It’s almost time for your baby’s four month checkup! It probably seems like you just had your last one — we get the feeling! But, there’s a lot going on in that tiny little body. They’re growing, developing, and changing every day. So, what happens at four month checkups, anyway? Keep reading to find out what to expect at your next well visit.
The exam
Just like at any well visit, the four month checkup comes with a physical exam. You’ll be in the room as your pediatrician checks your baby’s eyes, listens to their heart to feel pulses, and takes a look at their hip development. During this exam, they will be paying attention to your baby's movements and behavior. Your pediatrician will also check their measurements including weight, length, and head circumference, to plot them on a growth chart.
Vaccines
For most babies, it’s time to receive the second doses of a few very important vaccines, including:
- Diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP)
- Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine (Hib)
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)
- Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV)
- Rotavirus vaccine
Questions
At some point during the four month checkup, it might start to feel like an interview. But don’t worry, it’s all so your pediatrician can get to know what is going on with your baby and help you take care of them. A few questions they might ask are:
- Is your baby cooing? Babbling?
- Do they respond to loud noises?
- Can they roll over one way?
- Can they follow an object with their eyes?
- Do you have any concerns about your baby’s hearing or vision?
- Can your baby push up onto their forearms and lift their head?
- Can your baby control their head when upright?
- How does your baby fall asleep? And where do they sleep at night?
- Are you bottle feeding your baby? Before they fall asleep?
- Are you using a rear-facing car seat?
- What temperature is your water heater set to? Is the faucet at or below 120 degrees?
Screenings
If your baby was born preterm or at a low weight, your pediatrician might conduct a hematocrit or hemoglobin screening to check for anemia. But they aren’t just there to help keep your baby healthy, they care about you, too! That means you can expect to get a question or two about how you are feeling and whether or not you are dealing with any common postpartum issues such as anxiety, sadness, or depression. While it may feel a little odd, it is a great idea to take the four month checkup as an opportunity to share what is going on with you, too.
Advice
Now is the perfect time to start asking a few questions of your own. Your pediatrician will be happy to address any concerns and give you any advice you might need. They might offer advice about how to clean your baby's gums and good ways to handle teething. For breastfeeding families, pediatricians will often recommend giving your baby 1 mg/kg/day of a liquid iron supplement until you start introducing solids with iron. In addition, if you are bottle feeding, they might talk to you about how much your baby is consuming, plus what and how many dirty diapers you’re dealing with, to help you make sure your little one is getting enough. Luckily, you can log feedings in the Veba Baby app (and a mama never forgets all those dirty diapers), so telling your pediatrician this info is a breeze!
If you’re not already using the Veba Baby Smart Bottle Monitor, you’re missing out, mama! Your life, and your baby’s nutrition, is about to get a whole lot better.
At Veba Baby, our mission is to provide parents like you the resources you need to give your baby the healthiest life possible — so, we’re kinda like your tech-savvy mom bestie! We hope this quick rundown of what to expect at a four month well visit gives you a little extra peace of mind going into your appointment. But, we’ve got a whole lot more wisdom where that came from! For more parenting tips head over to our blog, The Sip!
