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4 months

Your Child

Every day your baby is learning more about the world around him (or her!), and he is just like a little sponge, soaking it all up. You may find he is becoming more and more vocal, and feed times might become a challenge as he would much rather watch what is going on than concentrate on feeding. If this becomes a problem, try feeding baby in a quiet room without distractions. At four months baby is becoming more interested in playtime, which is an important part of his development - babies learn through play. You can encourage his development by providing age appropriate toys, but more importantly, by spending time talking and singing to him. Forgotten the words to all those nursery rhymes your Mum sang to you?

It may be hard to believe, but your baby will soon be moving! Around four months many babies learn to roll over, usually from tummy to back first, then from back to tummy, and eventually he will be rolling from one side of the room to the next! To encourage your baby to roll, and strengthen the muscles in his back ready for crawling, it is important that your baby has lots of floor time, both on his tummy and on his back. This is also a good time to begin thinking about baby-proofing your house - it is far easier to eliminate potential hazards BEFORE baby starts moving than end up making a mad dash when he suddenly begins crawling! Our Baby Safety section has a handy checklist on things to consider when baby-proofing your home.

In the first year of life a baby's brain doubles in size so it's no wonder he needs so much sleep - all that brain development is tiring work! By four months your baby may well be sleeping between 10-12 hours overnight, and will still be having two or three shorter daytime sleeps. You can help your baby to distinguish between day naps and his longer night time sleep by establishing a bed time routine. You might begin preparing baby for bed with a bath or shower, followed by a breastfeed or bottle. Bed time is also a great opportunity for story time - even at four months your baby will enjoy being cuddled close and looking at colorful pictures in a favorite book. For more tips on bedtime routines and baby sleep check out our Sleep section.

If you have any concerns or questions about your baby's development, check with your Well Child provider or GP, or try Plunketline on 0800 933 922

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