Those women who are planning to become mothers treat the sensations in the first days of pregnancy with great responsibility. Observing their bodies, they tend to see any signs of the emergence of a new life.

Experts note that there are two terms of your pregnancy: obstetric term (considered from the first day of menstruation) and true term (calculated from the day of conception). In most cases, it is very difficult to determine the exact day of conception, therefore, in antenatal clinics, the first day of menstruation is considered the starting point. Today we are going to talk about the first days of pregnancy according to the true term.

Turning to science, we note that the first week after conception cannot yet be called pregnancy. The fact is that a fertilized egg within 7-10 days moves to the place where it will be located and develop from embryo to fetus. Only after its attachment to the walls of the uterus can we talk about the onset of pregnancy. Menstruation occurs if this attachment has not occurred, and then the woman does not even suspect that there was conception.

If the fertilized egg has reached the uterus, then it is introduced into the walls of the uterus (). After successful implantation, the umbilical cord and placenta begin to form. The first week after conception is very important in the period of conceiving a new life, since the woman's body perceives the embryo as a foreign body, tries in every possible way to reject it, not allowing it to gain a foothold as it should.

After the successful implantation of the embryo, first of all, hormonal changes occur in the body. The woman begins to produce a special hormone that is responsible for the safety of the fetus in female body early in pregnancy: known as hCG. The presence of this hormone in the blood gives a 100% guarantee of pregnancy. Most doctors and women trust a blood test for hCG more than pregnancy tests in the early days, although the latter also react to the presence of the hormone.

The first days of pregnancy: how to recognize

For a healthy woman, the first sign of pregnancy is always a delay. But, if you do not monitor your general condition and do not plan a pregnancy, then the delay is determined when the pregnancy has already lasted 2-3 weeks. There are several signs that the embryo is implanted into the walls of the uterus in the first days after conception.

Minor spotting

On the 7-12th day after conception, when the embryo is introduced into the walls of the uterus, a woman may experience slight bleeding (implantation bleeding). It may appear as a few brownish or yellowish spots on underwear or paper. If pregnancy is not planned, then this phenomenon is more often perceived as the onset of menstruation. If such spots appear when the pregnancy has already been accurately diagnosed, then this may be a signal for a threat of miscarriage, and requires an urgent visit to a doctor. This sign may be absent in the first days of pregnancy, it all depends on the individuality of the organism.

Increased body temperature and basal temperature

When planning a pregnancy, the method of measuring basal temperature is often used to determine the timing of ovulation. This temperature, with successful fertilization of the egg, first falls and then rises. The lowered basal temperature in the first days of pregnancy is due to two factors:

when pregnancy occurs, estrogen is released, which lowers the temperature;
progesterone is again produced more strongly, which raises the temperature.

Thus, by monitoring your basal temperature, when the pregnancy has already been confirmed, you can see a "pit" with a decrease in temperature on the graph. This decline lasts only 1 day, then the temperature rises. The basal temperature of 37 degrees is considered the norm, until the placenta begins to fully function (the first few weeks). If you do not notice the decline, then elevated temperature within 2-3 weeks it is impossible not to notice.

Feeling slightly unwell

The well-being of a woman in the first days of pregnancy may worsen. Drowsiness and weakness often appear. Many even get a little sick, complaining of a throat and a runny nose. This is all due to a decrease in immunity and the body's struggle with the embryo that takes root.

In the first trimester, body temperature is always elevated, but slightly. Hence the general weakness. The main condition for the normal course of pregnancy with such an ailment is not to be treated with drugs that can harm the unborn child. When planning a pregnancy, it is generally better to abandon all medicines, if they are not absolutely necessary, and to resort exclusively to folk remedies that are not contraindicated during pregnancy.

There is a feeling of apathy, fatigue. This is due not only to the general restructuring of the body, but also to the increased production of progesterone. These sensations can stop quickly, and can drag on until the 10th week of pregnancy, when more estrogen is produced.

Breast tenderness

In the first days of pregnancy, a woman's breasts begin to swell, pain appears, that is, her sensitivity increases. Even the slightest touch can be painful.

Sometimes the opposite happens. Previously, a woman had painful sensations before every menstruation, but now she is surprised that her chest does not hurt. Soon after an amazing moment, she learns about the pregnancy that has come. Often, when pressure is applied to the areola, colostrum can be secreted in early pregnancy.

Severity in the pelvic area

The manifestation of the first days of pregnancy can be a feeling of heaviness in the pelvic organs. Many women begin to feel the uterus immediately after embryo implantation. The degree of this sensation is individual for each organism.

Tingling in the uterus

Tingling in the uterus in the early days of pregnancy is considered an individual indicator, which may indicate not only successful conception and implantation.

Early toxicosis

It is accompanied by nausea and vomiting, along with others, is a sign of the first days of pregnancy. Toxicosis is also considered a special sensitivity to certain smells and food. Feelings of disgust for previously loved foods may develop.

In the early days of pregnancy, you may love what you used to hate. Strange food combinations are also typical for early dates: herring with compote, ram with chocolate, pineapple with sausage. The surrounding people grimace at the sight of such food, and a pregnant woman experiences indescribable bliss.

The first days of pregnancy: false symptoms

Some of the above symptoms may indicate not only the onset of pregnancy. They can indicate bowel disease, cervical erosion and other diseases of the woman's genital organs. These symptoms include bleeding, and nausea, increased urination, breast swelling can also indicate not only the onset of pregnancy.

The first days of pregnancy: what to do

Any method for determining pregnancy begins to work only with the onset of a delay in menstruation. Even knowing the exact day of ovulation, no analysis or test will indicate the onset of pregnancy the next day after fertilization. Analysis for hCG, pregnancy test, ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs is best done in the first week of missed periods.

When planning a pregnancy and assuming its onset, you should completely change your lifestyle six months before conception. If the first symptoms of pregnancy are present, but they do not cause you much discomfort, then wait for the delay and the opportunity to do the test. A visit to a gynecologist in the first week after conception will not give any result other than a stack of referrals for tests.

