Growth Spurt & Fussy behaviour in Babies

We all encounter some days when our baby gets more fussy, crankier, clingier, cries more and sleepless. And we as new mothers go totally blank and start worrying. We check for tummy aches, colic, rashes, even for fever. But if all else seems right then these particular days can be the Growth spurt days.

Common times for growth spurts are during the first few days at home and around 7-10 days, 2-3 weeks, 4-6 weeks, 3 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months and 11 months (more or less).

It is during these more difficult weeks that babies are making big steps forward in their development. During a growth spurt, your baby will put on weight, reach developmental milestones, feed more, and sleep more or less than usual. Please note, this period can range from a few days to a few weeks.

During fussy days, babies seem to manage the developmental changes more easily if they get extra attention, get held more often and have extra comforting when they go to sleep. They need this extra attention: it is not just because they are choosing to be more demanding.

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3 ways to know if your baby is going through a growth spurt

– If the baby is hungry all the time.

Out of the blue, a baby who was nursing at regular intervals wants to spend the entire day at your breast. Formula-fed babies may appear dissatisfied after finishing a bottle.

– If the baby is fussier than usual.

The most obvious reason for this moodiness is lack of sleep. If baby wakes up more often in order to feed, he’s not getting the longer periods of rest he needs.

– If baby sleeps more than usual.

After several days of nonstop feeding, your baby may sleep more soundly than usual, that’s when we think growth occurs.

Research shows that nearly 80 per cent of growth hormone is secreted during sleep

Never force a baby to stay awake, you’ll only make him more cranky.

Source – Google

Now there is no research that confirms ‘growth spurt’ does occur. These fussy periods are also referred to as ‘Appetite increases‘ as it was assumed that babies tend to breastfeed more during this time.

However, research showed that this wasn’t true either. Then, the concept of ‘wonder weeks‘ was introduced.

So fussy periods are not a cause for concern— just a normal phase your child is going through.

But don’t be too quick to blame growth spurts for everything. Please do check for any minor illnesses too.

Hope this information is helpful. Have a happy weekend!!