Do you have a five-month-old at home? You may be wondering whether the developments that you’re seeing in your baby are typical for their age. This post includes a summary of 5-month-old developmental milestones, from reflexes and motor control to mobility and strength.
Introduction
Your 5-month old will be going through a lot of changes, many which may bring questions and concerns. At this age, some primitive reflexes will be disappearing from—or, rather, integrating into—their system. For example, your baby’s grasp will become more voluntary instead of reflexive. They will “find their hands” and develop better control of them as they become more mobile.
Cognitively, your baby is likely making big strides. They will increasingly recognize familiar faces, become better aware of their surroundings, and babble often in an attempt to communicate with you and others!
Read on to learn more about all of these milestones and what they mean for development, as well as answers to some common questions!
Developmental Milestones for 5-Month-Old: Reflexes
Palmar Grasp Reflex
The palmar grasp reflex appears at around 16 weeks gestation. It typically disappears, or “integrates,” at around 5–6 months of age. You have probably seen this reflex in action without even realizing it! Simply stroke the palm of your baby’s hand with your index finger, and your baby will grab your finger and cling to it. It’s cute when your baby grasps your finger; much less cute and more painful when they grab a handful of your hair!
Why is it important?
The palmar grasp reflex helps babies learn the motor pattern for voluntarily grasping objects. Keep in mind, before this reflex is integrated, the act of grabbing your finger—or hair, etc.—is entirely involuntary.
What if my baby has a weak palmar grasp reflex? What if my baby retains the reflex longer than what is considered “normal”?
This reflex can be very weak in babies with cerebral palsy, and it may take longer to integrate in babies with spastic hemiplegia or quadriplegia. However, that doesn’t mean that every baby with a weak or retained palmar grasp reflex has any of the above conditions, especially if they have no other signs or symptoms. Make a note of your concerns and bring it up at your next appointment with your baby’s pediatrician!
How can I help my baby integrate the palmar grasp reflex?
Provide your baby tactile stimulation to their hands and feet. Gentle massage (did someone say spa day?!), unusual textures, and lots of messy play can all help your baby integrate this reflex!
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR)
The ATNR appears at about 18 weeks gestation and typically integrates when your baby is 5–7 months old. This reflex is also known as the “fencing reflex,” due to the position of your baby’s arms—en garde!
Here’s what it looks like: while lying on their back with their head turned to the left, your baby’s left arm will be outstretched and their right arm bent at the elbow. When your baby turns their head to the right, their arms will reverse, like a little archer ready to strike! See it for yourself: place your baby on their back, gently turn their head to the right or left, and watch their arms stretch out and bend.
Why is it important?
The ATNR may function to help babies travel through the birth canal while still in the womb. Once they are in the real world, this reflex can help your baby “find their hands” as well as coordinate hand movement based on visual information (aka hand-eye coordination).
Is it okay if my baby’s arms don’t always go into the fencing position when I turn their head? What if it only happens when I turn their head in one direction but not the other?
Short answer: yes, it’s okay! If your baby is upset or distracted, for example, they may not assume the position when their head is turned. However, this reflex should appear equally on both sides of the body. If you notice a discrepancy in your baby’s ATNR from one side to the other, make a note of it and ask your pediatrician.
What if my baby retains the reflex longer than what is considered normal?
Every baby is different. Some may integrate this reflex within 5 months, while others may retain it for a full year after birth. Some reasons the ATNR may be retained are as follows:
- A traumatic birth or C-section
- Head trauma
- Delayed or skipped crawling
- Decreased time spent on tummy
If your baby doesn’t integrate this reflex, they may have difficulty learning to cross the midline (i.e., cross their arms in front of them) or handling items with both hands. These setbacks may lead to other challenges once your child becomes school-aged, such as poor handwriting, difficulty riding a bike, or trouble changing visual focus from far to near (e.g., taking notes off a whiteboard onto a notebook in front of them).
How can I help my baby integrate the ATNR?
