Your baby, who has come a long way since birth, is learning new things every day, and the best factor contributing to their development is their family. You should know that babies who receive support and love from their family can achieve everything on time. From this month on, if you have a baby who does not respond to sounds, cannot hold objects given to them, does not make any sounds, or does not show affection to their parents, you should investigate the reasons for this.
Vaccines
There are no vaccinations required for your baby this month. You should only go for your routine doctor’s check-up to have your baby’s height-weight increase, head circumference measurement, and other health checks done. If there are any health problems or developmental delays you’ve noticed, you should share this with your doctor. It would be better to note down the questions you want to ask before going to the doctor. This way, you’ll get answers to all the questions on your mind.
Physical Development
Some babies at this age may develop the habit of sleeping through the night. If you create pre-sleep routines such as a warm bath, massage, or singing lullabies, your baby will better understand when it’s bedtime. As sleep needs start to decrease, 1-2 naps a day will be sufficient for babies who sleep well at night. When your baby shows signs of sleepiness like yawning or rubbing their eyes, you should put them to bed without much delay. Babies who are kept up past their sleep time may experience problems like irritability and difficulty falling asleep. Their feet have now caught their attention. Especially when lying on their back with bare feet, they want to play with them. Although it’s almost time to start solid foods, some babies may experience problems as their chewing and swallowing reflexes are not yet developed. You can now allow your baby to watch you eat, helping to develop their eating ability. By the end of the 5th month, the ability to sit up has developed in many babies. It may be necessary to stay near the baby or place supportive pillows to prevent possible falls. It’s normal for your baby to put everything they grab into their mouth because the nerves on their tongue are more active than ever. This method is one of the ways babies explore the outside world.
Cognitive Development
They grasp objects in their hand more tightly. They can transfer things from one hand to the other. Their muscles have strengthened enough to stand for a few seconds when held upright. They will be able to recognize their favorite toys even if they only see a part of them. They start to understand that a toy hasn’t disappeared when you cover it with a blanket, but is still there. As their eye and brain coordination develops, they carefully watch moving objects. They have a great interest in toys that walk or spin in circles. Your baby’s sense of sight is gradually improving. Although they can distinguish between different shades of two colors this month, primary colors like red, yellow, and green will attract their attention more.
Emotional and Social Development
Your baby can recognize their own name and may look at you when you call them. They can distinguish between speech sounds on television or other digital media and real people’s speech sounds. Their greatest enjoyment is being talked to. Your baby can now express their emotions more clearly. You can easily understand when they’re angry, sad, or happy. They will get angry at you if you take away an object they like. As their sense of humor is also getting stronger, they will respond more with laughter during your games with them. They cry when their mother leaves and make movements indicating they want to be picked up. If you have a baby who cries when they see unfamiliar people, you should get them used to this situation without forcing them. If they’re crying, first calm them by talking, then you can ask people approaching them to do so with gentle manners. This situation, which can cause problems especially when you go out, will pass quickly thanks to your patience.
Language Development
They can blow spit bubbles with their lips and enjoy it. During these months, your baby can put two letters together and make sounds like ma-ma, da-da, ba-ba and repeat them. You might think your baby is saying words, but they’re not doing this consciously yet. They can distinguish animal sounds they hear frequently during these months. For example, they understand when it’s a dog. When you play songs with different types of melodies, you can see them react differently to each song. From these months on, your baby may develop a favorite song or lullaby.
→ You can also read our article on 6-Month-Old Baby Development.
