Routines, play time and improved vision
Routines
At four-months-old, your baby is likely to sleep for longer stretches and require less feeds in a 24-hour period. Their tummy has grown bigger so they can accommodate more milk and they’ll be more efficient at feeding. Also about now is the time when sleep associations can be set, so you can start to put in place an evening routine that leads to a 7pm bedtime.
These simple steps will help establish an evening routine:
Put her to bed in the same place at the same time each night.
Help to distinguish between day and night. At night, give her a warm bath, dress her in night clothes, read or sing to her and darken the room when you put her to sleep. During the day, try to put your baby to sleep in a room that isn’t as dark
Put her to bed when she’s drowsy but not asleep, and avoid overstimulating around bedtime.
Try to keep background noise low, but avoid complete silence, as she will be comforted to know that you are around.
At four months, your bub is likely to sleep for longer stretches. (Image: Getty Images)
Playing and chatting
By four months, your baby may kick with more coordination and realise she can use her legs to make objects move, such as a mobile. She may pull to the side of the cot to try and sit up, but it’s still hard work. Mostly she prefers to just observe the world from your arms.
Your little one is starting to make lots of different consonant and vowel sounds and she may become fascinated by one particular sound and start repeating it, like “ba-ba-ba”, over and over again.
She may squeal, coo and blow bubbles too. Encourage early language development by reading, talking and singing to your little one.
Improved vision
The world around your baby is coming into focus, literally, as her long distance vision improves. She may now recognise you at a distance, and can follow moving objects with his eyes.
Her colour vision is also improving. Your baby will also love looking at his own reflection. An unbreakable mirror is a great toy for infants this age.