Provide your baby a variety of sensory experiences! Different sights, smells, sounds, and textures will help your baby become more aware of their environment and encourage them to explore. Place toys around your baby at different heights to encourage reaching and rolling, as well as turning their head and using their eyes to search for the toys. If you carry your baby around often, try holding them or setting them up in your baby carrier in different positions (facing forward, facing backward, etc.) to encourage them to turn their head and look around.
Last but certainly not least—tummy time! This important play position can help your baby develop countless motor skills, increase their strength and endurance, and integrate reflexes! Check out the activity and exercise guide for ideas on how to incorporate tummy time into everyday play.
Spinal Perez Reflex
The Spinal Perez reflex emerges at 12 weeks in utero and generally integrates between 3–6 months after birth. To observe this reflex, run your finger along your baby’s spine from the tailbone to the base of the neck while your baby is lying on their tummy. If the reflex is present, you will see their back arch, their arms and legs flex, and their head and hips lift.
Why is it important?
The Spinal Perez reflex aids in the development of whole body coordination and postural control. If it is not integrated, your baby may have difficulties reaching their developmental milestones in rolling, sitting, crawling, and standing. Lack of integration can even lead to bedwetting later on. This is because primitive reflexes (specifically this one and the Spinal Galant reflex, discussed below) tell the muscles how to react involuntarily. When the primitive reflexes properly integrate, the body learns how to voluntarily do the actions associated with them. When they don’t integrate properly, involuntary muscle actions can occur.
Spinal Galant Reflex
Similar to the Spinal Perez reflex, the Spinal Galant reflex develops later in utero at approximately 20 weeks and integrates between 3–9 months. To see this reflex in your baby, run your finger along one side of their spine, this time from the base of the neck to the tailbone while your baby is on their tummy. If the reflex is present, you should see your baby arch away from your finger, forming a “C” shape with their torso.
Why is it important?
The Spinal Galant reflex helps develop the range of motion in your baby’s hips, helping prepare your baby for crawling and eventually walking. Integrating this reflex is crucial for learning postural control and supporting cognition and auditory/visual skills. This reflex may also encourage urination, and, as mentioned above in regards to the Spinal Perez reflex, can lead to issues with bedwetting if it is not integrated properly.
Landau Reflex
The Landau reflex typically develops around 4–5 months of age and should integrate around 12 months. You can see this reflex when your baby is lying on their tummy. When they lift up their head, their legs also rise; when their head lowers, so do their legs.
Why is it important?
This reflex is important for postural development and coordination between the upper and lower body. If this reflex does not integrate, typical problems that can arise include low muscle tone, poor posture, a weak upper body, difficulty with short-term memory, and more.
Developmental Milestones for 5-Month-Old: Mobility
A 5-month-old baby will likely be able to roll over in both directions (stomach to back and back to stomach). Even if your baby has already reached this milestone for some time now, their rolling will likely be increasing in purpose and frequency. They may also be learning to maneuver their body with their hands. Have you ever placed your baby down for a nap on their back only to find them, by the end of nap time, rolled over onto their tummy and facing the opposite direction? Rolling over is just one of many fun developments your baby will make in the coming months!
My baby rolls onto their tummy when sleeping. Should I be worried?
It is completely understandable that seeing your baby sleeping face down might make you nervous. But don’t worry! If your baby now has the muscles and strength to roll over, then they also have the ability to adjust their position if their breathing becomes compromised. Continue to keep the crib clear of blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals, especially now that your baby is becoming more mobile!
Developmental Milestones for 5-Month-Old: Motor Control and Strength
At this stage in their life, your baby is working hard to build strength in their core, legs, arms, and neck. You may notice your baby holding their head up in a mostly steady manner. They’re curious and want to look around and check out their environment, even if that leads to distractions during feeding time! When you place them on their tummy, you might see your baby pushing themselves up onto their hands or elbows. Or when you hold them in a standing position, you might feel them bearing some of their weight in their legs. Even if they can’t sit on their own just yet, your baby will become increasingly more independent with sitting, especially if you play with them in a supported seated position throughout the day.
