4 week newborn fussy: 4 Week Old Baby – Newborn Baby Tracker

4 week old baby development: Your baby’s feeding, sleeping, cognitive and physical development explained! | Baby

Your 4-week-old baby has been in your life for almost one month and by now, you’ve probably begun to notice your baby reaching development milestones already as you start to get the hang of this whole parenting business. If you still have a lot of questions, don’t worry – it’s completely normal – we’re here to tell you what you can expect from their week-by-week development when your baby is in their fourth week.

4-week-old baby physical development

By the four-week mark, your baby will start growing one inch per month and gaining 140-200 grams a week.

Their hearing is also fully developed after one month, which means they will begin to listen for the source of sounds and notice when you’re making loud noises around the room. With somewhat stronger neck muscles, they should start lifting their head briefly when they lie on their stomach and even turn it from side to side! You can encourage this with some tummy time.

Now they’re past the three-week-old baby mark, their vision should be improving, as is their ability to focus. However, it takes a lot of effort to do this, so they may look cross-eyed at some points. To help this, hold something in front of their face and move it from side to side slowly, they should start to try and follow it.

4-week-old cognitive development

By now, your baby is starting to notice all the new things going on around them- including their hands and feet. Since they don’t understand that they are a different person from you, they are unlikely to know exactly what their hands or feet are, but soon they will be able to coordinate a bit better.

As well as being able to recognise sounds they heard in the womb – including the theme tune to your favourite TV show- they may also be able to recognise familiar faces now. It’s a great idea to hold up a mirror in front of them to make funny faces, then they can even start to recognise themselves. Don’t be too upset if they don’t recognise you though, as their memory is still only just developing properly.

Continue having conversations with your baby and allowing them to focus on your face and watch your facial movements. They should start copying them and even reaching out to your face soon enough. Around 4 weeks, they start to get excited as they recognise you and your partner, or family members. Just from observing you and listening to your voices, this will make every difference in their social development. They show excitement through widening their eyes and making noises in response to your actions but you’ll have to wait a little while until their first baby smile.

4-week-old baby sleep

Your baby will be sleeping up to 18 hours a day for at least the first two months, of course, this will be throughout the day, not just when you want some shut-eye! You may be starting to feel the effects of new mum exhaustion at this point until baby starts sleeping through the night.

One great piece of advice is to perfect swaddling if you haven’t already, as it creates the womb feeling they were so used to before bursting into the world.

How much should a 4-week-old baby be eating?

You may be settling into a better sleeping schedule now, which means fewer interruptions for eating. However, nighttime eating is still quite frequent for one-month-olds, so soldier on with those sleepless nights.

For a guideline feeding amount, weigh your baby and then feed them about 150ml-200ml per kilo. Although don’t worry if your baby seems to be overeating, she knows how much she should or shouldn’t eat at this stage and will only eat when she wants to. Whether your baby is breastfed or formula-fed, follow your baby’s lead.

If you’re having trouble breastfeeding, it might be time to seek help and make sure there’s nothing else going on, so book an appointment with your GP and ask for some support as they will be able to advise on the best positions to try when breastfeeding.

How much should a 4-week-old baby be pooing?

Worried your baby isn’t regular enough? Don’t fret, as long as they’re going between one and ten times a day – plus wetting their nappy at least six times a day – they’re perfectly fine. You may want to check out a poo colour chart if you’re concerned that something isn’t quite right with what you’ve been finding inside their nappy to put your mind at ease.

4-week-old baby milestones

Finding their fingers and toes: Your baby is starting to realise they have some handy attachments – their hands and feet! Don’t worry if they still seem oblivious to them though, as each baby will develop at their own pace.

Let the cooing commence: Finally, a break from the crying, your baby will realise they can make some other noises too. That means the cutest cooing sounds are bound to begin while you chat away to your baby.

Vision: At 4 weeks, your baby might be able to see much more clearly. They may now be able to see up to 18 inches in front of them, so keep holding their head close to your face like normal. You can expect their sight to develop even further into their fifth week of baby development.

Tight fists: Your baby will hold their hands in tight fists. This can be a sign that they’re hungry. They tend to start to reach for things around now too, and their hands will fully open up by the time baby is eight weeks old. You will see how fascinated they are by their hands as they will stare at them. They should be discovering a lot about their bodies in their fourth week.

