Approximate daily routine for a 4 month old baby. Baby daily routine: fourth month. Features of changing the sleep pattern of children
Daily regime.
At the 4th month of life, the time of daily sleep decreases, the periods of wakefulness increase. Continue to follow a strict daily routine. This contributes to the development of stable conditioned reflexes in the child, he eats well, falls asleep quickly and sleeps calmly at the time set for his age, and during waking hours he is happy and cheerful.
Feeding:
6.00, 9.30, 13.00, 16.30, 20.00, 23.30.
Awake:
6.00-7.30, 9.30-11.00, 13.00-14.30, 16.30-18.00, 19.30-20.30.
Dream:
daytime - 7.30-9.30, 11.00-13.00, 14.30-16.30, 18.00-19.30,
night - 20.30-6.00.
Bathing:
19.30 - before feeding or 20.30 before a night's sleep.
If a child is fed for the first time during the day not at 6, but at 7 or 8, then the hours of sleep and feeding change accordingly, but the intervals between them remain the same (1.5 and 3.5 hours, respectively).
From 4 months, the baby spends all the time of wakefulness in the arena. It is desirable to hang toys to the arena posts at different heights so that the child, stretching out his arms, can reach them, feel them and “accidentally” grab them, and then purposefully grab them.
To develop the ability to purposefully get a toy, it is hung a little higher, at a distance of the child's outstretched hand. Toys should be easy to grasp (rings with balls, pendants of various shapes, sizes and colors).
In order for the child to receive various tactile sensations, he should be given toys made of various materials to feel.
For the proper development and health of the child, restful and long sleep is of great importance.
The child falls asleep well at the appointed time, when the air in the room is clean and cool.
There are very good cots that can serve a child up to 2-3 years old. At this age, the child should already sleep in the crib. It can be made of wood or metal, with a mesh or grate descending on one side.
The purchased bed (regardless of whether you bought it in a store or borrowed it from friends, relatives) should be washed with warm water and soap. Mattress - ventilate, knock out the dust from it and level it well so that it does not crush the child;
Usually nothing is placed under the head of an infant, and only from 2-3 years old can a small pillow be placed. You can not use a feather bed instead of a mattress. A duvet cover is put on a blanket, downy or woolen. The child is already accustomed to walks in the fresh air in any weather, except for heavy rain, harsh wind and frost. In such weather, they walk with him around the room with an open window or balcony. A small child in the open air quickly falls asleep, so it is convenient to walk with him during those hours when it is time for him to sleep. After sleeping, the baby wakes up cheerful and joyful, eats with appetite, plays in the arena, in the warm season - in the fresh air. Walking and sleeping in the air strengthen the nervous system, contribute to the hardening of the child, increase its resistance to various pathogens.
What is your toddler's daily routine like?
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:
| Time | Regime processes |
|---|---|
| 7 h | Waking up, first feeding, hygiene procedures (washing, changing a diaper) |
| 7 h 30 min. – 8 h 30 min | Crib games, stay awake |
| 8 h 30 min. – 9 h 30 min | morning dream |
| 9 h 30 min – 10 h 30 min | Second feeding, games and communication with mom |
| 10 h 30 min – 12 h | Sleep (preferably outdoors) |
| 12 noon – 2 pm | Third feeding, gymnastics, light massage and air baths |
| 14h – 16h | Sleep during a daytime walk in a stroller |
| 16h – 18h | Fourth feeding, staying awake, listening to children's songs, spending time with adults |
| 18h – 19h | Dream |
| 19h – 20h | The period of wakefulness, calm communication and games |
| 20h – 21h | Bathing in the tub, the fifth feeding, getting ready for bed |
| 21h – 7h | Night sleep |
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 children, 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 formula. 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.
