Baby Feeding at Month 5
Your baby should still be eating breastmilk or formula, exclusively.
Other parents feed their child formula to complete their breast milk. In such cases, breastmilk should always be more than formula.
According to the AAP, parents should feed their 5-month old babies on demand. Your baby should be eating four to five times a day, each feeding being about 6-8 ounces.
Some parents also choose to give their 5-month olds solid foods, if they had not started in the child’s fourth month. If so, your kid is ready for solid foods if;
- They have good control of their head
- They can seat without your support
- They lean forward or open your mouth when a caregiver offers them food.
- Your baby’s pediatrician gives you the go ahead to feed your child solid foods.
At 5 months, you should hold off giving your baby water. At this stage, your baby’s breast milk or formula provide the child with adequate fluids.
Baby Sleep at Month 5:
Your baby is sleeping for between 14 and 15 hours a day. The child is also most likely to have six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep at night. Other kids, however, may wake up once or twice for feeding.
At 5 months, your baby is most likely to have two naps, one in the morning and the other one in the afternoon. Other 5-month olds also enjoy a third nap (late evening). Each nap takes 30 minutes to two hours each.
Your 5-month old infant should still sleep on her back and their crib with a firm surface and fitted bedsheets.
Baby Development On the 5th Month
Physical Growth and Associated Movement
At 5 months, your baby continues to grow at approximately the same rate as of the previous months. Your child will gain about 1 lb to 1 ½ lbs during the fifth month. Their length and head circumference will also increase by ½ an inch during their fifth month.
Your baby also achieves their first major milestone-a steady head control.
Your child can also turn their head side to side, making it easier for them to track movements, voices, and sounds.
The good head control also enables them to achieve another huge milestone-sitting. Your baby will also practice sitting up without your help-they will play facedown, lifting their head and chest, strengthening the neck muscles and head control further. Prop your baby with a Boppy or pillow if they need until they can sit upright by themselves.
Your baby can also roll over both ways by the 6th month. The rolling over milestone enables them to sleep on the tummy by themselves.
Your infant’s ability to reach and grasp objects also heights during their 5th month. Your baby may even try to hold large objects by pressing them with their palms and curling their fingers around it. Your kid is still finding it fun dangling hanging toys.
Finally, your baby can bounce comfortably because they can bear all their weight on their legs. The bouncing prepares your child to stand alone and walk in the future.
Sensory Development
Your baby’s senses continue to mature progressively during the 5th money. The mouth remains their most used sensory organ to explore their environment.
Your child’s vision improves greatly. They can now identify and differentiate subtle colors, have improved visual tracking and coordination, and can focus on small toys. Also, your little one can distinguish different emotions from others-joy, sadness, fear, and respond to them.
Similarly, your baby’s hearing senses have developed greatly. Your child can now turn their head towards a voice comfortably. They can also tell apart emotions by the tone of a voice.
Mental Growth
Your baby’s memory of sounds, places, faces, and patterns continue to increase because of the continuing growth of the brain. At 5 months, your child begins to implement the knowledge they have been learning since birth. Your baby now understands your actions and the expected response. For instance, your baby will show excitement when you sit them in a usual feeding position.
Your baby will also broaden their language skills during the 5th month. Your child can now learn the single sounds (ah or oh) and keeps repeating it until they learn a new one.
Social Development
At 5 months, your infant is learning to use vocalizations, body language, and facial expressions to show different emotions.
Your baby’s attachment to your immediate family is also growing. They enjoy play time with family members and love the reassurance of being loved. Also, your child begins to become picky with strangers as they develop anxiety.
It is also at 5 months that your baby’s personality starts becoming apparent, enabling you to adjust your parenting styles to suit their temperaments.
Baby Vaccinations on the 5th Month
A 5-month old baby does not get any immunization shots. From the 4-month vaccinations, the next they will get is during the 6th month.
Fifth Month Baby Milestones
- They study small objects
- They explore with their mouths
- They grasp with both their hands
- Roll over from front to back, and probably from back to front
- Perfect mini-push ups when on their tummy
- They turn their head to locate the source of sound and voices
- Can imitates speech sounds
- They are more social-enjoy playing with others
- Imitate speech sounds
- Repeat single sounds
- Can laugh and squeal
- They can seat balancing with their hands on the floor
- Hold out hands for you to pick them