What is this - growth spurt?

[jennyh]

Hi

Its really not a big deal but in the absence of anything more serious or interesting I thought I would reach out for some opinion...

My daughter is 17 weeks and last week was a bit more fractious than normal, was feeding irregular amounts and at weird times and I put this down to some growth spurt/general baby randomness This said she didn't really feed more, was just in a bad mood and a bit all over the place. My question is what your experience of growth spurts have been? did your babies definitely feed more, did they regress in their sleeping habits or seem generally irritated!?

She has now started feeding really small amounts during the morning and day and then feeding loads before bed and waking at around 8pm for a feed but then wont take her dreamfeed so is waking in the night. I'm obviously happy to feed her whenever she needs it but we are now in a situation where she isn't taking in enough milk because she is so stuffed full during the night that she won't take anything from 7am-3pm ish and is tired and groggy. We did have this before and we cut out her night feed, after which she slept through the night and started to take more milk in the morning which was great. Soooo...does this sound like the dreaded 4 month growth spurt/sleep regression?? If so then why is she not hungry for every feed and why take nearly 500ml of milk from 6-8ish but then happily go until 2am and then 4 hourly after that? I dunno, just want to make sure I am not stuffing her like a goose! Or creating a habit whereby she feeds all evening and night but not during the day!

Any thoughts welcome!

[Fuschia]

It's not hunger, it's brain devt/changing sleep patterns

She will never go back to newborn sleep I'm afraid

[jennyh]

Thanks, to be honest she was never a great sleeper when she was a newborn and she is much better now but as always nothing lasts! Completely agree with the developmental leap, its like a switch has gone on and she is just buzzing for entertainment and spends hours just staring at her hands and feet, also accounts for the wide-eyed smiles she gives me in the middle of the night! I guess everyone always goes on about the growth spurts making them super hungry so i was just expecting that but instead it has just made her a bit odd!

[Fuschia]

I think the 4m old developmental leap gets confused with hunger (hence why weaning is a temptation

Teething can also start

Have you read the wonder weeks?

[Fuschia]

http://blogginaboutbabies.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/wonder-week-19/

[jennyh]

ah great, thank you for that. It makes a lot of sense, she is bang on with all those things, that helps a lot. I didnt think it could be extreme hunger really because I couldnt see why she would feed so sporadically and seemingly have no appetite for most of the day and then play catch up. I guess we'll muddle through as we will do for the rest of her life!

[KateW]

My daughter is 7 and a half months and the pattern for her growth spurts have been that she's just been out of sorts for a few days; a bit cranky, nothing specific but she's never seemed to be any hungrier, despite everyone saying that they feed more during growth spurts. The crankiness has tended to pass in a few adys then I've thought 'Oh, that was probably another growth spurt'!

[hellosailor]

Yes, I've never noticed an increase in feeding which is what I am always on the look out for! in fact, I couldn't say I've ever actually identified a growth spurt as it happens, other than maybe looking back retrospectively when my baby has grown out of babygros etc, and thinking 'well, she was crankier last week' or whatever.

JennyH, my daughter is also 17 weeks and a lot of the stuff in Fushcia's link is spot on for her too - sucking thumb way more, even unlatching to suck it furiously, loss of appetite, crankier, sleep disrupted, naps all over the place, whimpering for no reason in a way I haven't heard before...hope it passes soon!

[jennyh]

I know - its so frustrating!!! She is shouting all the time because she has obviously discovered this new noise, she wants to stand and sit up all the time even though she can't, she won't feed because she is so distracted by anything and everything around her and just messes about so trying to get the right amount into her is a nightmare! I know it will pass which is the saving grace but it suddenly feels much much harder! She is sucking her thumb and has now just started ferociously sucking her bottom lip, I've already been through 3 dribble bibs today with the amount of slobber! Fingers crossed it doesn't last much longer as Im knackered!

[supergolden88]

Teething. It's teething. Growth spurts are well and good but all the symptoms you describe esp. in last two posts are teething related

[Fuschia]

Not everything sg but dribbling, chewing on hands and tugging at ears are the give away signs IME and can

Precede the actual teeth eruption by weeks, if not months

[jennyh]

Yeah I did wonder if it was the early stages. She hasnt tugged at her ears at all but occasionally has rosy cheeks and is shoving everything in her mouth and manically chomping. There is no evidence of teeth there but as you say, they could be pushing low down. Poor little mite. here's hoping for a decent night for all of us!

[supergolden88]

I was being hyperbolic but I do think it is teething - with my son started at between 3-4 months and he got his first tooth bang on five months

We have just had an awful week of teething (and a cold on top of it) and today I noticed his front top tooth is just about to break through

Some babies have all the grizzling and symptoms but dont actually get the teeth until much later

[Fuschia]

I think 4m is a bit of a crunch

End of newborn sleep

Teething starts

Growth spurt

Wonder week 19

No wonder many people Try early weaning

[jennyh]

True, it's a tricky time!!! And she had BCG this morning, fortunately no drama. Phew. She is so far from weaning mind, haa no awareness of me eating or drinking, to be honest that all seems like very hard work too!