| Outdoor air temperature | Features of the walk |
|---|---|
| -8°C and below | Babies still have a rather weak nasopharynx. Walking at low air temperatures can lead to respiratory diseases. If going outside is necessary, then take care of warming the air inhaled by the child. Wrap the baby in a fur hooded envelope, creating an air cushion near the face. You can be outside with a baby at this temperature for no more than 20 minutes. |
| 0°C to -8°C | Short 30-minute walks will help the baby fall asleep soundly. Take care to protect the baby from the wind - use a warm blanket for the stroller or a winter envelope insulated with fur. Before going out, apply a special protective cream against frost on the cheeks and nose of the little one. |
| +1°C to +8°C | At this air temperature, it's time to arrange long one and a half hour walks for the baby. Children fall asleep wonderfully in the conditions of fresh cool air, mothers can also relax and take a stroll in the park with a stroller without haste. |
| +8°C to +15°C | The air temperature is comfortable and conducive to walking. You should pay attention to the fact that the little one does not sweat from extra layers of clothing. Do not wrap the baby, it is better in case of unstable weather to cover it in the stroller with a spare blanket for warming. |
| +15°C to +20°C | In sunny weather, it may seem that it is hot outside, but in the shade and with the presence of wind, it is still far from summer. Consider all the factors before going out into the yard with your child - whether the sun is shining or cloudy, whether the wind is blowing. Do not dress the baby too lightly, at +16 it is still quite easy to freeze, especially when in a stroller without moving. |
| From +20°C to +25°C | Days filled with sun and warmth are good for long walks with babies. But direct sunlight can be dangerous for defenseless children's skin. Choose thin, breathable clothing, and lubricate unprotected areas of the body with 0+ sunscreen milk. |
| From 25°C and above | The safe time to go outside is before 11 am and after 3 pm. In this heat, the baby will need extra fluid, so be sure to take drinking water with you. When walking with a stroller, create shade in it by lowering the hood and opening the “window” with a mesh for ventilation. If the walk takes place in the mother's arms, then a headdress and thin clothes that cover the body from the sun's rays are required. |
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 peanut 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.
A grown-up baby at the age of 4 months still needs a properly selected diet, it would be advisable to continue feeding the baby with an adapted infant formula. This is the best, balanced and high-quality substitute for breast milk, developed according to all the rules, where all the slightest nuances are taken into account, and the composition is as similar as possible to mother's milk.
Mode
For 4-month-old children receiving food in the form of artificial feeding, it is imperative to strictly observe the regimen, since the adapted infant formula is much more slowly absorbed by the baby's body, unlike breast milk, so the little one stays full for much longer.
Important! The break between meals should be at least 3.5 hours. If you do not follow the rules of feeding, then this will cause gas formation in the body of the child.
Also, starting from the 4th month, for formula-fed babies, many pediatricians advise to start complementary foods.
How to feed?
At 4 months of age, the baby cannot yet sit on its own, so new parents should make sure that the baby is comfortable while eating. Feeding a child is only with a spoon. At the same time, he should be in a reclining state so as not to harm the fragile spine. Modern highchairs for feeding are equipped with such a function, it will be convenient for the baby to eat, and for the mother to feed him.
Young mothers should definitely stock up on additional equipment, that is you need to purchase special dishes for the child:
- a spoon with a silicone scoop - her baby will not be able to damage the oral cavity;
- bib, in order not to stain the clothes of the little one;
- the plate on the suction cup will definitely not be knocked over on the floor;
- a cup that the little fidget can't break,
It is from 4 months that the baby actively begins to learn about the world around him. In addition, it will be an excellent workout for independent eating.
A newborn child does not yet have teeth at all or partially, and the baby is not able to chew solid food, therefore the consistency of the food intended for the child should be liquid or mashed figurative.
How much should a four month old baby eat?
At the age of 4 months, the daily intake of food consumed is no more than 1000 ml. per day. The number of feedings is 5-6 times. In no case should you exceed it, this can be fraught with unpleasant consequences.
Note! Consultation with a specialist is recommended before the introduction of complementary foods.
Features of the diet
The diet of a formula-fed newborn at 4 months increases significantly if they begin to actively introduce complementary foods.
What can be given at this age?
Main and the main product is still infant formula. Also, new products appear on the menu of a 4-month-old baby. Several types of cereals (gluten-free and dairy-free cereals), vegetable, fruit purees and juices.
What products are allowed to enter?
Although infant formulas intended for feeding a child are enriched with many useful elements, they are still not always enough for a growing body. Here, foods filled with vitamins and microelements will help. It is allowed to introduce into the diet of a formula-fed baby, on the recommendation of a pediatrician, at the 5th month of life:
3 cereal crops:
- Buckwheat.
