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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Tips for surviving the 4 month growth spurt

30 replies

sunshine75 · 17/09/2008 08:44

Help, I'm exhausted!! My 20 week dd who is bf and used to feed 3 hourly through the day, nap well through the day and sleep for 10 hours at night is now doing none of these.

She is feeding constantly, hardly sleeping through the day, needing at least 3 feeds through the night and is quite grumpy. I'm at the end of my tether. I assume that this is the horrendous 4 month growth spurt but need some tips on how to survive it. How long will it last? Is there any light at the end of the tunnel?

OP posts:

cupsoftea · 17/09/2008 08:46

co-sleeping helped me rest & bf

Indith · 17/09/2008 08:51

Do nothing but rest and feed. If going for a walk will distract her from feeding for a bit and you just want a break then do it. Def co-sleep. As for how long, it varies, ds used to do his in short, frantic bursts so it was over in a week.

cupsoftea · 17/09/2008 08:52

Also carrying dd around helped as she could just bf when she wanted - my arms got stronger!!

Original poster

sunshine75 · 17/09/2008 08:54

Thanks. Have been co-sleeping for the past few nights (well for the last part of the night - from about 3am) and am trying to offer her feeds more through the day. I just hope it's not going to last for much longer

OP posts:

cupsoftea · 17/09/2008 09:01

It will sort itself out - time really goes so quick with these things. Look after yourself as well - some treats for you

Original poster

sunshine75 · 17/09/2008 11:33

Time goes really quick - yesterday felt like a month!!!

The treat idea worked well - have just had a rock bun

OP posts:

noolia · 17/09/2008 11:45

cake, tea, sky+

skidaddle · 17/09/2008 12:08

sunshine, I hope this isn;t the case fot oyu but the 4 month growth spurt can go on forever!! My DS didn't settle down until he was 5.5 months - so brace yourself and crossed fingers your DD will grow a bit faster!

nappyaddict · 01/10/2008 03:16

skidaddle how many weeks did his growth spurt last?

Broucek · 02/10/2008 20:16

don't wnat to be the bearer of bad news but my DS has had his 4 mths growth spur for the past 6 weeks - he too used to sleep thru the night and last night I was up 3x!!!

wishingmummy · 02/10/2008 20:20

same as the rest!!! eat sleep, feed, sleep feed, eat, rest, sleep, feed , carried babe rould all the time in a sling thing, adn that calmed them a bit, had gaint boobs, then happily, near 6 months started snatching food from my plate!!! and weaning commenced!!!!look after yourself, and good luck!

girliefriend · 02/10/2008 20:29

You could start thinking about weaning, all babies are different and if she is really hungry then a little bit of baby rice might help fill her up for a bit longer. I know the advice about waiting till 6 months but I really think each baby is different, I started weaning my dd at about 20 weeks and she was compleatly ready for it and loved her food from day 1!

BouncingTurtle · 02/10/2008 20:35

Girliefriend - that advice is not helpful, though I know you mean well and obviously your dd is thriving

But baby rice will fill your baby up, but has much less nutritional content than milk, so will mean less room in baby's tiny tummy for the milk he/she needs.

Skid is exaggerating
It won't last forever! But it can last a few weeks! My ds was similar to Skid - but I can assure you both came out of it with sanity intact
I certainly used the opportunity to catch up on lots of favourite films/TV series!

tassisssss · 02/10/2008 20:38

And if your 4 month old is the youngest of 3, how exactly can you rest up, eat cakes and do v little??!

I know waiting till 6 months is advised, but surely there's the wellbeing of the whole family (mum included) to take into account...

nappyaddict · 02/10/2008 20:55

brouce - where in worcester are you?

IAteDavinaForDinner · 02/10/2008 20:57

Forget about weaning, it wounds like you've pretty much broken the back of this already

Even if you haven't got time to sleep and watch TV, you can surely find the time to eat Chocolate Hobnobs by the packet and abandon housework?

wishingmummy · 02/10/2008 21:12

there's no need to rush weaning, and there is noneed to feel guilty either. it's quite normal to feel overwhelmed by a hungry/fussy/babe who feeds a lot. cluster feeding will up your milk supply,and see if babe is interested in grabbing food- they might just be interested but not ready for weaning, then its just a case of hanging in there a while. things will even out in the end- its a spurt, some are long, some get over it quickly, some babes are demanding, and theres always a friend whose babe always sleeps all night. my eldest gave up sleeping all night when he was 4 months old, and didn't sleep the night thru again until he was 4 years!!!! if you can co-sleep with your babe(no alcohol, drugs blah blah...), you may find your babe will help themselves to a night feed without waking you up much, or at least you can go back to sleep, whilst still feeding!!!better than sitting on the sofa, being knackered and falling asleep with babe.

girliefriend · 02/10/2008 22:11

Be led by your baby is all I am saying, I don't think my advice is unhelpful! All I am saying is it might be time to start thinking about weaning, if in any doubt have a word with your health visitor.
Xx

MrsBadger · 02/10/2008 22:38

[contraversial]

you've been spoilt by her doing 10h at night
dd never went more than 4h so I barely noticed the 4m growth spurt...

yummymum27 · 16/09/2009 20:56

My situation is so similar, my 16 w old DD, used to sleep 6-8hrs a stretch, now awake v often wanting to feed.

What is worse, I have noticed low milk supply and started to supplement, what she took with great relief. But want to switch back to fully bf if I am lucky. She is just obviously vvv hungry and i couldnt stand to see her suffer. Now hoping my supply will increase.

Have 3,5 yr old one too, who bf-ed with no probs one year and never noticed any growth spurts at all.

Good luck XXX

booyhoo · 16/09/2009 22:29

sunshine and yummy im in exactly the same situation. its good to know im not alone and my baby isnt a milk demon.

Momino · 16/09/2009 22:41

my 4 month old used to sleep 9-11 hours at night but now wakes up twice in the night. I was really spoilt by her sleeping well from 0-3 months so I won't complain too much but this growth spurt has been going on for more than a month.

I've got a 3.5 year old and 2 year old so can't really do the feet up/cake/rest thing .

so, dd3 is now clusterfeeding which i'm comforted by what wishingmummy said about it increasing supply -'tis not in vain...

yummymum27 · 17/09/2009 19:47

Just to drop a line, tonight was great: 8pm-3am, feeding and than 3,15am-7 am. like her younger self.

I am just worried about my low milk supply, it is ok in the middle of the night and early morning/morning but during the day had to supplement or offer expressed from earlier on in bottle ;((( bought a fenugreek tablets and making sure my diet is ok, pumping, hope my milk will kick in at some stage.

Any words of advise, thankx

FionaSH · 27/03/2010 12:09

Thank god for this thread. I thought me and DS were losing the plot and it was something I was doing wrong. Now it seems there's a reason. Thank god!!

JessFoz · 10/07/2011 21:41

In the 4 month growth spurt. Delighted to see a website that acknowledges it.
I'm tired and not a very night girlfriend, daughter, sister right now. But trying to concentrate on being a good mum.

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