MONTH 5
Please
keep in mind that all babies are unique. Whether your
baby reaches milestones early or late, she has her
own developmental path to follow. The dividing lines
between these months are very fuzzy. If you have any
concerns or questions about your baby’s development,
please check with her health care provider.
Raspberries
and Bubbles
She
has discovered many sounds that she can make with
her tongue and lips. You may observe her delighting
in bubbles and razzing sounds, sometimes even as she
drinks or eats. These sounds may make you laugh or
turn away, but they are the precursors for language.
She is exploring what sounds she can make. You probably
hear the same sounds over and over. She is practicing.
Another
precious sound often heard around this time is baby’s
first laugh. Without knowing, you may do something
silly that tickles her funny bone and out comes the
first chuckles. These are priceless sounds that most
parents want to hear again and again. Your wandering
fingers all over her pudgy belly, accompanied by the
inevitable parental "gitchee-gitchee-goo" are bound
to entice more giggles. Another way to make baby laugh
is to laugh back at her jokes. If she thinks you or
she has done something especially silly, laugh with
her. There is always time for a few shared belly laughs
with your baby.
Ah-Goo!
Does
baby smile when you sneeze? Perhaps because of the
funny sound or the contorted expression on your face.
If you repeat the sound that you just made, "Ha Choo,"
it sounds a lot like a popular vowel-consonant combination
of babies, "Ah-Goo." Some babies repeat this sound
over and over. Say it back to her. She’ll love the
attention you are giving her and think she is having
an important conversation. Try to figure out if she
is using a particular sound when she is hungry, tired
or wants to play. These are important sounds that
she is learning how to use to tell you what she needs.
Sitting Up
or At Least Trying
Around
this time, a lot of babies enjoy being put into a
sitting position. Of course, your baby loves this
vantage point to watch her own body and all the interesting
things around her. She probably has somewhat of a
curved back and uses her hands in front of her to
prop her up. But she is getting stronger every day.
Occasionally she may straighten up or let go of one
hand to grab a toy. You may want to surround her with
soft cushions in case she topples to one side. She
will be thrilled when you sit beside her. Watch how
proud she is to be in the same position as her parents.
Now she is ready for sitting in the high chair and
joining the family at meals. This is a major accomplishment
that makes baby really feel like part of the family.
Solid Food
Between
months four and six, many parents wonder about starting
solid foods. Maybe you’ve been asked a few times about
starting junior on solid food from a caring grandparent?
Pediatricians agree that up until nine months baby
still gets all her daily nutrients from breastmilk
or formula. It is important to recognize that there
is no calendar-specific time for you to start your
baby on solid food. Some babies are very content with
breastfeeding and show no interest in food until past
six months. But some babies are curious around this
time about what they see their parents eating and
want to know more about food.
Is Baby Ready
for Solids?
There
are some specific signs that indicate if your baby
is ready to be introduced to solids. First, is baby
interested? Often babies at this age will eye your
food, touch your plate, pick up a piece of food, examine
it and try to put in her mouth. Pretty clear that
baby is interested, right?
There
are also some anatomical signs if baby is ready. Baby
must be able to hold up her head well. If there are
any doubts about baby’s abilities to do so, wait on
offering solid food. You may have noticed baby’s tongue-thrust
reflex to push out solid food. This reflex protects
baby from choking on solid matter and often goes away
around four to six months. Also, baby’s must learn
the skill of pushing solid food to the back of the
mouth so that it can be swallowed. Baby’s lower lip
needs to have the coordination to be able to draw
food off of a spoon. Gastro-intestinally, baby’s intestines
must be mature enough for solid food, meaning being
able to produce certain digestive enzymes to process
the food.
Good Solids
to Start
Nevertheless, you may be curious about baby’s reception
to solid food. There are specific foods that are recommended
for baby’s first experience. Think about the consistency,
ease on the digestive system and taste. Parents often
like to start with the cereals, rice or barley, mixed
with breastmilk or formula. Another popular first
food are bananas, mashed up or in a jar. Squash, sweet
potatoes, applesauce, pears and carrots either prepared
by you or from a jar are other choices for these first
meals.
Watch
your baby’s reaction to these foods. If she is pushing
out with her tongue, chances are she is not ready
for solids. Don’t worry, in no time, she’ll be ordering
from the kids menu.
Starting the
Sippy Cup
If
your child is enjoying her experience in the high
chair, you may want to further the experience by offering
the first sippy cup. It is important for her to learn
that she can drink from something other than mom’s
breast or a bottle. Parents have differing opinions
on whether to offer diluted juice. Water is an important
liquid for baby to drink and like. Make sure you offer
her a smaller sippy cup that she can easily hold using
both hands clutched to handles. In the beginning,
there will probably be a fair amount of water dripping
down her chin, making her wet. And watch out, just
as she will learn to drink from it, she will also
learn that it can be hurled and lands with a loud
sound.
One Last Reminder
about Solid Food
Part
of the experience of eating solid food is exploring
the food. This includes using fingers and whole hands
to feel the food and eventually try to put it in her
mouth all by herself. How much you can tolerate of
baby’s exploration of food is an individual family
decision. However, it is important to remember that
it is a perfectly normal part of development and helps
them master the art of finger feeding. Our advice
-- put on her a huge bib, let her go for it, and hose
her down when she is done. Bon appetit!
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