She spent nine months growing from something that only a microscope could see to a baby you can hold and cuddle.

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Now that she’s here, your baby is poised to grow at an awesomely amazing pace! Your newborn is growing at a rate of 4 to 7 ounces a week in the first month. During the first six months, she’ll gain ½ to 1kg per month, and gain an additional ½ kg per month between months 6 and 12. That said, infant growth isn’t always steady. Your baby will have spurts, during which you may notice some different behaviours. When do these seemingly sudden spurts happen, and what should you look out for?

Timing Is Everything

Growth spurts are exactly as they sound — spurts of growth. That means that they may seem to end as quickly as they started. Typically, a spurt will last from two to seven days. Keep in mind, every baby is different. So, this figure isn’t an exact day-number to worry about. If the spurt seems shorter, or slightly longer, that’s okay. It’s not likely that your baby will have a sudden jump in growth before she’s 10 days old. It’s generally at two to three weeks, four to six weeks, three months, and six months, that babies have these spurts. Again, these ages aren’t exacts. These numbers represent a general timeline that some (not all) babies follow. It’s entirely possible that your baby will follow a different pattern or miss a few of the spurts.

Signs and Symptoms

How will your baby let you know she’s growing? She can’t tell you. But, there are a few signs that may signal a spurt (or clue you in to the fact that one just ended).

• Increased Feeding. Suddenly, your baby wants to nurse all day long. Instead of her typical feeding schedule, she’s at the breast or bottle constantly. Even after finishing her usual meal, your little grower may still seem hungry. She needs those extra calories to help the physical changes that are happening in her body – in other words, she needs more food to grow. Along with that, your baby’s growth means that she needs more nourishment. As she gets bigger, her appetite may very well increase too.

• Fussy Feelings. Your formerly super sweet baby is cranky. You try every trick to soothe her, but nothing works. If you’ve ruled out other causes (such as illness, sleep transition, or some other sudden change), it may be a growth spurt. Your baby may seem restless, clingy, or have a new change in behaviour.

• More Sleep – Or Lack Thereof. Some babies get sleepier when they have growth spurts. Your baby may wake less during the night, take more naps during the day, or take longer naps. Even though it’s completely common for some babies to sleep more during these times, others may have an opposite pattern. It’s possible that the spurt-led fussiness is disrupting your little one’s rest or that she’s waking for extra meals.

Milk Production

Considering that increased feeding is a major part of a growth spurt, many mums wonder if they’ll have enough milk. The new needs of your baby’s belly mean that you need a greater supply. That’s okay. There’s no need to panic here. The more your baby feeds, the better chance there is that your milk supply will also increase. Several short nursing sessions a day tend to up your breast milk supply over a few longer ones. This means that most mums will have plenty of milk to nurse all the way through each growth spurt. In the event that your milk supply doesn’t increase like you want it to, don’t blame yourself.  Sometimes you may need to pad your nursing schedule with some formula feeding. There’s absolutely no shame in doing this. It’s better to have a well-fed, completely nourished baby than one that isn’t getting enough calories. Without an adequate amount of food, your baby can’t grow. If your breast milk supply doesn’t match your baby’s needs, talk to your doctor about your options.

Baby’s Photo Shoot

How will a growth spurt affect your baby’s photo shoot? It’s hard to say. It may not have any impact at all. But it could also mean that your baby is extra fussy, or just wants to nurse her way through the entire shoot. If your scheduled session coincides with a growth spurt, consider switching it – the shoot, not your child’s growth spurt (as you have no control over that). At Ashley Low Photography, our service guarantee is designed to make sure that you get the best pictures possible. If your baby isn’t cooperative, is cranky, or can’t stop crying, we won’t force her to be photographed. Instead, we can accommodate your needs and hers, and reschedule for a less fussy time!

Visit Ashley Low Photography page to find out more about Ashley’s work.

_{This post was first published on Ashley Low Photography blog and has been reposted on Executive Lifestyle with the permission of the author.}

_{Edited by Nedda Chaplin
Image credit: Ashley Low}

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