Time flies by so fast, indeed. You now have a 5 month old baby!
Congratulations! Your baby has crossed the 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 the 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!
Here's what you can look forward to as your baby enters their fifth month.
5 Month Old Development and Milestones: Is Your Baby on Track?
5 Month Old Baby: Physical Development
At this stage, your child’s median length and weight* should be as follows:
- Boys
– Length: 65.9 cm (25.9 inches)
– Weight: 7.5 kg (16.6 lb) - Girls
– Length: 64.0 cm (25.2 inches)
– Weight: 6.9 kg (15.2 lb)
And your child’s head circumference* should be:
- Boys: 42.6 cm (16.8 inches)
- Girls: 41.5 cm (16.3 inches)
There are quite a few milestones that you can expect or start to notice in the early stages of the fifth month. An exciting one is that most babies can start sitting upright for a longer period in their fifth month.
But they may need a little support. So throw in a cushion to support your 5 month old baby's back as you encourage them to sit. Gradually, once your baby is comfortable in their sitting position, you can introduce them to a high chair and sit with the whole family during meal times.
If your baby hasn't started rolling over yet, chances are they will make an attempt at it this month and should be comfortable rolling over from back to tummy. This means you must be extra careful when leaving them 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.
Most 5 month old babies also start crawling and scooting if they haven't already. Babies also start moving their legs a lot, rocking during the day, holding their legs together, and just putting a lot of effort into moving around.
Another key skill that your baby develops at five months is grasping. You'll notice that your baby can grasp their toys or sippy cups properly and transfer objects from one hand to the other, which is a big achievement. Yay!
How to support your 5 month old’s physical development
- Make sure your rolling and crawling munchkin is never out of sight since, at five months, your baby becomes more active and might hurt their selves.
- It would be best if you were looking at childproofing right now to avoid mishaps.
- Engage your baby in activities encouraging movements, like keeping toys away from their reach when they have tummy time. The baby may outgrow the baby gym at any moment, so make the most out of it!
Consult a doctor if your baby:
- Is unable to hold their head steady.
- They have difficulty turning their head from side to side.
Cognitive Development
Five months is when a baby begins to have their own identity and, in a way, gives you a glimpse of the type of child they will be in the months to come — happy, expressive, cranky or emotional... or a mix of all.
Your 5 month old baby is more expressive and also responsive. They will also try to hold their gaze upon you for longer, 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 they hear, such as a bird chirping, the snapping of fingers, and a dog barking in the neighbourhood.
How to promote your 5-month-old’s brain development
- Encourage everyone in the house to actively communicate with your baby to nurture language skills.
- Get your 5 month old baby toys that make noises or interact in other ways.
- Match noises with a description. For example, if your pet dog barks, say, "Oooh, listen, darling! Sammy is barking – bow wow!"
Consult a doctor if your baby:
- Does not react at all or very much to noises or new environments.
- Does not show emotions.
Social and Emotional Development
While your baby is still not old enough to fully express anger, frustration, and joy, they would most probably be more expressive and display love, affection and a distinct sense of humour at five months.
Your baby may find humour in every small thing, such as how you call out their name or when you play peek-a-boo with them.
How to nurture your 5 month old’s emotional development
- Make your baby giggle and record this precious moment! Never will their smiles and laughs be more forthcoming than now.
- Tickle your baby!
- Play games like "This little piggy went to market" or "Round and round the garden, like a teddy bear," where you engage your baby's senses.
Consult a doctor if your baby:
- Does not engage with you and others at all.
Speech and Language Development
Your baby's communication skills will be at an all-time high this month.
At 5 months, you'll suddenly notice that your baby's coos have increased, and they will also start saying their first "da-da", "ba-ba", and "ma-ma". They will also try to respond when you call out their name or say something peculiar and will perhaps let out a squeal in excitement.
How to encourage your 5 month old’s speech and language development
- If you haven't already, this is also the time to start reading to your baby.
