10 week old, breastfeeding and night waking is it a growth spurt? WDYT?

[MrsB26]

Just a ittle bit of background first....................

DS is 10weeks old and has been exclusively breastfed on demand since birth. From 4 weeks he was only getting up once, sometimes twice per night for a feed (sleeping in 4 hourly blocks). Around 5-6 weeks we had a few days of 3 times/night but i put this down to a growth spurt as he was feeding more frequently during the day also.

From 7-9weeks he would sleep at night for 6-7 hours before waking and his feeds during the day were average of 3-4 hours apart. He is a thriving little man, gaining about 300g of weight each week.

This past week, he has woken every 2 hours at night. Each time i would try to settle which worked well but after 5 mins back in his bassinett he would be wide awake again, crying and giving me 'hungry signs' so i would offer the breast and he would feed like he had slept 6 hours! This is every 2 hours, and every 2 hours he would drink and drink. He is not comfort sucking either. What i am finding odd is that during the day his feeds are still well spaced between 3-4 hourly - so is this another growth spurt at 10 weeks or have i created a little noctournal creature who likes to snack at night because i am giving in and feeding him??

He had his immunisations last friday and was grisly and off his food for about 3 days and didnt sleep too well, would he still be unsettled from this too?

I just feel like i have a newborn baby again and its extremely tiring. What do you think it is? A growth spurt that will pass? a monster i have created? or unsettled from immunisations?

Any help/advice would be appreciated, even if its just to say that it will get better and to persist?

I hope this makes sense, very tired mumma typing atm

[thepixie]

Sounds like a growth spurt hon, if he is drinking and drinking then he is obviously hungry. Also as he gets bigger he needs to build up your supply. It will pass - just rest while you can and remember that he will settle back down again... for a while, then there'll be another one! But sounds like you're doing all the good things as he is gaining plenty of weight. It will pass... probably quite soon... in the meantime, rest and take care of you.

[Visitor8]

Sounds like a growth spurt to me! I wish I had a baby that slept but Ashton feeds 3 hourly at night too lol

[Marlene]

It does sound like a growth spurt...but then again my DS is 10 months old and still wakes 2 hourly!!

[sas85]

Well, this is a pure guess, but along with obviously a possible growth spurt (sounds like he's a champion grower) maybe if he was off food for a few days with the recent immunization your supply dropped a little and he's just been naturally feeding more to bring it back up again?? And could be doing it mostly at night because there's lots of fun and distracting things to look at through the day, i find (especially since I have to feed regularly to bring my milk up) that I often have to just put my bub to the breast through the day as she's so interested in everything and even if she grizzles gets all interested in the new scenery the moment she's picked up, so maybe at night it's boring so he realizes, "hey, I'm hungry now".

[MrsB26]

Thanks for your replies. I was really in need of some support. I was hoping it was just a growth spurt but the normal daytime feeding got me confused and i wasnt expecting another g/s until around 12 weeks (but what baby goes by the book anyway lol). Thanks for the advice on day feeds and my drop in supplysas85, makes sense.

Marlene & Missymoo - omg, how do you do it? I know we do it for our children but you guys are champs. I guess i got used to getting a decent sleep then it was taken away and i was not happy.........

thepixie, you made me feel better, thanks. Yes it will pass once my supply picks up again. I just needed to hear that i was doing the right thing by letting him feed. I have gotten so much conflicting advice on how i shouldnt be feeding him as he only wants a cuddle and i am taking the easy way out by giving him the breast instead of taking the time to settle properly (by my sister, whom i wanted to punch as it was hurtful to hear and she never breastfed her babes so she really shouldnt comment!).

I knew i could count on my BB friends, thanks Mwah.

[DANNIIM]

You are a great mummy Kristy, have faith your doing all the right things.....no one knows your bub like you!

[onthefly]

You're definitely doing the right thing!
My DS did the same thing at 10 weeks. I think it lasted a few days then settled down again.
You could try offering feeds 2-hourly during the day and see if that helps him go a bit longer overnight. They do start getting busy and distracted during the day around this time too, as Sas said, so will often make up for 'lost' feeds during the day at night. For some babies it's just a phase...