You probably want to know if you are on the right track of monitoring your baby’s weight. A baby’s development differs from size and age, the kind of foods that the baby eats, the functioning hormones that affect growth, the child’s overall health and some genetic factors that may add to it.
The time of the baby’s transition is during his fifth month. Motor skills can be observed like attempting to crawl, roll over, sit, working his legs and rocking. Another thing that you can observe is that your baby’s gasps become stronger in pulling objects to get closer to and pick them up with the palm of his hands. Your baby will start playing peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek games.
Hearing and vision are almost completely developed now. That’s why whenever you call him, he might recognize you and turns toward you. He’s now very observant of the things that are happening to his surroundings.
Desirable weight of a 5-month-old baby
You are on this point of asking if your baby weighs normally or not. A 5-month-old baby normally weighs an average of 15.2 pounds and has an average length of 25.2 for girls. For a baby boy, an average weight of 16.6 pounds with a length of 25.9 inches.
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The given figures don’t mean that a baby should weigh exactly that. There are also growth factors to be considered.
Development that can be seen on a 5-month-old baby
Reaching the fifth month your baby will double in weight since birth. That makes carrying your baby a bit handier. And more skills can be observed during this stage:
Communication. The baby will start to babble during this month. He can start the combination of a consonant and vowel sounds together.
Senses. The vision of the baby improves at this stage where he can perhaps distinguish two shades of the same color. But still prefers primary colors such as red, blue and yellow.
- Baby’s ability to distinguish colors
- Baby grabbing toys and objects
- Baby will turn his head if someone’s calling him or even he may hear a sound
- Very active in listening on what you’re saying and most probably imitate what you are saying
Sleep. You should set a bedtime routine for your baby. This may help to encourage him to sleep early and comfortably at night. This can be done by having a warm bath, gentle rocking with a song and telling him a story.
Foods for 5 months old
If you have a healthy baby, offering solid food may be right at the start of the fifth month. This might take a while but sooner your baby will adapt the changing of the meal plan.
- Cereals
- Fruits
- The healthiest vegetables to feed your babies
- Lean Protein
- Eggs
During baby’s check-ups, it is also important to ask the doctor the weight and height in the percentile of your baby. If found out that your baby is underweight, you should take steps on getting desirable weight for your precious one. You can give him the food prescribed by his doctor.
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In today’s generation, with all the concern about obesity, parents worry about their baby getting too fat. Do not attempt to set diet meals for your baby as this can cause him to lose weight. In order to grow and develop, the baby should have proper nutrition, including fat in their diet. Moreover, breast milk or formula should always be present as part of the nutrition of the baby. Change the diet of the baby gradually when he reaches the 6th month. This can be the right time to start with a single-grain cereal for babies and then you can introduce other foods such as pureed fruits and vegetables. Know when and how to stop feeding your baby. Look for signs of him being full.
The behaviour of a 5-month-old
During the fifth month, the baby becomes very cranky when they are bored. He or she may become irritable. This is the stage wherein also babies learn to catch your attention. Babies at this month learn to laugh as well.
Things that might help the growth of your baby
1. Play all kinds of music.
The baby loves music. You can play classical, jazz or even pop music which enables him to smile, clap and maybe even babble along.
2. Give him simple and colorful toys.
This would help the baby to remember the names of an object with the help of color.
3. Keep hazardous items out of children’s reach.
Always make your house a baby-proofed. This means covering all possible outlets that a baby may reach, place household cleaners and other strong chemicals away from the baby and make sure to lock it up on a closer.
4. Never put your baby on their stomach or side. Be sure that they sleep on their backs.
5. Never leave your baby unattended and as much as possible watch over him all the time.
6. Use safe skincare.
Avoid rubbing lotion or skin products that contain high chemical levels. This may irritate the skin of the baby.
Parents should always keep track of the development of their baby month per month to give them proper nutrition and care that a baby needs. Needless to say, we want our babies to grow healthy and smart. Thus, we need to know what is good or bad for the baby during his age. In this way, we can clearly monitor the health of the baby and possibly prevent some unfavorable conditions that may lead to illnesses and complications.
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