Baby’s 4 Month Checkup – What Can We Expect

4 min read

Written by Ajanta Biswas

Ajanta Biswas

MA (English)

Studying English literature has been highly instrumental in creating a love for English and World Literature for this writer. Ajanta has been writing for more than two years. She specializes in creating short and crisp blogs that can create awareness among women about healthy pregnancy and among parents about better parenting.

Baby's 4 Month Checkup

If you are looking forward to hearing the first utterance of your baby, then the time is closer. Your baby has completed one-third of a year and by now is capable of not only smiling but also laughing and cooing. There are many other milestones that your baby will continue to reach. This is also the time for your baby’s 4 month checkup.

During this checkup, your doctor will do a physical checkup and ensure that your baby is meeting all these milestones expected at this age. 3rd and 4th doses of some vaccines will also be an important part of this visit. Here is what you can expect from your baby’s 4 month checkup visit.

In This Article

What Can You Expect From a Baby’s 4 Month Physical Checkup?
Developmental Milestones Expected From a Four Month Old Baby
List of Vaccines Your Baby Might Get in 4 Month Checkup
List of Questions to Ask Your Doctor

What Can You Expect From a Baby’s 4 Month Physical Checkup?

During the 4th month baby checkup, the doctor will first take the measurements of the height, weight, and head circumference of the baby and record them. A quick health checkup will follow this. This will include the following testing and examinations.

Head examination to check if your baby has soft spot or flat spot. The doctor can advise you to use a mustard seed pillow for the baby for a good and even head shape
Functions of eyes
Hearing examination
Mouth checkup for any infection like oral thrush
Heart and lung checkups

The doctor can advise you to use a mustard seed pillow for the baby for an even head shape in case your baby seems to have a flat head or a misshapen head.

This visit will also consist of a lot of vaccines as your baby will get the third and fourth dose of each vaccine that they get during the second and third month baby checkup.

The doctor can also ask you a few questions regarding the health and activities of your baby. These include;

Has your baby started rolling over?
Is your baby doing pushups when you put them on the belly?
Has your baby started making sounds in your presence?
Can your baby hold its head upright during tummy time?

[Read : Indian Baby Weight and Height Chart]

Developmental Milestones Expected From a Four Month Old Baby

doctor examining a 4 month baby

The developmental milestones of a 4-month-old baby include

Smiling and chuckling
Making some consonant sounds (babbling) along with cooing
Making sounds in response to your talks
Watching you move in a 180-degree arc and making sounds to grab your attention
Opening the mouth while looking at the breast or bottle when hungry
Holding toys when putting them in hands
Using arms to swing the toy
Looking at their hands with interest
Doing pushups when you put them on their belly
Holding their heads steady when you hold them or during tummy time
Trying to roll on both sides to flip
Sleeping soundly for more than 4 to 5 hours at night as the overall day nap-time decreases

These are in general developmental milestones of babies of the 4 months. But each baby is different, and their growth can show differently in respect of time. Do not get disheartened if your baby is showing a slow pace in achieving these milestones as your baby will catch up soon. Your doctor will surely let you know if something is amiss with your baby’s development.

List of Vaccines Your Baby Might Get in 4 Month Checkup

4 month baby taking vaccine

During the fourth-month baby checkup, your baby will get the third dose of the vital vaccines. Vaccines you can expect to be given during the fourth month baby checkup are

Third Dose of DTaP(diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis)
Third Dose of IPV(Inactivated Polio Vaccine)
Third Dose of Hib(Haemophilus influenza type B)
Fourth Dose of HB(Hepatitis B)
Third Dose of RV(Rotavirus)
Third Dose of PVC(Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine)

All of these vaccines are completely free of cost in government health centers. But if you prefer painless vaccines then consult with your doctor.

[Read : Polio Vaccines for Babies]

List of Questions to Ask Your Doctor

As your baby is learning new things rapidly and achieving new milestones there should be a lot of questions in your head. The fourth-month baby checkup is the best time to ask these questions face-to-face to the doctor. The questions you may ask during the 4th month baby checkup are

Should I start sleep training my baby from now on?
When will my baby have teeth?
Should I provide a teether to my baby?
What are the signs of teething?
When can my baby sit?
When can my baby crawl?
When can I provide solids to my baby?

As your baby will achieve far more developmental milestones from now on, it is better to keep a record of them with dates in your diary to notify your doctor during the next visit. The next baby well checkup will be when your baby crosses six months.