During this period, you can read something useful and pleasant about pregnancy, ask about the next courses for expectant mothers, take care of your body and start doing gymnastics for pregnant women (even if there is no pregnancy, exercise will never hurt).

Just spend this time with joy and pleasant impressions. Talk to your dad-to-be about a possible miracle. You should go to the doctor after a positive pregnancy test, 2 weeks of delay in menstruation, or if you have gynecological problems.

If the symptoms in the first days of pregnancy manifest themselves very intensely and the malaise increases, then the visit to the doctor should be postponed for more early dates... This is especially true for those who previously had problems conceiving or carrying a pregnancy.

The first trimester of pregnancy is the most critical. At this time, the laying of all the vital organs of the baby takes place. The first days of pregnancy play a huge role in the onset of pregnancy in general.

If you have not planned a pregnancy, then try to predict it (when committing unprotected intercourse) and not harm the baby. If pregnancy is planned, then behave as before: observe proper nutrition, avoid heavy physical exertion and do not be nervous, then a miracle will surely happen.

Checking the article: Lada Sergeeva,
practicing gynecologist

Useful video about the first days of pregnancy

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Your baby is already 4 months old. He has grown up and if you look closely, you will see interesting changes that occur with the color of his eyes and hair color. The hairs with which the baby was born (thin, delicate, curly) gradually fall out, and new ones grow in their place. Note that this process can last a month, or even two.

At 4 months of age, the color of the baby's eyes also changes. If a child was born with light (for example, blue) eyes, and mom and dad have brown eyes, then during the first half of the year, the color of the baby's eyes may change. Don't be alarmed - this is a natural process. Most newborns have light eyes, but by 4-5 months, they darken. Only if the color of the eyes does not change before six months, it is safe to say that this color is forever.

In babies whose parents are dark-haired and brown-eyed, the eye color is predominantly light brown. But when a baby reaches 4 months of age, his eye color becomes as dark as his mom or dad. Therefore, the fourth month of a baby's life can be called the month of the formation of a new quality of hair and a new eye color.

The “fontanelle” on the head is still open, it has no bone tissue, but its size decreases every month. Remember to keep the fontanelle clean.

Every month, the baby continues to gain weight. Parents who have the opportunity to control the weight gain of a child should know that this figure is from 140 to 170 g per week. So, in the 4th month of life, your little one will gain weight from 600 to 750 g. The child's height will increase by about 2-2.5 cm. Due to the gradual development and improvement of muscles, the body infant takes on a strong and well-formed appearance. Do not forget that all of the above indicators are just an oriented norm, with the help of which parents themselves can control the physical development of their baby. For each baby, nature has programmed his individual rate of increase in body weight and height.

At the end of the fourth month, your baby is already confidently holding his head when he lies on his tummy. Even in the supine position, he easily raises his head in order to get the best possible knowledge of his small legs. You will notice that the baby is happy to turn his head in all directions - he examines everything around him and observes you with interest, your actions.

At the age of three months, the baby still cannot roll over from back to tummy. At the 4th month of life, he can already do it. Please note that the baby, lying on his tummy, can already hold his body, while he rests on the forearms of both hands. Now the baby can more confidently try to hold the head and his chest with one hand in order to release the other handle and reach, and possibly grab something interesting.

In the fourth month of life, your baby's hand coordination continues to improve. He not only lifts the pens, but follows them with a coordinated, purposeful gaze. The fingers on the handles are not compressed - the handle is straightened. The kid takes the toy, holds it tightly with two or one handles, moves the toy from side to side, while carefully following the movement of the toy with his eyes. This exercise gives the baby the greatest joy. And rattles, own fingers and fists remain the most "sweet" to taste.

The most favorite exercise of the kid during this period is the "bicycle" - the alternate raising of the legs. From time to time, the baby unbends the legs at the knees, but mostly when he lies quietly, his legs are in a bent state. Doing daily gymnastics with your child, you will see that the motor activity of the legs has improved greatly compared to the previous month, and in all joints.

Put the baby on the piles - you see, he bends and unbends the legs. These exercises are good for strengthening the legs. They give the child a special pleasure if they are accompanied by your singing.

While bathing, the baby shows a desire to swim on the tummy. He persistently makes movement with his pens, moans, sniffs, and even screams because he cannot do it. In these movements, the baby's desire to learn to crawl is manifested. Help your little one in his endeavor.

Some parents believe that at the age of 4 months, the child should already be sitting, or they want to speed up this process, for this they put the baby in pillows. Of course, the baby likes it, he can hold the head upright by himself. But we strongly advise against doing this. First: the baby's muscles are not yet strong enough to be in this position. Secondly: in no case should a child be left alone in a sitting position for a long time, because his back cannot remain in an upright state and therefore it bends, thereby contributing to the deformation of the spine and tires the child. Don't rush those events. Use this exercise when doing gymnastics with your baby: take it by the handles and pull it to a sitting position, then calmly, quietly lower it. This exercise will strengthen the baby's spine.

Sometimes, during gymnastics, you can hear crackling in the elbow and knee joints. Do not worry - this is due to the immaturity of the articular apparatus, which includes muscles, bones, tendons, cartilage. After a few months of massage and gymnastics, the muscles of the arms, legs and torso of the little one will get stronger, and such phenomena will no longer bother you and your baby.

At four months of age, your child will strive to communicate with you. Try to talk to him as much as possible and voice everything that you do.

Now the baby pays attention to all the sounds surrounding him - quiet, loud, listens to the noise. Most kids enjoy listening to music: quiet, calm or rhythmic. This calms them down and cheers them up. But the greatest pleasure for the baby is delivered by sounds, so to speak, of their own production. He repeats their "successful" combination over and over again, as if trying to memorize his own vocal piece.

By the way, in the future, many syllables will be easier to pronounce by the baby, but already as part of real words. Its kind of "purring", gradually change to "giggle", and then to separate sounds, such as "a", "y", "e", "s", "ha".

