Baby smiled her real smiles at you and you were so charmed, you decided nothing could be better. But baby has more in store for you in her fifth month. Endless entertainment coupled with increasing interest in her surroundings makes your five month-old baby an ideal playmate.

Squeals and smiles

You will be amazed by the repertoire of sounds your baby can produce now. She is always eager to communicate with you with her smiles, and squeals of delight. Laugh and your baby laughs with you. Baby babble is almost at its peak now.

In baby's fifth month, she can sit with support and haul herself up a little bit when she is laid on her tummy. She can pay attention to tiny objects, but it is wise to keep such objects well out of your curious baby's reach.

More sleep, yet less rest for you

Your five month-old baby sleeps for longer stretches at night, which means your under-eye circles might soon go away. But when he is awake, he loves your company and wants all your attention. His daytime naps continue and give you a few short breaks to get that pile of laundry done.

Are you ready for real food?

Probably. Once your baby's tongue thrust reflex has disappeared and she seems interested in what you are eating, you might want to premiere with solids. Start feeding baby when he neither has a full tummy nor a ravenous appetite. The trick is to know when to begin, and more important when to stop. When she looks disinterested and turns her head away, it is time to abandon project cereal until the next meal.

In baby's fifth month, she will be open to the idea of trying out a cup. Pour a few drops into her mouth. Most of it will probably be spilt, but the earlier you start a cup, the fewer the spills later in childhood. A sippy cup has its own advantages, but it might be tough to wean an older child from a sippy.

Unfortunately, along with your dimples and your lovely golden hair, your baby also inherits some of your food allergies. Wheat, cow's milk, soy, peanuts and fish are common culprits.

Feeding your five month-old baby is one of the messiest tasks you will ever perform. The baby-on-your-lap method is by far the most logistically tricky. An infant seat can double as a feeding chair. Make sure you strap baby in and never leave baby unsupervised in an infant seat even for a moment.

Get some exercise

Most mobile walkers and jumpers are unsafe and some have even been banned. A safer option would be an exersaucer or a stationary walker. A baby swing can work miracles as it calms your baby while you are occupied. But too much use of the baby swing can impair his practice of motor functions such as walking, crawling and cruising.

Health is wealth

In baby's fifth month, a medical examination is generally not scheduled unless you have specific health concerns or questions. Read all about environmental hazards that can affect your baby both at home and outdoors. Try to minimize your baby's exposure to environmental hazards by adequately childproofing your home, monitoring baby all the time and following safety measures.

Parenting is a demanding job and there are no job regulations or specifications. Keep yourself informed so that you know what is best for your baby.