Congratulations! Your baby has crossed the initial four-month mark which would have kept you on your toes all the time! And while you must celebrate that your little one is nearing his six-month mark, be prepared for the real adventures as this is the time your 5 month old baby will start babbling, rolling over and, maybe, even start crawling.
So here’s what you can look forward to as your baby enters his fifth month:
Your 5 month old baby is now full of kisses and cuddles!
5 Month Old Baby Development
Physical Development
There are quite a few milestones that you can expect or start to notice in the early stages of the fifth month:
Sitting Upright
Most babies can start sitting upright for a longer period of time in their fifth month, however, with a little support. So throw in a cushion to support your 5 month old baby’s back as you encourage him to sit. Gradually, once you see that your baby is comfortable in his sitting position, you can introduce him to his high chair and help sit with the whole family during meal times.
Rolling Over
If your baby hasn’t started rolling over yet, chances are he will make an attempt at it in his fifth month and should be comfortably rolling over from his back to tummy. This means that you have to be extra careful when leaving him alone. We advise that it would be best for you to keep your baby on the mat when you’re busy doing your household chores to avoid any falls.
Crawling or Scooting
Most 5 month old babies also start crawling and scooting if they haven’t already. Babies also start working up their legs, rocking during the day, holding their legs together, and basically just putting a lot of effort into moving around.
Cognitive Development
Five months is the time when a baby begins to have his own identity and, in a way, give you a glimpse of the type of baby he will be in the months to come — happy, expressive, cranky or emotional. Here’s what you can watch out for:
More Responsive and Expressive
At five months your baby is more expressive and also responsive. He will also try to hold his gaze upon you for a longer period of time, perhaps trying to read your lips and understand what you’re saying. Suddenly you will notice that your baby is trying to make sense of every sound he hears, such as a bird chirping, the snapping of fingers, and a dog barking in the neighbourhood.
Better at Grasping
Another key skill that your baby develops at five months is grasping. You’ll notice that your baby is able to grasp his toys or sippy cup properly as well as transfer objects from one hand to the other, which is a big achievement. Yay!
Sleep Cycles
At five months your baby should have a proper sleep pattern and might be able to sleep through the night if he is well-fed and there’s nothing that is bothering him. This means that you’ll get more time as a new mother to sleep and rest, so enjoy this phase. However, this also means that your baby will not be in any mood to sleep longer during the day and will keep you on your toes.
You can expect to see some very cute behavior from your 5 month old baby!
Social and Emotional Development
While your baby is still not old enough to express his anger, frustration, and joy, at five months he would most probably be more expressive and display love, affection and a distinct sense of humour. He may find humor in every small thing, such as the way you call out his name or when you play peek-a-boo with him.
Mommies, this is the time you’ll hear all those giggles and cackles that you have till now seen in the numerous baby videos that swarm your Facebook timeline day in and day out. Why not make your baby’s own video if you have no problems sharing it on social media!
Speech and Language Development
Your baby’s communication skills will be at an all-time high at this time. And he may also suddenly develop a sense of humor.
You’ll suddenly notice that your baby’s coos have increased and he will also start saying his first “da-da,” “ba-ba,” and “ma-ma.” He will also try to respond when you call out his name or say something peculiar and will perhaps let out a squeal in excitement.
If you haven’t already, this is also the time to start reading to your baby and increase his vocabulary by reading books that are meant for babies. You can also try and repeat a few common words to your baby that you use every day such as “milk,” “paci,” and “sleep.”
Do note that when you speak to your babies, use correct words and not made up ones, such as “mimi” for “milk” or “mam mam” for water, for instance, as your baby would take these as the correct words.
At around five and a half months, your little one may be ready for solids.
Health And Nutrition
Your baby is growing up fast and his hunger has grown substantially from last month as he prepares himself for solids. Be careful and make sure you continue breastfeeding him at five months.
However, once your baby is five-and-a-half months, you can start giving him a taste of certain food such as mashed banana or clear vegetable stock. Make sure it’s just for tasting and never give more than a teaspoon of one food item in a day. It’s also suggested that you consult your baby’s paediatrician before giving any new food item to be safe.
Mosts doctors also advise parents to start giving a little water to their babies as they’re nearing six months. But again consult the doctor before doing that.
Tips for Parents
- Communicate as much as you can with your baby. Try to introduce him to new words such as the cow says “moo,” and the dog says “bow-wow.” Also, call out his name as often as you can because soon he will start responding to it.
- Make sure your rolling and crawling munchkin is never out of your site since at five months your baby becomes more active and might hurt himself. Childproofing is something you should be looking at right now to avoid any mishaps.
- Introduce your baby to people around you and perhaps take him to the mall or a vegetable market as he would likely enjoy it.
- There also a couple of vaccinations coming up at six months, so make sure you have a checklist given by your pediatrician.
Five months is the time many parents enjoy the most with their baby as it is the time he begins to respond and express himself for the first time. So enjoy this phase to the fullest!
Previous month: Baby development and milestones: Your 4 month old
Next month: Baby development and milestones: Your 6 month old
Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore
