The 5th month
Your baby has been in the world for four months now. And the fifth month is no less eventful than the previous ones. You will get to know each other better and better and the baby’s character traits will become more and more apparent. And your baby can already do so much more than just a few weeks ago: It seems that hardly a day goes by without something new being added.
The 5th month in brief
- Your baby is now about twice as heavy as at birth and is becoming increasingly mobile.
- Some babies can already sit for a few moments.
- Most babies love to spend time on their back or tummy to strengthen their muscles.
- Now can also be a good time to introduce complementary feeding. But don’t worry if it doesn’t work straight away: your baby needs time to get used to it.
- Don’t forget your pelvic floor: targeted training strengthens the muscles and prevents discomfort.
Training, training, training
As already mentioned, every child grows at their own pace and in step with their own percentile. However, most babies have roughly doubled their birth weight by the 5th month, becoming stronger and even more active. Some babies can even sit on their own for a few moments. However, you shouldn’t let your baby out of your sight and always cushion them sufficiently with pillows – because little ones often lose their balance and tumble backwards or to the side. Time that the baby can spend on the floor – sometimes on their back, sometimes on their stomach – helps them strengthen their muscles and independently increase their range of movement.
Introduction of complementary feeding
Anyone who exercises this much naturally works up an appetite: now may be the time to introduce “complementary feeding”. This means that your baby gets porridge in addition to the milk meals. The following are signs that your baby is ready for this step: they can hold their head well and sit independently in their high chair with a little support (e.g. from a cushion). Children who are ready usually show great interest when the other family members eat and follow with their eyes how the fork goes to their mouth or try to reach for the food. In addition, the tongue thrust reflex is gone. This means that your baby no longer pushes their tongue forwards when something touches their mouth.

Time and patience
The introduction of complementary feeding is rarely successful immediately. Babies first have to get used to the new texture, flavour and swallowing. A good time for the first attempts is when the baby is well rested and has perhaps already drunk some milk: their hunger is already mostly satisfied, but the baby is not yet quite full. It is usually recommended to start with a mash made from just one vegetable – carrot, for example – and only offer other varieties after a while. But don’t worry if it doesn’t work out – every child goes at their own pace. It’s better to try again later than to force it. Maybe your baby isn’t ready yet or is already more of a finger food type: you can also offer them cooked, roughly chopped vegetables.
Discovery moment of the month: “horsey horsey don’t you stop”
Your baby’s muscles will become stronger and stronger and their movements more varied. Singing and movement games such as “Ally Bally Bee” or “this is the way the ladies ride”, where the baby sits on your lap and is bounced, make many children whoop with joy.