If, while playing with the baby, you tickle his tummy, then the baby will start laughing loudly - this is a tickling response and a signal social development your child. If suddenly the baby's mood has changed - he has become nervous, sleepy, apathetic, try to find the reason. If you have limited his environment of perception - now correct this mistake. Walking on the street is not only a sweet dream in the fresh air, but also getting to know the environment. After all, there are so many interesting things around! Show your child a flower, a twig of a Christmas tree, leaves of a tree, vegetables, fruits, a dog that runs alongside, a dove that collects crumbs of bread, snow, etc. The kid will get great pleasure from the walk, learn a lot of new things. Do not forget about your most important mission - for the first time in the life of this creature, you are introducing him to the world. And the reward for your efforts will be the sincere smile of your baby.

By the way, it is the smile that is the most important manifestation of happiness and satisfaction. She becomes a manifestation of love for everyone who cares about the baby. Talk a lot with your baby and be sure to praise him for all his achievements, help him successfully overcome the steps of development.

The kid likes to observe moving objects. The movements of the eyeballs became coordinated. If you take bright toy (yellow, blue, orange, red) and show it to the child at a distance of 25-30 cm, then you can see that he not only catches her with his gaze, but also wakes up to follow her with his gaze along the entire trajectory of the toy's movement: to the right, to the left, up down. Please note - the eyes should no longer mow.

At the end of the fourth month, your baby will be able to enjoy a colored world, not black and white.

For a child in the fourth month of life, the formation of language, the development of movements and the expansion of the range of emotional reactions are of great importance. For this, it is necessary to properly organize the time when the child is awake.

If the baby does not sleep, do not leave him in the crib - try to spend this time on the changing table (on a solid surface). You can stroke the baby, then massage, you can do gymnastics. Activities will cheer up and cheer up your baby. And such exercises will certainly delight your little toddler - lay the child on his tummy and put a bright toy in front of him at arm's length, watch the baby - the child will not only focus his attention on the toy, he will want to reach out and touch it. You can experiment with toys and offer your baby a different shape (cube, ball), color, material (fabric, plastic, etc.) each time. Thus, engaging in these simple exercises with your child every day, you will stimulate and develop your baby's desire to crawl.

The child, as in the previous month, seeks to communicate with you. The kid needs to talk to him gently and for a long time, to sing a song. There are children who are soothed by soft, calm music. It can be both classical works and children's songs. Tell your baby nursery rhymes, short fairy tales and just try to talk to him as much as possible, no matter what you do - bathe the child, feed, dress - voice all your actions.

When your baby is 4 months old, you need to visit your local pediatrician. It measures the height of the child, his weight, and determines the physical and mental development. Since you are already well acquainted with your pediatrician, you can ask him all your questions regarding the daily regimen, the introduction of new food products into the child's diet (juices, fruit purees, etc.), new toys for the child that best developed his psycho-emotional sphere.

The pediatrician, for his part, must check whether the prevention of anemia and rickets is being carried out, whether the terms of vaccination are observed.

Every day the baby grows and develops and requires care, love, attention and patience from you. Do not forget that your child is individual, and you need to look for an approach to him, certain methods of upbringing, look closely at him and listen to him. Even if you experienced mom, and this is not your first child - do not dwell on your previous experience of raising older children - constantly learn something new about your baby, watch him, if you have any questions, contact your pediatrician or family doctor, because health depends on it and the future of your family.

The first teeth in infants appear, as a rule, at 5 or 6 months. But there is a certain percentage of babies for whom the process of cutting milk teeth begins at the end of the 4th month. You will notice how your baby's behavior will change during this period. Here are just some of the signs that you need to pay attention to: the child is nervous, restless, practically pulls everything into his mouth and bites with his gums, the temperature can rise to 38-39 ° C. Also, the process of teething, is often accompanied by disorders of the digestive system, runny nose and sore throat. We have given the general signs, what they will be in your child depends on the reaction of the body, body type and maturity of the peripheral and central nervous system.

In the place where the tooth should appear, the gums will be red and slightly swollen. Basically, the lower central incisors appear first. Now the baby is pulling everything into his mouth to scratch the inflamed gum a little. Therefore, we recommend purchasing a teething toy for him - a rubber toy in the form of a ring or other shape with a liquid inside. It should be put in the refrigerator for a while to cool the liquid, and then offered to the baby. The fact is that cold has a calming effect on the gums, it eliminates the feeling of pain and itching of the gums. Today, the pharmacy can offer you a large selection of gels, which include anesthesin, which performs the function of anesthesia, and also soothes the gums in places of their irritation.

Skills and achievements

Physical skills:

the child is gaining weight 700-750 grams. on average per month;
the child's height increases by 2-2.5 cm.

Sensory motor skills:

can hold small objects between index and thumb;
looks in surprise at the object that fell and at the place from which it fell;
all items that fall into the hands, the baby, sends for "testing" in the mouth;
splashes in the bathroom and enjoys bathing;
the baby is interested in smells and distinguishes them;
independently rolls over from back to tummy and vice versa;
the child's body has prepared for the use of denser food (complementary foods);
tries to perform "swimming" movements and move around in the crib;
in the position on the back and stomach, turns the head in different directions;
the child holds the head for a long time;
at different distances focuses the gaze.

Intellectual skills:

in the child, the duration of the active period after daytime sleep increases (about one hour).
in the presence of people, the baby smiles more and "talks" (hums).
the child has a short-term memory of 6 to 8 seconds.
the child likes to imitate a familiar tone and make different sounds.

Social skills:

is interested in his image in the mirror and smiles at him;
the child laughs when they talk to him and screams demandingly if the game stops;
the baby laughs if you tickle him by the leg or under the arms;
makes sounds to attract someone's attention;
listens to music with pleasure;
the child loves to play while playing.

Daily regime

In the fourth month, the baby's day regimen must be organized in the correct sequence: sleeping - eating - walking - sleeping, etc. Between sleep and feeding, certain periods must be observed - this contributes to a good appetite in the child.

During the day, the child sleeps two or three times: once in the morning after breakfast and twice in the afternoon.

At night, the baby's sleep becomes uninterrupted, longer - about 10-11 hours, and deep.

You yourself must determine the time when you need to put the baby to bed, since each baby has its own individual biorhythms.