- Corn.
- Rice.
Several vegetables:
- Zucchini.
- Cauliflower.
- Broccoli.
Fruits:
And of course juices and compotes:
Important! Red and orange fruits are more likely to cause allergies than green and yellow ones.
Menu in the form of a table for each day of the week by the hour
If the baby has already been introduced to all of the above products, then you can adhere to the following menu (the time may vary by 1-2 hours, according to the individual daily routine):
| Monday | Tuesday | ||
| 6.00 | Infant formula, 180ml | ||
| 9.00 |
|
|
|
| 13.00 |
|
||
| 17.00 |
|
|
|
| 21.00 | Mixture for children adapted-200ml. | ||
| Wednesday | Thursday | |||
| 6.00 | Infant formula, 180ml | Infant formula, 180ml | ||
| 9.00 |
|
|
||
| 13.00 |
|
|
||
| 17.00 |
|
|
||
| 21.00 | Mixture for children adapted-200ml. | |||
| Night feeding is purely individual, at the request of the child. | ||||
| Friday | Saturday | |||
| 6.00 | Infant formula, 180ml | Infant formula, 180ml | 9.00 |
|
|
| 13.00 |
|
|
||
| 17.00 |
|
|
||
| 21.00 | Adapted baby formula - 2000ml | Dairy-free rice porridge - 200g. | ||
| Night feeding is purely individual, at the request of the child. | ||||
The daily routine of a four-month-old baby still consists of feeding, sleeping, playing, massage, hygiene procedures and developmental exercises, but the duration of these stages varies significantly.
Approximate daily routine for a 4 month old baby
- 06:00-08:00 Waking up, washing, diaper change, gymnastics, air baths and first feeding.
- 8:00-10:00 - morning sleep.
- 10:00-12:00 - massage, developing exercises and games, second feeding.
- 12:00-14:00 - sleep in the fresh air.
- 14:00–16:00 - the third feeding, acquaintance with the surrounding objects, educational games, communication.
- 16:00-18:00 - sleep, walk.
- 18:00-21:00 - games, communication, bathing, fourth feeding.
- 21:00-22:00 - hygiene procedures, preparation for a night's sleep.
- 22:30-23:00 - fifth feeding.
- 23:00-6:00 - night sleep.
Few people manage to strictly adhere to the regime of the day, and this is not necessary. It is important to put in the first place the individual requirements and preferences of the child and adapt to them. Each family will make its own adjustments and amendments. The daily routine should be convenient for the baby, and not for his parents. But still, some important points should remain unchanged in the daily routine:
- Intervals between feedings should be at least 4 hours;
- Daytime sleep in total should be approximately 6 hours.
Compared to the previous month, now the baby should eat not 6, but 5 times a day. Feeding methods are selected taking into account the individual characteristics of the baby, the indicators of its development and the capabilities of the mother. It can be breastfeeding, artificial or mixed.
A baby - a baby at 4 months does not need additional feeding. He is getting enough nutritious breast milk, the volume of which has increased markedly. It is for this reason that feeding has become one less. The grown up baby can now remain full for a long time.
Children who are bottle-fed also eat five times a day, approximately 200 milliliters of formula milk at a time. The daily rate should be approximately 1 liter. From this month, babies are gradually switching to replacing one feeding with milk formula for complementary foods in the form of liquid porridge, cottage cheese with kefir or vegetable puree.
Before you completely switch to full-fledged complementary foods, you need to choose a product that your child will like. You need to start introducing a new product with one teaspoon per day. After about a week and a half, the volume of one serving should be about 150 milliliters. As soon as the baby is happy to eat such an amount of new food, you can safely replace one milk feeding per day with complementary foods.
Mixed feeding is used by mothers who produce insufficient breast milk. They feed babies with both breast and milk formula. Such children also need to introduce complementary foods gradually. As a result, the daily norm for a four-month-old child who is on mixed feeding is: breast milk - 500 milliliters, formula - 400 milliliters, complementary foods - 150 milliliters.