In terms of motor control, you have likely noticed that your baby’s reaches have become more intentional. To encourage controlled reaching, try placing toys above and around your baby, all within their reach. When they grab the toy, be sure to cheer and let them know you are proud of them for working so hard! Related to reaching, another skill your baby will be acquiring is passing objects from hand to hand. This milestone leads the way for more refined hand movements in the coming months!
To help them continue to gain control over their movements and increase their strength, play with your baby in a variety of positions, such as on their back, tummy, side, or in supported sitting. Each position will help them build strength in different muscles. For age-appropriate play ideas, check out the 5-month activity and exercise guide!
My baby swats their arms at everything. Is this normal?
Even with all these gains in motor skills and strength, your baby will probably still swat at things (toys, bottles, etc.) while they are learning to control their arms.
Sure, it can be frustrating when they knock their pacifier out of their mouth for the tenth time despite it being the only thing keeping them from crying. But remember, your baby is just trying to figure out what to do with their hands. That may sound simple to us, but we all have had 25+ years to figure it out (and we still don’t know what to do with our hands when posing for pictures)! Keep watching the development of their reaching abilities; your baby should become more accurate in their swatting aim, but the grading of force may take a little longer for them to figure out. As always, with any concerns, don’t hesitate to mention it to your pediatrician!
Developmental Milestones for 5-Month-Old: Cognition
Your baby is growing in leaps and bounds when it comes to motor skills, but what about their cognition? At 5 months, these skills are also developing rapidly! You may have watched your baby become distracted during feedings or playtime. This is because your baby is starting to notice what is going on in their environment and has become curious about it. Your baby may also develop an attraction to brighter colors and or even a preference for certain colors.
Another thing you may have noticed is that your baby is babbling a lot more. They are learning to communicate! It can be such a fun experience to watch your baby find their voice and use it (granted, sometimes rather loudly and in the wrong place at the wrong time).
Your baby is also starting to recognize and remember familiar people. They may squeal or smile when they see you, for example. With the recognition of familiar faces, however, comes the advent of “stranger danger”—a mistrust around people your baby does not know well. This development is completely normal and healthy, and it actually plays a crucial role in helping your baby develop relationships!
To spur on their cognitive growth, introduce your baby to a variety of sensory stimuli, such as different textures, sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. Watch for signs of overstimulation, though, such as wanting to be held more than usual, or the opposite—withdrawing from your touch and looking away, crying louder with frantic arm/leg movements, or sucking on their fists or fingers. These signs may indicate there is too much happening in their environment, and it is ultimately causing them stress. For ideas on how to safely introduce different sensory stimuli, check out the activity and exercise guide!
My baby is showing signs of being overstimulated; what can I do to help them?
First, remove them from whatever is causing them to feel overstimulated. If you are playing in the grass or sand for the first time and they absolutely hate it, don’t force it. If you are in a busy environment with lots of sounds, flashing lights, or smells, walk away to somewhere with less stimuli. Walking away may not always be an option, so in that case try playing some white noise from a portable sound machine or even your phone. For babies who like being swaddled, try wrapping your baby in a blanket or holding them tight to give them a feeling of calm. If holding your crying baby seems to be making things worse, try laying them down in a safe place and staying nearby to make sure they are okay.
Navigating your baby’s overstimulation can be challenging for a parent or caregiver, especially in an environment where a screaming baby is drawing lots of unwanted attention (perhaps an airplane in the middle of a long flight?). But remember it is also hard for your baby, who is feeling stressed for reasons unknown to you. Do your best to stay calm and present for your baby in their time of need!
Conclusion
Every baby is different, and while yours may not be a “textbook” 5-month-old, chances are you’ve already noticed many of the milestones described in this post. Watch for the continued development of these skills in your baby, and consider using the activities and exercises in this post to help your baby grow stronger and better.
