4 Months: On a Roll

4 Months: On a Roll

Your baby at 4–6 months

This time is all about discovering new ways to connect with your baby.

What your baby can do

Your baby is learning to control their body:

• They push up to see the world around them and roll to get closer to you or a fun toy

• They can sit with help and hold their head up

• They may start to rock back and forth on their hands and knees to get ready to crawl

Your baby is using their hands and fingers to explore:

• They reach for and hold toys and objects

• They explore things with their fingers, hands, and mouth to learn what they can do

What you can do

Place your baby in different positions to help them build new skills like rolling, creeping, and crawling.

• Let them explore the world in new ways - give them time on both their back and stomach, and help them sit with support

• Always put them to sleep on their back

Offer your baby toys to explore. Pick ones with different shapes, sizes, textures, and sounds. Show them ways to use toys by shaking, banging, pushing, and dropping.

Watch and respond to your baby's cues. "You are smiling. I think you like looking in the mirror. Do you want to look at yourself again?"

Every child grows at their own pace. Your baby may reach milestones faster or slower than other babies and still be growing just fine.

What your baby can do

Your baby is using sounds, actions, and faces to talk to you:

• When you shake a rattle, they may smile and move their arms and legs to show they want to keep playing

• They make different sounds in response to your sounds, like babbling, cooing, and gurgling

Your baby is getting used to the world around them:

• They may be starting to have a more regular eating and sleeping schedule

• They are starting to notice daily routines, like when the lights go down, they learn it is time for sleep

What you can do

Have back-and-forth chats with your baby. When you reply to their babbles, they know you care about what they are saying, and this helps them learn to talk.

Create routines for your baby.

• Help your baby know it is time to sleep by doing the same things in the same order, like bath, feeding, then a lullaby at bedtime

• Make up a song and sing it as you get ready to feed your baby. Each time they hear it, they will know milk is coming. This may calm them and help them learn to wait.

Other things to know and try

Responding to your baby's cries is not spoiling them. When you respond to your baby's cues, you help your child build stronger thinking and social skills. These three steps can help you understand what your baby is saying:

• Watch and listen. Look for patterns in their cries, sounds, faces, and body movements. Does your baby suck their fingers when hungry?

• Understand. Use your baby's cues to figure out what they need. For example, your baby may pull on their earlobes when sleepy.

• Respond. Use your baby's cues to choose what to do. You might take a break from playing when they arch their back and look away, which often means they feel overwhelmed.

At this visit

The care team will measure your baby's length, weight, and head size, and they will check their heart, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Your healthcare provider will discuss vaccines with you at today’s visit. The team will talk with you about your baby's growth, sleep, eating, and safety, and there will be time for any questions or concerns you have.

What comes next

Between 6 and 9 months, your baby will become even more curious and on the move. Many babies begin to sit on their own, start to crawl, and use their hands to explore everything they can reach. You may also notice your baby becoming more aware of familiar and new faces, and wanting to stay close to the people they love most.

Have more questions? Talk to your baby's healthcare provider or one of the professionals supporting your family.