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5 month Milestones! What to Expect!

7/20/2020

I feel like 5 months is quite the milestone! I cannot believe our baby has been in the world for 5 months! A lot of things have happened. A lot has changed. Life is different now. But not always in a bad way! We are mostly out of that 4 month regression at this point, although sleep has never fully recovered.

In some ways, baby is much more like a person this month! It sounds like they want to talk to you, there's the beginning of laughing, they are interested in what you have in your hands and how your mouth is moving. It's like you can see their wheels turning in their brain!

language

What should you notice about babies' language:

Baby should be looking in the direction of sounds
1. How can I encourage this?
  1. Get toys that make sounds and hold the toys adjacent to baby so they have to turn their body to find the source
Expressively, you should hear baby making lots of noise! Cooing and babbling
1. How can I encourage this?
  1. Repeat back sounds that you hear baby saying! This reinforces their speech production. You should be hearing things like 'ba' and 'da'.
You may hear sounds /p/ /b/ and /m/, but not in reference to anything in particular. Baby is making lots of vocal play sounds
1. How can I encourage this?
  1. Repeat back the sounds they are saying. You can also begin targeting labels of words or objects that contain those sounds (i.e. book, up, mama, moo, papa)
Giggling and laughing should continue to gain speed. You will find the silliest things or phrases can make baby giggle!
1. How can I encourage this?
  1. Repeat the action or phrase that made them laugh! Be dramatic and exaggerated in your intonation and your movements! For example, don't just tickle, take a deep gasping inhale and build up by lighting your arms high above their head before you drop down and say 'tickle tickle tickle tickle!!' They should start to anticipate what is to come!
Baby should start responding to the sound of their name!
1. How can I encourage this?
  1. Be sure to call baby by name in isolation (not in a string of a words in a sentence). When baby looks at you in response, have something fun ready for them or make a silly face to get baby to laugh! They are making the connection now that they should be looking when someone calls their name. This should continue to grow into a stronger skill into month 6!

social

You may notice baby responding to your facial expressions and tone of voice. If you are frustrated, baby seems to respond negatively or becomes upset.
1. How can I encourage this?
  1. You can practice making a stoic face without apathy. Watch babies reaction! Between 5-6 months, you should begin to see them almost imitate you. Now change it and give baby a big smile! They should react accordingly and begin to smile!
Baby should start communicating their needs in subtle ways, like reaching up with their hands when they want you to pick them up!
1. How can I encourage this?
  1. When you notice their gestures during repeated daily activities, honor their request! This is the beginning of how we learn to express language. It is all reinforcement. If you want to go up and you raise your hands for mom to pick you up and it happens, what do you think the likelihood is that you will try that again? What if it is ignored? You may try once or twice, but after that you can see it isn't working so they make stop that gesture. If baby is not giving you cues, try doing hand over hand (physically take their hands and have them reach up towards you while saying 'up' and then pick them up right away so they begin to make the connection!
Baby should start recognizing familiar people
1. How can I encourage this?
  1. Get excited when someone comes into view that they know! "Look! It's grandma! She's here!!"

Play

Playing is still new to baby at this point, but they are starting to engage with toys more and more!

Baby should recognize frequently used toys or objects
How can I encourage this?
1. Start familiar play routines with toys! Use familiar language with toys as well! I give examples below on how I use this sound puzzle to play with babies (slightly older babies), but you can use those same words starting right now!

literacy

If you are reading to your baby daily, and I cannot recommend enough that you do so, they should start taking an interest in participating with you!

Baby may show an interest in wanting to hold the book or turn the pages
1. Baby should start reaching for books and showing an interest in holding and manipulating the,
2. How can I encourage this?
  1. Allow them to participate! I recommend you use board books exclusively, otherwise you will surely have ripped pages. You can use hand over hand to help them learn how to turn the page. You may need to start the turn and also have to release their hand from the page before you can read.

Cognitive

Your babies brain is developing rapidly this month!! They are understanding things on a more sophisticated level for the first time.

Object Permanence: Now that baby is learning that an object is underneath something- it didn't just completely vanish- they are able to 'find' objects.
1. How can I encourage this?
  1. Hide objects under a blanket, but leave it partially covered and within reach.
  2. Play peek-a-boo!
Babies are starting to imitate you in subtle ways!
1. How can I encourage this?
  1. Be a great model!

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when you just can't listen to the wheels on the bus anymore...Here are 5 other options for baby music!

