Growth Spurt for Babies
Growth Spurt For Babies
The first year with your baby is a magical one. Every day is a new adventure filled with excitement and new experiences. It’s in the first year that your baby will develop the most in really short amounts of time. Given the inevitable growth spurt for babies, it’s not uncommon for parents to feel like their babies grow bigger every single day. And the truth is, they are not wrong. In the first twelve months, babies will experience more growth spurts than in any other year. Babies, in the first year of life, will gain, on average, three times her birth weight and between eight to ten inches in length! Better get those new baby clothes ready!
If you’re not familiar with the term, a growth spurt is a time during which your baby has a more intense period of growth. During this time, babies might want to nurse more frequently, change their sleep patterns, and generally be fussier. These growth spurts usually last between a few days to a week. And these growth spurts don’t include only the psychical growth but also the baby’s development.
Periods of growth spurts are especially exhausting and disorienting for both baby and parents. The key to handling it the best way possible is to be prepared as much as possible and to know when it will occur, how and what you can do to help.
WHEN DOES GROWTH SPURT FOR BABIES HAPPEN?
During the first year is when you’ll see more periods of growth spurts. And even though every baby is different and each one has its own way of growing.
Here are the most common times for your baby to have a growth spurt.
Growth Spurt For Babies #1 = 1 to 3 weeks of age
Growth Spurt For Babies #2 = 6 weeks of age.
Growth Spurt For Babies #3 = 3 months old
Growth Spurt For Babies #4 = 6 months old.
Growth Spurt For Babies #5 = 9 months old.
HOW TO SPOT A GROWTH SPURT FOR BABIES
Here are some signs to pay attention to to know when the first or following growth spurt will occur.
The first sign you’ll notice that indicates your baby is about to grow immensely very fast is giving him or her additional feedings. If you notice that your baby doesn’t get satisfied with the same amount of food, they “always” had, it means they are growing.
The second sign is a change in their sleep schedule. At this point your baby might wake up more often during the night, waking up sooner than expected from their nap, or the other way around, your baby might sleep more at a time or more often.
The third sign is, unfortunately, crankiness. This crankiness can be a result of increased hunger, disturbed sleep patterns or, even, growing pains themselves.
The last sign is personality changes. You might experience see your baby change their personality from being curious and playful to being more hesitant and fearful of others and not wanting to leave your side. Or it can happen the other way around too! This is not a sign of developmental regression as many parents may think. Your baby is simply finding her own traits!
HOW TO HELP DURING GROWTH SPURT FOR BABIES
There are some ways to help these moments be smoother and easier to go through, both for the baby and yourself. The first step, however, is to make a special time for your baby. During this week of a growth spurt, consider cancelling any plans you have, including running errands or visiting friends. Instead, try and spend as much time as possible with your baby.
Growth Spurt for Babies Support = Consider babywearing. During this time, your baby will crave more closeness so practice more babywearing to get through these tough times. This way, your baby will easily sleep or nurse closed to your body while you can get some things done around the house. You can both go shirtless during this time, so that you get a nice oxytocin boost from the skin-to-skin contact, helping to boost both of your moods.
Growth Spurt for Babies Support = Feed them when they’re hungry. This tip is as simple as it can get. There’s nothing you can do except feeding your baby on demand. Don’t need to panic or feel like you all that breastfeeding will make them sick afterwards. Pay attention to how your baby acts and responds and go along with it.
Growth Spurt for Babies Support = Help them sleep. Because these growth spurts only last a short amount of time, you don’t need to worry about your baby having a disrespected sleep pattern afterwards. But always try to maintain the usual bedtime routine so it won’t be too hard getting back on track. However, more important than having a perfect sleep schedule is your baby taking as much sleep as he or she needs during this time. Just do your best to follow their lead when they need extra rest.
Growth Spurt for Babies Support = Be patient with your baby. During this time, it’s pretty common for babies to get fussy. When this happens, offering extra cuddles and attention might be the key to help your baby feeling better. You can try bathing, reading, singing, rocking, walks outside, or whatever your baby prefers and like.
Growth Spurt for Babies Support = Don’t forget about yourself. All these changes don’t affect only the baby, but everyone around as well. Especially the mother, who spends the most time with the infant. These periods can be hard and become overwhelming. It’s important for you to pay attention to your needs for resting too. It’s okay to let others help while you’re recharging your energies!
Growth Spurt for Babies Support = Pay attention to the baby’s overall health. During a growth spurt, you might see and experience things you’ve never. And that’s why it’s crucial to pay extra attention to your baby. If your child is going through other symptoms beyond what is described above consider whether it may be something other than a growth spurt. If your baby shows signs of illness like a fever, rash, dehydration (fewer wet or dirty diapers), or other issues make sure to talk to your pediatrician.
