growth spurts?

[kateeliz]

Can anyone tell me when babies are supposed to have 'growth spurts' and feed alot?

My midwife said something about one between 7-10 days, and another at 3 weeks.

My baby is 2 weeks old and i feel like he has been having one today, constantly feeding. Are there reasonably set times when I should expect these?

[kateyp]

Ahhhhhh. Growth spurts.
I think, "officially" like you say.

As for my DS - they happen every week. According to anyone I ask anyway "oh - it's a growth spurt!"

I think part of it is just that newborns feed all the time and once you have given in to that things psychologically are a bit better. But do see my other post requesting moral support!!

It is hard work. But worth it. Or so I am told

[tiktok]

Shoot me, but I think the idea of set growth spurts is a load of rubbish - there is no research on it at all, as far as I can see. The truth is that babies' appetites are not the same every day, and their need for comfort and nourishment is not the same every day, and observation tells us that they do not grow evenly...and that many have clusters of days when they feed more often.

So what??? It's not a painful thing. It doesn't hurt the mother to respond to it (though it might be a bit inconvenient, but, sorry, babies are inconvenient ) - where's the big deal that we have to designate times when it is 'supposed' to happen? Kateeliz, I am not criticising you in any way - your question reflects the way our culture reacts to these normal, physiological events, and a need mothers have to understand and predict

It would be amazing if all or even most babies had these days or clusters of days where the baby feeds a lot at the same time. It is pointless to ring the days on the calendar when an individual baby is expected to have them, 'cos it will not work as 'perfectly' as that!

Babies feed at diferrents rates, and they can gear up to feeding a lot at any time - we should, I think, get over it

Excuse my mini-rant - it's not directed in any way personally at any posters, and is delivered with a wry smile!

[kateyp]

Hooray to that tiktok.
I have to say it drives me mad when people say incredulously "another growth spurt?" and I answer "no - just usual constant feeding!!"



Which indeed he is doing again. Glad I can type whilst feeding!

[kateeliz]

Its just I remember with my first baby he did seem to have growth spurts (or whatever they are called), pretty much around the time when my first midwife told me they would occur.

I'd just be interested to know when they are "supposed" to happen, just for my information more than anything i guess.

I have demand fed them both so i do just go with the flow, and if i have to feed all day then i do.

Does anyone know where i can find out more about these so called growth spurts?

[tiktok]

kateeliz, you will find a lot of anecdotal info on growth spurts, and people will tell you when they have heard they are 'supposed' to happen (not always the same story!!), but there is no decent evidence that they do occur at one time rather than another

[DebsCee]

Hi Kateeliz

Try the kellymom site, this is taken from their page on growth spurts:

"Common times for growth spurts are during the first few days at home and around 7-10 days, 2-3 weeks, 4-6 weeks, 3 months, 4 months, 6 months and 9 months (more or less). Babies don't read calendars, however, so your baby may do things differently."

And to agree with Tiktok, DS2 isn't following that pattern at all, and he's 4 months now!

Hope that helps.

[kateeliz]

thanks for that Debscee, will go mark those dates on the calendar now....kidding!