Moms....growth spurt question

Mrs.Backpack

I'm probably a bad mom for not really knowing this answer, but how do you know when DC is having a growth spurt?  I feel like I can't tell until after there has been a change in behavior over a couple of days. 

For instance, For the last month, DS has only been getting up twice a night to eat (usually around 1 and 4). He has been eating 5oz.  In the last few days, he has started to get up 3 times a night, like he added an 11pm feeding back in. We tried giving him 6oz but nothing changed.
I am assuming this is a growth spurt. 

I just can't help but worry about returning to work in 2 weeks and having to deal with this. 

Any suggestions for me?  Is it worth calling the peditrician to see if we can start cereal early?  I've heard that can help them sleep better/longer at night.

Thanks!

Mrs.Backpack

It might be worth mentioning that DS eats every 3 hours during the day (5oz).  He is extremely predictable on this schedule and doesn't seem to want to eat more, but definitely can't go past the 3 hour mark.

LisnJon

Hi Megan, sounds like it could be a growth spurt.  From what I've been told the biggest indicator is an increase in the amount DC eats throughout the day.  I notice when Delaney & Reagan are going through a growth spurt that they often want to eat every 2-2.5 hours throughout the day instead of every 3-3.5.  They also often take 6 or more ounces instead of the usual 4-5.  As for nights, up 3 times must be really tough.  You must be exhausted!  Can you try cluster feeding in the evening where you feed him every hour or two so he builds up a supply for the night?  Also, when he wakes up at night have you tried just putting him back to sleep without feeding or will he just cry?  When we were trying to get the girls to STTN I found that I needed to get out of the thinking that just because one woke up that she had to eat.  Sometimes a few minutes of rocking and a pacifier was all that was needed.  Now they aren't used to middle of the night feedings.  I'm sure you may have tried all of this, but I was just trying to think of anything.  I know it's got to be hard knowing you're going back to work soon.

Mrs.Backpack

Thanks for responding Lisa.  I do try to give Reid his pacifier and rock him back to sleep at night, but I know that uusally at his first feeding, he hasn't eaten in 5-6 hours, so he is probably starving. 

I am hoping this will be short lived and we can get back to our "regular" routine. 

DuffOliver

More feedings (esp one at night when there wasn't one before) and sleeping more. And then you notice in the clothes

Jillie barely made it 3 hours even that young, too, but after her 6 month growth spurt (the next major one), she didn't wake at night to eat - just added extra during the day.

Lucknow

sounds like it probably is a growth spurt to me...not that I know more than you do about this whole parenting thing though! I've also been under the impression that Ella must be hungry everytime she wakes up at night, but then a couple weeks ago I started thinking that just because she woke up didn't necessarily mean that she was hungry...so I tried what Lisa said and just gave her her paci back and shushed her for a couple minutes and she was back to sleepyland...so now I try this for awhile before I decide that she really is hungry if she won't take the paci back and won't go back to sleep.,,,it seems like she is slowly sleeping more at night since I started this...because a couple weeks ago she would wake up more like 2-3 times and now she only wakes up like 1-2 times and will usually go from 8-5 without being fed again (but not every night). Hope you are able to find something that works!...seems like every baby has their own agenda and what works for one may or may not work for another. 

phd_y2k

A friend of mine says on the 3s and 6s (3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months) - given that, he sounds like he is pretty much on track.

I have no suggestions either and am waiting for Quinn to go through hers, if she is going to follow that pattern.  I am not returning until August (new school year), GL to you.