When do babies (under 1 year) go through growth spurts?

(June 1, 2010)

Growth Spurts In Babies

During the first year of their lives, infants undergo many different growth spurts. These spurts lead to noticeable changes in the height and weight of infants, ranging from newborn babies to one-year olds. There are typical ages when babies go through them. The first spurt should occur when the baby is around 7 to 10 days old. In the first few days after they are born, babies lose about 10% of their birth weight. When the baby gets their mother’s milk, they start regaining the weight they lost. The next few growth spurts should be seen, when the babies are 3 weeks old, 6 weeks old, 3 months old, 6 months old and 9 months old. However, these are approximate ages, as babies may have normal growth spurts at other times too.

Growth spurts in babies effect their feeding schedules the most. During a growth spurt, a baby may need to be fed three to four times in just a couple of hours. This is known as Cluster feeding. Some babies, when being breastfed pause to whimper and fuss, as they do not get their milk as quickly as they want it to. Another sign of a growth spurt is babies sleeping less than they used to. Even babies who used to sleep throughout the night, may start waking up several times, mainly because they are hungry. Even their nap timings reduce. But in some cases, babies affected by growth spurts may sleep better than before. Disrupted sleep patterns are not really a cause for concern, as they are likely to return to normal, in a couple of days. However, it is important to make sure that your baby’s sleeping area is comfortable and that the temperature of the room is regulated. See also baby growth percentile

These spurts in growth affect not just the babies, but also nursing moms, who will find themselves feeding their baby more often than before. Most baby growth spurts last for about 2 to 3 days, but in some cases, can last for a week or even longer. In case one of the baby’s spurts lasts longer, nursing mothers need to ensure that they consume additional liquids and calories to make up for the extra feedings. This will increase the supply of milk to provide the baby with the required nutrition. When babies go through their growth spurts, their schedules will need to be adjusted according and therefore, initially, they will need to be fed whenever they are hungry.

Submitted by N on June 1, 2010 at 03:19