Bright Futures Parent Handout 4 Month Visit Here are some suggestions from Bright Futures experts that may be of value to your family. How Your Family Is Doing Safety Playtime • Take time for yourself. • Use a rear-facing safety seat in the back • Learn what things your baby likes and does • Take time together with your partner. seat in all vehicles. not like. • Spend time alone with your other children. • Always wear a and never drive after • Encourage active play. • Encourage your partner to help care for your using alcohol or drugs. • Offer mirrors, floor gyms, and colorful toys baby. • Keep small objects and plastic bags away to hold. • Choose a mature, trained, and responsible from your baby. • Tummy time—put your baby on his tummy when awake and you can watch. babysitter or caregiver. • Keep a hand on your baby on any high DEVELOPMENT • You can talk with us about your child care surface from which she can fall and be hurt. • Promote quiet play. choices. • Prevent burns by setting your water heater • Hold and talk with your baby. FAMILY FUNCTIONING FAMILY • Hold, cuddle, talk to, and sing to your baby SAFETY so the temperature at the faucet is 120°F or • Read to your baby often. each day. lower. Crying • Massaging your infant may help your baby go • Do not drink hot drinks when holding your • Give your baby a pacifier or his fingers or to sleep more easily. baby. thumb to suck when crying. • Never leave your baby alone in bathwater, • Get help if you and your partner are in Healthy Teeth conflict. Let us know. We can help. even in a bath seat or ring. • The kitchen is the most dangerous room. • Go to your own dentist twice yearly. It is Feeding Your Baby Don’t let your baby crawl around there; use a important to keep your teeth healthy so that • For babies at 4 months of age, human milk or high chair instead. you don’t pass bacteria that causes tooth or formula remains the best food. Solid • Do not use a baby walker. decay on to your baby. feeding is discouraged until about 6 months • Do not share spoons or cups with your of age. Your Changing Baby baby or use your mouth to clean the baby’s • Avoid feeding your baby too much by • Keep routines for feeding, nap time, and pacifier.

following the baby’s signs of fullness bedtime. ORAL HEALTH • Use a cold teething ring if your baby has sore • Leaning back Crib/Playpen gums with teething. • Turning away • Put your baby to sleep on her back. • Clean gums and teeth (as soon as you see • Ask us about programs like WIC that can • In a crib that meets current safety the first tooth) 2 times per day with a soft help get food for you if you are standards, with no drop-side rail and cloth or soft toothbrush with a small smear and formula for your baby if you are formula slats no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. of fluoride toothpaste (the size of a grain feeding. Find more information on the Consumer of rice). If Breastfeeding Product Safety Commission Web site at What to Expect at Your • Exclusive breastfeeding for about the first www.cpsc.gov. 6 months of life provides ideal nutrition • If your crib has a drop-side rail, keep it up Baby’s 6 Month Visit and locked at all times. Contact the crib and supports the best possible growth and DEVELOPMENT INFANT We will talk about company to see if there is a device to keep development. • Introducing solid food NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY AND GROWTH the drop-side rail from falling down. • If you are still breastfeeding, that’s great! • Getting help with your baby • Keep soft objects and loose bedding such • Plan for pumping and storage of . • Home and car safety If Formula Feeding as comforters, pillows, bumper pads, and toys out of the crib. • Brushing your baby’s teeth • Make sure to prepare, heat, and store the • Reading to and teaching your baby formula safely. • Lower your baby’s mattress. • If using a mesh playpen, make sure the • Hold your baby so you can look at each other Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222 while feeding. openings are less than ¼ inch apart. Child safety seat inspection: • Do not prop the bottle. 1-866-SEATCHECK; seatcheck.org • Do not give your baby a bottle in the crib.

The recommendations in this publication do not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate. Original document included as part of Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit. Copyright © 2010 American Academy of , Updated 05/2017. All Rights Reserved. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not review or endorse any modifications made to this document and in no event shall the AAP be liable for any such changes.

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