Baby's Development for month 4

Mothers's Development

Things to do

Tips

Baby's Development for month 4 of pregnancy

• Length - 5 inches or 100 mm long
• Weight - about 45 gram
• Your baby's skin is very thin and blood vessels can be seen under it. The skin is covered with a fine, fuzzy hair called lanugo, which will not fall out until your baby nears full-term.
• She may have started to suck her thumb already. Her heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood a day.
• Length - 6 inches or 150 mm long
• Weight - about 60-85 gram
• If you haven't felt movement already, you may begin to feel it now. If it is your first baby, you may not feel movement yet. The baby's bones have hardened and he is moving his arms and legs. There is still plenty of room for hime to move in your uterus.
• He can now hold his head up, it is no longer resting on his chest. He can also blink at this stage.
• Length - 6.5 inches or 165 mm long
• Weight - about 120 gram
• Your baby's face is beginning to look like a real baby, the eyes move more forward and the ears have started to pop from her head.
• She is putting on a spurt of growth, with fat building up under neath her skin. The fat will help her keep her temperature up after birth. She may be able to hear load noises, they may even make her jump.
• Length - 7 inches or 177 mm long
• Weight - about 170 gram
• Your baby's body starts get catch up to the head size as the limbs lengthen. His bones are beginning to become hard.
• His fingerprints are developing, and the pads on his fingers and toes are formed. He could even get the hiccups at this stage, so watch out for frequent jumps in your bump.

Mothers Development for month 4 of pregnancy

• You may just begin to show and your breasts are becoming larger and heavier.
• You may feel Braxton Hicks contractions. These painless and random contractions can be thought of as your body warming up for the big event of birth. If they?re accompanied by intense cramps or backaches, call your GP.
• Drink plenty of water and keep doing low-impact exercises.
• Boy or Girl. Do you want to know what you are having. It may be possible in the next scan to find out the sex of the baby.
• The estrogen levels in your body have increased, which causes the nasal membranes to swell. This could cause nosebleeds or a blocked nose. Don't use nose drops, other than saline, unless recommended by your doctor.
• Your ligaments are being stretched and you may experience aches and pains in your abdomen.
• The baby is going through a growth spurt so the chances are that so are you.
• You may be sweating more as the increased blood volume in your body causes more secretions.
• Some white women notice dark spots on their face. This is called chloasma of the 'mask of pregnancy', and occurs on the forehead, nose and cheeks. They will disappear after the birth. Black women may develop white patches of sking on their face and neck.
• You may have trouble sleeping as your body grows. Try propping yourself up with pillows to help find a more comfortable position.
• You could start looking at baby names - it takes some mothers all 40 weeks to decide.
• You could feel dizzy, lightheaded or faint. This is normal during pregnancy and isn't harmul unless they occur frequently or severely.

Things To Do in month 4

• Discuss the new arrival with your partner and the changes it will bring about.
   
• You should have informed your employer, if you have not done so, do it now.
   
• Look into your family leave entitlements. What leave are you entitled to, what benefits are you entitled to. Visit our Irish Maternity Entitlements/Benefits page.

Tips

• Use this time to start preparing for the baby. Decide where the baby will sleep etc.
   
• As your waist line expands, wear comfortable clothes and wear your seatbelt under your bump.
   
• Start collecting little items which you will need when the baby is born, vests, baby suits, towels, baby blankets, clothes etc. You will be surprised how quickly the remainder of your pregnancy will pass and you may not feel like shopping in the latter stages.

Month 3 of pregnancy

Month 5 of pregnancy

Pregnancy Calendar - pregnancy calendar home page