7/14/2020

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If you are "all done" with the Wheels On The Bus song, you're not alone! I have been slowly finding some fantastic things out there for baby to listen to! At 4-5 months old, baby gets 'bored' and is expecting some entertainment. Music has been essential to keeping peace and calm. He thoroughly enjoys listening to such a variety of music and its fun to see him anticipate some parts of songs. Here are some of our favorites!!

cocomelon

If you looked at previous posts I mention the CocoMelon YouTube Channel, which I am still a big fan of! I like the variety of songs and that they provide LYRICS! Why don't more people do that?! I can't remember the words to EVERY song! The animals and animations are cute and I love the stories they set to music! Like the three little pigs story/song! They also teach manners with the please and thank you song (and they use sign language in this video too! Double win!).

lori berkner

Lori Berkner is a daily occurrence in our house! I find myself singing her songs when I am alone in my car and in the shower. Beware, they are super catchy. Best of all, my screaming child quiets instantly when he hears the intro to any of her songs. They are just engaging and usually there's an educational piece. She sings and plays guitar; it just works!

barney

Good old Barney! I forgot my long time love of this weird purple dinosaur. I was a big Barney fan, so why would I expect any less from my own child!? He LOVES the songs! Right now he's too small to understand the episodes and it just isn't getting his attention, but the song compilation is PERFECT! He quiets down whenever I turn it on.

raffi

Along the same lines of Lori Berkner, but classic. I really just love the Baby Beluga song, but it's just so classic I had to throw it in! He also does the classic 'Down By The Bay' song. (Cocomelon's is better but shhh). Not as animated as I would hope, but still a good option.

fantasia

So about a million years ago, Disney made a weird, somewhat random movie called Fantasia. You can find it on Disney+ if you have it. There's a newer version Fantasia 2000, but it's just not the same. If you are unfamiliar, it's classical music set to colors and pictures. Sometimes there is a storyline (i.e. Micky's infamous sorcerer's hat comes from this movie). My son absolutely loves this and it has gotten us out of quite a few jams (when screaming was more fun than anything else). It's not educational per se, BUT the music is complex and it's mostly colors and pictures set to classical music. It's an almost daily occurrence.

Tell me about your favorite musical shows to watch with baby in the comments!

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How sign language encourages speech development

7/6/2020

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I feel like some parents have a stigma about sign language. I had a parent tell me once, "I don't want you to work on signing, I want him to talk!" There are sometimes myths that float around that signing might result in late talking, or may prevent them from talking sooner. This is not true! It is actually the opposite!

There's a few reasons why......

If you think about communication, humans as a species will always communicate in the easiest way possible that is effective. What do I mean by that? Think about how you communicate! People shorten words, text instead of call, text with abbreviations! You do what is easiest! Same for babies! When they have no words, but they can move their hands, then that is what's easiest for them at the moment. Research supports use of sign language for babies as well as debunks any myths that it would delay language. In fact, it is the opposite! It builds language and supports vocabulary development while reducing frustration level (for both parent and baby!)
Signing is also a form of communication. We use it everyday. We point to things, we gesture, throw our hands in the air. We communicate with our hands more than you think!

how to choose what signs to start with:

You really just need to figure out two things.....

What do you want baby to communicate? Is it important they say your name? Are manners the most important? This will be an individual thing for each family, but most people want baby's basic needs communicated (hungry, tired, bathroom)
What can you incorporate easily into your routine? Signing will only take off if you model and use it! If you realllyyyy want the to learn the sign for airplane but you don't talk about airplanes all day then it isn't happening.

our first signs

These have been my go to signs starting out:

Mom
Dad
Bathroom (Toilet)
Music
Sleep
Eat

While these signs worked for my family, you may choose different signs to begin with. There is not a set progression at all!

What will be most effective is something you can remember to do often!

when can you expect to see baby signing?

Babies that have been signed to since birth or soon after can sometimes begin to sign around 8 months old.

Now you may say... that's annoying they start talking at 12 months, why put in all that effort?

For a couple reasons!

Your baby may not start talking at 12 months! I know it's what the books say, but not every child is right on cue. Kids develop at their own pace. Some it may be more like 15 months. Also, some children can have some delays that prevent them from talking. There are also other disorders that are associated with expressive language you may not know or realize the child has until later on (such as apraxia, or autism). Having signs as a way to communicate decreases the frustration associated with these disorders.
It builds vocabulary! You are teaching labels for people, actions, and objects. Knowing that what they want has a name is important!
It teaches communicative intent! When we learn to communicate with words, we learn that words hold power. Power to get me that thing that I want. Learning that their communication has a purpose builds motivation and this is how you get that ball rolling with words.

what NOT TO DO WITH SIGN LANGUAGE

DON'T make signing an absolute requirement-- If you are waiting for baby to sign to move onto your next activity, it will end in tears for everyone

DON'T make signing an unnatural part of your communication-- No one says music 12x in a row.

DON'T make them communicate the same thing twice-- if they can say the word already, they don't need to sign it too before you accept it as a response. It's a little unusual to see this go the opposite way where a child that can say the word will sign it instead. Like I said before, we do what's easiest and talking is easier than signing because you don't need your communication partner to be looking directly at you to communicate with them.

what to DO WITH SIGN LANGUAGE

DO make sure you sign across a variety of settings and with a variety of people--signing for mom shouldn't only be when we wake up! It should be when you leave, arrive, in the mirror, etc.