Head lifts: After their first month, you’ll be seeing a lot of body changes and developments. By now you’ve probably noticed a loss of puffiness in their face. At this point, they will be able to hold their head up solo for a minute or two. Already a big change from weeks 2 and 3 with more control over their head as well as turning their necks from side to side.

Things to be aware of at 4-weeks

Dealing with colic: If your baby is crying for hours on end, three times a week for at least three weeks, they might be suffering from colic. It affects up to 40 per cent of babies, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. Talk to your doctor if you notice your baby is crying for hours for no reason.

Sleep deprivation: You may be almost getting used to living off no sleep by now, but just in case you’re not, it’s worth trying a change in your diet with some energy-boosting foods. Plus, some mummy beauty products to disguise all those sleepless nights!

Postnatal Depression: Your hormones should be settled by now and the baby blues finally over. If you’re still struggling with feelings of failure, or as though everything could go wrong and that it’s all your fault, you may be experiencing postnatal depression. With one in ten women experiencing postnatal depression, it’s something you must talk to your doctor about to ensure the best possible recovery. If you’re unsure whether you’re experiencing postnatal depression or your baby blues hormones are clinging on, check out these key differences.

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Baby growth spurts: 3 signs your baby is actually going through one

Photo: iStockPhoto

If your baby seems to fit that sweet little onesie one day and has it busting at the seams the next, it may not be your sleep-deprived eyes playing tricks on you. Baby growth spurts are aplenty in those first sweet 12 months.

Although growth spurts can happen at any time, it’s common for them to hit at about 10 days, between three and six weeks, and several times afterward. Three-month growth spurts, as well as six and nine-month growth spurts, are especially common. It’s one of the reasons it’s so important to have several sizes of baby clothes on your newborn checklist.

And when a baby growth spurt strikes, it can be fast and furious; babies can measurably gain weight and length in just 24 hours, says Michelle Lampl, a doctor and growth researcher at Emory University in Atlanta. Her studies show that tots can sprout as much as nine millimeters in length in just one day.

Wondering if your babe is in the midst of a spurt? Here’s what you might notice.

01She’ll sleep like a log (or be up all night)

In the day or so before a big growth spurt, some babies sleep more than usual. “There are important physiological changes that happen during sleep that are essential for growth,” says Peter Nieman, a paediatrician and assistant clinical professor at the University of Calgary medical school.

Don’t wake her for feedings unless it’s within the first week and advised by your care provider. “She needs her rest, and she’ll make up for milk or formula she missed at her next feeding,” he says.

Catherine Delahaye / Getty Images

02She’ll be hungry

Some babies prefer food to snoozing during a growth spurt. Even if she was starting to sleep longer stretches at night, your baby may suddenly want to eat around the clock again.

At about the three-month mark, Carrie Fisher, a Toronto mom of two, noticed a huge spike in her daughter Ramona’s appetite. “I knew she must be going through a growth spurt because she was inconsolable unless she was nursing,” Fisher says. “I thought there might be something wrong with my milk supply because she never seemed full.”

StockPlanets/ Getty Images

If you’re breastfeeding, don’t worry, your body will keep pace with baby’s appetite. (Have real concerns that you’re not producing enough milk? Talk to your doctor. ) Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and recruit your partner or a family member to help with everything that can’t be done with a babe in arms until the spurt passes.

If you’re using formula, increase the amount you’re giving very gradually—there is a danger of overfeeding. “If your baby starts spitting up more than usual she’s probably getting too much,” says Nieman.

She’ll be cranky

Frequent fussing can be normal for a few days during baby growth spurts. “This can seem rather dramatic at the time, but it doesn’t last very long, and babies will calm down after their growth spurt,” says Lampl. Lots of cuddling and reassurance in the meantime will help to soothe her.

Eva HM / Getty Images

All baby growth spurts pass eventually

You may feel like that growth spurt will never end, but it will. Most only last a couple of days. Not convinced that a growth spurt is to blame? Shifts in mood, feeding habits and sleep schedule can also mean that she’s getting sick, starting to teethe (if she’s older than three months) or just needing extra comfort due to a change in routine.

Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned that her symptoms might be something more, but don’t stress about exactly how much your baby is growing, or when, and don’t compare her size to that of other babies. At each wellness visit, your doctor will track her growth (measuring length, head circumference and weight).

As long as she’s gaining steadily and proportionally there’s no reason to sweat exact ounces or inches, says Neiman. “All babies grow at their own rate and speed—they know what they’re doing.”

