This five-month update is a little late — life has been exhausting lately — but I wanted to capture how Maddie is doing. I’m biased, of course, but she seems to get more adorable by the day. Those irresistible baby rolls keep showing up, and she’s on the cusp of growing out of most of her three-month clothes.
This month has been a bit challenging. Maddie has been more irritable and fussy than usual, and sleep has been the biggest struggle. We suspect she hit the four-month sleep regression a little late, since her sleep patterns at five months aren’t as consistent as they were at four months. She started waking herself up several times during the night when sleeping in the Rock ‘N Play, often squirming and looking cramped. We noticed she seemed more easily disturbed when we came to bed, and realized it was time to stop swaddling and move her out of the Rock ‘N Play and into her crib. Although she hasn’t exceeded the weight limit, she’s getting taller and less comfortable in it.
We began the swaddle transition first. I planned to try one arm out over two nights, but Maddie made the decision for me: she wouldn’t let me wrap her left arm. After a short struggle she handled it well, so I kept one arm out for about a week and then released the other arm, wrapping just her torso so she still had the soft fabric like a blanket. That change was surprisingly smooth because she seemed ready.
Moving to the crib has been rough at times. We’d already been trying to get her used to naps there, but the first full night was awful. With her new freedom to roll, she moved all over the mattress and woke up frequently looking for her pacifier. We tried elevating one end by placing pillows under the mattress to mimic the Rock ‘N Play’s incline, but found her at the bottom of the crib and once even on her tummy with her face pressed into a corner — so we removed the pillows.
After a few sleepless nights I read a helpful tip: babies often miss the snug feeling of the Rock ‘N Play. We rolled a towel into a U shape and tucked it under the fitted sheet to create a gentle, secure nook. That first night with the towel she still woke a couple of times early on, but then slept most of the night with a single short feeding. Night four was rough again until about 3 a.m., but overall the towel seems to help by giving her a little extra security and reducing how much she rolls. She does prefer sleeping on her side. I plan to remove the towel this weekend to see how she adjusts. For now I’ve been sleeping in her room so I can respond quickly and because I don’t like being far away — I’ll retreat to my own room once she’s back to longer stretches of sleep.
The Rock ‘N Play has been both a blessing and a curse: it helped us so much early on, but moving out of it feels harder than we expected. We were spoiled by a baby who slept long stretches from about six weeks until four months, so this regression and transition have been especially tiring. We’re hopeful she’ll adjust within the next week. Please send naps, wine, and chocolate.
People keep asking about teething. We haven’t seen teeth yet, but she’s drooling more, chewing on everything, fussing during the day, and seems extra tired — all classic teething signs, so that could be contributing to her crankiness.
These moments make me wish family lived nearby to help. As wonderful as this time with Maddie is, it’s also hard not to get a break now and then.
On the bright side, there’s so much to enjoy. First, the photos — the light in her nursery is beautiful and I want to do a mini photo shoot every weekend. She’s endlessly charming.
Maddie is very interested in food. Any time she sees us eating she leans in, reaches for what we have, and opens her mouth like she expects a bite. Our pediatrician wants us to wait until six months for solids, so for now she gets a few sips of plain water from our cup. She clearly loves being near us at mealtimes and I can’t wait to introduce solids next month.
She’s nearly able to sit up independently but still tips over after a minute or so when she gets tired. She also loves tummy time and rolls over quickly; she gets frustrated if she’s on her tummy too long and can’t roll back. She has strong core strength and already scoots a little, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she becomes an early crawler.
Bath time is a favorite — she splashes happily, tries to taste the washcloth, and often tries to drink the bath water. She also enjoys being out and about; my husband takes her out every day for a walk, a trip to the park, or a short outing. It’s tiring, but she seems soothed and entertained by time outside. I’m hoping that once she can sit up steadily, she’ll be content to play at home more.
Overall, five months has its ups and downs: more fussiness and disrupted sleep, but so many sweet moments that make it all worth it. We’re tired, optimistic, and excited for the next few milestones.