How do you know whether the child wants to sleep or not? If the baby is tired of playing, he is capricious, yawns, rubs his eyes or, on the contrary, has become very active, turns his head rhythmically and sucks his thumb - these are signs of fatigue that will tell the mother that it is time for the baby to go to bed. As soon as you notice this behavior of the child, immediately put him to bed and do not offer him new games, this will only upset the baby. In this case, it all depends on your talent and ability to guess the "falling asleep code" of your baby.

The night sleep becomes more restful and lasts about 9-11 hours. During the day, the baby sleeps 3-4 times from 1.5 to 2 hours, while the daytime sleep should be in the fresh air. Bathe your child every evening, just before bed - water treatments promote good sleep. Air baths can be carried out for 10-15 minutes before bathing.

The air temperature in the baby's room should not exceed 21-22 ° C. A higher temperature is bad for a child's growth and development.

The room must be ventilated, best of all, through ventilation, while the air exchange is 7 times faster than with an open window. Through ventilation is carried out 5 times a day during the absence of the child. After airing, the room temperature should drop by 2-3 ° C. In summer, it is necessary to constantly keep the window open, while closing it only at night.

Walk with your child at an air temperature of at least -10 ° C twice a day in winter - 1.5-2 hours. In the cold season, to avoid frostbite, apply lanolin oil or baby cream to your baby's face. In summer, the duration of walks increases to 2-2.5 hours 2-3 times a day. Teach your child to sleep in the fresh air - this is very beneficial for him.

The kid needs to be taught not only to low temperatures, but also to high ones. Take the baby outside at a temperature of +31 ° C, first for one minute, gradually increase the walk to 30-60 minutes, then at a temperature of +32 ° C, +33 ° C, +35 ° C. The child should not be in the sun, but in the shade under the leaves of trees. The baby will get used to it and will tolerate high temperatures well. The child should be lightly dressed (a thin T-shirt and chintz romper.)

When hardening a child, you must adhere to the following principles:

the child must be completely healthy;
when hardening, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the baby, his positive emotional reactions;
gradually increase the intensity of hardening procedures;
classes should be conducted systematically;
you can start hardening the child at any time of the year;
after a break, hardening activities with the baby must be restored first.

A very important way of hardening is air baths, which are combined with wet rubdowns in the fourth month of a child's life. Start air baths for 5-10 minutes twice a day at an air temperature of 21-22 ° C. Leave the baby undressed, periodically change the position of the body. Then go to rubdowns (first to dry, then to wet).

Dry rubdowns are carried out with a soft mitten from a terry cloth until slight redness appears on the skin, while taking into account the tenderness of the baby's skin.

After about a week, you can move on to wet rubdown. To do this, moisten a terry mitten in moist water, squeeze it slightly and wipe first the baby's arms from the tips of the fingers to the shoulders, then the legs, chest, stomach and back. After these procedures, all parts of the body should be gently rubbed with a towel until dry and slightly reddened. Start wet wiping with a water temperature of 36 ° C. Then, every three days, lower the water temperature by 1 ° C. The duration of this procedure is 1-1.5 minutes.

Wet rubbing should be combined with massage and gymnastics, which should be done once a day. The duration of this procedure is 8-9 minutes. Each exercise must be repeated 5-6 times. Be sure to stick to regularity and consistency.

hand movements with hugging the body;
turning from the back to the stomach by the right hand;
back massage;
tilting the head back in a suspended position;
abdominal massage;
turn from the back to the stomach for the left hand.

Baby food

At this age, mother's milk remains the most delicious, rational and nutritious food for a baby. After all, for both of you this is not just a feeding process, but an opportunity for very close communication, mutual understanding, tenderness and love. If you notice that you have a little less milk - do not be discouraged, do your best to increase lactation - your baby needs it. Taking into account the recommendations of modern medicine, you can drink herbal tea, which you can buy in almost any pharmacy. Do not forget also that a nursing mother should rest, eat well, drink a lot of warm liquid (tea with condensed milk, compote, herbal tea, etc.).

The baby needs to be fed 6 times a day after 3.5 hours at night intervals after feeding for about 6.5 hours. Depending on the type of feeding (, artificial feeding) in the fourth month, you can enter the first - fruit juice or fruit puree. At the same time, the number of feedings will be reduced to 5 times a day after four hours, and the night interval, on the contrary, will increase to 8 hours. Immediately after the baby wakes up, there will be the first feeding.

Children who are on artificial feeding, enter, starting from 4 months.

Feeding time for children whose diet was not supplemented with complementary foods: 6.00; 9.30; 13.00; 16.30; 20.00; 23.30.

Feeding time for children who have introduced complementary foods: 6.00; 10.00; 14.00; 18.00; 22.00.

An approximate scheme for feeding a child at 4 months of age is provided in the table.

Food volume per feeding, ml

Breast milk or formula

Fruit juice

Breast milk or formula

Fruit puree (grated apple)

Breast milk or formula

Fruit juice

Breast milk or formula

After each feeding, you have 1.5-2 hours to spend with the benefit of the child - games, massage, gymnastics, air baths. Before bedtime, the waking period can be reduced to one hour.

The fourth month is the beginning of a new stage in the development of the child. Since that time, the intensity of weight gain has been decreasing, and now every subsequent month it will be slightly less than in the previous one. Length gains until about the ninth month remain stable - 2 cm each, and then they also begin to decrease. On the other hand, the growth of individual parts of the body is more harmonious and the proportions characteristic of a newborn are changing more and more noticeably.

The baby was born as a "tadpole": the circumference of his head, which was 33-36 cm, was larger than the circumference of the chest. By the end of the month, this ratio had already changed; the head circumference is now 39.5-40.5 cm, and the chest circumference is 40-41 cm.

The head-to-chest ratio is essential not from an aesthetic standpoint (although why not?), But as a diagnostic sign. Too fast growth of the head can be an indicator of increased intracranial pressure, and therefore, some, albeit insignificant, disturbance in the activity of the central nervous system. Large head, convex frontal tubercles are also characteristic of "blooming" rickets. A too small, very slowly growing head makes it possible to suspect brain underdevelopment.

