Your 5-Month-Old Baby's Milestones and Development

You're quickly approaching your baby's half-birthday, and it's an exciting time to see them taking big strides! Here's what to expect, plus tips for feeding, sleeping, care, and more.

Babbles, smiles, and rolls, oh my! Your 5-month-old baby is becoming more active and personable each day. By 5 months, they're a certified pro at crying, eating, pooping, and—hopefully—sleeping. They're likely rolling all over the living room and flashing their ever-adorable smile. Most importantly, you're beginning to see more of a pattern in your child's behavior.

"[Your child] should settle into routines and patterns of behavior that are more recognizable," explains Samuel Werner, DO, who is board-certified in family medicine. He explains that 5-month-olds love trying out new activities for the first time.

Your growing 5-month-old is making big strides cognitively and verbally, and they're a big fan of eating (possibly even solid foods). They're also learning how to sleep for longer stretches, as well as using those rolling skills to keep you on your toes. Keep reading to learn more about 5-month-old milestones and development.

5-Month-Old Baby Milestones

Illustration by Josh Seong

5-Month-Old Baby Development

At 5 months, your baby is starting to gain more control over their little body. They're also anxious to show off their blossoming personality!

In the earlier months, your baby understood meaning through the tone of your voice, rather than the actual words you were saying. Now their hearing has improved so they can pick up on different sounds, including the way words form sentences. Soon enough, they'll be able to recognize their name and respond to words like "no."

A 5-month-old baby's vision is also developing in the following ways, according to Andrea Bennett, OTD, a board-certified occupational therapist with extensive experience supporting families in early intervention:

  • Babies can now see several feet farther than they could just a few months ago
  • They can usually focus without going cross-eyed
  • They can tell the difference between colors
  • Your baby follows moving items with their eyes
  • They look attentively at faces
  • They recognize familiar people and items from a distance

At 5 months, babies are learning object permanence, which means they understand an object still exists even if it's hidden. You can help them master this skill by playing games, such as hiding a ball under a blanket and having them search for it.

What's more, your 5-month-old is exploring cause and effect. They know if they drop food from their high chair, it will hit the ground. (Fun for them, but not so much for you!)

When to Talk to the Pediatrician

While every baby develops at their own pace, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends alerting the pediatrician if your child isn't doing the following by 6 months:

  • Meeting milestones
  • Reaching for objects
  • Showing affection
  • Bringing objects to their mouth
  • Rolling in either direction
  • Making vowel sounds such as "ah," "eh," and "oh."
  • Responding to nearby sounds
  • Laughing or squealing

In addition to the signs above, contact their provider if your baby doesn't respond to your facial expressions, doesn't smile, or doesn't watch items or people as they move. If your child seems floppy or very stiff, this also warrants talking to the pediatrician.

Your baby will have a well-visit at 6 months old, but if you have any concerns about their development, don't hesitate to make an appointment earlier.

At This Age

  • Development: Your baby is becoming more vocal (babbling and crying), smiling, reaching for objects, holding their head up, and rolling.
  • Sleep: Your 5-month-old should be getting around 10 hours of sleep at night, with around three naps during the day.
  • Food: Your baby is still drinking formula or breast milk, and they might be interested in solid foods.

5-Month-Old Baby Milestones

Between 5 and 6 months old, babies start ramping up their communication skills. They might not say actual words, but it's sure fun to hear them babble! They're making sounds like "goo," "ma-ma-ma" or "bah-bah-bah." They can now vary their cries to express different needs, such as hunger or tiredness. This is a step toward one of the most exciting milestones: their first word!

Additionally, babies are typically rolling two different ways: tummy-to-back and back-to-tummy. "You may notice they only ever turn over their right shoulder, or over their left shoulder," explains Dr. Werner. "Once these motions are mutually mastered, watch out! The range they can cover by rolling is quite impressive."

Bennett adds that 5-month-olds start gaining the ability to hold their heads up without support, bear weight on their legs when stood up, and push onto their elbows from their tummies. They might even push up into a sitting position when they get closer to the 6-month mark.

