Your Little Gourmet: Baby's Fifth Month Guide
Baby smiled her real smiles at you and you were so charmed, you
decided nothing could be better. But baby has more in store for
you in her fifth month. Endless entertainment coupled with
increasing interest in her surroundings makes your five
month-old baby an ideal playmate.
Squeals and smiles
You will be amazed by the repertoire of sounds your baby can
produce now. She is always eager to communicate with you with
her smiles, and squeals of delight. Laugh and your baby laughs
with you. Baby babble is almost at its peak now.
In baby's fifth month, she can sit with support and haul herself
up a little bit when she is laid on her tummy. She can pay
attention to tiny objects, but it is wise to keep such objects
well out of your curious baby's reach.
More sleep, yet less rest for you
Your five month-old baby sleeps for longer stretches at night,
which means your under-eye circles might soon go away. But when
he is awake, he loves your company and wants all your attention.
His daytime naps continue and give you a few short breaks to get
that pile of laundry done.
Are you ready for real food?
Probably. Once your baby's tongue thrust reflex has disappeared
and she seems interested in what you are eating, you might want
to premiere with solids. Start feeding baby when he neither has
a full tummy nor a ravenous appetite. The trick is to know when
to begin, and more important when to stop. When she looks
disinterested and turns her head away, it is time to abandon
project cereal until the next meal.
In baby's fifth month, she will be open to the idea of trying
out a cup. Pour a few drops into her mouth. Most of it will
probably be spilt, but the earlier you start a cup, the fewer
the spills later in childhood. A sippy cup has its own
advantages, but it might be tough to wean an older child from a
sippy.
Unfortunately, along with your dimples and your lovely golden
hair, your baby also inherits some of your food allergies.
Wheat, cow's milk, soy, peanuts and fish are common culprits.
Feeding your five month-old baby is one of the messiest tasks
you will ever perform. The baby-on-your-lap method is by far the
most logistically tricky. An infant seat can double as a feeding
chair. Make sure you strap baby in and never leave baby
unsupervised in an infant seat even for a moment.
Get some exercise
Most mobile walkers and jumpers are unsafe and some have even
been banned. A safer option would be an exersaucer or a
stationary walker. A baby swing can work miracles as it calms
your baby while you are occupied. But too much use of the baby
swing can impair his practice of motor functions such as
walking, crawling and cruising.
Health is wealth
In baby's fifth month, a medical examination is generally not
scheduled unless you have specific health concerns or questions.
Read all about environmental hazards that can affect your baby
both at home and outdoors. Try to minimize your baby's exposure
to environmental hazards by adequately childproofing your home,
monitoring baby all the time and following safety measures.
Parenting is a demanding job and there are no job regulations or
specifications. Keep yourself informed so that you know what is
best for your baby.