How long do growth spurts last?

[MrsTittleMouse]

I posted here about 2.5 weeks ago about DD (4.5 months) who was feeding very frequently. She's now feeding even more frequently, every 2 hours at night. Last night she has some 1.5 hour feeds.
I'm starting to get so tired that I'm not coping very in the day. How long is this going to go on?
We've moved since and she's in her travel cot at the moment, but she's coped fine with the travel cot at the in-laws before now. We're moving this weekend, and she'll have her own room for the first time ever, will that help or hinder?

Blimy, you must be exhausted! Is she having full feeds or just snacking? I've spoken to you before I think, is she breast and bottle fed?
If she's snacking, I think I'd let her go hungry for a while to build up an appetite for a full feed.
Not so long ago it was recommended to start weaning at 4 months, I don't know if this is good advice, but I weaned mine before 6 months because they were ready.

Hi Foxybrown,
Yes, you have, my daughter is the little farter.
She's 98% BF, probably has on average 1 or 2 FFs a week when babysat. When she feeds at night she often feeds so hard that I can hear the jet of milk. I've also tried calming her, instead of feeding, but that doesn't fly until about 6am.
She'll be 5 months next weekend, and I have thought about weaning when we move into our new place (this weekend), after we've had a little while to settle, but then I looked at advice on-line and found out that as we have allergies in the family that might not be the best idea. Mind you, I'm getting to the stage where I'll try anything!
It's a shame, DD is such an endearing little soul and loves excitement and playing, but I feel that I'm leaving her short as I'm so tired.
MrsTM

how ofen does she feed during the day? maybe she needs to be taking in more calories during the day to get her to go longer at night. my ds feeds every three hours during the day, and can go through the night give or take the odd night.
He had a growth spurt at 4 months - i hink i is very cvommon and a lot of people misake for them being ready for solids - it lasted a good 2 or 3 weeks.

does sound like she's hungry doesn't it. I weaned mine about 5 months, but you should probably check with your HV first. Time to introduce a bottle at night maybe to give you a break and you can all get decent sleep?
Don't feel bad about being tired, I've spent the last 2 days sat on my arse (usually on MN) with DD pottering. I've labelled it quality 1:1 time, therefore removing any guilt!

She's had 3 feeds so far today. The first two were full-on feeds, but the last one I cut short because she started fussing and "biting". She also has a big feeding session every evening before bed. She can go 4 hours at first (from 6.30 til 10.30pm), but then the 2 hourlies start.

does she have a good feed at 10.30pm?
Poor you - no wonder you are exhausted.
I don't know what to advise - you probably need tiktok, someone like to help.

Will she take more feeds in the evening or is she just not interested then?

Ds is going through a bit of a growth spurt at the moment I think - he was waking more in the night but that seems to have settled down a bit now that I am feeding lots in the evening. He used to feed about 6 and then around 9, 12 and then not again until 7. He started waking up at about 2 and 4 as well but now that he feeds every hour or so between about 7 and 11 he's sleeping through again (mostly!). Could just be a coincidence though.

Spoke to soon! She's just had another big feed. DH often says that she feeds as though she hasn't eaten for a week! This would be why she's gone from just over the 50th centile to the 99th...

jus a thought, but DS2 started waking during the night, out of habit, more than hunger, i just started leaving him longer and longer before going in to him (I always ended up feeding him as he wouldn't settle otherwise), but it stopped happening after about 3 days of doing this.
You may find that she is better once she is in her own room, I found with both mine, that we were disurbing them and they slept beter on their own.

To be honest, I'm leaving DD longer and longer at night, just because I'm so tired that it takes longer and longer for me to rally myself and get out of bed!

DS (5 months) as been doing just the same - no answers though! There's a Sleep is for the weak thread here which wa originally started by several mums whose babies' sleep went a bit haywire at about 4 months, so I think it's pretty common.

I'm sitting it out in the hope that things will eventually improve