Five month old baby development
It is incredible to see how time has passed, it seems that it is not long when we say 5 months, and at the same time it is as if the baby has always been with the family, because it is difficult to remember what the days were like without the little one at home. But what does a 5-month-old baby do?
Your baby has just turned 5 months old or is approaching the date. Surely, you do not stop seeing it and admiring how much it has grown in this time. She gained weight and his hair has probably changed, as has the color of his eyes.
His reactions to all external stimuli can surprise you every day, since he is more attentive to sounds, the voices of family members and responds also with sounds and laughter. At this stage he is already able to claim your presence and he wants to be near you all the time. Therefore, we want to analyze these changes so that we understand a little more about the development of a 5-month-old baby.
Psychomotor evolution
If we ask the pediatrician, what does a 5-month-old baby do? This will tell us that the baby moves much more, since his motor progress is observed daily in the control of her movements.
At this age, the baby has developed enough strength to lift the trunk using the forearms when lying on his tummy. If he is on his back, the baby is able to grab both legs and even bring his feet to his mouth.
Likewise, he shows advances in gross motor skills by holding the objects that are around him and has even become familiar with the concept of action and reaction, so it becomes very common for everything he picks up to be thrown to the ground. For him it is a fun game, at the same time that he can see what he is capable of.
At this stage there are various activities that you can do to stimulate the baby 5 months. One of them is to talk to him throughout the day about all the things you do together: when you are giving him a bath, explain to him everything you do, why you wash his hair, what you use to wash his body, teach him the name of the objects. In the same way, when changing his diaper, take the opportunity to talk to him, call him by his name, sing to him and make faces.
Another activity you can do when carrying it is to place it in front of a mirror so that the little one observes himself, knows his expressions and learns to recognize himself. Make funny faces at him and while you look in the mirror talk to him about the parts of his body and what you see.
All of these will be perceived as games for the 5-month-old baby, using the fun moments as opportunities to learn about everything around him.
weight and height
In a 5-month-old baby, weight and height vary according to certain factors, such as sex, the term of gestation, if the baby had low birth weight, among others. However, in general, there are reference tables that indicate that the weight of a 5-month-old male baby is close to 7.5 kg and the measurement is 66 cm. For girls, the reference index is a weight of 6.8 kg and a height of approximately 64.5 cm.
You should not obsess over this aspect, because during the regular visit to the pediatrician, he will be the one who will tell you if the baby is gaining weight properly and if it is growing normally.
5 month old baby feeding
Formerly, in five-month-old babies, complementary feeding was initiated with the introduction of porridge and vegetable creams. Currently, this practice is increasingly discontinued because mothers are more aware of the baby’s need for exclusive breastfeeding, at least in the first six months of life. So, you should not worry about what a 5-month-old baby eats, because his only food should continue to be breast milk or specialized formulas, recommended by the pediatrician.
Now, if you ask yourself, how many drinks does a 5-month-old baby take? It is not easy to give you an exact answer, and we believe that not even pediatricians will be able to give it to you. Well, we must take into account that each baby has its own characteristics and feeding habits vary from one to another.
Consequently, there is no need to worry about how much a 5-month-old baby should eat, as a mother you will know when your baby cries because of hunger and, if you practice breastfeeding on demand , this will definitely not be a concern in your day to day life. Just make sure you always have your nursing pillow nearby, adopt the most comfortable position for both of you, and breastfeed your baby when needed.
On the other hand, we must emphasize that at this age the intake of water or other liquids other than milk should not be started, since the baby’s kidneys have not yet fully matured.
sleep patterns
Today there are many mothers who have discovered the benefits of co- sleeping , that is, sleeping with their babies, taking all the necessary measures and care to avoid accidents, but prioritizing close contact with the baby to attend to all their needs during rest..
If you do this practice, then your baby’s sleep patterns should be stable, he wakes up less at night and although night feeds are more frequent, the baby goes back to sleep quickly.
In this sense, speaking generally and without taking into account the practice of co-sleeping or not, a 5-month-old baby should sleep between 15 and 18 hours a day, of which more than six continuous hours should be at night, as well as several naps spread throughout the day.
This account of hours is very subjective because everything depends on the daily routine of the baby and his family, if you have recently returned to work and leave him in the care of another person, or if you spend all day with the little one at home. All of these aspects can influence a baby’s sleep patterns.
What we must say in summary is that at this stage it is very important to establish daily habits in the baby, since he is at a very important moment in his psychomotor development, forging his character and personality, with the influence of the family environment being decisive.
Consequently, it is important to maintain a daily routine for the baby regarding hygiene, feeding and sleeping hours, as all of this will contribute to the healthy development of the child.