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Growth spurt results: development of physical skills

Growth spurts usher in a wave of new physical skills and are typically the time when you will see changes in your child’s physical abilities. Your baby may learn to roll over, crawl or even stand during this period. However, your baby will likely be extra tired or fussy during a growth spurt as well, which can lead to coordination difficulties.

It is important to be nearby as they practice their new physical skills during this time so that you can cushion the inevitable tumbles.

Drazen Zigic / Getty Images

Growth spurt result: height and weight changes

One of the most obvious changes during a growth spurt is an increase in height and weight. Infant growth spurts typically last only a few days, but you may notice a marked difference in your baby’s size after this period. While your baby grows a little bit every day, at the end of a growth spurt, you may notice that her clothes are now too small or that you need to go up a size in diapers.

In general, your baby should double in weight by the time she’s six months old and triple her weight by her first birthday.

Ridofranz / Getty Images

Growth spurt result: head size changes

In addition to buying larger jumpers and diapers, you might also find that your baby needs bigger sun hats and toques during her early growth spurts. In the first year, a baby’s head grows 4 to 5 inches. During her first four months, specifically, your baby’s skull will grow more quickly than at any other time in her life.

So, if you find a cap you really love, you might want to pick it up in a couple different sizes!

urbazon / Getty Images

Growth spurt result: clumsiness

Much like a gangly pre-teen, your baby might display some previously unseen clumsiness as these physical skills begin to develop and this rapid growth takes place. Those limbs aren’t where they were the day before, so it just makes sense that some flailing and new discovery of gravity might occur in this stage.

SbytovaMN / Getty Images

Growth spurt result: cognitive development

Growth spurts also bring about changes in cognitive ability. You may notice your baby repetitively practicing a skill during this time, whether it’s rolling over, laughing, hand-eye coordination or attempting to stand. During a spurt, your baby’s brain is making loads of new neural connections that allow them to attempt things that were out of reach in the past—so enjoy those new smiles or extra laughs as she practices her newfound skills.

Capuski / Getty Images

Growth spurt result: more or less alert

All the changes your baby is going through physically and mentally during these early growth spurts can, understandably, impact their energy levels when they’re awake. Depending on where in a growth spurt they are, and other factors, you might find she’s more engaged in her waking hours or less alert and playful than she used to be. The former makes sense with all these new connections her brain is making, while the latter can be due to being more tired or focused on other essentials, like feeding.

Read more:
Is my child growing normally?
How to feed your toddler during growth spurts
Essential tips for do-it-yourself baby food

d3sign / Getty Images

This article was originally published on Apr 01, 2019

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Why is your baby crying and how to calm him down?

Your baby is not yet able to put his feelings into words. Therefore, when he wants to tell you something or just wants attention, he starts crying. After a few weeks of the baby’s life, you will already be able to distinguish hungry crying from crying from fatigue, or you will understand that you just need to pick up the baby in your arms to calm him down. Below we will give you some tips on how to recognize the cause of your baby’s crying and how you can calm him down.

What to do if the baby is crying?

Some parents fear that by reacting too quickly to their baby’s crying, they may spoil him. This is an outdated view! Scientific studies have shown that with a quick reaction to crying, children become less whiny, because the sooner you eliminate the cause of the baby’s crying, the better the child will know that you are always ready to help him.

The most common reasons for crying are:

• The child is hungry.
• He is hot or cold.
• He has tummy troubles, colic and gas
• Something that hurts or causes discomfort, eg diaper rash, irritation.
• It’s time for a diaper change.
• He is bored or lonely.
• He is overexcited and cannot sleep.
• It is uncomfortable for the baby to lie or sit, for example, the diaper or diaper is wrinkled.
• Uncomfortable clothing pulls, pinches or rubs.
• He scratched himself.
• Hair tourniquet (hair tightly wrapped around the finger).
• Too bright light or loud noise.
• He has a runny nose which can make sucking difficult.

After 4 months, babies have more reasons to cry:

• The child does not see his mother or is frightened.
• The child is bored and wants to play.
• Child hits himself, falls or cannot roll over.
• The first teeth erupt. Sometimes this process is accompanied by high temperature.

Most of these causes can be eliminated quite quickly and thus calm the baby. However, if crying is unusual or continues for too long (more than 3 hours), the child should be taken to the doctor.

How to calm a crying baby?

To calm a crying baby, start with one of these actions:

• The main rule is mother’s warmth and attention!

