Medical expert of the article
New publications
What should a baby be able to do at 5 months?
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
What should a baby be able to do at 5 months? This question is often asked by parents, and there are many answers to it. At five months of age, a child has not only physiological needs - he already knows how to distinguish others from his own, he needs more and more active movement and attention of adults. He has a change in the duration of sleep and the amount of food. More on this.
Weight and height of a child at 5 months
By the time the baby is five months old, his weight doubles compared to his birthday. Growth of a child in comparison with growth at birth increases by 14-15 cm. The parameters are as follows: the child gains up to 700 grams, and grows to about 67 cm. True, this height and weight gain at this age is spasmodic. For 21 days, the child can barely gain in height and weight, and then for a week can gain quite a lot - as much as 2 cm. The skin of the child is still prone to allergic reactions and irritation. Therefore, you need to use baby oils and powders, do not forget to bathe the child.
Speech development at 5 months
A child at this age expands the range of his syllables. He can pronounce the simplest syllables several times in a row. For example, "ma" or "pa." And then it seems to adults that the baby says “mom” or “dad”. Well, if adults praise the kid for the "conversation", are actively included in it. So you bring up a coherent speech and interest in it.
If the parents have not yet visited a otolaryngologist with the child, it is necessary to do this in order to recognize in time the present state of hearing or vision, as well as the development of speech.
[1],
Motor skills of a child at 5 months
A five month baby can sit upright for a long period of time. The child probably still needs to be supported by a pillow, but he can already sit on his own without support for a few seconds.
Some children of 5 months of age can already roll over from the back to the stomach themselves. As soon as the child turns over, you can notice how he works with his feet and sways. He is preparing to crawl and will do it in just a couple of months! But remember that if your child can turn over, you should not leave him on the bed or other high surfaces from which he may accidentally fall and be injured.
At five months, the child already understands much more. He can pull objects closer to himself and take them in his palm, then skillfully shift from one hand to another. The child may even hold a bottle or cup on his own.
A child in 5 months can already entertain herself with bright toys for 15 minutes. Now he himself understands and chooses which items he likes and which not. Coordination of the hands of a child is developing better and better, therefore he is able to grab and hold toys well.
At this age, the child already almost passes the hypertonicity of the muscles. The movements become more coordinated, from this the child can be more independent. In order to qualitatively improve this process, you need to periodically make your baby a light health massage.
[2]
Baby's sleep at 5 months
Most babies sleep all night at 5 months, but not all. Encourage your child to enter the rhythm of a regular night’s sleep. Start with a warm bath, and then a few minutes of light swing with songs and tales, and your child's eyes will slowly close.
Get into the habit of putting your baby in a bed in a sleepy, rather than completely asleep, bed. This way, your child will learn to calm himself down to sleep on his own, and not rely on you.
During the daytime, a 5-month-old baby still needs to sleep twice a day - once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Put the child in the crib at the first sign of drowsiness, do not delay the moment of sleep.
Feeding in 5 months
In the fifth month of life, most babies have already received the necessary supply of iron, which was still in the maternal abdomen. If the baby is already on artificial milk mixtures, it is necessary that they contain the necessary minerals and vitamins.
If the baby continues to suckle, he needs cereals with a sufficient level of iron. In the fifth month of life, the baby can eat more milk, because his stomach has increased in volume. As a rule, for such babies, food intake is optimal 4-5 times a day, and at night the child no longer eats. But if the baby is still breastfeeding, he can still eat up to 8 times a day.
Child's vision at 5 months
By this age, the child’s vision becomes sharper. Even the squint, which was clearly visible up to 5 months, disappears. At this stage, children can see well at different distances, and their eyes can focus on the subject. At five months, your child's color perception sharpens to the extent that he can distinguish between two shades of the same color. But children at this age still prefer primary colors such as red, blue and yellow.
Perception of sounds in 5 months
At five months, children begin to understand the meaning of the sounds they hear, such as barking a dog or starting a car engine. Although children at this age cannot yet understand the words, they may turn their heads at the sound of their name or respond to a simple “no” command.
A child of five months is a special world that requires careful attitude and attention.