Sleeping mode
A four-month-old baby sleeps about sixteen hours a day, but the duration of night sleep increases due to the longer wakefulness during the daytime. The ideal option is ten hours of sleep at night and six hours of sleep during the daytime (3 times approximately 2 hours each). Not every baby adheres to this sleep pattern. More active babies may nap once or twice a day, and some still need four naps. Some wake up at night every 3 hours, while others sleep 8-10 hours in a row. Already at the age of 4 months, you can recognize the little "owls" and "larks".
Each mother must create individual conditions for her baby, but sleep must necessarily alternate with a period of activity. The mood of the child, and his appetite and desire to communicate and play will depend on the quality and duration of sleep. If the baby does not sleep well at night, then it makes sense to put him down a little later. You will have to show all your ingenuity in order to prevent the baby from falling asleep early. But when he is finally tired, he will sleep soundly all night.
walks
Walks may not take place only under very unfavorable weather conditions - this is extreme heat, frost over 15 degrees and sharp gusts of wind. Any other weather (even rain) should not interfere with daily walks. It is advisable to go outside with the child twice a day for 1.5-2 hours.
Outdoor travel should be in two parts. The first part of the walk should be in the form of an excursion. The child needs to show and tell as much as possible, give some objects to touch or take a closer look at birds and animals, cars or a bus. Tell and show the baby where the sun, sky, grass, leaf, etc. are. After such an informative first part, the baby will spend the second part in a calm and sound sleep. Sleeping in the fresh air is an integral and no less useful part of the walk.
Educational games
Waking time is about 8 hours a day. If we subtract the duration of hygiene procedures and feeding, then there is still enough time to do various developmental exercises and games with the baby.
It is very informative for the crumbs to take a trip through all the rooms in the house or apartment. During such excursions, be sure to linger near the objects, give the baby the opportunity to remember them, touch or listen. Sitting in adults' arms, the child will accumulate vocabulary in his memory on each such round. He will definitely remember the names of the objects. This can be checked when, in the next such walk, you ask, “Where is the watch?” or the like. The kid will look for what he was asked about.
Tactile sensations can be developed with the help of bright toys made of different materials (for example, a soft toy made of fabric, a wooden horse, a rough ball, a smooth cube, and others). Colors on objects should be bright, not mixed, with clear boundaries between two or three colors. The child must touch all the holes or tubercles that are on the objects.
It is necessary to purchase such toys for the baby that will develop fine motor skills, hearing, vision, tactility, as well as attention and memory. One of these toys is a musical carousel, which is attached above the crib. It helps the baby to focus on one object and follow its movement.
During such observations, the child studies the colors and shapes of objects, tries to reach a certain toy and listens to music.
The sense of rhythm and ear for music can be developed by listening to a rhythmic melody or listening to funny children's songs. Spin around with the baby in a waltz a little, then clap your hands or stomp your feet to the rhythm.
The kid can gradually begin to accustom to children's books. Read poems, nursery rhymes, fairy tales to him aloud, accompanying your story with a display of vivid illustrations. Together with your child, turn the pages of cardboard books and point your finger at the picture, naming it.
We are already preparing for the development of speech. Its development is directly related to fine motor skills. Therefore, it is necessary to play various finger games and fun with the child every day. For example, “Ladushki”, “There is a horned goat”, “Magpie-Crow”. Together with these games, it is necessary to massage each individual finger and light strokes.
Since the baby explores the world not only with his hands, but also with the help of his tongue and mouth, it is very important to keep the toys clean. It is necessary to carry out their daily treatment with boiled water.
This month, the number of physical exercises that need to be done with the child increases. Such exercises should contribute to the development and strengthening of muscle tissue, joints and spine. The optimal time for gymnastics and various exercises is morning, afternoon and evening (duration - about 5 minutes).
Four months is the age when the baby tries to change his position on his own. First, he turns on his side, then on his tummy and back on his back. To consolidate this skill, repeated "training" is required, associated with strengthening the press of the abdomen and spinal muscles. Classes can be carried out in the form of a game. For example, roll the baby from the tummy to the back and back, while saying the song Kolobok.
To strengthen the muscles of the arms and back, you can do pull-up exercises. Mom's fingers will serve as a support for which the child should grasp tightly, and the mother will gently pull the baby towards her. Such an exercise is also necessary to prepare for independent sitting.
