Development of a 4-Month-Old Baby

Because babies grow so quickly, their development can change weekly. At four months, babies continue to build on skills they've already mastered, and they begin to master new ones, such as tracking and supported standing. Development varies baby to baby, so each baby might not master the typical four-month skills at the same time.

  1. Identification

    • The fourth month is the beginning of a highly interactive time in an infant's life. Baby will begin to roll, wiggle, squirm and scoot. In addition, his vision and language skills continue to develop, so he's more able to interact with his surroundings. Babycenter says that babies at four months understand the basics of their native language. In addition, Dr. William Sears, author of "The Baby Book," says that a four-month-old baby has mastered binocular vision, so he's easily able to gaze at familiar faces.

    Time Frame

    • During the fourth month, babies usually experience the following developmental changes:
      Baby will be able to fix his eyes on a moving target. With this ability, the baby can also fix his eyes on his parents' face and interact with them.
      Expect a few new baby poses during the fourth month. Baby should be able to lie on his stomach with his head up, sit propped up and stand supported. Hold your baby in the standing position to see if she can bear her weight for a few seconds.
      Expect baby to roll stomach to side.
      In addition to drooling, baby might also begin to blow bubbles and make "oh" and "ah" sounds.
      The four-month-old may laugh when tickled.
      Expect baby to amuse himself with his hands, rattles and other toys.

    Considerations: Teething

    • Around four months, babies may start to feel their teeth coming in. It's possible that they will feel them before parents see them. Look for the following signs that he's teething or about to: drooling, excessive sucking on his fingers or wrist, gumming the nipple while nursing or chomping down on a bottle nipple, and excessive fussiness.

    Warning

    • By the beginning of their fourth month, most babies can scoot, wiggle and roll. Never leave a baby unattended on a changing table or unbuckled in an infant seat. Place infant seats only on the floor. Never leave a baby unattended on a couch or bed, as she could roll off.

    Expert Insight

    • Sears says that nearly all parents will, at some point, feel as if their baby isn't doing what others his age are. He says that the age of a developmental milestone isn't as important as the progression of the milestones. Rather than age, focus on the sequence of baby's development.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • One-Month-Old Baby’s Growth And Developmental Milestones
      When you observe one-month-old babies’ milestones in terms of development, you will notice how a whole new world unlocks for them at this age. They develop new abilities and are more responsive, physically dexterous, and cognitively capable than when
    • How to Play With a 2-Month-Old Baby
      A 2-month-old has made the adjustment to life outside the womb and is ready to face new challenges. Playing with her will help her grow and develop. (The following information has been adapted from Dr. Segals book series, Your Child at Play.)
    • Role of a Caregiver on Language Development
      The primary caregivers for most children are parents. The role of parents in language development is critical. The early years of language acquisition are by far the most important to a child's ability to understand language and communicate