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MONTH 4

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Baby is really starting to "play!" Enjoy the look of wonder in baby's eyes as he learns about his surroundings!

DIET:
At this stage, most babies will eat solid foods in addition to drinking breast milk or formula. Breast-fed babies should be nursing 4-5 times/24 hours. For­mula fed babies should be drinking about 32 oz/24 hours and require no supple­mental vitamins. When feeding cereal and/or foods, feed solids first and follow each feeding with breast milk or formula. Begin with rice cereal and introduce other cereals and then Stage I ready-to-feed brands, powder flakes, or table foods that can be mashed up. Feed baby from a spoon. If your baby resists or shows intolerance to any new solid food, wait two weeks and try again. Gradually work turn into an eating schedule of fruit and cereal in the morning and vegetables and cereal in the evening with breast milk or formula in between. "Stage II" foods can replace Stage I foods when baby is ready. Do not feed baby straight from the jar. Open jars will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator. One important note — do not feed your baby honey until age one because it isn't safe for his system. Honey graham crackers and honey graham cereal, however, are fine.

SLEEP:
Try to put baby to bed awake. He needs to learn this skill. Keep to a bedtime routine to make this transition easier. Baby should sleep 8-10 hours at night and take 2-3 naps/day. Pacifiers are fine (even to age 3-4 years). Establish that they are only to be used at bedtime. This will make getting rid of them much easier! VOIDS:
Stools will change in color and texture with each new food. Please note that some foods will appear to go through your baby's system "whole."

SAFETY:
Never leave baby unattended! Babies like to be upright to see their world, but we don't recommend walkers. We suggest using a "Johnny Jump Up" or "Exersaucer" which are stationary to allow baby to take everything in safely.

DENTAL:
Baby is developing salivary glands and might be drooling a lot. Babies can teethe at almost any age, and it's not unusual for teething to begin until 6 - 12 months. This is usually determined by heredity — if you teethed early, then your child may, too. Use Tylenol to relieve tooth pain. To avoid tooth decay, never give baby a bottle in bed.

DEVELOPMENTAL:
Hands go to the mouth, arms reach, and legs are in the air while baby discov­ers the world around him.