At 4 months old, babies start to become more aware of their surroundings and develop several important skills. Here are some of the developmental milestones you can expect to see at this age:.

Social and emotional development

At 4 months, babies become more social and interactive with others. They begin to actively engage with people around them through smiling, cooing, and babbling.

They also start to recognize familiar faces and voices, showing happiness when they see a family member or caregiver.

Language and communication skills

Babies begin to produce more complex sounds, such as coos and gurgles, and babbling. They enjoy practicing their vocal skills and will repeat sounds they hear.

They also begin to understand simple phrases and will respond with coos or other vocalizations.

Motor skills development

At 4 months, babies have better control over their head and neck movements, and can lift their head up to a 90-degree angle while lying on their stomachs. They can also roll over from tummy to back with some assistance.

They begin to reach for and grasp objects with their hands, and can even transfer objects from one hand to the other.

Cognitive development

Babies at this age are starting to understand cause and effect and may experiment with different actions to see what happens. They enjoy playing with toys that make noise or have moving parts.

They also start to show interest in their own hands and feet, watching them move and bringing them to their mouths.

Vision development

Babies can now focus their eyes on objects and track them as they move. They start to develop depth perception and can tell the difference between different colors, shapes, and textures.

Related Article What your 4-month-old baby can do

They also begin to recognize familiar objects and people from a distance.

Sleep patterns

At 4 months, babies typically sleep for around 14-15 hours a day, including naps and nighttime sleep. They may start to consolidate their daytime naps into longer periods, and some babies may start to sleep for longer stretches at night.

However, it is still normal for babies to wake up during the night for feedings or comfort.

Feeding development

Babies at this age are often exclusively breastfed or bottle-fed. They may start to show signs of interest in solid foods, but it is recommended to wait until 6 months of age to introduce solids.

It is important to continue following a feeding schedule and monitoring their weight gain to ensure proper growth and development.

Dental development

By 4 months, babies may start to drool more and put their hands or objects in their mouth. This is a sign that they may be starting to teeth. However, it is still rare for teeth to fully emerge at this age.

Physical growth and development

At 4 months, babies continue to grow and gain weight at a rapid pace. They may have doubled their birth weight and may grow around an inch per month. It is important to monitor their growth and development at regular pediatric checkups.

Conclusion

By 4 months, babies develop several key skills that set the foundation for future growth and development.

Social and emotional development, language and communication skills, motor skills development, cognitive development, vision development, sleep patterns, feeding development, dental development, and physical growth and development are all important areas to keep an eye on during this stage.