20 weeks

Behavior and development

How does the baby develop?

When your baby lies on his back, he will lift his head and shoulders up just like when you reach out and pull your baby up. In the last week of the fourth month, your baby can:

Force down the legs when held upright;

Sit on your own without support;

Respond if you take a toy from your baby's hand;

Direct your body to the source of the voice.

What do you need to do to support your baby?

If you put your baby on his or her back, he will extend his arms and legs and arch his back up. These exercises are great for strengthening neck muscles and help your baby develop the head control needed to be able to sit on his own.

Prepare your baby for a good night's sleep by bathing or telling a story. You should follow these habits in a certain sequence, for example feeding your baby, taking a bath, wearing pajamas, reading a book to your baby, singing a lullaby or playing music to your baby and then putting him in bed.

A good sleep preparation process can give you and your baby more time to relax and become closer together. You and your partner can take turns practicing these habits (mother baths the baby, dad tells stories ...). Or both of you get regular breaks, try taking turns taking responsibility for getting your baby to bed each night.

Health and safety

What should mom discuss with the doctor?

Each doctor will have a method of checking the health of the baby depending on the specific condition. General physical tests, as well as the number and type of diagnostic techniques and procedures performed will vary widely depending on the condition of the baby. The doctor or nurse will check for all or most of the following:

Guidance on what to look out for for the next month regarding issues such as eating, sleeping, growth and safety issues for infants;

What are the reactions that are likely to happen to the baby after the 2nd vaccination;

How do you take care of your baby? When should you call the doctor ?;

When should the baby eat solids?

Mother should know more?

Baby shake syndrome

Baby Shaken Syndrome (SBS) is a serious brain injury that occurs when a baby is shaken strongly causing the brain to be hit in the skull. Infants are very vulnerable because their neck muscles are not strong enough to support the head area. This, if continued, could cause serious trauma, lead to blindness, eye damage, delay in baby development, seizures, paralysis, permanent brain damage or even death.

Shaken baby syndrome can be caused by violent games such as throwing the baby up high and holding the baby down. However, common activities such as touching, patting and tickling that parents often interact with their babies or ride on rough roads are not the cause of this syndrome.

When this happens, your baby may be fussy or overly sleepy, vomiting or have problems with eating, breathing problems, or appear uncomfortable and fussy. If you suspect your baby has shaken baby syndrome, call your doctor or take your baby to the emergency room right away. Your baby's condition may get worse and will suffer permanent brain damage if not treated promptly. Present it clearly so that the doctor can diagnose as accurately as possible and treat the baby in the best way.

Baby has black stools

If your baby has black stools, he or she is likely to have an excess of iron. In some children, when bacteria enter the digestive tract, the body excretes iron through the feces, the stool will be dark brown, green or black. This is not a serious condition and is not a cause for concern as studies show that small amounts of iron in the stool will not make it difficult for the baby to digest or upset. However, iron supplements are not recommended for babies, as most babies get enough iron from breast milk, formula and cereals. If your baby has black stools without iron supplements, take him or her to the doctor immediately.

Mother's concern

What are the things you need to care about?

Take the following steps to help your baby develop both physically and mentally:

Encourage your baby both physically and mentally

Many parents focus on intellectual development for their children and think that the baby will develop physically. You shouldn't forget the importance of physical health. Try to spend time playing with your baby during physical activity. At this stage, you can only support the baby to sit up or stand up when he is ready, gently lift his hand above his head, let him "cycle" by flexing his knee on your elbow. rhythmically, or lift the baby up by holding the baby's arms at his or her back so they can flex their arms and legs.

Create fun for your baby's body

Get excited when your baby practice. Talk or sing to your baby to hear and describe with your baby what you are doing, your baby will realize the enjoyment of physical activities.

Don't tie your baby

A baby who is always just sitting in a stroller, a seat, or always carried by a parent who has never had a chance to explore physical activity can turn into a lethargic and frail child. Regardless of age, babies need to be active. With their back lying position, babies 3-4 months old will be able to practice turning over and over. When placed on their tummy, babies crawl around and explore everything with their hands and mouth, push their buttocks up in the air, raise their heads and shoulders. All these activities are natural exercises for baby's arms and legs and can only be performed in large, non-binding spaces.

Don't be too serious

Infants should be able to naturally exercise with the right exercises. Many activities can both entertain both you and your baby as an opportunity to have fun, and at the same time help your baby interact with other babies. If you decide to include your baby in infant fitness classes, there are a few things to consider:

Are the teachers well-trained? Are the exercises safe? Please consult your doctor before applying. Watch it closely because any exercise with a strong shake is very dangerous. Be wary of classes that put pressure on your child instead of adding fun.

Is your baby happy? If your baby does not smile or laugh out loud during exercise, he does not seem very interested. You should be especially careful if babies become confused or frightened when they are forced to do things that upset them.

Does the classroom have lots of equipment suitable for the child's age? For example, at this age will be colorful, droopy rugs, balls, toys to shake.

Has your baby been given opportunities to play freely? Most classes should have children explore on their own instead of dividing children into groups.

Is the class focused on music? Children often enjoy music and enjoy rhythmic activities, such as seesaw and singing, or a combination of both during practice.

Let your baby adjust

Forcing your baby to exercise, or to do anything that he is not ready or interested in, can lead to negative results. Let your baby practice only when you realize that he can absorb and stop when he shows indifference or frustration with the implication that he does not want to continue.

Keep your baby energized

Good nutrition plays an equally important role in children's physical development compared to exercise. Always add enough nutrients and minerals to keep your baby full of energy.

Don't be a bad example

Be an example for your baby. When you practice with your baby, both mother and baby will become healthy. If your baby sees you walking to the market instead of driving, doing aerobics daily in front of the TV instead of chewing potato chips, swimming in the pool instead of just sunbathing on the shore, they'll have a good impression. exercise more.