5-Month-Old Baby (20 Weeks)

At around 20 weeks old, your baby's communication skills are improving considerably. Your 5-month-old baby may be learning some gestures that communicate to you what she wants, such as raising her arms in the air to be picked up. Also, your healthcare provider may recommend that you start feeding your baby solids when she reaches 20 weeks old. It may be a good idea to introduce new foods in the mornings, so that you can watch for signs of allergies throughout the day.

You and Your Baby at 5 Months

The fun times keep on coming. In weeks past, you have marveled at your baby's budding sense of humor and the times when you were able to invoke a case of the giggles. Now, it's a whole new ball game. There might not be a funnier sight than watching a 5-month-old baby actually crack-up!
 
Your 5-month-old baby's weight should continue to rise steadily, at a rate of about a pound a month right now. A 5-month-old baby boy, on average, will weigh just over 16 pounds, and the average baby girl will weigh about 14 1/2 pounds.
 

Major Developments for a 5-Month-Old Infant

While talking may be a ways away, your baby's communication skills are getting sharper and sharper. You may notice this month that your little one has learned a few tricks that allow her to communicate her needs clearer. One of those tricks is the age-old "arms up" position that tells caregivers that she wants to be picked up.
 
Another new development, also in the communication family, is the deliberate making of sounds other than cries to get attention. She may not know how to say "Mommy, please pick me up!" but your little angel can now get your attention and let you know that she'd like to be in your arms pronto!
 
(To see more achievements to be on the lookout for, read Infant Developmental Milestones -- 3 to 6 Months.)
 

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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
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