The big thirst

Does your baby suddenly want to be on the breast the whole day long? Does it seems like she just can’t get enough? It’s probably a growth spurt, writes Shanda Luyt

THERE WILL BE times when your baby makes you feel just like a dairy cow: all she wants to do is nurse and nurse and nurse, as if she can never get enough. After a while you might worry that you don’t have enough milk, because why is she hungry all the time? Then someone says that she might be going through a growth spurt. But what is this? And what can you expect? A growth spurt can be described as a period of time when your baby’s need for milk suddenly increases. For this reason, it’s also sometimes known as “frequent nursing periods” or “accelerated feedings”, says Sister Teresa Hayward, a midwife and lactation consultant from Port Elizabeth.

She explains: “Your baby will usually reach a phase or weight where she needs more milk. In order to get more milk, she’ll start nursing more often.

“If she nurses more often, your milk supply increases, baby’s problem is resolved, and often she’ll return to her normal feeding pattern.”

Growth spurts are a necessary part of a baby’s development and can even be seen as a development milestone. Despite the name, it doesn’t necessarily mean your baby grows faster during this time; it’s just that her need for milk is greater.

Also, don’t expect her to gain more weight than usual during this period.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?

In her first year, your baby will experience a fair number of growth spurts. When your baby’s growing at this pace, she’s hungrier and wants more food.

Growth spurts can be very frustrating for the nursing mom, but console yourself in the fact that they usually only last 24 to 48 hours, Teresa says. “If your baby’s going through a growth spurt and fed and slept well before, you can expect this pattern to be broken and even reversed. Your baby suddenly starts nursing much more frequently, often also over longer time periods, and can be more niggly.” These are the signs of a growth spurt:

• Your baby demands to nurse three to four times in six hours.

• She finishes her bottle of formula and wants another within the hour.

• She was on a regular three-hourly schedule, but now wants to drink more often.

• She no longer sleeps for long stretches at night but wakes a few times during the night and is very hungry.

• She wakes up quicker from naps and is hungry.

WHEN WILL THEY HAPPEN?

Baby’s very first growth spurt is usually in the first two to three days, Teresa says: “The initial growth spurt is aimed at stimulating the move from colostrum to breast milk.”

The next spurts usually happen at two to three weeks, six weeks, three months and then at six months. “These are only guidelines, since every baby grows at their own pace.”

BE SAVVY ABOUT IT

Don’t be worried that there’s something amiss with your breastmilk, Teresa says, but keep the following in mind:

• It’s important to feed on demand during growth spurts, so that your breastmilk supply can increase.

• If you’re worried that your supply is too low, increase your fluid intake. Make sure to take about three litres of fluids a day, nurse your baby more often and ensure that you eat enough, rest and take your vitamin supplements.

• Don’t supplement with formula – that will just lead to a decrease in your supply.

MILK SHORTAGE OR GROWTH SPURT?

When babies suddenly want to drink all the time, we often think our milk supply is not enough. But it’s actually just baby’s way of increasing your supply to keep up with her growing needs, Teresa says. Here’s how to tell:

Weigh your baby every week during the first six weeks, and every second week after that. If your milk supply is too low, you’ll spot it in weak or insufficient weight gain. If you weigh often, you’ll quickly see when there’s a problem and seek help to increase your supply. Growth spurts usually only last about 48 hours – so if baby’s need for milk continues, it could mean low supply.

If your baby continues to have lots of wet and dirty nappies, it’s just a growth spurt, since soiled nappies are a sign that your little one is getting enough milk. If your milk is not enough, you’ll find fewer wet or dirty nappies.