Appointments – What's scheduled in the 4th month?

• U4: If the U4 has not yet taken place in the third month of life, now is the time. At the appointment, remember the certificate your health insurance sent you in advance. The pediatrician must sign this after the examination so that you can send it back to your health insurance or the responsible office.

• Booster vaccination: With the second six-in-one vaccination the basic immunization from the first vaccination is "refreshed". Even if your baby showed no side effects after the first vaccination, it may react to the second vaccination with fever, lethargy or diarrhea – as a precaution you should have something on hand to reduce fever.

• Finding a babysitter: Even if many parents initially find it difficult to entrust their few-month-old baby to another person – the short break from everyday life is worth it. If no grandparents or experienced friends are available, acquaintances may have a tip for a trustworthy babysitter, even if it's only for a few hours.

Important developmental milestones in the 4th month

• Physical development: Your baby has roughly doubled its birth weight in the fourth month. Most babies no longer need to be fed as often now because they drink larger amounts and stay full longer.

• Sleeping: Perhaps it sometimes happens now that your child sleeps six or seven hours in a row at night. But it usually takes a while before that's the norm. Overall the nights become a bit calmer as your little one develops a regular sleep rhythm.

• Muscle development: Many babies can hold their head upright well while lying on their stomach in the fourth month. When they prop themselves up with their arms, their field of vision expands – at the same time they exercise the muscles they will later need for crawling.

• Laughing and "talking": Your baby already shows quite clearly what it likes and what it doesn't. It has learned to laugh out loud and even tries from time to time to respond to simple sounds like "buh" or "bah" when it hears them.

How much should my child weigh in the 4th month?

The physical development now progresses somewhat less rapidly than in the first months of life, so there are not very large changes in height and weight. Instead, the motor development of your little miracle is now the focus as it learns to control its body. In the fourth month your baby is about between 62 and 64 centimeters tall and weighs between 6,400 and 7,000 grams.

Image credits

Modern baby scale on the table and a blurred woman with a child in a house © New Africa - stock.adobe.com