You’ve reached another milestone this week; your 16-week-old baby is now four months old.
It’s time to celebrate all she has achieved in such a short period of time. She is now a smiling, laughing baby who can move her arms intentionally and is making the first sounds that will lead her towards language.
She loves her world and is learning about it every chance she gets. And you are enjoying sharing it with her.
Read on and discover more about what’s happening for your little one at 16 weeks.
Baby’s sleep pattern at 16 weeks
Your 16-week-old baby is on the brink of one of the most complex periods of brain development and the coming weeks will bring new challenges.
You can expect a lot of changes ahead. At times it will feel as though your baby is having sleep regression when it comes to nighttime sleep, and her sleeping patterns might change.
At 16 weeks old, babies generally have more frequent night wakings than they did just a few weeks ago. This is due to four to six months being a peak time for brain development. Your 16-week-old baby is working hard during her daytime sleep.
It’s normal and natural that such rapid growth in the brain will disturb sleep, causing sleep regressions in young babies.
A baby who has woken will seek the quickest way to fall asleep, for breastfed babies this is nearly always on the breast.
Be cautious about introducing solids too early; the reason babies are waking might not be hunger or a lack of solids. Using formula or rice cereal in bottles won’t prevent babies from waking.
Your 16-week-old baby will sometimes wake because she is hungry and needs to feed This happens when babies are too distracted to feed well during the day.
You can minimize this by changing how and where you feed during the day.
Find out more in our article 4 Month Monsters! 6 Ways Babies Change + Survival Tips.
Size of baby at 16 weeks
Most babies at 16 weeks weigh about 14-15 pounds (6.4-7 kilos). As they grow so rapidly you might start to notice a very cute double chin and gorgeous chunky thighs developing.
If you’re concerned about the size of your little one, seek professional medical advice.
Developmental milestones – 16 week old
Baby’s development is now at the four-month mark and is ramping up. Your baby’s personality, fine motor development, hand-eye coordination, and facial expressions are all signs that she is growing and thriving.
You might notice:
- Your baby is starting self-motivated play
- She tries to push up on her elbows during tummy time
- The hands are going to the mouth all the time
- She can now hold her head up without support
- She tries to sit upright
- She’s making different sounds and giggles
- She is rolling from side to side
- She tries to push off on her legs if the surface is hard enough
- She can shake a toy or rattle
- Her eyes track you around the room.
Separation anxiety – 16 week old baby
As if there isn’t already enough going on, you might find your 16 week old baby is starting to show early signs of separation anxiety. Although she likes to explore the world around her, she likes to do so with you in sight.
She might be happy to go into the arms of her father or grandparents – as long as she can still see or even touch you. But she might cry when handed to another family member or carer; don’t worry, this is a normal part of a baby’s development.
Your baby is only now becoming aware that you and she are separate people, and you might not always be within arm’s reach. This slow process will peak at around nine months and ease after 15 months or so. Separation anxiety can occur at any age, however, especially when a family is stressed. Moving house, introducing a new sibling, or experiencing illness or a death in the family are events that commonly cause it to reoccur.
For now, help your baby by not disappearing suddenly from view, handing her abruptly to others, or putting her down rapidly. Talk to her about what is happening and reassure her you are still close by or will return soon. She won’t understand the words, but your tone will ease her alarm.
If she cries when you leave her at daycare or with family, be assured the tears will stop quickly, as she is easily distracted by other people or interesting toys. She doesn’t yet have the memory to sustain her concern.
Returning to work – baby 16 weeks
Australian women currently have access to 18 weeks paid parental leave. If you’re not extending that with a period of unpaid leave, then you will be returning to work in just a few weeks.
For a breastfeeding mother, this means it’s time to put your return to work plan into action. It might mean you will begin regular pumping sessions to stockpile a supply of breast milk in your freezer, and become familiar with your milk output at different stages of the day.
Most mothers find double-pumping is the quickest option, as you can pump both breasts together in around 15-20 minutes. Single pumping will obviously take twice as long.
You can find out how to make the most of your pumping sessions in our article 5 Tips To Help You Express Breast Milk Like A Pro.
If you haven’t already selected a breast pump, you will need to work out which will best suit you.
For more information, read Choosing A Breast Pump – 4 Things You Need To Know.
Breastfeeding your 16 week old baby
If your breastfed 16-week-old baby is waking more at night and fussing during daytime feeds, it’s hard not to worry about your breast milk supply. In fact, many mothers reluctantly introduce solids or formula around this age because they are concerned their baby isn’t getting enough milk.
It helps if you know the 3 Reliable Signs That Your Baby Is Getting Enough Milk.
‘In Australia, it is recommended that infants be exclusively breastfed until around 6 months of age when solid foods are introduced. It is further recommended that breastfeeding be continued until 12 months of age and beyond, for as long as the mother and child desire’ — NHMRC Infant Feeding Guidelines 2012.
There are no separate guidelines for formula-fed babies, who also begin solids at about six months. However, the formula is only required for the first 12 months. Toddler formula (for babies over 12 months of age) might not be necessary.
Introducing solids at 16 weeks
Four months is often mistakenly considered to be the right age for introducing solids. After all, it has been recommended in the past. Most brands of baby foods still state four months plus on their labels, so as to tap into this confused market.
Some health professionals also continue to suggest introducing solids at four months, which is very confusing for parents when all the guidelines clearly state six months.
Some of this confusion comes from a recommendation in 2008 that solids must NOT be introduced any earlier than four months and no later than six months. This was from the perspective of reducing allergy risk. The Australian Society for Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) has promoted this message, and many health professionals have taken it on board.
This is in line with the World Health Organisations recommendations for all countries and remains consistent with The American Academy of Pediatrics, the NHS in the UK, and all State and Territory governments in Australia.
