Week 5: Fifth Week of Your Baby
WEEK 5 - How Big Is Your Baby This Fifth week?
Baby weighs 9-1/4 pounds and is 21-1/4 inches long this week.
Baby Care and Equipment
Bathing Baby in a Family Tub
We discussed bathing your baby in Week 3. Some parents enjoy sharing their time in the bathtub with their baby — you might, too. If you bring your baby into the tub with you, take certain precautions to keep her secure. Follow the suggestions below to make family bath time happy, fun and safe.
- Put a rubber mat in the bottom of the tub so you won’t slip while you’re getting in or out of the tub with baby.
- Have supplies close at hand, such as baby soap and baby shampoo.
- Wear cotton gloves so you can keep a good grip on her.
- Be sure the bathroom is warm but not hot (about 75F/ 23.8C).
- When placing baby in the water, slide her feet-first into the water. If she objects to being in the tub, remove her immediately (the tub may seem too big at this time and make her feel insecure).
- Support baby’s head in your arm while you wash her.
- Don’t stay in the Waterloo long.
- Keep temperature of your water heater below 120F (48.8Q to prevent accidental scalding.
- Lift baby out of the water first. Wrap her in a towel and lay her on the floor, or give her to your partner before you get out.
Baby Swings
A baby swing can be a wonderful piece of equipment when baby is fussy and you need a rest or a free hand. Some people don’t like them because they believe baby is too easily neglected when place in one. Some refer to swings as “neglect-o-matics.” However, others! believe swings are heaven-sent.
Features to consider. Be sure any swing you choose has a stable, wide base. With some swings, you place baby in it from the front; other swings are open on the top for ease in getting baby in and out. All swings move in a front-to-back swinging motion. A few also rock her from side to side, in a cradle motion.
To make the swinging mechanism work, you must wind or crank it in some swings. In other swings, the mechanism is battery-operated. Some swings have only one speed, but they can have up to six.
In some swings, the seat that baby sits in reclines in various positions. Some swings are a combination of cradle, swing and infar carrier. These are convenient if you don’t want to buy a lot of products, or if you don’t have a lot of space in your home. Other features include a timer, a toy bar, music and a washable seat pad.
Baby’s Feeding Routine
By the fifth week, your baby is settling into a feeding routine. She’s feeding 6 to 8 times a day and taking in 2 to 5 ounces at each feeding. She’s probably nursing 5 to 10 minutes on each breast; your milk supply is well established by now. In the next few weeks, you may notice she drops a feeding but increases the amount she takes in at each feeding by about an ounce.
Ways to determine she’s doing well include how many wet diapers she has a day—six is a
good sign—and how much she is growing and gaining weight. If your doctor is concerned about her development, he or she will discuss it with you at your next well-baby check.
She’s feeding 6 to 8 times a day and taking in 2 to 5 ounces at each feeding.
Milestones This Fifth Week
Baby Enjoys Various Sounds
At about this time, your baby begins to recognize your face and voice. When you talk to her, she may open and close her mouth and bob her head. She is beginning to connect what she hears with what she sees.
She is sensitive to the sound of the human voice. She listens to voices and may respond to the higher-pitched female voice with her own sounds. She may also move her arms and legs. Whenever someone speaks to her, many impulses go through her nerve cells. Repetition of these kinds of interactions help strengthen existing brain connections and build new ones. Baby enjoys many other sounds, too, such as soft music.
Just recently, your baby would stop sucking to listen to a new sound. She still does, briefly, but pays little attention to it unless it’s a human voice. She also stops sucking and becomes quiet when studying a person’s face. She still doesn’t have much of a memory for objects and people, but that is slowly changing.
At about this time, your baby begins to recognize your face and voice.
Physical Development Continues
When she’s in a supported sitting position, your baby can hold her head up briefly. She can also raise her head for a brief moment when she’s lying on her tummy. To help her develop and strengthen neck muscles, place her in many different positions throughout the day , such as on her back,on her tummy, in an infant seat, in a stroller, in a front carrier or sling, or in your arms.
As you play with baby, you’ll notice she thrusts her legs and arms out and grasps your finger when you put it in her hand. She relaxes her fist to open her hands and fingers. If her hand finds its way to her mouth, she may begin sucking and mouthing her fingers or her fist. It’s a way to soothe herself. She’s gaining more control of her body.
You may notice her body is uncurling from the fetal position. Herj legs are beginning to stretch out a little more. She may arch her back] and throw out her arms and legs. She may also stretch her fingers and toes, and twist from side to side.
Vision Continues to Improve
She can now see clearly up to 18 inches, but she doesn’t have much control over her muscles, so the best she can do is wave her hand and arm in the direction of what she sees. She may try to push at a hanging toy. She’ll even hold a toy in her hand a little longer than she did a week ago.
What’s Happening This Fifth Week?
Stimulate Baby’s Gums
It’s never too early to help baby develop strong, healthy gums for the teeth that will soon be breaking through. You can do this by wiping her gums with a clean damp washcloth or a piece of gauze several times during the day and before bedtime. This cleaning stimulates the gums, which keeps them healthy and free of bacteria.
This routine also helps her later. She’ll be used to having her mouth cleaned, so when it is time to start brushing her teeth, she won’t object.
Baby Massage
Place your hands on one of baby’s arms; put one hand above the other. Straighten her arm, and gently rotate your hands back and forth, in opposite directions, as you move down baby’s arm. Squeeze lightly as you work toward the wrist. (This is not like the “Indian burn” you used to give your brother when you were little!) Do this with each of baby’s arms before going on to the next move.
Next firmly stroke her back, moving from her neck down to her bottom. Firmly pat her back twice and her bottom once in an alternating rhythm. Make a game out of it, and sing her a song in rhythm to your pats.
