Isn’t it unfair that you have just adjusted to the feeding routine and suddenly your newborn schedule hits a change and wants to eat every hour? And even when he is full, he still acts like he is not getting enough milk.
If you are going through this phase, just relax. It is very common in babies and your little one is not starving. Your baby is fine and is hitting his growth spurt. He is going to have around five during the first year of his life.
Your baby has only one job to do right now and that is to grow bigger. By his first birthday, he will triple his body weight. During the first year, a lot of growth happens intensely and your baby outgrows all his new outfits overnight.
When do Growth Spurts Happen
Growth Spurts happen at any point of time during the first year but your baby will hit the first between 1-3 weeks and the other between 6-8 weeks. The next batch happens at 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months. The silver lining in this dark cloud of growth spurts is that it lasts only a couple of days and your baby gets back to his normal routine soon.
Signs of Growth Spurts
If your baby is behaving a little different than normal, watch out for these signs:
● During spurts, your baby wants to eat nonstop. The feeding sessions will last longer and occur every hour or two. Don’t worry, it is completely normal and fine. The more you feed your baby, the more he stimulates the milk production to manage his appetite. Even older babies will ask for feeling sessions and their intake of solids will get a little high.
● Your little miracle will wake up more often at night. If you have experienced a good night’s sleep of six hours at a stretch and suddenly waking up every two hours to feed your little one, It is a sign that your baby is hitting a growth spurt. He will even wake up early from his day naps too.
● During a growth spurt, you will find your baby a little more cranky than usual. He will fussy while feeding. He will latch and unlatch more often as he wants more and more milk and you might not produce as per his demands.
Ways to Deal with Growth Spurts
As mothers already struggle to get enough rest and a little “me time”, growth spurts are extra exhausting as your baby treats you as a 24/7 buffet. To cope up with all these, you must keep in mind to have plenty of water and stay hydrated.
Seek help from your mother, your partner, or a friend. Do not get much involved in household chores and let your helper do the stuff. Watch your favorite show or read your favorite book to lift the mood.
Don’t give up on breastfeeding as it might leave your baby hungry and crankier. You may worry that your baby is not getting enough milk but this phase is temporary and it is your baby’s way of keeping up with that increased appetite.
The Takeaway
Growth Spurts are completely normal and last for only a couple of days. If you are still concerned about your baby’s changed behavior, just keep on checking two things: weight gain and diapers. These hunger pangs will get over and things will get back to normal.
Comments are closed.