DO help baby make the signs with hand over hand!-- This helps them learn the motor plan they need to execute to make that sign happen!

DO accept approximate signs at first! -- They won't do it perfect the first time! If it's in context and you know what they meant, show them you get it by verbalizing what they are communicating (i.e. 'you want milk!? Great job telling mommy!! Here is your milk!')

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my breastfeeding journey part 3

7/6/2020

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It's been 4.5 months since I started my breastfeeding journey and I'm happy to report that at about the 3 month mark, I felt really good about my decision to continue breastfeeding. It is sooooo much easier to just pop him on and feed him quick than to heat up a bottle. I have been told that this is what's called 'Breastfeeding Nirvana' and I do agree!

That being said, here are some new struggles that appeared EVEN AFTER I got a handle on breastfeeding...

Criticizing my milk output: I have been finding that I continue to doubt my abilities about whether or not he is fed enough. Aside from that, I'm realizing that I need to start producing more pumped milk because the clock is ticking on my maternity leave. I have less than 2 months until I go back full time and I dread that day so much. I feel like I can barely get enough milk into the bottle for getting out of the house for 2 hours every other day, let alone an entire day's worth of food for him!? and 5 days a week!??! Panic ensues! This is where a formula fed baby has it easy. No worries there! But there is NO SUBSTITUTE for the protection that breastmilk gives. So I solider on... I bought a couple of milk boosting products before my lactation consultant told me to get something that DOES NOT CONTAIN Fenugreek (they all did of course). Apparently it can make babies gassy, and my baby was PLENTY gassy on his own. So I started using this one with good success.
Critical of how baby is latching: Is the latch still good? I feel in my heart that it is still not perfect. I see his little tongue cupping the nipple as he feeds and that is not normal. The latch is no longer painful. I need to make certain things a priority and perfecting his latch isn't high up on my list right now. I'm no longer in survival mode, but i'm still just trying to make it through each day. I know he is gaining weight and getting longer, so it's not so much a matter of is he able to grow and thrive, but is he comfortable...and he doesn't seem to be in distress.
Baby is distracted: Is he even hungry? He is popping off to look around CONSTANTLY! I put that nursing cover to good use, but it is SO ANNOYING to use! Maybe it is the soft material mine is made of, but I feel like i'm always adjusting something with it on!
Milk Machine: My new priority is finding time to sit and pump milk. Do yourself a favor and invest in the portable breast pump! It wasn't covered by insurance, but I should have upgraded! I am now pumping whenever I can. It would seem that my baby knows when those times are and needs me at those EXACT moments. ...sigh... but I am pumping more and more. The more I pump, the more I produce. I haven't felt that 'engorged' feeling in a longgg time. I assume that is because my body is making what baby needs and not much more. I'm testing out a variety of natural supplements to see if that helps my supply. Sitting there for 25 minutes and getting 3 oz of milk is just not cutting it.
"Oh crap! I Forgot to drink!": I find myself saying wayyy too often 'oh crap! I barely drank anything all day!!' To make milk, you need to drink lots of water and eat! This is what happens when you are running around trying to clean up in-between micro naps that baby is taking during their 4 month sleep regression.
- As a side note, I am extremely particular about the water I drink (shocking, I know). My friends laugh and make fun because on a trip we took I asked them to find me some "quality water" and I haven't lived it down yet. It is true though that what kind of water you drink is affecting the baby as well as your own health! Note the studies linking Fluroide in drinking water have been proven to reduce the IQ of children! I drink water basically exclusively out of my Berkey filter and pour it into some kind of glass or stainless steal container. I avoid drinking water out at restaurants. I will sometimes drink Pellegrino if they have it, but that's about it!

I was told, and know it to be true for myself at least, that boys are so hungry when they wake and start crying immediately for food. Girls are okay waiting a bit. So far, that is the case for my little boy! I have about 30 seconds TOPS from when he wakes to getting food in him before the wailing begins!

This makes me SO glad that I stuck with breastfeeding! Having the freedom to feed him whenever/wherever is somewhat liberating! It's one less thing to worry about. It was worth the extra work & I would do it all again- hands down!!

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5 month Milestones! What to Expect!

language

social

Play

literacy

Cognitive

when you just can't listen to the wheels on the bus anymore...Here are 5 other options for baby music!

cocomelon

lori berkner

barney

raffi

fantasia

How sign language encourages speech development

how to choose what signs to start with:

our first signs

when can you expect to see baby signing?

what NOT TO DO WITH SIGN LANGUAGE

what to DO WITH SIGN LANGUAGE

my breastfeeding journey part 3

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