Why is Baby suddenly eating more, sleeping less and feeling cranky? Surprise! She’s growing.
Comes a time with your baby that she’s suddenly eating more, needing more, growing more! Learn how to recognize what’s going on and when so you can be ready to meet her needs. Babies experience one of up to five growth spurts during their first 12 months. By your little one’s first birthday, he’ll have tripled his birth weight and grown eight to ten inches. Although growth spurts can happen at any time, it’s common for them to hit at about 10 days, between three and six weeks, and several times afterward, often around three months, six months and nine months, and last a couple of days at a time, according to the book, Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 (American Academy of Pediatrics). And, when a spurt strikes, it can be fast and furious; they can gain measurable weight and length in just 24 hours.
Is your baby in the midst of a spurt? Here’s what you might notice:
• She may sleep like a log or be up all night: In the day or so before a growth spurts hits, your baby may sleep more than usual.
• She’ll be hungry: Some babies prefer eating to sleeping during a spurt. Just when you were enjoying longer stretches with Baby sleeping, she suddenly wants to eat around the clock again. If you’re breastfeeding during this time, you’ll notice that Baby wants to nurse more. Don’t think you’re not making enough to satisfy her, you will. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and get rest yourself.
• She may be cranky: Frequent fussing can be normal for a few days during a growth spurt.