If you spend most of the day stopping your 5-month-old from trying to eat random objects, you're not alone, as they're mastering the ability to reach for and grab objects. "This may be purely fun and simple sensory exploration, or it may be fulfilling a need since some infants can start to have their first tooth around this time," explains Dr. Werner. They may also start to pass objects from one hand to the other.

5-Month-Old Baby Food

At 5 months, the focus is still on breast milk and/or formula. "[You] should aim for about 25-35 ounces per day, which often breaks down to approximately 6-8 ounces per feeding," says. Dr. Werner. He explains that it's normal for babies to have days where they drink more or slightly less than the goal. If it seems like their feeds are consistently different, you should reach out to your pediatrician.

Introducing Solid Foods

At 5 months old, you may consider introducing your baby to solid food. Your little one doesn't need any nutrition other than breast milk or formula for the first 6 months of life, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) doesn't recommend introducing solids before 4 months of age. That said, 5 months could be a good time.

You can look for signs of readiness in your baby, including the following:

  • Able to hold their head up
  • Moves food from a spoon into their mouth
  • Opens their mouth when food is nearby
  • Weighs at least 13 pounds or has doubled their birth weight

While your baby might show readiness at 5 months, Dr. Warner says not to be discouraged if your baby doesn't take to solids right away. "When introducing options beyond breast milk and formula, don’t despair if they turn up their nose at the first or even fifth attempt; just bring it back a couple [of] days later," he says. "Similarly, don’t worry if what was exciting and new loses its initial fascination."

Bennett explains that babies also need to learn how to use their tongue and mouth muscles to help the food go down. "From the color and smell to the texture and taste, babies may need time to adjust to all of these sensory changes," she says.

When trying solid foods, Dr. Werner suggests introducing one new ingredient at a time. "We do this so that if the infant has an allergic reaction to a food, we can know exactly which ingredient they ingested," he says. Wait three to five days before giving your baby another new food.

As for the order in which you introduce various solids, Dr. Werner recommends working through all of the green vegetables before starting orange and red vegetables. "The green colors aren’t as sweet, and they may not be as interested in green veggies after they’ve had the others," he says.

5-Month-Old Baby Growth

By now, your baby should have doubled their birth weight. All babies develop differently, but on average, they will likely gain an additional 1 to 1 1/4 pounds and around 1/2 to 1 inch in height this month.

5-Month-Old Baby Sleep

At this stage, babies are still sleeping more than they're awake. "Infants at this age will need around 10 hours (plus or minus two) at night, with about four hours via naps during the day, split across two to three naps," says Dr. Werner. "They should still be placed on their backs to sleep, and there should be nothing else in the crib with them, whether it's a blanket, toy, or bottle."

Some babies are more natural “catnappers,” while others will need a longer stretch. By 5 to 6 months old, many babies start sleeping through the night, which means they stay asleep for six to eight hours.

Dr. Werner adds, "Those blessed evenings when they ‘sleep through the night’ are littered with intermittent wakings, which are completely normal." He explains a "good" sleeper will be able to fall back asleep without parental intervention, as long as they're not hungry or need a diaper change,

Sleep Training

When it comes to sleep training at 5 months old, experts have mixed recommendations. "The literature is fairly split on sleep training, and a lot comes back to culture, so it should be a family decision," says Dr. Werner.

That said, by 5 months, babies are typically able to learn how to self-soothe, and they might not require any more night feedings. When choosing whether to sleep train, it ultimately comes down to your baby's specific needs. Of course, your pediatrician can provide the best advice for you and your child.

5-Month-Old Baby Schedule

Depending on when your baby goes to bed (and how well they sleep), you're likely starting your day bright and early. After breakfast and playtime, your little one will be ready for their first nap, followed by lunch, more playtime, and their second nap. At this age, they may still be taking three naps, with the third being the shortest of the day.

During playtime, your baby is still exploring being on their tummy, so find some fun, interactive tummy-time toys! For 5-month-olds, Bennett also recommends these playtime activities:

She also recommends helping them sit up and play in a seated position. "The milestone for sitting up is around the corner, and it’s a good time to practice with your support," she says.

5-Month-Old Baby Health and Safety

If you missed your baby's 4-month-old well visit, you can still schedule it! It's imperative to stick with regular check-ups to ensure your child is on track with their development. They'll have another well-visit at 6 months old, where they will receive another round of vaccines.

