Your Baby Week 4
Week 4 is a lot like week three. Most likely, your little one has her own schedule. When she is hungry she lets you know, when she needs to be changed, well, you can figure that one out, and when she’s sleeping, she’s sleeping. Loud noises might not even stir your baby while she is asleep.
You may notice that by week four, your baby is engaging in eye contact more and more frequently, and you may see your first genuine smile, a milestone usually reached sometime between four and six weeks. They may also be holding their head up more frequently, higher, and for longer increments during tummy time.
Have you been taking care of yourself?
Your new baby may be demanding a lot of your time, especially if they are colicky. Or they may be demanding your time at hours that you aren’t used to being awake! It’s important that you take time for yourself as well. Ask your partner, parent, or friend to look after your baby, even if it is just for a few hours. You may be surprised at how refreshed you feel after a short break. And though you may feel like you need to spend every waking moment doting on your new baby hand and foot, taking a few hours to nap, visiting your hairstylist or meeting up with a friend can increase the quality of time you spend with your baby.
Advice is nice, but who do you listen to?
This may have begun before your child was born, the endless amount of unsolicited advice offered by parents, friends, aunts, uncles and even strangers on the street. Though it is important for you to reach out to other parents or friends when you need help, the amount of advice you may be getting can be overwhelming, and even worse, contradictory! So, who do you listen to? It most cases, it is best to trust your gut, but if you are still confused, don’t be scared to ask your baby's pediatrician. You aren’t a bad parent if you don’t know exactly what to do in every situation. In fact, no parent does!
Taking your baby out of the house
It’s best to avoid taking your new baby out of the house frequently during the first couple of months. There is a greater risk of catching a cold, RSV or even the flu the more often they travel outside of the home since these infections are spread by contact with other people. Of course, it’s not always practical to keep your baby sequestered inside of your home. If you do want to take your baby out in the first couple of months, try to avoid big crowds, wash your hands frequently and encourage other people who will be handling your baby to do the same. You may also want to invest in a baby wrap or sling. This will protect your baby from other people while also affording you maximum mobility.
