Month Five

Babies First Year: Month Five

How Baby Is Changing

Baby has lots of energy! She seems to be moving all day when she isn't asleep. Many 5-month-olds can move around by rolling or wriggling. You may need extra patience to keep up with her!

Baby knows her mom and dad from strangers, and may cry when one of you leaves. Don't sneak out! Tell her "Good-bye," and that you will be back. Help her learn to trust you. Soon your baby will show signs of being afraid of some people she doesn't know well. Let her get used to new people slowly.She may be less afraid if you are nearby.

Baby may like toys that make noises now. Ring a bell or squeeze a squeaky toy, and watch her try to find out where the sound came from. Then let her try it herself. Say different sounds. Does she copy you?

Your baby has discovered her feet, and may love to suck on toes. She is getting stronger, and may start to push up on her hands and knees. For safety, remove toys like crib gyms that are strung across the crib.

From this age on, your baby will be very interested in toys that she can touch, look at, chew, suck and bang together

Baby Wants You To Know

How I Grow

• I rock, roll and twist my body.
• I kick my feet and suck on my toes.
• I stand up if you hold me under my arms, I jump up and down and stamp my feet.
• I have pretty good aim when I grab something.
• I can roll over.

How I Talk

• I watch your mouth, and try to imitate you when you talk to me.
• I make sounds like ee, ah, ooh, dada, bye-bye, mama.
• I babble to myself, to my toys and to people -- I get attention that way!

How I Respond

• I may cry when I see strangers.
• I smile at faces and voices that I know.
• I look around when I hear sounds.
• I make sounds and interrupt your conversations, because I want attention.
• I want to touch, hold, turn, shake and taste everything.
• I put a lot of energy into everything I do.

How I Understand

• I recognize my name.
• I can tell the difference between myself and others in the mirror.
• I remember what I just did.

How I Feel

• I usually cling to you when you hold me.
• I stop crying when you talk to me.
• I show fear, anger and disgust.

How You Can Help Me Learn

• Talk to me in complete sentences about what you're doing.
• Face me, so I can watch your lips when you talk. Then I can try to imitate you.
• Play peek-a-boo with me.
• Let me listen to the radio for short periods of time.
• Let me have quiet times, too.

Fun Activities

As your baby reaches 5 and 6 months, watch how he reacts when things disappear from view. Does baby lean over to look for things he dropped? Does baby put a toy down and go right back to it later? These are signs that baby's memory is growing. When he was younger, things were "out of sight, out of mind." Now, he is learning that things exist even when not in sight. You can have fun with your baby, and help his memory:

Show baby a toy, then cover it -- slowly at first -- with a cloth or cup. Does your infant try to pull the cover off? What if you cover only part of the toy? Try different toys, and different covers. Play peek-a-boo to help baby learn that you come back when you go away. Sometimes cover your face, and sometimes cover his. If your baby doesn't play these games now, wait a few weeks and try again

Feeding Baby

Breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula is still your baby's main food.

But you can now start adding some semi-solid foods to the baby's diet. Most parents start with a thin mixture of baby rice cereal and breast milk or formula. Check with your doctor or clinic. Ask for specific advice for starting new foods.

Give each new food for 3 or 4 days in a row before starting another new food.

That way, you will know which food is suspect if your baby gets a rash, diarrhea or a stomach ache. Check with your baby's doctor if your baby seems to have a reaction to a new food. Don't worry, though, if your baby's stool changes color with each new food.

Use a small spoon that comfortably fits your baby's mouth.

Your baby may take some time to get used to the spoon, so a few spoons of cereal is enough for these early feedings. Be ready to give the baby his usual formula or breast milk after a few minutes.

Once your baby has become skilled at eating cereals, you can add other new foods.

Try one or two spoons of pureed skilled at eating cereals, you can add other new foods to his diet. Try one or two spoons of pureed vegetable. Squash, carrots or sweet potatoes are good for starters. A few days later, try a green vegetable like peas or beans. You can use baby food from the store or make your own by mashing cooked vegetables with a fork, baby food grinder, or blender.

Safety Tips
Honey is dangerous for babies; avoid it (Honey is harmful for babies. Babies under one year old should not be fed honey. Honey has spores that can cause a disease called "Infant Botulism." Older children have more well-developed intestinal tracts, so honey is safe for them). Don't add salt or seasonings to foods for your baby. Make sure your hands, dishes, and kitchen equipment and surfaces are as clean as possible whenever you prepare food for the baby. If you use commercial baby food, be sure the safety button on top is down when you buy the little jars. Listen for the "pop" when you open the jar so you know the jar was not opened before. If you find a jar is not sealed, throw it away or return it to the store. Don't feed baby straight from the jar -- put a small amount in a dish instead. If food is left over from the dish, throw it out. Refrigerate the rest of the jar, and use it within the next day or two. For more information about nutrition, food preparation and food safety, contact your doctor or county or area extension office

Introducing The Cup
Many 5-month-old babies are ready to start learning how to drink from a cup, although they still need to use a bottle most of the time. Choose a non-breakable cup with handles to hold. A small cup is best. A large cup could cover her eyes when she drinks from it, and scare her. Try these steps:

• Give baby the empty cup to hold and to look at.
• Let baby watch you and her brothers or sisters drinking from a cup.
• Put a spoonful of water or juice in the cup, and let baby help you tip it so she can drink.

As baby gets better, put more in the cup and encourage her to hold the cup. Be ready for spills and drips! If baby rejects the cup, do not force her. She will have lots of time to learn later.