Here are some other common health and safety concerns for 5-month-old babies.

Fever

When evaluating a fever in a 5-month-old baby, consider their symptoms and the possible cause. Most of the time, fevers are simply a sign your baby's immune system is working properly. But according to the AAP, you should call a doctor if your child has the following symptoms along with a fever:

  • Looks very ill
  • Acts unusually fussy or tired
  • Might be overheated (from a hot car or other space)
  • Displays other worrisome symptoms, like a severe headache, stiff neck, breathing difficulty, repeated vomiting, etc.
  • Has problems with their immune system, heart, seizures, etc.

Also call the doctor if the fever is high or persistent. You should always ask your pediatrician before giving your child Tylenol, and they should never be given aspirin due to the risk of Reyes syndrome.

Choking and Injury Hazards

Since 5-month-olds love bringing objects to their mouths, anything they pick up is fair game. To prevent choking, you shouldn't leave small objects within their reach. Never give your 5-month-old large chunks of food, including raw carrots, grapes, apples, popcorn, peanuts, and hot dogs.

Even though they're several months away from crawling, Dr. Werner recommends starting to babyproof your home now. "The mobility offered by flipping from back-to-front and front-to-back should not be underestimated," he says. You may want to start removing any objects that they could potentially knock over or run into, along with covering any electrical outlets.

5-Month-Old Baby Care Basics

Your 5-month-old is growing like crazy and soaking in everything around them. It's an exciting time! Here's what to know about three important baby care topics: diapers, bedtime, and daycare.

Diapers

To ensure your 5-month-old baby is getting enough food, pay attention to their diapers. Babies should have at least five to six wet diapers and two dirty diapers each day. That said, the frequency of poopy diapers varies widely, and it also depends on whether they're breastfed or formula-fed.

Some breastfed babies may poop after every feeding, while others may only go once a week. The stool should be soft and easy to pass; otherwise, it could be constipation. If you have any concerns, always reach out to your child's pediatrician.

Bedtime Routine

If you haven't yet started a bedtime routine, now is a great time to do so. Don't allow your baby to fall asleep with a bottle or at the breast. They should be placed in the crib drowsy but awake to help them learn to fall asleep on their own.

Before bedtime, you can give your baby a massage, sing a song, read a book, or give them a warm bath (the AAP recommends three baths per week for the first year). A bedtime routine creates a helpful schedule for your baby, and it can get them ready to snooze.

Daycare

If your little one attends daycare, you may soon encounter the question that every parent will face at some time or another: Is your baby too sick for daycare? Answering that question is never easy, and it can be especially difficult if you're dealing with a certain workplace environment. In the following scenarios, it's best to keep your baby home.

  • Fever with or without a rash
  • Signs of serious illness (fussiness, irritability, breathing difficulties, constant cough, skin sores, recurrent vomiting or diarrhea, etc.)
  • Any specific illness that is known to be contagious (whooping cough, RSV, strep throat salmonella, influenza, COVID-19, chickenpox, pink eye, impetigo, etc.). Stay home until they're no longer contagious.

Your child doesn't usually have to stay home from daycare if they have a simple cold without a fever. That's good news for most parents since cold symptoms commonly last 10 to 14 days and the average child can get up to 10 colds a year.

What Else to Know About Your 5-Month-Old Baby

As you prepare for your baby’s half-birthday, spend some quality time together in the mornings. It's often the time when your baby is the most active, awake, and happy.

Your baby will learn about the world around them from the ground up, which means you should join them at their level—literally. Plop down on the floor with them, encourage them to roll over or try new skills, or blow raspberries on your baby’s tummy and relish those baby giggles.

At 5 months old, your baby is like a sponge, absorbing all kinds of information about the world from the environment around them. The groundwork for language begins this month, so along with talking and reading to your baby, play music in your home. There’s no need to make it all “baby” music either. Anything with a beat is good to go!

Key Takeaways

Your 5-month-old baby's little brain is hard at work learning about the world. Whether they're rolling across the living room or having a full-on babble conversation with themselves in the mirror, your 5-month-old is a complete joy to be around. Take pictures, savor every smile and giggle, and relish in the amazing ways your baby is growing!

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Sources
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