The chest circumference is a kind of mirror of the general condition of the child. If it grows a little, does not "overtake" the head, one has to think about whether the child is feeding correctly, whether he digests food well, are there any other reasons for the lag in physical development?

Development of a four month old baby

Already by 4 months, lying on his stomach, a healthy child easily lifts the upper half of the body and not only looks ahead with interest, but also freely turns his head to the right and left, if something there attracts his attention. The abdomen fits snugly against the litter, the thighs are wide apart, the feet are in the air.

Lying on his back, the child raises both arms and legs, plays with them, grabs the feet with his hands with the explicit intention of pulling them into his mouth.

IN early age mouth is an organ of cognition. Any object that becomes available to the child will first of all be tasted, licked, examined with the tongue and gums. When you hold out a toy that is comfortable to grip, he also pulls it to his mouth. It is useless to prevent this, but what is absolutely necessary is to wash the toy every day with soap and rinse it with boiled water, and choose one that does not have sharp bulges, corners, and if it is a rattle, check if any some small details.

The child is already able to stay awake for an hour and a half in a row, and for a long time he entertains himself: he tries to pull down the braid with toys hanging above him, feels them, shakes, moves.

But 15-20 minutes pass, and he begins to demand communication. First, he tries to attract the attention of an adult who has appeared in his field of vision with a smile, buzz, movements of his arms and legs, and having exhausted peaceful means - with a whimper and even a cry. It is his need and right to be with you. Play with him, talk, pick him up, walk around the room.

Hair and nail trimming

In caring for a child of the fourth month of life, a new thing appears - cutting nails and hair. Long nails of a baby are a place of accumulation of dirt, the possibility of minor injuries to the mucous membranes and skin scratching. The cut line of the nails on the fingers should be arched, on the legs - straight. It is this form of cutting toenails that prevents possible ingrowth of their corners into soft tissues.

Hair in children of this age is usually still short. But some, to the delight of their parents, have wild curls. If the baby's head sweats a lot or seborrhea appears on its scalp, long hair should be trimmed as they interfere with skin care.

Wet rubdown

Further development of the child's motor abilities leads to the fact that he begins to straighten and bend his limbs with force and, naturally, can throw off the blanket or diaper covering him. In this case, the baby, if not dressed in sliders, can turn around and expose the lower half of the body. Cooling the skin reflexively induces urination. Wet feet cool faster. And the natural feature of a person is such that cooling the soles reflexively causes swelling of the nasopharynx. In addition, in a small child, due to imperfect maintenance of body temperature, general cooling may occur, that is, what is called a cold.

However, the baby cannot be kept "under the hood." Changes in the environment will surely affect him, no matter how carefully parents take care of him. It is necessary to prepare the child to endure such unexpected cooling without harm. For this, the complex of hardening procedures must be replenished with wet rubdowns. It is convenient to combine them with the child's shared toilet. At the same time, the entire surface of the body, literally from the crown to the heels, is wiped with a damp sponge (soft cloth). This should be done in stages. First you need to wipe the upper limbs and chest, put on a shirt and only then wipe each leg separately. Rubdown is the best gymnastics for vessels. With short-term cooling, the vessels narrow, reducing the loss of heat from the skin. An organism trained in this way, once in an unfavorable situation, cools down more slowly.

Baby feeding

The basis of nutrition for a child under one year old is breast milk, it makes up almost 100% of the child's diet at 4 months. If the child develops according to age and there are no health problems, it is not necessary to introduce complementary foods at this age.

In the fourth month, especially with artificial feeding, children often develop constipation. Keep in mind, however, that constipation is judged not so much by the regularity of the stool as by its consistency. If the stool happens only once a day, but it is mushy, soft, and does not bother the child, do not worry either. If, at the time of bowel movement, the child pushes strongly and sometimes to no avail, blushes, strains, and his stool is hard and dry, help is needed. Prune puree is very useful in this case - the berries need to be washed, boiled and the pulp rubbed. You can give your child a decoction of prunes, 2-3 teaspoons of beet juice (just not freshly squeezed, but standing for a couple of hours in the refrigerator, and then warmed up to room temperature).

For children with a tendency to loose stools, apple puree is preferable. If fresh fruits are scarce now (oranges and tangerines do not count, they are not given to children under one year old!), Then you can successfully use dried fruits, make mashed potatoes - an assortment of dried apples, pears, dried apricots.

From four months old, children prone to rickets (premature, born in winter or autumn) can be given cottage cheese. Cottage cheese is a source of protein and calcium, the most important building materials for the formation of new cells, strengthening the musculoskeletal system, and most importantly - a source of vitamin D. The child is given cottage cheese only perfectly fresh, semi-liquid, without lumps.

From four months old, yolk may also be included in the baby's menu at the direction of your pediatrician. The egg is a unique product. In a small volume, nature has accommodated almost all the basic substances necessary for normal life. This is a complete set of essential amino acids, and even in the most optimal proportions, complete fat, minerals, including iron, B vitamins, vitamin A and a significant amount of vitamin D, which is so necessary for a child. Almost all minerals and vitamins are concentrated in the yolk, it contains up to 30% fat, moreover, in the form of an emulsion that is easily digested and absorbed.

Sadly, eggs often cause allergic reactions. Allergenic properties are inherent mainly in protein, therefore, children under one year old are given only hard-boiled yolk. Boil the egg for at least 20 minutes. Heat treatment reduces the allergenicity of the yolk, almost without changing its beneficial properties. Another measure to reduce allergenicity is to remove the thin film covering it from the boiled yolk. Give the child a grain at a time, gradually increasing to a quarter of the yolk every other day by 6 months.

Of course, everything new is introduced in turn and, as always, starting with the smallest quantities.

Puree - from an incomplete teaspoon and up to 4-5 tablespoons.

Yolk - literally from crumbs rubbed in breast milk or mixture, and up to a quarter of the yolk every other day.

Cottage cheese - from a quarter teaspoon to 4-5 tablespoons.

It is better to give the yolk and the first portions of cottage cheese before feeding, and mashed potatoes and juices after. Last night feed - only breast milk or formula.