Exercises to strengthen the muscles of the legs and learn to crawl are very useful. The child must be placed on a hard, but not slippery surface (for example, on a carpet) and the child should be allowed to feel the support with his heels. The hand of mom or dad can be a support. The baby will instinctively push off with its legs, as if trying to crawl. This exercise must be repeated daily.
Ways and methods of hardening
At four months, you can start regular hardening procedures that will allow the baby to always be healthy.
Parents began some elements of hardening from birth - these are air baths, bathing and walking in any weather. Now air baths should be continued for 10 minutes twice a day. The air temperature in the room during the procedure should not exceed 22 degrees Celsius.
The next important daily element of hardening should be a wet wipe. You need to start with dry rubdowns with a terry mitten for ten days. Since the skin of the child is very delicate, the procedure is carried out as carefully as possible. The baby's skin after wiping should be slightly reddened. After 10 days, you can start wet rubdowns with the same mittens, but soaked in warm water.
You need to start by rubbing the face of the crumbs, and gradually with each procedure you need to add the area of \u200b\u200bthe neck, arms, legs, back, and finally, the entire body of the child. The duration of a wet wipe is about 2 minutes. By lowering the water temperature (every 3 sessions) by one degree, you can bring it up to 30 degrees.
What should be the daily routine of a baby at 4 months (video)
By the age of four months, the crumbs become more active and inquisitive. The periods of their wakefulness increase, while the rest time, on the contrary, is reduced. Children begin to show interest in toys, to make contact with their parents.
The well-being and mood of the baby during this period largely depends on the established daily routine. If the baby will eat, sleep and have fun at a certain time, this will provide him with a feeling of comfort and safety. Let's tell you in more detail how the daily routine of a child at 4 months should look like.
Daily regimen table for a 4-month-old baby
To help parents, we present a visual table by the hour, which shows the approximate daily routine of a four-month-old peanut:
| Action | Time | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Awakening, hygiene, food | 7:00 - 7:30 | 30 minutes |
| Dream number 1 | 7:30- 9:00 | 1.5 hours |
| Food | 9:00- 9:20 | 20 minutes |
| Quiet activities | 9:20-9:50 | 30 minutes |
| Massage and gymnastics | 9:50-10:20 | 30 minutes |
| Educational and active games | 10:20-11:30 | 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Food | 11:30-11:50 | 20 minutes |
| Dream number 2 outdoors | 11:50-13:50 | 2 hours |
| Food | 13:50-14:10 | 20 minutes |
| Quiet activities | 14:10-15:20 | 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Educational and active games |
15:20-16:30 | 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Dream number 3 outdoors |
16:30-18:00 | 1.5 hours |
| Food | 18:00-18:20 | 20 minutes |
| Quiet activities |
18:20-19:30 | 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Bathing, hygiene | 19:30-20:00 | 30 minutes |
| Food | 20:00-20:20 | 20 minutes |
| Quiet activities |
20:20-21:30 | 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Preparation for sleep | 21:30-22:00 | 30 minutes |
| Night sleep | 22:00-7:00 | 9 o'clock |
| Night feedings | individually | individually |
Diet plan for 4 month old baby
On artificial and mixed feeding
If before the age of four months the daily volume of food was 1/6 of the weight of the crumbs, now it has been reduced to 1/7. The resulting value must be divided by the number of feedings. The average one-time food volume is 170-200 ml. However, these calculations are relevant only for babies who are on artificial or mixed feeding.
Since artificial mixtures are absorbed by the body longer, if they are used, it is recommended to reduce the number of meals to 5 times. The diet of a child at 4 months also includes night feedings on demand.
Breastfeeding
If the only source of nutrition for the baby is mother's milk, it is worth holding the baby at the breast until he is satiated and turns away from her.
The optimal solution for breastfeeding will be six feedings at intervals of 3-4 hours.
Lure
Many parents start to introduce complementary foods to their four-month-old babies. With artificial feeding, this measure is quite justified. Whereas breastfed infants may well go without supplemental foods until six months of age.
According to the advice of modern pediatricians, in the first place, not fruit, but vegetable purees should be introduced into the diet of an infant.
After all, the baby's intestines adapt to them much faster. From the fifth month of a baby's life, it is allowed to give him mashed potatoes from zucchini and cauliflower. It can be prepared at home or purchased at the store. At first, the volume of complementary foods should be only 1-2 teaspoons at a time and gradually increase to 120-150 g per day. Over time, it will be possible to replace one feeding with them.
