Baby growth spurts and sleep patterns
Our son is growing. There’s no doubt about it. He now eats like two horses, and poops like two horses too.
Another clue: he is occasionally waking up to eat during the night, something he hasn’t done since his last growth spurt. I think the technical term is sleep regression.
What do you do when a baby who has been sleeping through the night suddenly starts waking up again? Well, if you’re not too lazy you give him a quick feeding and put him back to bed. Theoretically, this is enough to satisfy his enhanced Growth Spurt hunger levels, while not encouraging the habit of midnight snackage. When his growth slows to a more normal rate, he’ll resume his old sleep habits. Congratulations.
If you’re lazy like me, you bring him to your bed and let him nurse over the next 2 hours while you doze fitfully. Then, because you can’t really sleep with a baby in your bed, you drag your lazy carcass out of bed and put him back in his bed. As you trudge back toward your own bed, you hope you aren’t encouraging him to wake up for a 2 hour long, 5 course dinner every night at 2 AM.
With girls, this plan works.
I’ll let you know how that works with boys.
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Filed under: Huh? Category?
I remember those days too well. But the truth is I miss it somedays. Let me repeat–SOMEdays.
I have always noticed all of your kids on the couch, but only today I clued in that only one was a boy. My parents had six girls, and no boys, and my dad said he loved it.
how big is he now?
You know, our 2 year old always starts out in his bed. He usually ends up in bed with us. Why? Well, I am too lazy to put him back!! It is just too easy to let him do that!! I have 5 others who usually got pushed out due to an upcoming sibling. Not so with him. It usually doesn’t bother me with him in bed with us. I guess it is laziness?!
My 9-month-old is doing the same thing. Since she’s only in the 14th percentile for weight, I’m back to no sleep and nursing from 12-2 am. Sigh.
Yep. Works for boys, too.
My nine month old, 22 lb. boy isn’t eating solids yet so I have YET to have a full night’s sleep since June. For us, though, it’s not so much a growth spurt as teething pain that causes the wakings. And yes, by 5 AM he’s always in bed with me.
Nothing beats watching him wake up every morning and smile that smile and streeeetch. Definitely makes up for the interrupted sleep.
I wanted to add we’ve done six teeth in six weeks (eight altogether), so who can blame the poor guy? Plus we’re in the middle of moving. He’s settling back down into 4-5 hour stretches of sleep, though. I hope. Please.
You know the only time this nursing 2 hours at night thing happens with me is when I have thrush, and for some reason thrush must just taste better to the night-feeding infant.
Ugh!
Also, my 2 year old boy, if he is awakened at ALL at night, he thinks this is routine and he must keep it going.
When I weaned him from his night feedings(only after his little sister was born, and needed more attention from me at night feedings)he still woke up and tried to sneak next to me and nurse. Like I wouldn’t notice a huge toddler next to my newborn.
I love it!
Love your blog.
?
Natalie
Since the conversation is on babby sizes…. any one ever had a fat baby? My 3 1/2 month daughter is… massive! I just stepped on the scale: 141 lbs. I picked her up:162lbs… I’m not sure if my calculation is wrong but that’s… 21 lbs I’m a little scared, since I’m nursing and I’m not sure I ever want to give her solids…
I have a friend who is a mommy and who’s baby did the nursing deal for two hours too and says the doctor explained to her that babies actually empty the bre*asts in 15/20 minutes and that after that they are just use mommy as a binkie. Anyway, I’m sure they just love to be so close to mama…
Yofed,
I don’t have a scale, but I’m guessing he was about 17 pounds a couple of weeks ago and 35 now.
Well, OK. Maybe just 20 or 22. But he sure is packing it on quickly.
It’s surprising because we don’t have butterball babies in our family - they tend to be a bit on the wiry side.
Also, he eats an astonishing amount for his size. The people with butterball babies just stare in silent amazement.
I had to laugh as I read this - that is my life only times two this time around. I have 6 sons and they have usually done the same as you mentioned with your girls, so never fear he’ll probably do the same! I do love the way you described it because even at age one the twins aren’t both consistent with through the night sleep.
Actually, I don’t think it’s true that they ‘empty’ the breast in 15-20 minutes. They are doing two things by nursing longer: getting a trickle of rich, fatty, nourishing, creamy ‘hind milk,’ and showing your body that demand has gone up so they need more supply.
Help! My 9 month old has somewhere lost all motivation to sleep at night!!! She’ll go down around 8-8:30 only to awaken around midnight to nurse every 1-2 hours thereafter or just plain stay awake until 3 or 4 a.m. I’m not a big fan of the “cry it out” method, but I need some guidance. Unfortunately the 9 month old has been waking the 2 1/2 year old, so everyone is losing out on the sleep, not just mommy. I’ve tried longer, shorter naps, power meals before bed, and tylenol. We are in a holding pattern with teeth at the moment since she has popped out 6 in the last few months. Any help or suggestions would be great!