How is my baby developing at five months?

Your little rocket scientist continues to learn and develop.

He has now doubled his birth weight and continues to grow 1cm per month.

During the fifth month, baby will probably spend a lot of time playing with his hands and fingers. He also tracks moving objects and voices (especially the voices of mom and dad).

While most babies sleep through the night by five months old, it is not a given for all babies. If you are struggling to get your baby to sleep through the night, perhaps it’s time you initiate a bedtime routine. A routine that is followed each night might encourage your baby to get into a regular night time sleep rhythm. Start with a warm bath, followed by a final feed and a few minutes of gentle rocking.

At this age, it is best to put your baby down drowsy rather than asleep. By doing so, you teach your baby to self soothe, rather than relying on you to do it for him. This will help baby put himself back to sleep should he wake up in the middle of the night.

Although your baby is becoming more active and demanding more play time, he will still need two naps during the day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Babies who don’t nap during the day tend to become overtired and fussy come evening time.

During the fifth month, your baby will;

• Smile at himself in the mirror
• Start drooling as teething starts
• Repeat sounds
• Mimic facial expressions of those close to him
• Be able to push himself up onto his arms during tummy time
• Start to roll from his back onto his tummy

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Lara Bestbier

Writer. Creative. Word-nerd. Aspiring photographer. Old wife. Brand new member of the elite society called mommy-hood. Mom to the only drama queen more demanding than me. “Life’s too short to keep a straight face”.

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