4-Week-Old Baby Milestones: Growth, Feeding, and Daily Changes
Hello mummy. Welcome to week four of this incredible journey with your newborn. You’ve made it to your baby’s 1-month milestone a moment that deserves a quiet celebration, maybe with a hot cup of tea in hand, because let’s be honest, those happen rarely right now. This stage is full of tiny wonders, occasional confusion, and so much love you didn’t know a human could contain.
At four weeks old, your baby is still adjusting to life outside the womb, and so are you. If the first month felt like a test you somehow passed while half asleep, that’s normal. You’re learning the rhythm of cries, naps, and feeds, and your baby is learning that your voice is the most calming thing in their world.
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What’s Happening at Four Weeks
Babies at this age spend most of their time sleeping and eating, but they’re slowly beginning to interact more with their environment. They may start to have clearer wake and sleep periods, which means there are precious little moments when they look at you with wide, curious eyes. Around four weeks, babies often begin to track faces and objects with their gaze, and their hearing is becoming keener they love the sound of your voice, especially when you speak in that cheerful, animated tone mums have perfected.
Your baby’s eyesight is still developing. At this stage, they see best at around 18–24 inches roughly the distance from your face to theirs during a cuddle and will follow objects moving side to side.
Fussy Evenings and “Witching Hour”
Many parents notice fussiness in the early evening, often called the witching hour. This isn’t dramatic misbehavior it’s a response to a busy day of sensory input when your little one’s tiny nervous system hits its limit. Dimming lights, gentle white noise, and calm swaddling can help baby wind down.
If your baby seems inconsolable for hours, don’t panic. True colic defined as fussing for three or more hours a day affects a small percentage of infants, and most periods of fussiness are temporary and related to normal developmental adjustment.
Feeding: A Full-Time Job (And Then Some)
At four weeks, your baby still eats frequently, whether you’re breastfeeding or formula feeding. On average, babies consume about 2 to 3 ounces every 2 to 3 hours, and breastfed newborns often nurse 8–12 times in 24 hours. This is normal growth in action.
Some babies experience a growth spurt between weeks 3–6, during which feeds may feel endless and baby wants to nurse or bottle more often. Growth spurts can temporarily disrupt sleep and feeding patterns but they usually pass within a few days. Additional facts: weight gain around this time is rapid, and most babies will gain about an ounce per day at this age. Bringing this up with your pediatrician can reassure you that growth is on track.
Also Read: 3-Week-Old Baby: What Life Really Feels Like
Sleep Patterns and Safe Rest
Your baby is still haltingly learning day and night rhythms, so don’t be surprised if sleep feels unpredictable. Newborns can sleep anywhere from 14 to 18 hours a day but often in short bursts rather than long stretches.
Night waking remains common because babies’ circadian rhythms aren’t fully developed yet, and their tiny stomachs require frequent refueling. Exposing your baby to morning light and a calm bedtime environment (dim lights, quiet, gentle sound) can help set the internal “sleep clock.”
Your Baby’s Health at Four Weeks
Around this age, some babies may develop cradle cap, a harmless condition that shows up as flaky, oily skin on the scalp or eyebrows. With a pediatrician’s blessing, gentle massage and mild shampooing can help clear it up.
Vaccinations are also on the horizon the second dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine usually happens between one and two months. Meanwhile, keep your baby’s environment clean and limit exposure to large crowds.
Extra Tips You Might Not Know
- Tummy time matters even at four weeks short supervised sessions help strengthen neck and shoulder muscles and set the stage for rolling and later milestones. Experts recommend starting tummy time early and increasing it gradually.
- Babbling practice starts now while actual speech is still months away, early cooing and responding to your voice encourages language development long before words emerge.
You Got This
Four weeks in, and you’re building instincts that no book could ever teach. You’re learning your baby’s cues, rhythms, and adorable little quirks. Even on the tough nights, this phase is fleeting and each day brings more connection, more understanding, and more tiny milestones
