The development of a baby proceeds in a head to foot direction. At this age, as other typical four-month-old, DD could lift her head up and hold it steady while lying on stomach. She could also raise her chest and support it with her arms. Her fingers were getting more and more dextrose. She began to reach for an object and grasp things. Any object she could get went directly into her mouth. Her baby training in this month emphasized on hand-eye coordination and muscle strength.
1. Peek-a-boo: First I showed her my smiling face. Then I hided my face behind a cloth towel and said “mommy is gone”, and then I took the cloth away from my face and said “mommy is back”.
Later I dropped the cloth towel on her face and covered her eyes. Then I held her fingers close to the cloth and grabbed the cloth away from her face, and laughed “peek-a-boo”. At first DD was nervous at the lost of her sight. After we played this game many times, she learned to grab the cloth and took it off by herself quickly. (This game must be played with the presence of parents)
2. Tummy time: According to Danette Glassy, a pediatrician in Mercer Island, Washington, and chairperson of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ committee on early education and childcare, tummy time helps babies to learn to push up, roll over, sit up, crawl and pull to stand.
One strategy of distracting her from the unfamiliar feeling of being face-down was to place her favorite Minnie Mouse Picture Book open in front her, or a squeaky toy within her reach. Sometimes M laid her tummy-down on his tummy, talking and playing with her.
When DD had sufficient neck strength and head control in month four, I placed her on a colorful activity mat with prop-up toys and a mirror and encouraged her to stay longer on her belly.
3. Looking at the mirror: DD was scared by her own reflection at the first time I took her in front of the mirror. The second time she didn’t cry. The more she saw herself in the mirror, the more she got used to her own reflection and began to like it. It might help her to develop self-awareness about herself.
Related posts:
Pre- and perinatal education
Parents: child’s life-time teachers
Healthy eating for baby
Baby training: month 1-2
Baby training: month 3
Baby Training, First Year, From Mommy | mommy | 
November 14, 2008 11:46 am | 
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