Massage to relieve gas. If baby has gas, massage her tummy in circles. Press knees gently into the abdomen to push out the gas. Repeat the massage and leg presses to relieve gas.
Family Bed
Some parents put baby to bed in her own room from the first day home from the hospital. Some parents want to keep baby close by, such as in a bassinet in their room. Other parents want baby in bed with them—a “family bed” situation.
Advantages. William Sears, M.D., is a pediatrician in favor of the family bed. In a family bed, parents share their bed with their baby. Sears believes sharing a bed develops closeness between the parents and child, and bonding is stronger. There are positive aspects to it—a breastfeeding mother doesn’t have to get up to feed baby. She can roll over and let baby feed whenever she wants.
What’s needed. This situation works only if baby won’t disturb you and you can fall asleep quickly. You must be able to sleep in any part of the bed, snuggled closely with another person. And you should have at least a queen-size bed.
Disadvantages. There is a downside to the family bed. Recent research shows that infants who sleep with their parents may be at greater risk of suffocating. Evidence suggests that a parent can advertently roll on top of or next to the baby, and smother her. experts believe the only safe place for a baby is in a crib that ieets current federal safety standards.
Alternatives. Manufacturers have recently introduced some ew items that might help solve some of the problems discussed iove. One item is a minibed that is placed on top of an adult lattress. One side folds down for access to baby and easy nursing, nother product rests next to the bed and is for parents who want by close but not necessarily in bed with them. The unit is placed ext to the adult bed, providing baby with her own space right next mom and dad. Baby can easily connect to parents in the adult bed rcuddling and nursing.
Dehydration
What it is. Dehydration results when baby doesn’t take in enough ids or loses too much fluid from her body. It can occur if your baby is not breastfeeding properly or if you are not producing enough milk. It may also arise in cases of vomiting and diarrhea. Dehydration occasionally occurs when a baby becomes overheated and does not receive enough fluid to compensate for her overheating. When this occurs, it usually happens in hot summer months.
How to avoid dehydration. To avoid dehydration, keep baby out of the sun so she doesn’t get sunburned or overheated. In hot weather, make sure she has plenty of fluids. Give her water only when your pediatrician advises you to. Dress baby appropriately for the weather.
Signs to look for. Dehydration should be a concern if: baby’s coloring becomes grayish; her mucous membranes are dry (for example, in her nose); urination has decreased; there is an absence of tearing; her fontanel (the soft spot on the top of her head) is sunken, or she has a rapid pulse and respiration. Your baby should have a wet diaper six to eight times a day, and she should have a normal (for her) number of stools each day. Your baby may also be sluggish if she is dehydrated.
What to do. If you notice these symptoms, and you are breastfeeding, carefully monitor your baby’s feeding patterns. Make sure you can see or hear her gulping milk when she feeds. Does she seem satisfied after a nursing session? A full baby will be content.
When to call the doctor. Call your pediatrician immediately if your baby
- hasn’t had a wet diaper in 6 to 8 eight hours
- has been vomiting for more than 12 hours
- has passed more than eight diarrheal stools in 8 hours
- has a dry mouth and cries without tears (Note: Newborns may not show tears when they cry.)
- is inconsolable
- seems unusually drowsy or sleepy, or doesn’t respond to you
- has a sunken fontanel
Your baby’s doctor may recommend oral rehydration in mild to moderate cases. In this situation, baby is given a prepared solution with electrolytes. Small amounts are fed to her frequently over a period of time.
If the situation is severe, a pediatrician may admit the baby to the hospital. Intravenous (IV) fluids are given to replace lost fluids. Accurate measurements of fluid intake and output are also recorded!
Hiccups
What it is. A hiccup is a contraction of baby’s diaphragm, which separates the chest and abdominal cavities. It’s not uncommon fora baby to have hiccups. Your baby may have had them in the womb. After birth, most babies have frequent episodes of hiccups.
We really don’t have any ways to prevent or to stop hiccups. They commonly occur after feeding, particularly after burping. They are not harmful but may cause baby to fuss or cry. You won’t need to do anything when baby has the hiccups unless they keep her from eating or sleeping. If the happens,call the doctor.
No one knows why babies hiccup so frequently.
Toys and Play This Fifth Week
Nursery Rhymes and Conversations
If you have a recording of nursery rhymes to play for baby, she may enjoy the rhythmic cadence. Or recite some to her from a book. Make a hand puppet out of an old sock, and use it to talk to baby in a high, singsong voice. She’ll enjoy the interaction.
Rattles and Rings and Noisy Things
Because she’s beginning to develop her grasp, you might choose to let baby play with some safe rattles or rings. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You may offer her rubber or cloth animals or dolls that have squeaks or bells securely fastened inside. Be sure toys don’t have small parts, such as eyes, that could come loose.
The Rolling Ball
Choose a brightly colored ball for baby that is big enough for her to see easily. Sit on the floor while she lies next to you, or place her in your lap. Roll the ball on the floor near her. Let her watch it. She may try to reach for it, or she may just enjoy watching it with her eyes.
House Tour
Take baby on a tour of the house while you’re holding her. Watch her to see what objects she’s attracted to. Point them out, and talk about them as you see them.
When you do routine tasks and chores around the house, keep baby close. Talk about what you’re doing; describe your activity. For example, if you’re washing the clothes, tell her “This is the washing machine where we wash our clothes.” Let her watch you as you put the clothes in and start the machine. Let her watch the water flow in. Describing what you are doing introduces her to household activities, and your conversation stimulates her.
Baby may be sleeping for as long as 7 hours a night by this time, if she weighs at least 11 pounds and has no digestive
By this week, you are probably seeing definite signs of baby’s personality! She may be quiet and intense, or active and verbal.