• Weight Gain: On average, babies gain 150-200 grams per week this month.
• Height Growth: Babies on average grow about 2.5-3.5 cm per month.

Average Measurements for Indian Babies:
 

Key Milestones:

Motor Development:

• Head Control: Your baby now has excellent head control and may be able to sit with minimal support.
• Rolling Over: Your baby may begin rolling over from tummy to back or vice versa, enhancing their mobility.
• Reaching and Grasping: Your baby at this stage may become more adept at reaching for and grabbing objects with purpose.
• Supported Sitting: Your baby can sit up with support and may hold their head steady in a sitting position.

Cognitive Development:

• Increased Focus: Your baby can focus on more distant objects and people, demonstrating improved visual attention.
• Exploring with Hands: Your baby will actively be using their hands to explore their surroundings, grabbing and holding onto objects.
• Cause-and-Effect Understanding: Your baby may start to understand that their actions, like pushing a button, cause something to happen.

Communication and Language Development:

• Babbling: Your baby is likely babbling more frequently and may start combining consonant and vowel sounds like "ba-ba" or "da-da."
• Increased Vocal Play: Expect your baby to experiment with volume and pitch as they continue exploring their voice.
• Listening and Responding: Your baby may pause when you talk, showing recognition and interest in your voice.

Social and Emotional Development:

• Social Smiles: Your baby smiles more easily in response to familiar faces and interactions.
• Increased Interaction: They enjoy social interaction and may laugh, babble, or make eye contact in response to playful interactions.
• Expressing Emotions: Your baby will begin to express a wider range of emotions, such as happiness, frustration, and excitement.
   

Baby Feeding Techniques

Breastfeeding:

• Continue offering both breasts during feeding sessions.
• Ensure your baby maintains a proper latch to support efficient feeding.

Bottle Feeding:

• Use slow-flow nipples to prevent overfeeding.
• Hold your baby upright during bottle feeds to ensure a comfortable position.

Potential Impacts of Bottle Feeding

Whether formula or pre-expressed breast milk, it is important to understand the potential impacts of bottle feeding on oral development.

Improper technique or nipple flow can impact oral development during bottle feeding:

• Excessive sucking pressure: Fast-flowing nipples can cause a strong sucking reflex, potentially affecting jaw development.
• Passive feeding: Bottle feeding can reduce active oral involvement, which may affect oral motor skills.
• Improper tongue placement: Incorrect positioning during bottle feeding can hinder tongue movement, which may later influence speech development.

Note: While breastfeeding is highly recommended, formula feeding using a bottle may sometimes be necessary. Consult a specialist for the best guidance.

Milk Supply in the Fifth Month

For Breastfeeding Mothers:

1. By the fifth month, your milk supply is well-established and adjusts to meet your baby’s demand. Feeding on cue helps maintain this balance.
2. Expect temporary increases in feeding frequency during growth spurts as your baby stimulates more milk production.
3. Staying well-hydrated and consuming a balanced diet rich in protein, calcium, and healthy fats supports a sustained milk supply.

If breastfeeding alone isn't meeting the baby's full nutritional needs, you can supplement with formula to ensure they get the right nutrition.

For Formula Feeding:

1. As your baby grows, their formula intake may increase slightly. Follow hunger cues and your paediatrician’s recommendations for daily ounces.
2. If your baby is starting solids, keep formula as their primary nutrition source, gradually introducing new foods while monitoring their response.
3. Always prepare formula according to the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure it meets your baby’s nutritional needs.
    

Age: 5-6 months
What: Breast milk 
How much: Nurse every 3-4 hours
How often: Feed 6-7 times a day.

Age: 5-6 months
What: Formula
How much: About half to one cup (4-8 ounces)
How often: Feed 5-7 times a day.

Signs Your Baby is Hungry:

• Rooting: Turning their head when touched on the cheek.
• Sucking: Sucking on their hands or fingers.
• Increased Alertness: Becoming more active or fussy as feeding time approaches.
• Crying: Crying is considered a late hunger cue, but it may become more varied as they start to use different cries to express their needs.

Signs Your Baby is Full:

• Relaxed Body: Hands unclench, and their body appears calm and content.
• Reduced Sucking: Slower or no sucking at the breast or bottle
• Turning Away: Turning their head or pushing away the breast or bottle.
• Falling Asleep: This often happens after a satisfying feed, indicating they are full and content.

Sleep Patterns in the Fifth Month

• Babies typically sleep 13-15 hours daily, with naps and nighttime sleep.
• Around 3 daytime naps, each lasting 30 minutes to 2 hours each.
• Longer night-time stretches; some babies may sleep for 6-8 hours at a stretch. Nighttime awakenings for feeding are still common.
• Babies are starting to distinguish between day and night and may begin to self-soothe back to sleep.

Baby Vaccine Schedule

• Ensure that your baby receives the second doses of DTP, Hib, Hepatitis B, IPV/OPV, and Rotavirus vaccines according to the paediatric vaccination schedule.

Five-month-old Baby Essentials

• Toys for Development: Provide toys that encourage grasping, reaching, and exploring, such as rattles or softballs.
• Moisturisers: Use baby-safe moisturisers to keep their skin hydrated.
• Diapering Supplies: Stock up on diapers, wipes, and rash creams to keep your baby comfortable.
• Books: Bold-coloured, high-contrast books or interactive board books with textures, flaps, or mirrors can capture their attention.

Baby Bath

Regular oil massages before baths are a common practice in Indian culture; hence, it’s beneficial to bathe your baby after the massage.

• Bathe your baby with lukewarm water.
• Use a gentle, fragrance-free baby soap to clean their skin.
• Avoid scrubbing; pat your baby dry with a soft towel after the bath.
• Keep their face and folds clean.