Growth Spurt While Breastfeeding: How To Cope With Your Baby’s Sudden Growth Spurt

Is your baby demanding to breastfeed more than usual? Has your baby been reacting differently in the last few days? Do you notice a difference in your baby’s sleep patterns or behavior in the last few days?

You may not know it yet, but your baby may be going through a growth spurt.

A growth spurt is temporary, but an important part of your baby’s mental and physical development. It can last from a few days to a couple of weeks. Eventually, your baby’s behavior will get back to normal.

When Does Growth Spurts Happen?

There are no specific times that growth spurts occur, as each baby is different. Your infant may experience the first couple of growth spurts at a different time.

Each baby will eventually reach this stage when they are ready. It is best to avoid comparing your baby to other children and save yourself the stress.

Generally, growth spurts occur within the first days of your baby’s life, then again at around two weeks and six weeks.

The one at 6 weeks is considered one of the toughest growth spurts.

Your baby will hit another growth spurt at 3 and 6 months of age.

Why Growth Spurts Occur?

Growth spurts happen mainly because your baby is growing through essential development stages that need extra nourishing.

Your baby reaches a number of important stages in their development such as learning to roll over, crawl and walk, which is why their demand for breastfeeding increases.

The Role Of Mother’s Milk

Mother’s milk nourishes both the body and brain.

It is important for the physical, emotional, and intellectual health of your baby.

During a growth spurt, your baby may want to nurse more often, and in turn, your body will produce more milk due to the increase in demand.

What Happens During A Growth Spurt

How do you know your baby is going through a growth spurt?

What are the signs to look out for?

Look out for the signs below to help you spot an incoming growth spurt:

• Your baby may want to breastfeed more often than usual, as close as every hour.
• Your baby’s sleep patterns may become disrupted. Your baby will belong to one of the two groups: they may be unable to sleep or feel sleepy most of the day.
• Your baby will start to feed more regularly- every 1 or two hours
• The baby may become fussier and clingy more than usual.

Clearing Growth Spurts Myths

1. Some mums tend to confuse a growth spurt with colic. It's important to understand that colic and growth spurts are different. However, they can be mixed up as they have similar symptoms such as fussiness and a sudden change in your baby’s sleep patterns.

To determine if your baby is suffering from colic, contact your doctor for a diagnosis.

Remember, there are many reasons your baby is fussy, and it is always best to head to your baby’s health practitioner before making a self-diagnosis.

2. Another common growth spurt myth is that many nursing mothers start to believe that it is their fault that their baby seems to demand more milk and becomes very fussy.

Remember, the problem is not with your milk supply or your baby. It is normal during a growth spurt for your baby to be nursing more frequently.

A growth spurt is needed for your baby’s development.

It is more likely that you are not having a low milk supply.

Generally speaking, the more your baby breastfeeds, the more milk you will have.

Breastfeeding on demand is the best way to regulate and increase your milk supply.

Resources

1. Growth Spurts- KellyMom.com
2. When Baby Growth Spurts Happen and the Signs to Look For — WhattoExpect.com