It’s amazing how quickly babies go from being unable to control their heads or arms to looking at and touching everything in sight! As the mom of a four-month-old, I want to make sure she’s got the kind of items around the house that will provide her with the comfort, stimulation, and entertainment she needs. Here are some items that I’ve found quite helpful for life with a four-month-old.
We installed our baby’s car seat toy bar when she was brand new, thinking it would give her something comforting to look at while riding in the car. The only purpose it ended up serving was being in the way when we placed her in or took her out of the car seat. She wasn’t aware enough of her surroundings, and she had no control over her hands to play with toys. We put the bar back in place when she turned four months old, and she loves it! She grabs for the toys and lights up when she’s able to play the music. It makes boring car rides a lot more bearable for her.
Mesh Food Feeders
While anything safe and easy to chew on is a winner, our baby particularly loves the feeling of ice cubes inside her mesh food feeder. It’s easy for her to hold, and I imagine the texture of the mesh combined with the coldness of the ice cubes provides much-needed relief for her sore gums. Once we get the go-ahead from her pediatrician, we might try introducing some fruit in the feeder as well.
Our baby wants absolutely nothing to do with being at an incline of any sort, but she can’t yet sit up herself. Sitting up in her Bumbo seat provides that upright positioning with the support she needs. It’s also portable enough to easily carry around with me to different parts of the house. Of course, given prior safety issues with the Bumbo seats, it’s important to make sure they’re used only on flat surfaces and under vigilant supervision.
Activity Centers
Babies need a place to discover new sights and sounds, reach out and grab things, and maybe even exercise their growing little legs. Moms and dads can sometimes use a little break from carrying the baby around. That’s where stationary activity centers such as Evenflo ExerSaucers and Fisher-Price Jumperoos come in. Spending a brief period in one of these activity centers each day provides lots of stimulating fun for baby while bringing parents both entertainment and relief for their tired arms.
A“Lovey”
A transitional object, or “lovey,” can give a baby this age a sense of security, comfort, and consistency, and it will also help with his or her self-soothing. Yahoo! Contributor Dinah Laurel suggests, “To minimize the risk of SIDS, choose a safe lovey that is smaller than the child’s head, but not small enough to be a choking hazard (a small, plush rattle is good).” My baby has a small plush bear blanket we’ve just introduced, and she seems to love to cuddle and hold it.
Having these items on hand will help create a stimulating, comforting, and functional place for your four-month-old to grow and thrive. Keep a lookout at garage sales and ask your friends if they’d be willing to pass on some hand-me-downs so that you don’t break the bank while you stock your home.
