4-month-old babies generally have started babbling one or two words, such as 'Mama' or 'w-wow'. In addition, at this age, babies are usually able to roll from a prone position to a supine and vice versa. So, what is the development of a 4 month old baby?
Entering the age of 4 months, the baby's weight and length usually have doubled compared to when he was born. For a baby boy, his weight is about 5.6–8.6 kg, with a length of about 60–67.8 cm. Meanwhile, baby girls weigh 5.1–8.1 kg, with a length of 58–66.2 cm.
At this age, babies begin to be able to capture and form words from the language they often hear. Even though he couldn't identify the words as names of objects or other people's nicknames, he still tried to pronounce the words.
4 Months Baby Development
The following are some of the developments that babies go through when they are 4 months old:
Motor skills
At this age, a special rocking chair for infants (bouncer) can be a suitable means of play for him. Toys that hang on it can be a tool to develop hand-eye coordination.
In addition, babies aged 4 months generally have the following abilities:
- Able to grab objects that catch his attention. This indicates hand coordination and eyesight continues to improve.
- His eyes can follow the movement and movement of people or objects from one place to another.
- Able to roll the body from a supine position to prone and vice versa.
- When in a standing position, his feet can touch the floor even though he can't walk.
- Able to hold head and shoulders upright when lifted from bed and carried.
- Start trying to sit with the help of an adult, because the spine is strong enough.
As your 4-month-old baby is starting to be active, make sure he rolls over on the bed or a safe surface. Place safety around him like a pile of pillows so he doesn't fall.
Speech ability
Babies aged 4 months can begin to chatter and imitate the sounds they hear by paying attention to the movement of their lips when people speak.
The vowel 'a' is the letter most often spoken by babies first, especially when he is starting to chatter. He also began to like his ability to make sounds and hear them in his own ears.
To stimulate your little one's speech, you can invite him to communicate by saying simple words, such as 'Mama' or 'daddy'.
You also need to respond immediately when your little one tries to say something. This is necessary so that he is more confident to say more words.
Social skills
A 4 month old baby can generally smile spontaneously at people who catch their attention. In addition, usually he is also able to do the following things:
- Able to imitate adult facial expressions smiling broadly or frowning.
- Begins to be able to play with other people and can cry when the game stops.
- Although the communication is still through crying, but the sound of crying starts to sound different for each need, for example when tired, hungry, or sick.
- There are times when he has started to laugh when he sees things he thinks are funny or interesting.
Other Things Parents Need To Pay Attention To
The stomach of a 4-month-old baby is bigger than before, so the frequency of arranging it will be less. However, in one feeding session, he will fill his stomach until it is full.
Some parents have also started giving solid food to babies 4 months or even earlier. However, it is recommended that you continue to exclusively breastfeed your baby at 4 months and only give complementary foods (MPASI) after the baby is 6 months old.
This is because giving MPASI too early can make the risk of allergies higher and the baby does not get optimal nutrition and benefits from breast milk.
In addition, all things can be toys and interesting things for a 4 or 5 month old baby, so actually at this age he doesn't really need many toys. Allow him to handle a variety of clean and safe objects, such as towels, sofa surfaces, balls, and fruit, so he can recognize different textures, shapes, and colors.
Things to Watch Out for Parents
The growth of each baby is unique and cannot be equated. The information above is a guide, but not something every baby should have at this age.
However, there are some things that parents need to be aware of, such as:
- Babies don't smile when they see their parents or something that catches their attention
- The head can't stand on its own
- Unable to notice the movement of objects
- Don't put the object you are holding in your mouth
- His feet don't touch the floor when he is standing
- Also not chattering or making any sound
If your little one experiences some of the conditions above, try taking him to the doctor so that he can get the right examination and treatment to optimize his growth and development.