Congratulations, you now have a 1-month-old baby! It almost seems unbelievable that your little one has grown up so much within a month. You should be very proud of yourself for acing parenting in the first month.
You are now almost an expert on all your baby’s needs. You and your little one still have a lot to figure out in the coming months but you will be more confident at parenting in the coming months.
What can be expected this week?
- Your baby’s eyesight is improving and whenever your baby sees you or your partner’s face, they will give out cooing sounds to tell you that they recognize you. The same goes for you and your partner’s voices.
- Your baby will continue to sleep a lot and will need more feeding sessions.
- Look out for any colic triggers and refluxes.
- You will notice that your baby is extremely fascinated with its own hands.
- You can be the victim of the unwanted postpartum depression.
Your baby’s development in the fourth week
Do not compare your baby’s development with that of your sister’s baby or your best friend’s baby. Each baby is unique and grows differently than others. However, an average 4-week old baby will have the following developments
- Cognitive response-
Your baby can already respond to loud noises by using some startle reflex, they may start crying or even get quiet. Whenever your baby sees you or your partner’s face get ready to hear the heart-melting cooing sounds because your baby can recognize you.
Whenever your baby sees you be sure that you will be greeted with that cute little smile. However, your baby will try to communicate with you through crying as they still can’t speak or make gestures yet.
- Neck and muscles-
This week also you need to continue giving your baby ample tummy time to improve her motor development skills. Your baby still needs to be supervised during tummy time.
Your baby doesn’t have much strength in her neck yet, so only allow tummy time for a few minutes. However, if you see that your baby is getting the strength you can extend the session up to even 15 minutes.
- Listening skills-
Be sure to find your baby listening to you intently whenever you chat with him. Your baby won’t judge you but would rather love you if you’re singing to your baby. You may also find your baby looking and turning towards you when you start to speak to him. Your baby’s hearing skills are almost properly developed by the first month.
- Eyesight-
Your baby’s eyesight has improved this week and can see up to 18 inches within their eye line. By this stage, your baby has started to follow things around by turning their head from side to side.
- Motor functions-
Due to a few weeks of tummy time, your baby can lift its head now for a few minutes.
- Thumbsucker-
Your baby has now found its thumb and hand and is fascinated by it. Soon you will notice that your baby has its thumb in its mouth. Your baby can make fists with its little hands. So try putting soft toys and objects within your baby’s reach and you will see that your baby will try to grab it.
Even though your baby still doesn’t have the hand-eye coordination required to catch objects, your baby will still love to hold different objects and will enjoy exploring different textures.
What is some basic baby care knowledge that every new parent should have?
Within a month you have probably become an expert in providing your baby with all its basic needs. Some things to remember about baby care during this week are
- Breastfeeding-
Your baby will continue to eat on demand. If you notice that your baby is gaining weight then you should be happy that your baby is getting its required nutrition.
If you are worried that your baby is not getting enough milk in every session, you can track the duration of each session to understand if your baby is eating properly. Your baby will continue to eat up to 8 or 12 times every day.
- Diapering-
Your baby will have around 6 wet diapers every day during this week and you should look out for three dirty diapers every day. Your baby will start to develop diaper rashes by now especially if it’s summers.
You need to change the diapers more frequently to avoid rashes. Remember that your baby needs to go without a diaper, for a few hours at least every day, to prevent rashes. A pediatrician may also suggest a proper diaper rash cream to help prevent the rashes.
When to call the doctor?
- If your baby is showing the signs of colic and reflux you, need to talk to your doctor.
- If your baby is not properly in latching while nursing.
- If your baby is having trouble focusing its eyes.
- If he/she does not wake up for feeding.
Reminders
- Your baby’s 1-month medical checkup is coming up. In this visit, your doctor will examine your baby from head to toe and monitor your baby’s growth. The doctor will check your baby’s eyes for cataracts, reflexes, belly button healing, alertness, and other vitals.
- You can also ask your doctor for baby care advice during this visit.
- Your baby will also receive the second dosage of the hepatitis B vaccine during this visit.
- You cannot go sleep with your baby even during short naps. However, you should share a room with your baby for at least the first six months.
- You need to be on the lookout for signs of colic as it may develop this week also.
Takeaway
You have already achieved one moth of parenting. Your life probably revolves around your baby but you need to take care of yourself too. Your baby will keep growing and surprising you every day.
As a new parent, things can feel overwhelming right now but you have to take breaks sometimes. If you start feeling particularly disinterested in everything or if you feel very down, you should seek medical help. Remember that a happy mother means a happy baby.
FAQS about 4 Week Old baby Tips
1. Am I spoiling my 4 weeks old newborn?
You need to ignore such comments and tell people that it is scientifically impossible to spoil a newborn. Your baby is dependent on you for all its needs and you need to be there for your baby. You have to hold your baby and provide skin to skin care whenever your baby is crying. You need to constantly comfort your baby and make your baby feel safe. So there is no such thing as spoiling a newborn baby.
2. How to understand my baby’s demands from her crying?
By the first month, you will probably start to understand which crying of your baby indicates what. Your baby’s needs are particular to her and she will use different cries to make you understand her varying demands. However, in general, low pitched and short bouts of crying imply that the baby is hungry. If the baby is crying continuously and if the crying is whiny and nasal then maybe she is uncomfortable or tired.
If your baby is suffering from colic or other painful problems then the baby will start crying suddenly and it will be long and loud with repeated pauses and shrieks. If your baby e starts crying suddenly and gives out whimpers it may mean that she’s bored and you should start chatting or playing with her to make her calm down.
3.What can I do if my baby has excessive gas after feeding?
If your baby keeps experiencing a lot of gas after each feeding, it may indicate colic. So you need to get your baby a checkup. Meanwhile, try burping after the feedings and not in between the feeding sessions. If your baby is having formulas then try switching them up to find one that would be easier for your baby to digest.
4. Should I involve my other kids in baby care?
Start to make a schedule that involves other siblings of the baby. You can have your other children help you fold baby’s clothes and you can even let them hold the baby. Your other kids also need to start bonding with the baby.
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Mother of Two children. I’m a former teacher with a background in child development and a passion for Good parenting. I understand child development and know how to develop activities to help children learn and grow. Spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, and volunteering in my community.
