How long can the growth spurt last?!?!

[LeeLeeMelis]

My son is 4months and seems to be going through a growth spurt again.  He is waking sometimes after two hours since the last feeding. I'm afraid he's getting into a habit now. How long can I call it a growth spurt? He really is showing me hunger signs (crying, rooting, sucking on my shoulder like there is a big nipple on it) so I feed him.  It's been going on for probably over a week now. Do most LO's stop waking after the growth spurt or does it become habitual waking and eating? Do I pu/pd when the growth spurt is over? He doesnt normally take a paci, is that something I should still offer to make sure he is really hungry or will he still refuse it since he doesnt normally take one anyway? 

Sorry for lots of questions, I appreciate your help!
Melissa:-)

[15milner]

The 4month growth spurt can be a biggie.  Sorry to say, i went from 1 night feeding to 2 and some more frequent day time feeds for a while (sorry can't remember how long), but getting back to 1 night feed took almost 6 weeks to work through and since Andrew was less than 6mths I reckoned that it wasn't habitual and just fed him. 

Alex

[LeeLeeMelis]

No reason to be sorry, such is life as a mom!! I'll work through it.

Here's another question though, why is it that he can go 3 hours during the day but not at night?Is it because he's distracted when he's awake so he goes longer?

[IndiaJenn]

I am *SO* glad you posted this -- I am in exactly the same boat!! My DS was doing really well on a 3-4 hour EASY routine until last week (with no dream feed but only 1 night waking between 8:30pm and 6am). Last night, he was up every 2 hours (hungry) and it's a struggle to get him to go 3 hours between feedings between the day. Until I read this thread I was beginning to get really frustrated.

We had a bit of a setback a week ago when I got a clogged duct and let him nurse a lot to try to relieve it (he did that night, thankfully) and I was afraid that I had managed to get him back onto cluster feeding. I can't seem to get him to take a long feed now, though (I nurse on both sides in an attempt to get him to feed more... he gets to the hindmilk now, at least). The biggest problem is that I've got a 2 1/2 year old as well so I've got to keep him quiet, lest I have two screaming children at 3am...

Here's hoping our little ones get over their growth spurts quickly!

[Jocasta]

The 4m GS lasted a good two weeks with us and I hate to say it but our nights are STILL not as good as they were before it hit (five months later ).

[LeeLeeMelis]

Glad to know I'm not alone. If he wakes at night do I use pu/pd?  I'm just so afraid he's really hungry that I feed him. Sometimes I"m so sleepy I have no idea when the last time he ate was and I just feed him anyway. I know that's bad and I'm working on it. I hope we're on the down slope of this spurt, I"ll keep you posted. Good luck IndiaJenn!

[Jocasta]

Sometimes I"m so sleepy I have no idea when the last time he ate was and I just feed him anyway.

Me too lol! 

[DavidsMum]

When DS was 4mths we had trouble and I read a post somewhere about how Tracey helped someone through it.

Basically she recommended doing a EAEASY. I think it was 45mins after the first E finished that I then offered him a second feed. This way he could top up a bit on the calories but still had time for A before S so that he did not associate the nursing with Sleep.

I found that for the first two feeds of the day he would take an extra 5 mins on the breast but usually would not want any the next two feeds.
And he continued to sleep through the night. But I did have a great supply so that helped.

Oh and this went on for about 1.5 weeks I think.

[LeeLeeMelis]

I think we're through the growth spurt, PHEW!! Thanks for the suggestions.  He was up after only 3 hours last night, 10:00 DF, 1am and then woke at 3am as he was soaked through his diaper wouldnt go back to sleep so I fed him again and then woke at 5:30 when Daddy's alarm went off. (we live in a small apartment so his crib is in our room, he's not in bed with us) 

Is it ok for a 17 pound 4.5 month old to still be waking after three hours?  I try to wait and rule out discomfort and random wakings but he usually is showing me he's hungry.  Even though I think his growth spurt is done should I stick with EAEASY and feed him more during the day to get him more calories and hopefully fewer wakings?

[DavidsMum]

I am no expert but I would do the EAEASY for as long as it takes to try and get more calories in.
He is a big boy so he probably needs it.
I had a lactation consultant visit me yesterday and she said they empty their stomachs 45mins after a feed so there is no problem in feeding again 45mins later. He will refuse it if he isn't hungry.

[Jocasta]

He will refuse it if he isn't hungry.

That's not strictly true for all los.  Mae has NEVER refused breast milk - hungry or not lol! 

It is definitely possible that he's genuinely hungry after just three hours - not ideal and not strictly "normal" (who is these days ), but possible.  You need to trust your mummy instincts and if you start thinking that he's not actually hungry and is waking more due to habit, then come back for some ideas how to get him to re-settle without a feed.

[LeeLeeMelis]

Last night I DF him at 10:30 and he didnt wake until 3:45!!! I couldnt believe it!!  I feel like a new woman with all of that sleep:-) We have had three really great days of sleep, each getting better. I got my supply up so hes eating much more during the day and he isnt waking as randomly during the night, if he is I'm able to get him back to sleep without feeding him (most of the time).

Thank you so much for all of your help. I bid you farewell. until the next growth spurt at least:-)