First of all, take the baby in your arms. Feeling your warmth, it is quite possible that he will calm down immediately.

• Check if the child is hungry?

Offer him breasts. Perhaps the baby did not eat well in the past feeding and got hungry ahead of time.

Even if the baby is only slightly wet, change the diaper or change clothes.

• Calm down yourself.

If you are annoyed by the fact that the baby is crying, you first need to calm down, because the baby is able to feel the mother’s mood.

If you can’t figure out why your baby is crying, take him for a walk or to the store. A change of scenery will also have a positive effect on your mood.

No matter what your voice is, it is important for your baby to hear it, it will help him calm down.

He may be tormented by excess air from eating. The position on the stomach helps the discharge of gases and excess air. You can simply hold the baby to you, holding him upright. We recommend doing this after every feeding.

Some babies have a calming effect on motion sickness. But it is not necessary to rock him at home, walking from corner to corner. You can ride with him in a car or bus, rock him in a stroller or walk with him in a “backpack”. There are special sprung vibrating seats and baby swings that are perfect for calming cranky babies.

You may not notice it right away. Offer him a teether. If the growth of the first teeth is causing your baby pain, talk to your doctor.

If your baby has a fever, constipation or diarrhea, rashes and redness of the skin, or something else, call the doctor at home immediately.

If the child has skin irritation, diaper rash, bathe the baby in warm water with the addition of decoctions of chamomile, oak bark, St. John’s wort, eucalyptus leaves, calendula flowers. After the bath, hold the baby without a diaper for a while, and then apply a special healing and soothing cream.

If the baby is not comfortable sitting or lying down, or has uncomfortable clothes, change his position, change clothes to ensure maximum comfort.

A baby’s constant or frequent crying can irritate you. Despite the fact that the child is still very small, he is already able to feel your mood and respond to it. To avoid the vicious circle of “crying – annoying mom – crying”, try to take a short break. Let his dad or other relatives look after the baby. Even a short break will help you calm down, gain physical and moral strength. You will even begin to miss the baby, and when you return, you will find a new way to calm the child. If for some reason crying does not allow you or your baby to relax, talk to your doctor.

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Why a newborn does not sleep well during the day and is naughty

Sleep both during the day and at night is very important for the harmonious development and health of every child. But many parents think that if the child sleeps little during the day, then he will sleep better at night. Is it so? And what could be the reasons that the baby does not sleep during the day and is naughty? Let’s figure it out!

Why does a baby sleep little during the day?

Most often it happens that babies sleep worse during the day. There are several objective reasons for this. Firstly, in the daytime, the “sleep hormone” helper of all mothers, melatonin, is produced at a minimum level and therefore it is more difficult to fall asleep. Secondly, the older the baby, the more interesting it is to be awake than to sleep. Thirdly, daytime sleep conditions can hardly be called “helping” – bright light, noise, activity of adults and older children.

But the main cause of poor daytime sleep is an incorrect mode and overwork.

                                               If the mother misses the time for going to bed, the baby will overdo it and it will be more difficult or even completely impossible to put him down. Therefore, for daytime sleep, it is so important to observe the time of wakefulness and monitor signs of fatigue, and from 6 months you can talk about the mode of daytime sleep and wakefulness.

It is important to understand that without an optimal amount of daytime sleep, nighttime sleep will be worse and, in general, the baby will be overtired. Thus, daytime sleep is inextricably linked to the quality of nighttime sleep.

How much sleep does a child need?

You can refer to age norms of sleep to know how much sleep your child needs day and night.

If we look closely at the graph, we will see that:

• 0-4 months – babies need 3-4 naps or more, depending on the duration of sleep and their quality
• 4-9 months – 3 naps
• 15-18 months – 2 naps
• 1.5 – 4 years – 1 nap

Most often, morning sleep begins after the shortest period of wakefulness. It is important to ensure that the last daytime nap does not end later than 17:30, so as not to violate the principle of early bedtime and night sleep.

Sleep rates are given as a guide, and it is important for parents to understand the individual sleep rate of their baby. Therefore, the main criterion is the behavior of the child.

It is important to understand the balance of night and day sleep. Children up to a certain age are not yet able to compensate for one dream at the expense of another. But after 2 years they can do it. If children sleep a lot for several days, you will soon notice that it is difficult to put them to sleep at night and its duration is reduced. And if the baby sleeps a lot at night , and at the same time – little in the daytime, then you just need to adjust the mode. Your baby does not want to fall asleep for a daytime sleep because he had a good night’s sleep. But in this case, the time of wakefulness will be unevenly distributed, and for a short sleep the child will not have time to restore strength before the next sleep. So there must be a measure in everything.

