Babies 5th month
Jennifer Ann Steinort studied health economics and is a state-approved nanny. She mainly writes on real-life topics, and experiences from working in health facilities and her own family life with three children flow into her work.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.Much is new in Babies 5th month. Your child is increasingly developing into an independent personality: They know exactly what they want and what they don't. It is fascinated by its surroundings and can now grab hold of it with both hands. Read here how your five-month-old baby can now express his displeasure and why it helps you in everyday life.
The 5th month
In the 5th month your baby continues to gain weight and is now wide awake with impressions from his environment. It actively trains its skills by reaching for objects and feeling them. Reflexes play an increasingly less important role.
5th month - physical development
By the age of five months, many children have already doubled their birth weight. However, this is only a guideline, which depends on the birth weight and the individual disposition of your child. Every child has their own pace: even larger deviations can be completely normal and are not a cause for concern.
At the age of five months, your baby is usually a size 68 and a size 42/44 hat fits him.
Your five-month-old baby will look different too. While some children at this age still have chubby cheeks, your offspring may already have slimmer facial contours.
Motor skills and reflexes
So far, your five-month-old baby has automatically held onto the objects you gave him due to the grasping reflex. Now it also grabs objects independently. This is a conscious act, completely detached from reflexes.
Your child has long prepared itself for grasping by looking carefully at its hands. Your offspring has trained their hand-eye coordination to such an extent that they are now able to specifically grasp an object with both hands. The object then disappears directly into the mouth for detailed exploration.
Your offspring has been very busy in the last few weeks and has strengthened his muscles in the neck area even more. Keeping your head in the prone position for a long time is no longer a problem. This enables your baby to explore his environment in depth at the age of five months.
The development of the senses
As your five-month-old baby gets older, his senses become sharper. It can differentiate between different pitches and recognize voices without a face. That's why it squeaks happily when it hears your voice, even if it can't see you.
Would you like to offer your baby complementary food for the first time when it is five months old? Then observe your child's facial features. Thanks to its fine taste buds, new worlds open up to your child with the unfamiliar food. You will find surprise or disgust on his face. These are the moments you should capture to share with family.
5th month - mental development
Your baby's development has progressed further in the fifth month and brings new skills with it. Your offspring is more alert and can process impressions from their environment more attentively.
Your child is even engaged in practical physics! More precisely with gravity. At the age of five months, your baby discovers that objects have to be on top to avoid falling off.
Your child will also develop their emotional and communicative skills by engaging with their environment.
Emotional development
In the fifth month, your baby will develop into an independent little personality that can express its emotions. With a beaming smile, it shows that it is happy. With a frustrated whining, it makes it clear that the diaper change is not very important. And if it doesn't want to be fed, it just doesn't open its mouth.
Having a strong baby personality can be stressful at times. But from the new behavior patterns, you can infer your five-month-old baby's needs. That makes everyday life easier.
In the fifth month of life, your offspring can begin to "strangle". This is only a harbinger of the actual "strangeness" that occurs in the 8th month of life. If someone strangers approaches your five-month-old baby or you leave the room, he or she may shed big tears as he "strangers". Your baby is still insecure and is looking for the protection of people he trusts.
Social development and communication
Babies five months old already have a set daily routine and you are a well-coordinated team. Thanks to his newfound communication skills, your baby can now contribute more and more to family life.
Your baby will enjoy making new sounds. It tries out high and low notes and makes itself heard with a loud voice. It prefers to try out its range of sounds in a dialogue with you. Babbling, squeaking, and screeching sounds are especially popular.
One of the most beautiful sounds your baby can make at five months is voiced laughter. It is so distinctive that you can recognize it among many other children by it.
5th month - This is how you support your child in a playful way
Encourage your child to stay active and alert in order to develop further. The following games are suitable for babies when they are five months old:
Small kickers: With a handle under the arms, you lift your baby up and swing it slightly above the floor. So you can kick a soft ball of fabric together. This exercise strengthens the legs and trains attention.
Enjoy music: Your baby likes to listen carefully. With rattles, a xylophone or bells this is especially fun. Make different noises with the musical instruments and watch your five-month-old baby react.
Visit to the pediatrician in the 5th month
There is no check-up this month. Depending on when you started the first vaccination, the next 6-fold vaccination may be due. You can find information about this on your five-month-old baby's vaccination card.
When is which vaccination recommended for your baby? You can also find this in the vaccination calendar.
Does your baby suffer from diaper soreness? Then you should change the diaper brand and apply a wound protection cream.
Is your child's buttocks showing a red rash accompanied by pustules and scales? Then it can be diaper thrush. This is a skin infection in the diaper area with the yeast Candida albicans and is common in babies. The doctor may prescribe an ointment for you to treat.
Further information on the subject can be found in the article Windelsoor.
Tips for the 5th month
With the following tips you can strike a good balance between learning and relaxing so as not to overwhelm your child in everyday life.
Staying in dialogue: the auditory pathway and language center in the brain continue to develop in infancy. Support the process by having dialogues with your five month old child. Apparently irrelevant topics such as how to proceed with changing diapers are also suitable for this: "Now we will make you a new diaper and then we will put your pants on again." Your child loves to hear your voice and will be happy to "answer" you.
Mitigate the first "stranger phase": Your baby in the fifth month stays at a distance with less familiar people. It is completely normal. Nevertheless, grandparents are often upset when the grandchild suddenly no longer wants to take their arms. Try a compromise: let the unfamiliar person hold your baby so they can still see you. Perhaps that will bring the necessary security so that family and friends can still hold your child.
Small excursions: For social development, it is important to move outside of the "nest". Take your five-month-old baby to a restaurant or a visit to your work place.
Introduction of complementary foods: In principle, you can start with complementary foods in babies 5 months old. You can make the decision individually. The child's motor skills also play a role. If you are unsure, ask your pediatrician or midwife for advice.
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