4 MONTH OLD BABY DEVELOPMENT
Your 4 month old baby development will probably
be:
......laugh out loud ... . hold his head
steady when carried ..... hold his toys
. . . splash with his hand when in his bathtub
. . . raise his hands when lifted
. . . reach for objects
. . . make a noise when he hears a voice
. . . turn his head to follow objects removed from his sight
. . . play with his hands. . . .
......lift head and shoulders and roll over.
......lift himself by hands or forearms when lying on stomach.
FORMULA CHANGE
Doctors differ over when to change the baby from formula to
homogenized milk. Your doctor may suggest you do it now, or he may wait until
the 5th or 6th months. If he does change the baby to homogenized milk now,
several things may happen.
Babies often become constipated, because they're no longer
receiving as much
carbohydrate or sugar as they did in their formula. The protein in homogenized milk
has not been altered by evaporation and forms a much harder curd than that
formed
by altered protein. This may also contribute to the firmness of the stool.
To minimize this problem, start fruits at the same time homogenized milk is
started. If fruits have already been started, increase the amount you're giving.
Prunes are especially effective in softening stools.
If starting fruits or increasing the quantity doesn't solve the problem, add dark
corn syrup or sweet molasses to the homogenized milk. This usually helps.
Occasionally, a baby develops diarrhea or vomits when he starts taking
homogenized milk. Simmering the milk for five minutes breaks down the protein
curd and makes the milk more digestible.
If this doesn't correct the condition, your doctor will probably suggest that
you return to the formula you've been using. Constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting
are usually temporary problems which resolve themselves within a short time.
Many physicians recommend reconstituted evaporated milk or some form of
heat-treated milk if there is an allergic reaction to homogenized or whole milk
or if there is an allergic family history. The proper proportions are 13 ounce
of evaporated milk to 15 ounces of water. This reconstitute the milk to a full
strength of twenty calories per ounce.
When you switch to homogenized milk, it's no longer necessary to sterilize as
long as you're using a good grade of pasteurized milk from a reputable dairy.
All bottles, nipples, and caps should be washed in clean, hot soapy water before
the rest of the family dishes are done, then rinsed thoroughly in hot water,
capped, and set aside until they are used. Dishwashers do a satisfactory job,
too.
The following pages will provide with more
information on 4 month old baby development:
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