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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

when are the notorious growth spurts...?

8 replies

boundarybabe · 04/09/2009 13:27

I've seen on several threads here that people say there is a growth spurt around 16 weeks (which tempts many to wean early) - are there any other notable growth spurts? DS is 27 weeks and has been weaning since about 5 months. Over the last week or so (since he turned 6 months), I have started giving him protein and he is now on 3 meals a day. But the last few days he is eating like it is going out of fashion!!

Last week a typical day went like this (disclaimer - all times are very approximate!):
6am bottle
7am cereal
8.30 nap
11am lunch
12pm nap
2pm bottle
5pm dinner
6.30pm bottle..... 7pm bed

Now it looks like this:
5.30am bottle
7am cereal
8am nap
10am bottle
11am lunch
12pm nap
1pm bottle
2pm nap
4.30 dinner
5.30 bottle.... 6.30 bed

He's having an extra bottle and still wants all his meals/bottles sooner. He's having an extra nap (but not more actual sleep). He's also waking in the night - (not for food, but obviously not as settled as he was), around 1.30-2.30am. Is this a growth spurt or have we just got into a very odd routine?

OP posts:

LuluMaman · 04/09/2009 13:31

4 bottles does not seem like a lot for a 6 month old

i would offer lots more milk, before food and things should hopefully settle

last bottle of the day at 5.30 pm seems early.

how many ounces is he taking?

Original poster

boundarybabe · 04/09/2009 13:46

Hi, thanks for answering. He'll have 7-8oz at each bottle. The thing is, he was having 3 bottles, sometimes with a top up between breakfast and lunch and he's suddenly decided he needs whole one at that time, and he still wants lunch earlier. The last bottle was never that early but because he seems unable to go as long between feeds at the moment, he ends up having the last one early and is then uninterested if I offer him one later (say at 10.30pm). I don't mind giving him more bottles but each day he goes less time between feeds has a knock on effect on the next day so he wakes even earlier!!
I think he would probably take a bottle when he wakes in the night but I'm reluctant to go back to night feeding when I don't feel he really needs it. I don't want to make him sleep through, I think it's more a case of me needing to sort out his daytime to allow him to sleep through IYSWIM. We stayed at my sister's last week and I think that unsettled him as our routine kind of went out the window. I just wanted to check if this is a time known for mad growth spurts that could also be having an effect. If it sounds like it's just a hangover from our chaotic week last week then I know I just have to get back into the swing of things!

OP posts:

LuluMaman · 04/09/2009 13:54

TBH, i would offer a full nine oz bottle and let him have as much milk as and when required, and if that means a bottle in the night then so be it. 6 months is still a baby.. and if he wakes in the night, and is hungr y and would take a bottle, then offer one. i imagine that will help him stop waking earlier and get you back on track.

for a hungry baby of this age, milk is more calorific and satisfying than some spoonfuls of food.

i would offer more milk and offer it before food so the food is a compliment to the milk.

i think that if he is wanting a bottle at night, that will really help you to get him back on track in the day. i'm in my thirties and can still wake up thirsty in the night !

Original poster

boundarybabe · 04/09/2009 14:01

Fair enough, will take your advice. I think once we're back on track he'll stop waking up anyway. ATM he just seems to wake up and want to play (NB for 'play' read 'lie on his front grinning at me and grabbing handfuls of my face/hair/ears')! I can smile about it now but it's not that funny at 2am!!

OP posts:

LuluMaman · 04/09/2009 14:41

am sure things will be settled soon, he sounds like he is doing really well anyway

Original poster

boundarybabe · 05/09/2009 18:45

Lulu (or anyone else reading) - last night DS woke at midnight and took a bottle, and then at 5 (although didn't feed until 7) - would you reintroduce a 10.30 feed for now?

OP posts:

Original poster

boundarybabe · 05/09/2009 18:47

NB this evening he fed at 6.15pm and he's had no less than 4 naps today - each about 30-45 minutes

OP posts:

LuluMaman · 05/09/2009 19:08

i would not fix on feeding at a set time, but simply respond to him when he is hungry, be it 10.30 pm, midnight or 3am. feeding responsively, whether breast or bottle, IME , seems to be the least stressful way and not expecting a set routine to stay set at this stage.

he is clearly going through a hungrier stage and more bottles when is hungry is the best way to tackle his increased hunger

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