4-Month-Old Baby

Your baby's working on lots of new physical skills — from grabbing toys to doing his imitation of a turtle on its back.

He may find (and be totally mesmerized by) his feet — such fun toys, always available and tasty too!

If you put him on his tummy, he'll work on pushing up his head and chest, as well as flipping over onto his back, where he'll begin to lift his head and shoulders if you gently pull him up.

All this helps him build the muscles he'll need to sit up on his own.

As long as he has good neck control, try propping him up in a seated position. If he slumps down or slips sideways, it's too soon.

Otherwise, you can assume he's comfortable and ready (and he'll probably enjoy the change of scenery.) If he does start fussing — or slip-sliding away — pick him up and try again another time.

Sure, you saw your doc at your postpartum checkup, but it’s a good idea to stay in close-ish touch throughout the first year.

Why? Your body and mind have a lot to get used to, and you’ll have tons of questions, like: What type of birth control is right for me now? and, I've been feeling really cranky and sad — could I have postpartum depression?

Follow these tips to get your baby talking:

1. Ask lots of questions, then follow up with answers. Yes, you're talking to yourself, but you're also modeling the give-and-take of conversation.
2. While keeping up a steady stream of speech helps your baby beef up his vocabulary, he also needs time to try his own hand (or mouth, rather) at talking. When he starts yakking, pause, look at his face and really listen as he tries to master an "mmm" or an "ahhh." He'll be delighted that you're paying such close attention.
3. Stumped about a topic of conversation? Just tell your baby what you (and he) are doing. "I'm zipping up my jacket — zzzip! — which will keep Mommy nice and warm."
4. What's that noise? Point it out to your baby — "Listen, a doggy is barking!" This is great practice for the toddler and preschool years, when you'll want him to have good "listening ears" — that is, ears that both hear, and heed, your rules.
5. Books are a super source of new words for a baby. Try nursery rhymes, sturdy board books, even whatever's on your own nightstand.
6. Repeat your baby's sounds exactly as you hear them. That will encourage him to coo, babble and talk even more.

Family members and even baby himself should wash hands (or, in the case of your baby, have hands washed) frequently: before eating or preparing food, after using the bathroom or changing a diaper, after coming in from outside, after playing with or caring for pets, and so on. 

Make sure soap, water and clean towels are always available. Avoid antibacterial soap, but you can use hand-sanitizing gels on your hands if you don’t have access to water.

Bring nature indoors and your baby’s lungs will thank you.

Air-cleaning plants don’t just make your rooms look pretty, they detox your home by removing pollutants like ammonia (found in cleaning products) and formaldehyde (found in furniture).

An assortment of 15 to 20 plants should do the trick in a 2,000-square-foot house. Rather than scattering single plants around, create group displays in each room for maximum air-cleaning effect.

The best antitoxin (and nontoxic) choices according to NASA: spider plants, philodendrons and rubber plants.

To keep your baby safe from leaves that he can nibble on or pots that he can topple over, put plants out of reach or block them with a child's safety gate. Even if plants are listed as nontoxic, a little one could choke on leaves or other plant parts.

Your smartphone carries germs. Even if you wash your hands religiously, you still transfer bacteria and dirt to your phone when you use it.

In one British survey, researchers found bacteria on 92 percent of mobile phones they tested.

Worse yet, 1 in 6 phones were contaminated with E. coli bacteria (in other words, fecal matter), which can cause serious stomach issues that can be even more severe in babies.

Viruses like the flu can live on some surfaces for a day or more.

And since babies explore with their mouths, why take the risk? Best not to give your baby your phone unless you've thoroughly sanitized it, and even then, it's better yet to skip using it as a toy or distraction entirely.

Your baby's preferred view: a human face. He's not picky about whose face it is, though, so grab a mirror, and offer your baby a chance to gaze at his own!

Here's how you can get in on the reflection fun, and help bolster your baby's development with mirror play:

1. Prop a mirror against the wall and sit opposite it on the floor (not too far away, since a baby's eyesight is still a work in progress). Now plop your baby in your lap, leaning him back against your tummy. This also makes for a great sibling activity: Big brothers or sisters can hold a hand mirror in front of the baby while you provide the lap.
2. Introduce your baby to his beautiful face by pointing at his reflection. Touch his nose, stroke his hair, gently pinch his ears and name each feature as you go. Sure, your baby doesn't know what the words mean now, but he'll be delighted just the same.
3. Fasten an unbreakable mirror to the side of your baby's crib, or prop one up in front of him during tummy time sessions for even more reflective fun. He may be more willing to stay belly-down (or coo contentedly in his crib — on his back, of course) if he has his own fascinating face for company.