Irina, Vitya's mother, 6 months old: “We began to introduce complementary foods from 4 months. We started with a tablespoon of zucchini, added one more every day and soon reached 120 grams. Then they gave my son a taste of cauliflower, gradually increasing its quantity and reducing portions of zucchini until a complete replacement occurred. Next, broccoli was introduced according to the same scheme. About a month later, when all the vegetables were tried by the son, they began to alternate them among themselves. Dairy-free cereals were soon introduced. First they gave 1-2 spoons to make sure there were no allergic reactions. And about three days later, breakfast was completely replaced with porridge, which used to be a mixture. Now we introduce fruit purees and juices into the son's diet.
Baby sleep at 4 months
The process of growing up crumbs is accompanied by a reduction in the duration of his daily rest. If earlier the little one could sleep up to 20 hours a day, now 15-16 is enough for him.
Of course, the mode of daily rest of 4-month-old babies can vary significantly. If some sleep all night, others wake up every 2-3 hours and demand a mother's breast. For some babies, a short rest during daylight hours is enough, but in the evening they go to bed an order of magnitude earlier. And all this is quite normal, because each child is individual.
daytime sleep
How much does a 4 month old baby sleep during the day?
Three times a rest during daylight hours, lasting 1.5-2 hours each, is the absolute norm.
Moreover, the first laying can occur immediately after the morning feeding. After all, many children by this age are already able to sleep continuously throughout the night. Their awakening occurs at 6 am, and after eating, babies fall asleep again for a short time. The next rest is in the afternoon. Do not mind the crumbs to take a nap and with the onset of the evening.
Night sleep
The night sleep of a child at 4 months should be 10-12 hours.
At 4 months, the baby's sleep may worsen, even if before that he slept all night.
The baby may wake up every 2-3 hours and demand the mother's breast. It becomes more difficult to lay him down and he falls asleep longer. This phenomenon is called "sleep regression". Its appearance is explained by the onset of a new stage in the development of the nervous system and active physical changes in the child. At 4 months, many children master coups, are more interested in the world around them. The structure of sleep is also changing - now he alternates phases of deep and superficial sleep, like in adults. Because of all these changes, the baby becomes more restless, sleeps less and even loses his appetite.
How to ensure a comfortable sleep for your baby
Give your child love and support
Your baby is growing, he also feels the changes happening to him. Show more attention and love at this moment, communicate, pick him up more often, hug him. Let the baby feel safe, then he will not be afraid of the new big world. 
Watch for signs of fatigue
It is necessary to put the baby to bed at the first sign of fatigue, not allowing him to overwork and become capricious.
Follow the schedule
It is important to develop an optimal sleep schedule for an infant and follow it daily as much as possible. If a baby living on a regimen wakes up much earlier than usual, you should try to put him down again. However, insignificant and infrequent deviations from the sleep schedule for 20-30 minutes should not be a cause for concern for parents.
walks
At least two walks should be included in a properly composed daily regimen for a four-month-old baby.
The recommended duration of each of them is at least 1.5-2 hours. The first exit to the street should be carried out in the morning or after lunch, the second - in the late afternoon. It is desirable that the baby not only sleep in the stroller, but also have the opportunity to explore the world around him. After all, by four months, the vision of the crumbs is noticeably improving. He is already able to see objects that are at a distance of three to four meters. Therefore, during walks, it is necessary to periodically remove the baby from the stroller and tell him about the surrounding objects, events and phenomena.
It's no secret that kids love being outdoors. Their body is saturated with oxygen, which has a beneficial effect on the development of babies. On the street, the baby is able to sleep for three hours, and in the meantime, the mother can enjoy the silence, reading a book on a bench or talking with a friend.
Going outside should be carried out daily, regardless of weather conditions.
The only exceptions are frosty days from -15°С. Fortunately, modern strollers are equipped with comfortable visors and waterproof covers. They are designed to protect the child from wind and precipitation.
Wakefulness: hygiene, games, physical education
Gymnastics
A well-fed and well-rested 4-month-old baby is full of energy and ready for new challenges. Parents need to direct his energy in the right direction. Gymnastics, massage, educational games and activities will benefit the baby.