Short naps

If the baby sleeps little during daytime naps, it may be because he does not know how to link sleep cycles and sleeps in short naps of 40 minutes . Then it is important to help prolong sleep and gradually teach to fall asleep on its own, if the baby is already more than 6 months old. Up to 6 months, the baby still needs mom’s help to fall asleep and move from one sleep cycle to another. But even here it is important to gradually give variety in the ways of calming. Otherwise, breastfeeding and rocking can become a strong sleep association.

Therefore, if the child has a good night’s sleep, then the night’s sleep will be better.

Daytime sleep also depends on how the waking time was spent, because sleep is a reflection of how the day went: impressions, overexcitation, physical activity. Analyze your situation to understand the causes of short daytime sleep and the child’s moody state:

• Do you have enough physical activity and walks?
• Doesn’t your big guy get too much sleep at night?
• Does he not sleep often during the day, but briefly at the same time?
• Are there no dreams in the stroller?
• Is he overtired?
• Does the baby cry often?
• Is it too long or vice versa short time of wakefulness before nap?

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Overwork and lack of sleep

If the child sleeps less than normal, and during the day or looks tired, this is a sign of insufficient sleep .

In the baby’s body, the stress hormone cortisol begins to be produced and accumulated. This hormone helps the child reach sleep, but then interferes with complete relaxation, which makes sleep uneasy: it’s hard to put down, or he often wakes up at night and “walks” for an hour, or he wakes up early in the morning before 6.00.

When this lasts for several days, it may indicate overwork . But do not confuse with the case when the day before there was a stressful situation, overexcitation or illness of the baby, which can also affect the quality of sleep. The stress hormone, accumulating in the body, prevents the child from relaxing, the nervous system cannot calm down, and it is still imperfect. Therefore, the child does not fall into a deep sleep, does not relax completely, therefore does not get enough sleep again, and in a circle – he does not rest much during daytime sleep and is naughty.

Let’s take a closer look at how it works? Getting up too early in the morning (before 6 in the morning) indicates a lack of sleep for the baby and affects daytime sleep – it shifts in time and becomes of poor quality due to cortisol, which on the eve of a night’s sleep caused the child to overwork. As a result, after such a daytime sleep, the child does not feel completely rested, and fatigue and lack of sleep accumulate in the evening. This leads to overwork, and it is already very difficult to put a little fidget in the evening quickly and without tears and tantrums. Such conditions and the condition of the child again lead to poor-quality night sleep: frequent nocturnal awakenings, long “walks” in the middle of the night, and again to early awakenings.

Until the mother sleeps the child, lack of sleep will drag on and negatively affect the sleep and behavior of the baby.

How to compensate for lack of sleep?

Here are some simple tips to help compensate for your little one’s lack of sleep: Even a few days with extra sleep will make the child feel better.

• It is important to prolong early morning awakenings before 6.00 by all possible means. In such a situation, a theatrical awakening can help: show that the morning does not start when the baby wakes up, but when the curtains open, the light turns on, the mother comes up and kisses, tells a nursery rhyme for awakening, does gymnastics. Enter a wake-up ritual and use it every time to help your little one separate short-term awakenings from rising times.

• It is important to prolong short daytime naps . Remember, if you neglect this rule, then the baby will get used to short sleep, and, accordingly, to stay awake for a short time. By extending daytime sleep, you teach the baby to link sleep cycles and get quality rest.

• Watch for signs of fatigue when laying down your baby , but distinguish them from signs of overwork. And remember, if the baby had a daytime sleep for less than an hour (we do not take into account the 3rd dream, for which this is typical and normal), then he will want to fall asleep earlier and will not be able to withstand a long wakefulness.

• Find the optimal time for bedtime. Watch your child from 18:00 to 21:00 for several days and look for a comfortable time for bedtime – the “sleep window”, it is during these 20 minutes of the golden “sleep window” that the baby will fall asleep most easily.

• Get enough time to get ready for bed : 30-40 minutes before going to bed devote to rituals and relaxing activities. Remember about the rituals not only for a night’s sleep, but also for falling asleep before a daytime sleep. Such calm actions help the baby switch from wakefulness and tune in to sleep.

. Otherwise, you may face overtraining and overwork.