MONTH 4
Please
keep in mind that all babies are unique. Whether your
baby reaches milestones early or late, he has his
own developmental path to follow. The dividing lines
between these months are very fuzzy. If you have any
concerns or questions about your baby’s development,
please check with his health care provider.
Brain Development
Thanks
to modern technology, we know more about early brain
development than ever before. Empirical research has
confirmed what every parent already knows intuitively:
early experiences are critical for shaping how babies
think and learn.
When you held your baby
for the first time, he was born with an astonishing
100 billion brain cells. These cells will be connected
in networks as the brain matures. And by his third
birthday, his brain has formed about 1000 trillion
connections. How these connections are formed is based
upon baby -- his developing interests, his discoveries,
his learning about the world.
You are the First Teacher
This month, watch how baby watches you. By studying
your face, your eyes, and your expressions, baby is
learning. When he bats at a toy or holds a rattle,
neural connections are being formed. Incredibly, these
are the same connections that may help him one day
to hit a baseball, solve an arithmetic problem or
strum a guitar.
Sometimes
parents get so excited about their young baby’s developing
skills, they encourage certain types of play. We understand
this sort of excitement. It is hard to believe how
much baby can do already.
Watch
baby and learn what sorts of activities baby is attracted
to on his own. If baby likes to lie on his back and
bat at toys, lie beside him and talk about what he
is doing. If baby likes to be held upright, bounce
him a bit and talk to him about what he is seeing.
You know better than anyone what your child likes
to do. By supporting his natural interests, you are
showing respect for his development as a unique individual.
Massage
Touch
is a powerful way to support baby’s early brain development
and your loving relationship. Cuddling your baby when
he is upset or stroking his head as he falls asleep
actually releases hormones that are important for
his growth.
Studies
have shown that babies who are regularly massaged
gain weight faster and have deeper periods of sleep.
Cortisol, a stress hormone that inhibits growth, is
found to be produced less by infants who are regularly
massaged by their primary caregivers. By making massage
part of baby’s routine, you may be surprised one day
by his little hands wanting to lovingly massage your
weary parental shoulders after a long day. It is not
a bad family tradition to start!
A Little Book Worm
A
child is never too young to appreciate a good book.
His way of enjoying a book right now may be by touching
the hard cover, trying to turn the pages, looking
at you reading to him, and even taking a taste of
the pages.
His
interest in books at this age may appear to be fleeting,
but even a few precious seconds with a book make a
lasting impression. Keep reading to him. The gentle
sound of your voice, especially with sing-song or
rhythmic text, the closeness of being on your lap
and the experience of touching the book are very exciting
for him.
Choose
books that are short, have sturdy pages and are about
things that are interesting to him. We have a selection
of popular books chosen by our panel of child readers.
One
day soon, he will start to be more interested in the
sounds you are making and the objects that these sounds
represent. It won’t be long before he will be picking
up a book, handing it to you to read to him and practicing
to say the sounds -- over and over.
Rolling Over
Around
this time, some babies roll over. As with all milestones,
there is a huge age range as to when babies roll over.
Some studies have questioned whether babies are rolling
over later with the current emphasis on putting them
on their backs to sleep. Obviously, the importance
of preventing SIDS is the bottom line. Still, it is
important to keep putting baby on his tummy for short
periods of time to play and build his muscles.
The
first time baby rolls over is usually from tummy to
back. The round shape of his tummy allows for fun
side-to-side rocking and then a roll over. This feat
can be startling for baby. Some babies will immediately
roll over again and others won’t repeat the milestone
for weeks.
You
can support baby by placing him on his tummy and showing
him one of his favorite toys just out of reach. In
the process of stretching to get it, he may roll over
again.
Teething
The
first pearly whites usually do not show themselves
for a few more months, but for some babies, they can
make their appearance as early as three months. Heredity
is a strong factor, so check with your family history
for a clue as to when your child’s baby teeth will
appear.
Some
babies have a bulging gum or ridge for weeks before
the tooth appears, while other babies wake up one
morning with a tooth out of nowhere. The degree of
unpleasantness for baby that accompanies teething
varies.
Signs
of teething include:
Drooling
(which may go on for weeks before the tooth appears)
a facial rash as a result of excessive drooling biting
objects to satisfy achy gums irritability which unfortunately
often is expressed in the middle of the night refusal
to nurse or take a bottle pulling on an ear or rubbing
a sore cheek possibly even a low grade fever or diarrhea
If
you have any questions or concerns about how to support
baby while teething, consult your child’s health care
provider.
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