This Is How Far Your Baby Is Already Developed At 20 Weeks

When your baby turns 20 weeks, he has developed into an independent little personality. He can now express his displeasure and explores his environment more and more actively.

The development of your baby in the 5th month sets a “turbo speed”. Many exciting developmental advances in the areas of motor skills, reflexes, senses, emotions and social skills are now imminent. He or she is learning to purposefully reach for objects, recognize voices even without a face, and may be able to sit for a brief moment.

Baby 20 Weeks: Developmental Progress In The Physical Area

When your baby turns 20 weeks, he or she is usually 56 to 70 centimeters tall and weighs between 6,900 and 7,500 grams. The romper now fits best in size 68. However, these are only guideline values of baby development that you can use as a guide.

Every child develops at its own pace. Therefore, you do not have to worry about variations in the size of the baby.

Development Of The Baby At 20 Weeks: Motor Skills And Reflexes

What can my baby do in the 5th month of life and how does the further baby development look like? Many parents ask themselves these questions. When your baby is 20 weeks old, he is able to hold his head by himself.

Since your little one has been moving diligently over the last few weeks and has strengthened his back and neck muscles, controlling his head is no longer a problem. Some children even manage to sit for a moment. However, do not sit your offspring down too often.

This could cause the lower part of the lumbar spine to become compressed and lead to poor posture. Many things develop on their own – for example, your baby trains his muscles for later sitting when he lies on his back.

Let your offspring figure out on its own when it’s the best time to sit. When your baby is born, he is equipped with numerous early childhood reflexes that serve to protect himself and help him survive “out there.”

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You have probably noticed that your baby automatically grasps things that you give him. This is the so-called grasping reflex, which only gradually recedes to make room for more coordinated movements. With this method, your baby can learn to grasp.

By the time your baby is 20 weeks old, he or she can consciously open his or her little hands and hold onto objects. You can easily encourage this development by offering your baby objects such as a rattle.

Even though your baby has now learned to hold onto objects, this newly acquired ability still needs to be trained. At 20 weeks, many children still find it difficult to let go of the object. For more detailed exploration, the object often disappears in the mouth.

Development Of Baby’s Senses At 20 Weeks

When your baby turns 5 months old, he makes a lot of progress in the area of the senses. Your offspring now recognizes where sounds come from and can follow objects attentively with his eyes. Learn more about baby’s sensory development.

Babies are born with an excellent sense of hearing. However, processing and classifying the many auditory impressions is not so easy at first. When your baby reaches 20 weeks, he or she will recognize where the sounds are coming from and turn in the appropriate direction.

It is possible that your baby is particularly sensitive to sound at this time. Therefore, find a particularly quiet place when feeding and breastfeeding. The new development of the baby also allows for fun new games.

The baby’s development is also progressing in the area of vision. It is now able to recognize small objects that move faster and follow them attentively with its eyes. It is no longer difficult for your baby to distinguish between pastel colors in the 5th month.

By the way, this development in the baby goes hand in hand with a new insight: Your offspring now discovers that things can be hidden. In the coming weeks, you can play hide-and-seek with your baby more often to encourage his development.

When your baby turns 20 weeks old, he or she may already be ready for the first complimentary food. Your offspring has very fine taste buds and with the unfamiliar food you open up new worlds for your baby. Surprise and disgust can be reflected on your baby’s face.

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Many pediatricians and midwives do not recommend the first complementary food until the 6th month. It is best to orient yourself to your baby’s needs. Some babies are ready earlier. Since your baby has to get used to the new food, you may experience digestive problems in the beginning.

Baby 20 Weeks: Mental Development

Your offspring is now using more and more hours of the day to actively explore their surroundings. He is more alert and better able to process impressions from the environment. As your baby turns 5 months, he discovers the principle of gravity and continues to develop his emotional and communication skills.

This Is How Emotions Develop

By the time your baby turns 20, he has developed into a little personality of his own. It becomes easier and easier for him to express his emotions. Your baby smiles at you with joy when he sees you, but also expresses his displeasure when changing diapers.

This helps you to better assess your child’s needs. He can also be “infected” by the emotions of others. Your baby will react in the same way to a happy or angry face.

During baby development in the 5th month of life, so-called “strangeness” occurs. This is a preliminary stage to the strangeness phase in the 8th month. If an unknown person approaches your child or you leave the room, he or she may start to cry. Your baby is still very insecure in this phase and needs the protection of familiar people.

Baby Development: Social And Communication Skills

By the time your baby is 20 weeks old, he or she has a regular routine and can participate more and more actively in family life. He is steadily developing his communication skills and is already able to form short syllables. During these weeks, your baby is especially fond of the consonants “m” and “b” and begins to babble.

In this phase, your little one will try to imitate everything you show him. When your baby is 20 weeks old, he loves to bubble. He puts his tongue between his lips and blows. Your baby is thrilled with his new skills and won’t want to stop. The first babbling phase is an important step in a baby’s language development.

Baby 20 Weeks: Developmental Delays

Every child develops at his or her own pace. If your baby has not reached a certain developmental milestone, don’t worry. Some babies develop faster, some slower.

