The baby suddenly seems hungry all the time, after parents got used to a calm feeding routine. So, a mom might think she isn’t feeding enough or the breast milk isn’t enough. She might also wonder if the baby needs to start solid foods.
The most likely reason the baby is always hungry is that they are going through a growth spurt. These periodic growth spurts lasting a few days to a week are totally normal for babies.
During growth spurts, the baby might feel especially hungry, sleepy, and cranky. But they shouldn’t show signs of illness like fever or vomiting.
In this article, we’ll learn what growth spurts are, when they happen, and how to handle them.
What is a Growth Spurt?
A growth spurt is a sudden, intense boost in the baby's growth, with a short period of eating more. It might feel like the baby suddenly stopped their usual sweet little naps overnight.
Besides eating nonstop, the baby might be fussier than usual and wake up more often after naps and during the night.
In the first year, babies usually triple their weight and grow about 25 cm in length.
When do growth spurts happen?
Breastfeeding moms may notice intense feeding patterns in the first weeks, called "cluster feeding," which is breastfeeding several times close together and short sessions. These feeds help build the mom's milk supply and help the baby gain weight.
Babies have many growth spurts in the first year. In the first month, they might have a spurt every few days or even weekly. After that, growth spurts happen more often.
Growth spurts can be noticed at certain ages. These are just some typical times they might happen. But every baby grows and develops differently, so growth spurts don’t always follow a set schedule.
Examples of when infant growth spurts occur include:-
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6 weeks.
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8 weeks.
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3 months.
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6 months.
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9 months.
How to deal with growth spurts
A breastfeeding mom will need to increase feedings when the baby goes through a growth spurt. For a newborn, you can feed them only when they seem hungry.
If the baby is older than 6 months, you should ask the healthcare provider about the best way to handle waking at night since an older baby might not need to nurse so often during the night.
Also, if the mom is breastfeeding, she should make sure not to stop during growth spurts. Actually, the baby's growth spurts help increase the mom's milk supply.
When should parents worry?
If parents are really worried the baby isn't eating enough or something's wrong with the mom's milk production, they should watch how many diapers the baby uses. Remember, what goes in must come out.
Once the baby is five days old, you should see about five to six wet diapers each day. After day five, the baby will usually poop three to four times a day, though some babies poop less.
Weight checks can be done too, often during a healthcare visit, to see if the numbers are going up. It's a good sign the baby's growth is on track.