The total amount of food by the end of the fourth month is increased to 160-170 ml. For some children, this is no longer enough for 3.5 hours, but for 4, and they themselves suggest that it is time to switch to five meals a day. But, as a rule, it remains for the time being six times.

Preventive vaccination

Your main concern in the fourth month is to prepare your child for preventive DPT vaccination against whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus and for vaccination against polio.

The child's immune system has already passed the first test - the anti-tuberculosis vaccine BCG, given in the maternity hospital. Evidence that the vaccine worked was the appearance of a painless tubercle at the site of its introduction in one and a half to two months, which soon disappeared, leaving a scar behind. There is reason to believe that, while protecting against tuberculosis, the BCG vaccine simultaneously stimulates the immune system. So now the child's body is quite ready to accept the new vaccine and respond to it by developing protective antibodies.

The vaccination is carried out three times, at intervals of six weeks, and if it is done without delay, then by six or seven months, that is, by the time when the child usually spends longer on the street and communicates with a large number of other children and adults, he will already be reliably protected.

An indispensable condition: in order for immunity to develop well, the child must be healthy not only at the time of vaccination, but also at least a month before it.

If someone in the family coughs and sneezes - let them not approach the baby! Strictly observe the hygiene regime, do not give the child new products on the eve of vaccination, do not change his daily routine. Even more carefully it is necessary to prepare for vaccination of children who have manifestations of diathesis, and especially those who have even minor neurological disorders. In these cases, a neurologist must authorize the vaccination. Perhaps he will propose an individual vaccination plan or prescribe preventive drugs, against which the vaccination will be more successful.

For such children, a special, attenuated vaccine has been created without the pertussis component, which is the most allergenic. But then the opportunity to catch whooping cough will remain. Although this disease is not as dangerous as diphtheria, it is very debilitating, and if there is no direct indication for the use of an attenuated vaccine, it is not necessary to seek it!

The vaccination itself is easy and painless. The vaccine is given in one intramuscular injection and the child is immediately given a few drops of polio vaccine to swallow. Many children do not have any adverse reactions. But be prepared for the fact that the temperature may rise on the very first day, the child will be capricious, it will be worse to eat. If this is not an unfortunate coincidence with some beginning disease, then the next day the temperature will become normal, and after a couple of days everything will return to normal.

It is also possible that a small infiltrate appears at the injection site - swelling and redness, but it also gradually fades and disappears. More serious complications are very rare, although, unfortunately, not completely ruled out.

If the temperature rises above 38 °, the child is not just capricious, but cries non-stop for several hours in a row, rashes or blisters like urticaria appear on the body - you must immediately call a doctor!

What a baby can do at 4 months

Starting from the fourth month, lying on his tummy, the baby raises his head high, resting on his forearms. At this time, he comprehends complex types of movement. For example, he tries to work the muscles of his back and legs. Feeling your own body plays a very important role for your baby! It is very important to stimulate this sensation with massage, games and gentle touches.
4 month for your baby "training." The back is still weak, the baby begins to pull himself up in order to sit down in the future. He loves to be supported under his arms, lifted by the arms and tends to dance.
At this age, the child sleeps only 3 times a day, and is awake for two hours in a row.
The kid actively walks around and recognizes his mother, rejoices, he easily has a "revitalization complex".
By the end of 4 months, the baby can laugh loudly and contagiously! What surrounds him is becoming more and more interesting for him. By sound, he can find people, look forward and backward, over his shoulder. He responds to his relatives with joyful hum.
The kid gets scared if he hears an angry voice loved one... His face changes mimicry, he may even cry!
At this age, the baby can easily distinguish between the timbre and the power of sounds, under beautiful classical music he is awake and happy with it, and tired, he falls asleep under a gentle lullaby. If you enjoy dancing with your toddler, dance! Gently swing the child to a slow melody and more quickly to a rhythmic one. Thus, you will develop a sense of rhythm in your baby through movement.
At this age, babies get great pleasure from playing with sounds. Quite independently of the mother's speech, children all over the world begin to pronounce the first syllables: "ba", "ma", "am", "ta", etc. Some babies can change the tonality and volume of their speech and even hum whole melodies.
All sounds for crumbs are alive! He just enjoys them. The sense of speech, each vowel and consonant has certain properties for the child. Therefore, kids love to listen to poems, even those that seem strange to you.
At this time, the initial development of the eyeball is completed.
The child examines objects, as if feeling them with a glance, determining their shape and size. Such a long and varied visual concentration, his attention to objects, active humming - all this is evidence of normal psychophysical development.
The development of vision allows the baby to examine and memorize objects and people in detail. At this age, he begins to distinguish some colors, to catch the difference in the shape of figures, for example, an oval, a triangle and a rectangle. He begins to react to the change in the appearance of a person whom he knows well. Mom put on a new dress, hat or glasses - all this is interesting for him, he tries to examine and study everything, in a new image he strives to recognize his own face.
At 4 months, the baby will already rejoice at his reflection in the mirror. He will greet his "stranger" with a joyful and radiant smile.
At the fourth month, the baby is already trying to turn on the side. A little later, he will be able to roll over from his stomach to his back. All these movements are still uncertain, and more like rollovers.
Having come across toys, he examines them, seeks to grab and touch. He still does not know how to grab objects on his own, but he holds the enclosed rattle in his palm quite firmly.
Any objects that fall into the baby's hands must fall into the mouth for further research. This is a new step in the development of the child! The baby strives to know the world with the help of his sensitive mouth. This is how he gains experience of tactile sensations ...
During feeding, the baby skillfully captures and holds the mother's breast or bottle with its little hands.

A baby appeared in the family. This has always been great news for family and friends. But with the appearance of the crumbs, parents will certainly face the fact that they do not know how to ensure the correct care and development of the child. At 4 months, significant changes in the baby's behavior occur. In addition, from the very birth, the baby begins to develop processes that affect his future life. That is why it is important to know what and how to do it right during this period, how to develop a baby at 4 months.