Morning exercises will throw off the remnants of sleep from the child and set him up for a busy and interesting day.
It is recommended to carry it out in the second wakefulness of the baby. As mentioned above, many crumbs wake up very early and soon after eating they fall asleep again. The next awakening of the baby should be accompanied by gentle mother's strokes, rubbing the baby's face and eyes, a cotton pad soaked in warm water and fifteen minutes of gymnastics. As a rule, it includes the following basic exercises:
- "a bike";
- smooth movements of the hands forward and to the sides;
- flexion and rotation of the feet;
- pull-ups on the handles from a supine position;
- lifting the upper part of the chest so that the baby lying on the stomach leans on the handles;
- training coups on the tummy and back.
Massage
We should also not forget about massage, which, unlike gymnastics, should be done in the afternoon: before swimming or shortly before bedtime. It will relax the baby's muscles and help him tune in to a good night's rest. Massage for a child at 4 months includes not only stroking and rubbing, but also pinching, sawing, stretching exercises. An excellent option would be a massage with the rhyme “rails-rails”. The duration of the session can be up to half an hour.
Komarovsky Evgeny Olegovich, pediatrician of the highest category: “Massage is great not because it changes something in a child’s health. Just children up to a year need constant communication with their mother at the level of contacts. After all, a woman cannot carry a child in her arms 24 hours a day. Therefore, a 20-30 minute massage along with gymnastics allows the baby to make up for this lack of contact. And if you perform actions with skill and in a certain sequence, then the child will sleep peacefully all night, allowing mom to rest.
Bathing
Caring for a child at 4 months necessarily includes daily water procedures.
Usually bathing has a relaxing effect on children and is carried out shortly before a night's sleep.
However, some crumbs feel a real surge of strength after water procedures and then cannot calm down for a long time. In this case, it is necessary to move the bathing to an earlier time.
hardening
The final stage of water procedures is hardening. It implies pouring water over the baby from a ladle, the temperature of which should be 1-2 degrees lower than usual. An alternative option for hardening can be rubbing the skin of the crumbs with a damp terry mitten. At the initial stage, the temperature of the water into which the washcloth is dipped should be 36 degrees, and then gradually decrease.
Lilia, mother of seven-month-old Victoria: “I have many mothers I know who complain about the frequent illnesses of their children. To my sympathetic phrases, they answer: “You feel good, because your daughter is not sick.” And when I try to explain why this is happening, my friends don’t even want to listen. Literally from birth, I harden the child with cool douches, frequent airing of the apartment, walking in light clothes according to the weather. For many overly caring mothers, this is wildness. They are perplexed how it is possible to “freeze” a child and subject him to such “executions”. Apparently, they like to constantly treat their kids much more. ”
Games
Particular attention should be paid to developing activities and games with the child. After all, if two-month-old babies can lie in bed for a long time, watching the mobile or looking at their legs, then at 4 months the child needs educational games and communication with parents. So why not combine the two? You can spend them at any time of the day when the baby is active, not hungry and in a good mood. 
Games at home
For example, a tour around the house with looking at interesting objects or getting to know your body parts through a mirror reflection will be great entertainment for the crumbs. Hide and seek, “crawling” and coups for a toy, finger games, dancing and swaying in the arms of the mother - such a pastime will certainly appeal to the baby.
Toys
As for educational toys, almost any objects can act as their role. The kid has recently learned to consciously grab them and hold them in his hands. Soon he will have to master the skill of shifting objects from one hand to another. Therefore, it is necessary to give the baby as many different things to the touch as possible that will help in the development of his motor skills.
Also, four-month-old babies enjoy spending time in developing rugs, feeling their details and trying to reach hanging toys. Tumblers, noisy jars filled with cereals, tambourines, textile balls, cut through, finger puppets - all these educational toys can interest a child at 4 months old.
Conclusion
Thus, the daily routine of a child at 4 months includes three daily rests and 10-12 hours of night sleep. The number of meals directly depends on the method of feeding the baby and reaches 5-6 times. An obligatory part of the daily routine should be long walks, gymnastics, massage, hygiene procedures and games. Such a busy schedule will not let the baby get bored and will contribute to its full development.
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