Your Baby's Growth Spurt: When Does It Happen and What to Expect

"My baby is a milk monster right now." If you heard a fellow exhausted mom say that, chances are her little one's in the middle of a growth spurt, which tends to show up just when you're finally starting to find a rhythm with feeding and sleep.

So, what exactly is going on when your baby suddenly starts acting like a completely different child? Here's a look at the meaning of growth spurt and how you can ride it out.

What Is a Growth Spurt and When Do They Happen?

A growth spurt is a short period when a child suddenly grows in length, gains weight faster, or both. From birth to toddlerhood, babies go through several of these spurts. Growth may slow down a bit between each one and then picks up again. This pattern continues through childhood with another big growth peak during puberty.

Growth spurts have no one-size-fits-all timeline. But health experts approximate some common points in a child's first year. For instance, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says newborn growth spurts can occur around 7 to 10 days old and again between 3 and 6 weeks.

A baby will keep growing at the pace they set during those first few weeks. AAP notes that they can gain 1.5 to 2 lbs. (0.7 to 0.9 kg) and grow around 1 to 1.5 in (2.5 to 4 cm) each month until their 16th week or so.

Stanford Medicine Children's Health also states that a baby's birthweight doubles at approximately 4 to 5 months and triples at 1 year old. By the time they reach 10 to 12 months of age, many babies have grown 10 inches.

Just remember, these numbers are averages. Some babies grow steadily, while others go through growth spurts a little earlier or later. You'll get more accurate information during your regular pediatrician visits.

You can also keep an eye on your child's development with the help of this growth chart calculator and BMI calculator, both of which use the World Health Organization's growth standards.

Signs Your Baby Is Having a Growth Spurt

Your baby may cry or be extra fussy during a growth spurt. 

When your baby hits a growth spurt, you may notice the following changes in feeding, sleep, and mood.

Increased appetite

Your baby may suddenly seem hungrier than usual and may cry or become irritable even after you've just fed them.

Fussiness and irritability

You may see more crankiness, clinginess, or difficulty in soothing because babies often feel out of sorts when they're pushing through a growth spurt.

Changes in sleep patterns

According to the AAP, babies usually don't get into a regular sleep routine until they hit around 6 months old. Newborns tend to sleep about 16 to 17 hours a day, but each sleep session may take only one or two hours at a time.

Depending on a child's age, they may sleep more during a growth spurt or have trouble settling in bed.

The key is to watch for changes in your baby’s sleep patterns, whether it’s extra sleep or increased restlessness. Check if it also happens alongside other signs like increased hunger and fussiness.

Growth Spurt vs. Other Baby Changes

While growth spurts can be a rough time for everyone, keep a close watch on the symptoms. For instance, a growth spurt shouldn't cause a fever. Some symptoms may be related to something else, like the following:

• Illnesses: Their crankiness or lack of appetite can signal other conditions, from colds to ear infections.
• Sleep regression: It usually shows up when your baby suddenly starts waking more often or struggling to fall asleep, especially if they had been sleeping fairly well before.
• Teething: This can make babies cranky and disrupt their sleep, but it has its own telltale signs, like swollen gums or drooling more than usual.

Check in with your pediatrician if:

• Your baby has a fever, persistent vomiting or diarrhea, signs of dehydration, or becomes unusually lethargic.
• There's a significant drop in feeding.
• Fussiness becomes extreme and doesn’t ease with feeding, soothing, or rest.

Developmental Milestones: Connected to Growth Spurt?

Some parents notice their baby's growth spurts coincide with developmental milestones like rolling or sitting up. But these two events occur independently of each other.

Growth spurts refer to physical changes in size, while milestones reflect new abilities or skills. Every child grows and reaches milestones at their own pace, influenced by a mix of genetics, nutrition, environment, and overall health.

How to Support Your Baby's Growth Spurts

Growth spurts can be exhausting for everyone, but they won't last forever.

Growth spurts can feel like a sudden shake-up, but they’re a healthy and expected part of your baby’s development. Here’s how you can support them (and yourself) during these short but intense phases:

1. Talk to your pedia about feeding on demand

With your baby hungrier than usual, they will want frequent but short, back-to-back feeding sessions over a few hours (cluster feeding). Chat with your doctor about your baby's hunger signals and what "more often" really means based on their feeding pattern.

The good news is breastfeeding frequently tells your body to produce more milk. So, your breast milk supply will adjust naturally to your baby’s needs.

2. Prioritize rest for both of you

Follow your baby’s lead. If they seem sleepier, let them nap longer or earlier. And then try to rest when you can, even if it’s just a quick break while your baby sleeps.

3. Do more skin-to-skin contact

Your baby can't really express when they're feeling out of sorts, so sometimes, just being held is enough, even if nothing seems to calm them right away. Try gentle rocking and singing Filipino lullabies to soothe them.

Growth Spurts Require Extra Patience

Yes, growth spurts come with more feedings, extra sleep (or less of it), and a whole lot of clinginess. You will feel exhausted, so it's more than okay to ask for help or take shortcuts where you can for your wellness.

But those periods of exhaustion point to signs your baby is growing! You're responding to their needs and doing the best you can. That’s more than enough.

And if you feel your baby's symptoms may be more than just a growth spurt, trust your gut and check in with your doctor.

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