Pediatric physiology

At 4 months old, developing games are very important to a child. Children will be greatly pleased if we add fun with an unbreakable mirror that can be attached to a crib or a developing rug, playpen. The kid will be able to observe their reflection, smile and movements. By the way, the child can already independently play with himself with handles and legs. Socks and bracelets with funny animals and bells are perfect for this. Thus, at the age of 4 months, the child's developmental games serve as leisure, development, and entertainment. Give them due attention.

Mastering coups

The development of a child at 4 months of age includes the development of new movements. These include independent baby coups on the tummy. If you put the child on his stomach, he will lift the head and arms. From the outside, it will look like pushing an adult off the floor. This movement helps to develop muscles and understand the world around us much better. When the baby rolls over on his tummy, he may get scared. At this moment, it is important to praise, please and encourage the baby so that he is not afraid.

Child and objects

There are many opinions on the topic: "Baby 4 months - how to develop?" You can argue and argue indefinitely, but each will certainly touch upon the topic of the baby's interaction with objects. At 4 months, the child begins to pull into his mouth literally everything that only comes into his hands. What can be done to prevent this behavior? The answer is simple - nothing. This is a completely natural process of learning about the world around us, but there are several rules, observing which, you can protect your baby from the adverse outcomes of his research activities. First, remember that you should not leave small objects near the baby. He, as already mentioned, begins to examine the little thing, after which he drags it into his mouth. In addition, if a child can reach an object on their own, then be sure that it will be in your baby's arms.

Remember, even the simplest but safest thing can take a child for a long time. If you give a rattle, then you will notice that your toddler shakes it cheerfully so that it rattles. You should not keep things with filler near him, which he can tear and taste the contents.

At this time, for the correct development of the child, the child will come in handy.It will certainly help the correct formation of the child's skeleton.

What can and can a baby at 4 months old?

So we discussed the question of how to develop such a young age can already a lot. For example, they learn to roll over on their stomach (we talked about this earlier). In addition, the baby learns to crawl (at first in his bellies), helping himself with his arms and legs. Around this time, some children are already trying to sit. However, in no case force events and be sure to support the back of the crumbs.

Regardless of nationality, a baby at 4 months will already begin to show signs of speech. He must clearly pronounce the syllables "ba", "ma", "pa", of which he will later compose the most primitive, but his first words. It is these syllables that parents often consider the baby's first words.

The child's day is also increasing. Now he can stay awake for more than two hours in a row. For a while, the baby can entertain himself on his own. This allows parents to devote at least a little time to each other and household chores.

During the same period, the child is very actively learning about the world around him. As we have already said, he tries to pull all objects that fall into his hands into his mouth. Thus, the knowledge of the world takes place. The baby's behavior requires constant observation and attention. At this time, he can easily choke or get hurt, trying to try something "by the mouth". It would be nice to start removing all sharp objects in the house and hiding them, because the time is not far off when the baby learns to crawl and walk, which means that the area of \u200b\u200bhis research activities will increase significantly.

The end result

Now you can take stock of what a 4 month old baby can do, how to develop it and how to understand that your baby is developing correctly. You should not immediately panic about the fact that your child is lagging behind in development if he does not cope with the tasks that we have described in this article. Slightly "delayed reaction" is often observed when the baby is born prematurely.

Do not despair if your child does not know how to do what one or another of his peers can already do. Remember that all children develop in different ways, you should not compare your baby with someone, compare him only with yourself (the way he was a week, a month ago, what he learned, etc.).

This article is not a canon that a baby must obey and 100% comply with.

Most importantly, remember that from birth, a baby needs your attention and care.

Only you, the parents, are responsible for his development and health. Give your child more attention, raise him in kindness, love and affection. Only in this case the baby will develop correctly and actively, even if in comparison with others he will be slightly "lagging behind". Now you know how to develop a baby at 4 months old. Good luck to you and your baby!

In the fourth month of a baby's life, important changes take place in his social, psychological and emotional development. During this period, the baby learns to interact with the people around him, consciously studies toys and objects, begins to show an active interest in the events taking place around him. Changes also occur in physical development - the proportions of the child's body are gradually approaching the proportional parameters of an adult.

To assess the level of development of an infant who is already 4 months old, the features of visual perception and the formation of speech skills are of great importance. Even if the baby is a little behind its peers, this can easily be corrected with the help of special activities and educational games. It also happens that the inconsistency of an infant's skills with existing standards is the first sign of serious neurological disorders and other severe pathologies, so parents should know the developmental characteristics of a child at 4 months.

How much should a baby weigh at four months

During the first year of life, the baby should undergo a monthly routine examination by a local pediatrician. At each appointment, the baby is necessarily weighed, his height, head and chest circumference are measured. These are the most important anthropometric indicators that make it possible to assess the state of the child's health and the correctness of his development.

Table of indicators of height and weight of boys and girls

For example, a discrepancy between the size of the chest and age norms may indicate a lack of vitamin D 3 and be a sign of rickets - a progressive disorder of metabolic processes that causes dystrophy of bone tissue and pathology of the nervous system. Too large a head circumference in some cases can be a clinical manifestation of hydrocephalus - a dangerous disease in which there is an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain. For the timely diagnosis of these diseases, it is necessary to monitor changes in these parameters and seek medical help in time.

It is equally important to regularly measure the height and weight of the child - this will help in time to suspect the pathology of the endocrine system (for example, a violation of the synthesis of insulin and adrenal hormones). The weight of a baby at 4 months can range from 6 to 7 kg. The average gain during this period is about 700-750 g, since the infant's motor activity is still at a low level. The average height of a four-month-old baby is 64 cm.Some children at this age grow up to 68 cm - this is also considered a variant of the norm if no abnormalities are found in the blood and urine tests.

The following factors can affect the weight and height of a child at 4 months:

the type of feeding (children who receive milk formulas as food gain weight a little faster);
heredity;
birth weight;
psycho-emotional situation in the family;
the number and duration of walks.

Important! If the indicators of physical development are much different from normal values, the baby needs a comprehensive examination, as this may be a sign of neurological, endocrine disorders, as well as diseases of the heart and vascular system.

