not forget to monitor the reaction of the crumbs;
hugs- take the baby by the palms and direct the right palm to the left side, and the left to the second side, as if the baby is hugging itself. Then repeat the hugs, only let the other palm be on top now. Repeat several times.

From four months, you can actively teach your baby to morning exercises in game form... So that every day for the crumbs starts with Have a good mood and a charge of energy, a mother can do with a baby light gymnastics... This has a beneficial effect on physical development, and the emotional, psychologists say. For example, here is such a charge - a five-minute with a poem will be an excellent help for the first exercises with a baby:

Mice near the garden did exercises (lift the baby's arms up, then lower them down),

They raised their paws up, they saw the cat (holding the handles, turns to the side).

Cat, cat, scatter, scatter! (we cross the arms in front of the chest).

You, cat, do not sneak to us! (circular turns with handles at the elbows).

We are mice strong, strong, athletic (strongman pose).

Mice, mice, don't shout, mice, mice, tell me (handles to the sides and towards you),

Tell the kittens how to exercise them (handles to the sides and towards you).

One two three four (handles up to the sides, towards you, down),

The legs are higher, then wider, and now we lower them down, and quietly sneak (handles on the sides).

Run, run, oh, how tired we are of the mice (legs bent at the knees, bend and unbend in turn).

Thank you, mice, I will tell all the kittens.

Massage to strengthen the health of the child

The massage puts stress on the muscles, so it is worth carrying out it without a doctor's prescription with great care, literally on the weight with your fingertips. It is best to combine massage movements with gymnastics, but always an hour after the child has eaten. Mom needs to lubricate her hands with baby cream or peach oil, and start the massage. You always need to massage the baby from top to bottom: neck, back, buttocks, legs, and finally - the chest and arms.

Place the baby on the tummy. Begin stroking your neck and shoulders to work comfortably index fingers... Massage the area along the vertebrae from head to back 5-7 times.
The back should be ironed from the buttocks to the shoulders 5-7 times. Try to avoid the area of the spine during massage. After stroking, you can lightly walk the edges of your palms along the same lines. Stretch the entire back with a light rubbing motion. Then pat gently from the bottom up. Finish the back massage with gentle strokes.
The baby's buttocks are massaged in the same way as the back, only kneading is added with the firm side of bent fingers with little effort.
The baby's legs are stroked vigorously massage movements from the heel to the buttocks. The massage should be done alternately - after kneading one leg, move on to the next.
The breast is stroked with the movements of the fingertips. The area of the mammary glands remains intact during massage. Stroke your baby's tummy clockwise around the navel. Perform the second and third circles with a slight pinch, then light stroking again.
The handles are massaged from palms to shoulders with stroking movements. Then you can pinch slightly, create vibration with your fingertips. Finally, stroking again.