- 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 "mum mum" for water, for instance, as your baby would take these as the correct words.
Consult a doctor if your baby:
- Is not making any sounds at all.
Health and Nutrition
Your 5 month old baby is growing up fast, and their hunger has grown substantially from last month as they prepare itself for solids next month. Your breast milk still provides all the nutrition your baby needs to grow and thrive.
For now, the approximate amount of breastmilk/formula milk your baby needs at this stage is:
- Breastmilk: 19.3-30.4 ounces/day
- Formula: 25 ounces/day
Baby boys at this age need 624.4 calories per day. Baby girls need 570.1 calories a day.
At five months, your baby should have a proper sleep pattern and might be able to sleep through the night if they are well-fed and nothing is bothering them. This means 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.
How to support your 5 month old baby’s health:
- While it might be tempting to feed your baby solids, always consult a paediatrician before proceeding.
- On very hot days, increase the frequency of breastfeeding. Your baby still does not have extra water.
Vaccination and Common Illnesses
This month, your baby should receive the following vaccinations:
- Hepatitis B - 3rd dose: Immunisation against Hepatitis B
- DTaP - 3rd dose: Immunisation against Diphtheria, Pertussis & Tetanus
- IPV - 3rd dose: Immunisation against Poliomyelitis
- Hib - 3rd dose: Haemophilus influenza type b vaccine
- Pneumococcal Conjugate - 2nd dose: Immunisation against Pneumococcal Disease
To learn more about the importance of vaccinations and to check your baby's schedule, click here.
Common illnesses that your child might get (especially if they have an older sibling) include:
- Respiratory Syncytial virus, which has symptoms like runny nose, nasal congestion, and heavy breathing
- Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease may present itself via fever and sore throat, with some rashes on the palms, soles, trunk and diaper area.
- Scarlet fever has symptoms, including a sore throat and red rashes around the neck and face.
While the conditions mentioned earlier (and even the common cold) may not be a big deal in an older child, they could lead to severe consequences in a young baby.
Treating Common Illnesses
If your little one gets a cold or other common illness, you should immediately bring them to the paediatrician. At 5 months old, your baby is still too young for home remedies.
Note: Never give your baby medicine not prescribed by a paediatrician.
A few reminders:
- If your baby gets ill, continue to breastfeed. Your breastmilk composition changes during the baby's illness and includes more antibodies to help them heal.
- Breastfeeding is also a great way to counter the pain of jabs. Latch baby on while he's getting his shots.
Consult a doctor if your baby:
- Shows a significant drop in weight or if any parameter falls below the 5th percentile.
- Has a fever over 37.5 degrees Celsius.
- Displays unusual bruises, cuts, bumps or rashes.
Five months is when many parents enjoy the most with their baby as he begins to respond and express themselves for the first time. So enjoy this phase to the fullest!
5 Month Old Sleep Schedule
The sleep schedule of a 5 month old baby is pretty much the same as it was at 4 months, but with a few extra hours of sleep.
You can expect your baby to get around 14.5 hours of total sleep daily. This means they will sleep for longer periods and wake up less frequently during the night.
Of course, there will be some nights when your baby wakes up more often than usual, and this can happen for some reasons, such as teething or illness.
Your 5 month old baby will likely sleep through the night without interruptions. The first day may still be rough, though, because they are still getting used to this new routine. This means they will probably wake up once or twice during the night to eat. After this first week, though, they should be able to go back to sleeping through the night without waking up for food.
They may also have trouble falling asleep at first because they are so used to being rocked or held before bedtime by their parents. Try putting them down drowsy but awake as soon as possible so they can learn to fall asleep on their own sooner rather than later. It may take a few days to get used to this new routine, but eventually, they will adjust and start sleeping through the night without any problems!
If you have any questions regarding your 5 month old baby’s weight, health and development, do not hesitate to consult your child’s paediatrician.
*Disclaimer: This is the median length and weight, and head circumference according to WHO standards.
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