What a baby should be able to do at 4 months

During this age period, the muscular system of the baby is actively developing, helping the baby to become aware of his body, study it and prepare for the fulfillment of the main task of the first year of life - the ability to walk.

Motor skills

The muscles of a child at 4-5 months are already strong enough to perform many actions:

conscious grasping of objects (not to be confused with reflex actions) and shifting them from hand to hand;
holding the head in a prone position and lifting the upper body with support on the palms;
turning from back to stomach and back;
raising the shoulder body and head while lying on the back (first attempts to sit down);
grabbing the bar or hand of an adult while lying on his back trying to pull up;
the ability to hold the mother's breast or bottle with the handles while feeding;
lifting the buttocks and pushing away with the legs while lying on the stomach (the makings of crawling).

After the baby has mastered all the above skills, it is better to lower him to the floor, limiting the space for movement with the help of pillows or special floor playpens. This has a positive effect on the physical and intellectual development child and allows you to explore the world around you from a new angle.

Important! In no case should the baby sit down if he himself does not attempt to sit down and cannot support his back on his own. Too early attempts to plant a baby can cause diseases of the spine (osteochondrosis, scoliosis). In girls, this practice can lead to impaired functioning of the reproductive organs and bending of the uterus.

Physiological development

In the fourth month of life, the most important physiological changes occur in the child's body, affecting almost all organs and systems and determining the degree of his health and development in the future.

Hearing.The baby is able to determine the source of the sound. It is considered normal at this age if the baby responds to speech addressed to him from a distance of 2-2.5 meters.
Vision. The possibilities of the organ of vision for the perception and differentiation of various shades and colors are expanding, visual acuity is improving. Many children at this age may have a change in their eye color. The baby sees well not only up close, but also like an adult, at a distance of 20-30 cm. At 4 months old, a baby should be able to focus on toys and other objects, as well as people who are talking to him. Many babies are born with mild strabismus due to weakness in the optic muscles. In 4 months this condition should pass. If this does not happen, it is necessary to show the baby to a doctor in order to exclude pathologies of the organs of vision and various forms of neurological disorders, for example, cerebral palsy.
Lacrimal glands. In the fourth month of life, the crying of a baby is already accompanied by tears, and not just loud sounds with a negative connotation.
Hair and nails. Hair also begins to grow actively at the age of 4-5 months. Grow faster and nail plates, the skin of the periungual ridges is compacted. This is due to the normalization of digestive processes and the improvement of absorption of beneficial elements that directly affect the nutrition of hair follicles and epidermal cells.
Digestive system. By the age of 4 months, the production of digestive enzymes necessary for the digestion and breakdown of food is normalized in the baby's body. This is manifested by the following signs: elimination, compaction of feces (stool design), regularity of bowel movements, relaxation of the abdominal muscles. The crumb is becoming calmer. Appetite improves, sleep quality improves. Some babies at this age may go on eight hours of sleep with one night's meal.
The typical reflexes of newborns are almost not traced.Only a few reflexes remain: sucking, crawling reflex, Moro reflex. The search reflex can be partially preserved, which is eventually replaced by a reaction to a visual stimulus (revitalization of the baby at the sight of a bottle with a mixture, a breast prepared for feeding), a grasping reflex, a Galant reflex. If a child still has a proboscis reflex, Babkin's reflex, an automatic walking reflex by the fourth month of life, this may indicate damage to the central nervous system.

Mental and emotional development

The baby's actions become more persistent and purposeful, the character is balanced, the possibility of unexpected crying for no apparent reason gradually disappears. At this age, it is interesting for a child to be alone, to study his body, so some children can devote up to 30 minutes to classes without the participation of adults.

Humming... At 4 months old, the baby actively walks during wakefulness and tries to pronounce the first syllables using consonants.
Emotionality. A four-month-old baby vividly expresses his emotions: laughs, shows joy, takes airs. He enjoys interacting with adults.
The child learns to react to the words of his mother or another person who is with him most of the time. Many children at this age react not only to the speech of a loved one, but also to his presence. This can be manifested by active humming, smiles, stretching of consonants (most often "a", "o" and "y").
In the fourth or fifth month of life, the child recognizes the voice of people he knows. The reaction can be manifested by turning the head, smiling, active movements of the arms and legs. Positive emotions can arise while listening to familiar music, songs, favorite fairy tales.
The rudiments of gesture communication appear. The baby can stretch out his hands, thereby showing his desire to be in his mother's arms.
The infant shows signs of interest in the things around him. If he wants to take an object or look at it better, then his lips are stretched out with a "proboscis", breathing quickens and the baby is drawn to the object.
Active knowledge of your own body.With his hands, the baby feels his legs, thereby, as if fixing the fact of presence in consciousness, examines them, sucks his toes.

Important! A sign of healthy social and emotional development is the division of the people around them into “us” and “strangers”. When the kid sees a stranger, he shows anxiety, begins to scream and cry, tries to turn away in the other direction. In the presence of mom or other close people, the baby smiles, actively walks and shows signs of interest in communication.

Singing in infants 4-5 months of age is a sign of healthy emotional development and social adaptation. During this period, it is important to talk more with the baby, play games, while explaining all the actions and naming the surrounding objects. Reading fairy tales and singing calm songs, such as lullabies, has a positive effect on emotional and speech development. Even if the mother does not work with the baby, but at this time is in the same room with him, you should often communicate with the baby in order to improve psycho-emotional perception, which largely determines the character and personality traits of the baby in preschool and school age.

Video calendar of child development from 4 to 5 months

How to develop a four month old baby

Toys for the development of a four month old baby

Great value in correct development for a baby 4-5 months have toys. Pediatricians advise purchasing the following toys for crumbs of this age:

brightly colored rattles, bells and other toys to attract attention and stimulate crawling skills;
cloth toys and scraps for the development of tactile perception;
tissue bags filled with various cereals to develop tactile sensations;
rag bracelets and toys with pendants for the development of fine motor skills.

All toys must be bright and made from safe materials. Preference should be given to products painted in natural colors: yellow, green, red, blue or orange.

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