Growth spurts in babies - 12 weeks old?

Renae - posted on 12/13/2009

PS babies also sleep more and tire more quickly during growth spurts. The main growth spurts typically happen at 4, 8 and 12 weeks; then 6, 9 and 12 months (with a little growth spurt when they turn one month older from 6-12 months).

Renae - posted on 12/13/2009

By 12 weeks most babies have become more efficient at extracting milk from you. Some babies still feed for the same amount of time but go for longer between feeds (usually 4 hours) and other babies feed at the same intervals (usually 3 hours) but for a much shorter amount of time (3-5 min on each side).

By 12 weeks 75% of babies are sleeping a 5-7 hour stretch during the night, usually including midnight to 5am (this is considered "sleeping through" at this age).

A 12 week old would usually be able to stay awake for up to 1.5 hours at a time and require 16 hours sleep over 24 hours. Continue to put him to bed when he acts "grumpy tired", you are doing the right thing. This is all perfectly normal. Sleep is very important to his development right now. You are welcome to message me if you are still unsure about anything.

Jennifer - posted on 12/11/2009

I noticed my milk supply has increased during the night and morning and tapers off in the afternoon and does seem less. He seems content feeding off one breast and is now happily feeding for 30 mins. If he cries or fusses I put my breast away and offer it a bit later or if he gets grizzly. He has suddenloy become happier and has had a HUGE learning curve- he has rolled over, started giggling and noticed his hands & feet are actually his! I wonder if he has just been through a rough developmental patch and was frustrated or something? My friend said her two boys would be grumpy, tired and irritable before a growth spurt then super hungry a few days later. I am happy with him now and hoping it only gets better from here!
PS- a few mothers in my playgroup have babys with similar symptoms- it must be an age thing? As long as my son continues ot gain weight I won't stress about his feeding:) I have started offering a bit of cooled boiled water if he refuses a feed to make sure he stays hydrated (it is really hot where we live!)

Bethan - posted on 12/10/2009

Hello again, I thought I better add that My health visitor thinks my milk supply may drop or dwindle on the evenings so shes getting distressed becuase shes fustrated that she cant get enough milk. If she continues to get fussy at the breast I have been advised to offer her 4 to 5 oz of a formula bottle to finish her off. I have also got to try to rest more ( easier said than done) and eat and drink plenty to try and encourage a better milk supply.

Bethan - posted on 12/10/2009

I am so glad you asked this question as I have been experiencing the same thing, my little girl is 12 weeks old and in the past week has been fussing at the breast on certain feeds and refusing to feed, when I try and persist she gets distressed so I stop and give her a cuddle then she seems fine. I think I worry that she was not getting enough milk through the day but when she does feed properly she feeds for up to half hour and is content and happy after. I am going to mention it to the health visitor but im sure its our babies telling us they are just not that hungry at that time. Hope all goes ok.

Jennifer - posted on 12/09/2009

Thanks:) I have tried the lie down and sometimes it works.

Something just seems to be irritating him when he feeds and when he is sleepy or starving he is a bit more relaxed and feeds better. Not sure if it is his personality coming through or if he has some sort of discomfort. It is so difficult to guess?

Emma - posted on 12/09/2009

It sounds like just a growth spurt and your baby just needs more sleep during this one. My son was very similar around that age, and was the only time he fed less as well. My son tends to be a frequent feeder, and at almost 6mo still likes to feed around 2-3 hours. But there was a time when he feed every 4hrs during the day and only twice at night, he was around 12 wks at the time.

You could try different positions for feeding, like lying down and then he will get some more hindmilk as well. By lying down you are letting gravity do the work instead of him. And by getting him more hindmilk you are giving him the calories he needs (foremilk has less calories/hindmilk more calories).

Jennifer - posted on 12/09/2009

I just tried feeding him and he cried and refused but I stood and rocked him while on my breast and then he fed? He ended up doing almost a full feed then pulled off and did his 'sad cry' as if I took away his milk etc. Not sure what is going on but I used to look fwd to feeding time as it was relaxing for both of us. It is weird but something tells me it is not normal. I have been to a paediatrician for his relux and i email her sometimes. She knows that he has been refusing feeds etc but because he still feeds she has decided he is just a 'fussy feeder'. He has always been a choker on my fast let down so is it possibel he is unhappy when it is fast and perhaps unhappy when is slows down?

ASHLEY - posted on 12/09/2009

My son started that around 3 months too. It turned out he was hungry even when he fussed he had just reached the age where he was easily distracted while breastfeeding. I have to go in the nursery to feed him when he gets like that no tv no other people just mommy and baby time. that may be why he still seems grumpy when he wakes from a nap. currently my son is 4 1/2 months and since 3 months he has nursed 1-2 times a night and at least 5 times a day or more. so it sounds like he is eating fine at night but during the day may just be taking in all the new amazing things around him. try nursing him in a quiet private place. If it doesn't improve I would check with ur pediatricain just in case his change in behavior isn't an ear infection or something. or completely normal and just growth spurt related...Good Luck!



funny but random if my son is nursing while in a bad mood and his father tries to kiss me my son will cry... he gets so angry when distracted lol

Sarah - posted on 12/09/2009

Some times when babies have growth spurts they will have a time period to where they need more sleep then after a few days or weeks all of a sudden they will want to eat more making up for the time they did not eat as much. When babies get to be around 4-5 mos. old they will start to develop a more set nap schedule sleeping about 2 hrs or so in the morning and 2 hrs or so in the afternoon. Some babies will also do a short nap in the early evening.