Is my baby having a growth spurt? Know the signs!
Is your baby hungrier than usual? Has their feeding schedule changed? If so, chances are that he or she is going through a growth spurt. Here’s what to expect.
A hungry baby is an unhappy baby! If your little one is eating you out of house and home, it could be that he is going through a growth spurt.
Simply put, a growth spurt is when your baby grows rapidly in weight and height. While regular check-ups over the first two years of life will reveal a smooth growth curve along your baby’s appropriate percentile, in reality, this isn’t the case and your baby can actually go through marked periods of intense bursts of growth. These bursts happen at regular intervals and can be quite noticeable to parents. Initially, these periods of fussiness can leave you feeling anxious and mothers often begin to doubt their milk supply and worry that they are not producing enough.
Babies grow at an impressive rate during the first two years of life. In fact, they double their birth weight between four and six months and triple it by their first birthday. They grow a good 2 to 2.5cm in length each month to reach almost one and a half times their birth length by the age of one year. As well as growing larger in size, babies go through spurts of cognitive growth, acquiring new skills, and achieving milestones.
When will growth spurts happen?
Growth spurts start from as early as seven to 10 days after birth and continue well into the toddler years. In the infancy stage, they tend to happen more frequently. They can be seen around day 10, week three, week six, three months, six months, and nine months. Things then start to settle in the second year as their weight gain evens out, height growth slows and growth spurts happen less frequently or noticeably. Most toddlers tend to grow around 6cm a year.
3 Common signs of a growth spurt
- Your baby appears to be hungrier than usual. Many breastfeeding mothers begin to feel they just don’t have enough breast milk to keep up with the demand and may want to supplement with formula. If you’re exclusively breastfeeding, it’s best to try and ride through the growth spurt so your supply catches up to your baby’s increased demands.
- Your baby may start to wake more often at night, wanting one or two extra feeds when he was previously sleeping well. Prepare to feel exhausted for a day or two, because your baby will likely feed more often. Your baby may begin to feed every two to three hours and want to cluster-feed during a particular time of day. He may have settled into regular three to four hourly feeds and then suddenly want to feed all day long – or at least it will feel that way. This intense appetite is usually noticed during the early growth spurts.
- Your baby may be unsettled. He may be fussier than usual and not settle as easily to sleep. He may also want to be cuddled more and seem clingier. After a big growth spurt, you may notice that your baby’s naps become longer as he recovers from all that hard work.
Should you supplement feed during growth spurts?
If possible, try not supplement feeds during growth spurts if you’re breastfeeding exclusively. Your body will soon realise that your baby is growing and the demand for breast milk is increasing, and start to produce more milk. If you top your baby up with formula during these growth spurts, your own supply may not match your baby’s needs.
If you are formula feeding, you may need to increase the number of bottles in 24 hours. You may also need to increase the volume per feed.
As your baby gets older, between four and six months, you need to start adding solids to his menu.
Hacks to navigate growth spurts
- Try not to stick to any strict routines. Instead, feed your baby on demand. Your baby is extra hungry for a good reason. He will need those extra feeds to help him through this intense burst of growth.
- Allow him to sleep when he needs to. He may have an extra nap during the day or sleep for a longer stretch at night.
- Keep your baby close when he’s going through a growth spurt. He may feel a little out of sorts and will want some extra cuddles and attention.
- Try to get some rest – especially if you are breastfeeding. Your baby’s increased demands will take its toll on you, so try to maintain healthy meals and snacking while increasing your fluid intake.
Good to know: If your baby still seems unhappy and cries more often despite your attempts to increase his feeds, you may need to consult your clinic sister or GP to check if anything else may be bothering him.
