4 month developmental milestones

Mum and dad smiling sitting on the sofa together with the mum cuddling her smiling baby on her lap

There are some key physical and communication milestones you will expect your 4 month old to reach. These milestones should be treated as a rough guide, as each child is unique and will develop at their own pace. It is often unhelpful to compare a baby to other babies or their siblings.

Explore the topics on this page:

Physical milestones

Communication milestones

Encouraging development

Possible developmental concerns

Last reviewed: 1 November, 2024

At around 4 months old you can expect your baby to be able to:

Physical

when lying on their tummy, they can hold their head straight up and look around
when lying on their back, they can bring their hands together over their chest and touch their fingers
when in a supported sitting position, they can hold their head steady
when in a supported sitting position, they start to reach for a nearby toy
hold a toy in their hand whilst also looking at it, waving it about and attempting to chew it
play with their fingers when they put their hands together
grab or pull at their clothes

Communication

smile or ‘coo’ at themselves when in front of a mirror
giggle and laugh
smile or get excited when they see you, after you have been out of sight
stop crying when they hear a voice other than yours
make sounds when looking at toys or people
make high pitched squeals
when in front of a mirror, smile and make noises at themselves

Encouraging development

Activities and games you can explore with your baby:

playing with your baby by getting down to child’s level (lying down or crouching)
small exercises such as moving their legs and arms gently
picture books (using the same books helps with familiarity)
blowing bubbles
talking to them in short simple sentences
speaking with your baby and talking about what they are looking at
responding to their babbling by copying back the sounds they make
singing nursery rhymes and playing peekaboo
using different voices and actions when reading, singing and playing

Babies do not need lots of toys or devices to have fun or to encourage development.

They learn a lot of early skills by playing and spending time with you.

Possible development concerns

Sometimes development can be slower than you expect, or you may notice something different about your baby. It's normal to feel worried but there is lots of support out there.

Contact the health visiting team if you notice your baby is:

not engaging in eye contact when speaking to them
not fixing and following
not grasping objects when placed in their hands
not able to lift their head up for short periods when placed on their tummy

If your child needs more help or has additional needs, you can visit our specific section for extra support.

Child development and growing up for additional needs

If you have any questions or concerns about your baby's development, a health professional in our team will be able to offer advice and support.

You can email ccs.bedsandlutonchildrenshealthhub@nhs.net

You can call 0300 555 0606

Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).

Or you can text:

07507 331456 if you live in Bedfordshire
07507 331886 if you live in Luton

Open Monday to Friday 9am to 4:30pm (excluding bank holidays).

Need more information?

Local support

Information for babies aged 4 months old

Mother and baby on floor with soft fabric ball. Baby is laying on their stomach on a rug, in a living room.

Child development and growing up
Moving and being active

Learning to move

Babies are limited in the amount they can move. They're strengthening their muscles with small movements throughout the day. Many parents worry about their babies developing flat head syndrome. Babies spend a lot of time sleeping and travelling on their back. It is important for babies to move around during the day.

Two women kneeling down in front of their babies. The two babies are lying on their back. One baby is looking at the other, whilst the other baby is looking at the camera.

Child development and growing up
Speech, language and communication

Communicating with your baby

Babies can communicate from the moment they are born. As soon as they arrive, your baby is learning about speech, language and communication. When communicate with your baby, you are helping them learn to communicate. It's also important for you to understand how your baby is trying to communicate with you.

Sleeping newborn baby being held with an adults finger gently pulling down on their lower lip to reveal the baby's first tooth.

Child development and growing up

Hygiene for infants

It's important to try to keep your baby clean and healthy by bathing them and brushing their teeth. It can help your baby to build up their immunity to infections and stick to good personal hygiene as they get older.

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4 month developmental milestones

Explore the topics on this page:

At around 4 months old you can expect your baby to be able to:

Physical

Communication

Encouraging development

Possible development concerns

Need more specific support for your child?

Who can help

Need more information?

Local support

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