Growth Spurts

By  Jan Murray, Registered Nurse, Midwife, Child Health 
Nurse, wife of one, mother of 5.

I thought I had the professional knowledge to successfully birth and raise my own babies. After all, I had been a Registered Nurse for 6 years and a Midwife for 2 years and had experience working with families in remote areas of Australia.
I was waiting to meet our first born face to face but after several speed boat rides, long walks, intercourse, castor oil and hot curries it lead me to believe that babies will come when they are ready! 
At 8.30pm our baby boy arrived. What a truly amazing moment when you meet a brand new life that you created face to face for the first time. This was a new human being so beautifully and wonderfully made and entrusted in our care but what now!!
My husband and I thought we were doing well in our role of new parents as I had learnt how to successfully breast feed every 3 hours (from the start of one feed to the start of the next) and settle my baby to sleep about an hour and a quarter after every feed during the day. At about 2- 3 weeks everything went pear shape. Ben started to cry a lot and he wanted to feed constantly. I felt terrible and that it was my fault that I couldn’t stop him crying or even work out why he was crying. I wondered if I was doing something wrong and whether my milk had dried up or perhaps he was sick or constipated. I now know that he was experiencing a growth spurt.
It is during a growth spurt that a baby will display unsettled, hungry, windy and wakeful behaviour. If you give them extra breastfeeds or make up an extra amount in each bottle (if you are already bottle feeding) and use extra settling techniques when they are awake and be patient, this behaviour will usually settle in 1-2 days.
Growth spurts in a young baby are expected to occur at 3days, 7days, 2-3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months of age.
During these unsettled times try not to cram too many outings or visitors into your day. Expect to be breast feeding more frequently and use a variety of methods to try and settle them. You will not spoil them! This period will pass in about 24 – 48 hours. You will know it has passed as your baby will appear more alert and responsive as well as sleeping for longer stretches. However, if this is not the case and their unsettledness continues, have your baby checked by your GP or Child Health Nurse for other causes.

You can discover more about what I have learnt over the years both professionally and personally in downloadable eBook format or through Face to Face or eClinic  consultations. Visit http://www.settlepetal.comfor more details (conditions apply)

 

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