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For example, some children’s language skills develop very quickly, while their motor skills develop more slowly, and vice versa. Only a professional can tell if your child has a developmental delay.

The most important contacts for this question are pediatricians, pediatric orthopedists or physical therapists. There you will find out the developmental status of your child and whether it is developing in an age-appropriate manner.

Even if a developmental delay is detected, this does not mean that it has to be treated – sometimes the baby just needs a little more time. You can also trust your intuition as a parent. This will tell you if your child is doing well.

This Is How You Can Encourage Your Baby At 20 Weeks Through Play

When your baby turns 20 weeks old, there are a few things you can do to encourage his development through play:

Introduce your baby to different sounds: Your offspring is in an important phase of language development – he babbles and bubbles incessantly. For example, make animal sounds like “woof-woof, meow-meow, quack-quack” and soon he will add more syllables to “ba” and “ma” and expand his vocabulary.

Play rattles, xylophone and music: School listening skills and baby development by playing new sounds and music to him over and over again. Music should not be played too loud.

Put the baby in the tummy position on the blanket: This encourages the body to turn. In the prone position on the blanket, it also finds out that fingers and toes are an interesting toy.

Kick soft fabric ball: Lift your baby up with a grip under his arms and swing him slightly above the floor. In this position, you can kick a soft cloth ball together. This not only strengthens the legs but also encourages attention and baby development.

Baby 20 Weeks: The Sleep Rhythm Also Changes

The baby’s development is progressing rapidly. Between the 4th and 6th months, a more regular sleep rhythm slowly sets in with your child. The little naps become fewer and your baby manages to sleep for about two to four hours at a time.

The need for sleep is now mainly met at night. During the day, your baby is already awake for up to 10 hours to actively explore its environment. However, he still needs two to three short daytime naps.

These last about one to one and a half hours. Gradually, a regular bedtime is also established. This is a big step forward compared to the first few weeks. Depending on his sleep routine, a baby should go to bed between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

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Baby 20 Weeks: Pediatrician Visit

In the 5th month of life, no check-up is due. However, the next dose of the 6-dose vaccine may be due. This depends on when you started the first vaccination. You can easily check your baby’s vaccination card.

Some babies also suffer from diaper thrush at this age. This is an infection with the yeast Candida albicans, in which your baby shows a red rash on the bottom. This is accompanied by pustules and scales. Your pediatrician can prescribe an ointment to treat it.

Your Baby’s Development At 20 Weeks: An Overview

  • Height baby: Between 56 and 70 centimeters.
  • Weight baby: Between 6,900 and 7,500 grams.
  • Dress size: 68.
  • Your baby can hold his head by himself.
  • Some babies manage to sit for a short moment.
  • Targeted grasping and holding is possible.
  • Your baby recognizes where sounds come from.
  • It can track small objects that move quickly with its eyes.
  • Your baby recognizes that objects can be hidden.
  • Your offspring is more active and alert.
  • Begins to understand the principle of gravity.
  • Emotions can be expressed better.
  • He or she is “unfamiliar” with unfamiliar people.
  • Your child is in the middle of the first babbling phase and babbles continuously.
  • A more regular sleep rhythm is established.

Baby Development In The 20th Week: A Conclusion

By the time your baby reaches 20 weeks, he or she has learned many things. It is able to hold its own head and can even sit for a moment. However, it will be some time before your baby can sit properly. Let your baby decide when is the best time to learn to sit.

By week 20, your baby is getting better at hearing and seeing. He can tell which direction sounds are coming from and he can track objects that are moving with his eyes. This development in the baby is even complemented by a new insight: your baby understands that things can be hidden and starts to look for them.

Your baby is now an independent little personality who can express her feelings better and better. At this age, your child begins to babble and blubber and is happy when you engage him in a dialogue.

The best products for you and your baby.

Baby monitor

With a baby monitor, you can use your time flexibly, sleep peacefully at night and still know at all times that your baby is doing well.

Nursing pillow

A good breastfeeding pillow has several advantages, because it helps you not only to breastfeed, but also to fall asleep and is also suitable as a nest.

Diaper bags

A diaper bag offers you a lot of storage space, so that you have everything you need for your baby on the go - from the changing pad to the bottle.

Pucksack

A pucksack gives your baby the feeling of security, like in the womb, and thus supports a peaceful and restful sleep.

Bicycle trailer

Bicycle trailers can be used in combination with a baby seat shortly after birth. They are not only safer than child seats but also more comfortable.

Playpen

A playpen can be very practical in everyday life! Which model is suitable for your needs, you can read in my guide.

Baby bed

The first bed accompanies your child for years. Fortunately, there are beds that grow with your child. I have made for you on the search for the best baby beds.

Stroller

A stroller is a worthwhile purchase. But there are the most diverse models on the market. Find out which is the right one.

Radiant heater

Radiant heaters provide your child with the necessary warmth when changing diapers or after bathing.

Extra bed

Side beds are very practical and offer both mother and baby a lot of advantages, because for babies, especially in the first months of life, it is reassuring to be able to sleep next to their parents.

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