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5 Month Old Baby: Milestones, Sleep and Feeding

Your 5 month old baby: rolling, reaching, babbling and sitting with support, plus signs of readiness for solid food.

Before you use this guide: Every baby grows and develops at their own pace, and healthy babies vary a lot. Weights are WHO medians at the start of the month, not targets. If your baby was born early, use their corrected age. This is general information, not an individual medical assessment.

How your baby is developing

Five-month-olds are busy. Many are rolling from tummy to back and some are starting to roll back to tummy, which can happen quickly and often without warning. Your baby is reaching confidently for toys, passing things to their mouth to explore and may play with their feet.

They are babbling more, often with the first consonant sounds, and they love being the centre of attention. They may start to recognise their own name. With your support, many can sit upright for a short time.

Milestones to look for

These are skills that many babies show around this age. Some will come earlier and some later, and missing one is not usually a cause for worry.

• Rolls from tummy to back, and some roll both ways
• Reaches for a toy and brings it to their mouth
• Sits with support, and holds their head steady
• Laughs out loud
• Babbles and makes new sounds
• Enjoys looking at themselves in a mirror
• Shows interest in food when you eat

Feeding

• Your baby is probably still getting all their nutrition from breast milk or formula. Most health services recommend waiting until around six months to start solid foods.
• Signs of readiness include sitting upright with good head control, looking at food and reaching for it, and swallowing food rather than pushing it out. Interest in watching you eat is not enough on its own.
• Prepare by choosing a suitable high chair and reading about safe first foods.
• Breast milk or formula should stay your baby's main drink.

Sleep

• Most babies still need three to four naps, with wake windows of around one and a half to two and a half hours.
• Some babies begin to sleep for longer stretches at night, though waking is still normal.
• Rolling can disturb sleep at first, as babies practise in their cot. Always put them down on their back.
• Keep the cot clear, and use a sleeping bag.

See our wake windows by age guide and the rules in our safe sleep guide.

Play and learning

• Give your baby plenty of floor time to roll and reach.
• Offer toys with different textures and sounds.
• Read a short board book each day, and point to the pictures.
• Play “peekaboo” and copy the sounds your baby makes.
• Let your baby splash in a shallow bath with a toy, with you right there.

Keeping your baby safe

• Once your baby is rolling, never leave them on a raised surface, even for a second.
• Put locks or gates on stairs, and keep sockets covered.
• Test the temperature of anything you give to your baby.
• Avoid hot drinks while holding your baby.

Looking after yourself

You may be feeling more confident, or you may still be feeling tired. Both are normal. If you are going back to work soon, you might also be thinking about leaving your baby for the first time.

Ask for help from friends and family, and make time for yourself and your partner.

When to ask for help

Talk to your health visitor or doctor if your baby does not reach for objects or bring things to their mouth, does not seem to enjoy being around people, has very stiff or floppy limbs, cannot support their head, or does not make sounds. Get urgent help if your baby is struggling to breathe, will not feed, or is unusually drowsy.

Trust your instincts. If you are worried about your baby at any age, contact your doctor, health visitor or local emergency number.

This content is for general information only and is not medical advice. Every pregnancy and every baby is different. Always talk to your doctor, midwife or paediatrician about your own situation, and seek urgent care if you are worried.