"Growth spurts" are not growth spurts....

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Fussy periods and wonder weeks

From time to time throughout a child’s development, parents often describe that their child goes through a fussy period. During these fussy periods, their child is clingier, crankier, cries more and sleeps less. These fussy periods are different to the ‘witching’ or ’arsenic’ times of the day that young babies often have.

For a young baby, fussy periods may only last a few days. Later, as the changes a baby undergoes become more complex, fussy periods may last a few weeks or more. Most parents find that the interval between fussy periods is a few weeks.

Originally, it was thought that fussy periods were 'growth spurts'. However, there is no scientific research that confirms that ‘growth spurts’ do in fact occur.

Then, we referred to fussy periods as 'appetite increases' as it was assumed that babies needed to consume more milk as they got bigger. Indeed, during fussy periods, many mothers find that their baby wants to breastfeed more frequently. So, a baby asking for more feeds was interpreted as a baby stimulating the mother's milk supply to increase to a new 'plateau' to meet these increasing needs.

However, research showed that this wasn't true either. Babies take about the same amount of breastmilk each day between 1 to 6 months of age.1

Then, the concept of 'wonder weeks' was introduced by Hetty van de Ritj and Frans Plooij. A wonder week is said to announce a leap forward in a child’s mental development. To read more about Wonder Weeks, click here.

In conclusion, we don’t really know for sure why children have fussy periods where they are clingier, crankier, cry more and sleep less. For now though the concept of the wonder weeks seems to be a reasonable way to explain fussy periods — unless someone comes up with something else more plausible. Regardless of what is really happening, one thing is known — if the parents respond to their child and give extra attention (eg more breastfeeds) for a few days, the fussy period seems to pass and the child continues to develop normally. So fussy periods are not a cause for concern — just a normal phase your child is going through.

You can be assured you have enough breastmilk.

Before deciding that the reason your child is fussy due to a 'wonder week', it is important to consider whether your child may be unwell. If a child has a fever, nappy rash or an ear infection, for example, the child will be more distressed than usual.

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https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfi...d-wonder-weeks

I'm glad you posted this. I've tried to explain it to so many people IRL, and in the end they only really understand the term 'growth spurt' even though it's not exactly that...

Many people find all the different terminology confusing... When you see it spelled out like that, you can understand why... So many changes!

So how are wonder weeks not growth spurts? Mental growth spurts require more energy than physical ones.

And why nurse all the time if they are not taking more milk? After a "spurt", I would have over-supply for a couple of days: why would that be?

This article does not make sense to me and I would question if it were, in fact, advertising "wonder weeks".

Interesting..... So what do they say when a baby grows more in one week than others? Say baby puts on 150g for a few weeks then at 8 weeks puts on 250g and grows another 2cm in that week? Is that not a growth spurt? Yes they do seem to have wonder weeks as well, but why say babies don't have growth spurts?

I am another who doesn't get the whole wonder week thing. "Oh he's 22 weeks and woke up 4 times last night, must be a wonder week"

Ummm, no that's just what they do.

My daughter is much more unsettled during wonder weeks. Shes a normal baby, yes, but she definitely cries more, is more clingy and cranky during wonder weeks. Usually when I am the one crying too, I remember to look at the chart and its spot on. If you read the book its very insightful - the authors are more than credible and the book has loads of high profile reviews.

DD would go through phases of odd, new or extreme behaviour, and for ages I would notice, it would pass etc. then I saw the whole wonder weeks thing and honestly, it seemed to fit perfectly what DD was doing, almost to the word :dunno: But I dislike the notion many people have that babies who cry or wake up or feed a bit more through periods of their lives are not normal. Dudes, that IS normal.

i guess its trying ro explain that 'growth spurt' is seen as souly physical or atleast that term is assossiated with just a physical growth that then people see that as needing more food to do it. when really there are other ways babies grow. they have mental spurts too.
Spock isnt exactly on the chart with wonderweeks but does have periods of being more clingly, staying on the breast longer and doing more comfort sucking and you can tell she gets frustrated more quickly if she can do what she is trying to do. she then has calmer periods where she seems more at ease in her body itms.

We don't really know what's going on. I guess the point is that they are not taking more milk at these times - which is the useful piece of information for mothers concerned that constant feeding is a sign that they don't have enough milk.

Ah thanks tt40 and madb that makes more sense to me when you put it that way.

Someone else told me recently that growth spurts = physical growth, and wonder weeks = mental/developmental growth.
What I would give to read my baby's mind and know what is going on in there!

I often think wonder weeks refer to us, its a wonder we do so well with said cranky baby ;)
I think appetite increases and baby feels uncomfortable do wants to suckle and cuddle more.
Dd is that way atleast,she will stay for ages just being held and barely drinking. I like the change from her usual guzzle and go lol

A lot of people do still say its the up regulating breast milk supply thing. I haven't looked at any research so don't know what quality of evidence there is on the issue but I do think it would be super reassuring to be able to tell women it's not a supply issue. I've had several breastfeeding Mum's tell me how desperately close they've come to swapping to formula at these times or that it's when they swapped with their previous child. Being able to reassure them that it's just extra comfort their bub is seeking would definitely make the difference between some people continuing BF or not.

Regarding the wonder weeks book, although my DD has not stuck exactly to their pattern I have found it very useful for describing stages of development I can see her going through and also age appropriate games and play ideas.

I use it more for that too k4t, age appropriate games and play ideas. I'm always paranoid she is getting bored, and its nice to know new things that she might enjoy, and obviously if they help her grow and expand then thats even better.

The Hartman research team at UWA has been looking at this - among other things - and found that between 1 month and 6 months of age, babies take the *same* amount of milk each day. The amount they need does not increase at all. Yes, they may get fussier, and yes, they may want to spend more time at the breast, but they do not increase their demand for milk.
It is a totally understandable conclusion to reach - that they are taking more milk and must be telling mum's breasts to make more - but the evidence shows this isn't what happens.

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The Hartman research team at UWA has been looking at this - among other things - and found that between 1 month and 6 months of age, babies take the *same* amount of milk each day. The amount they need does not increase at all. Yes, they may get fussier, and yes, they may want to spend more time at the breast, but they do not increase their demand for milk.
It is a totally understandable conclusion to reach - that they are taking more milk and must be telling mum's breasts to make more - but the evidence shows this isn't what happens.

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Thats interesting, I wonder why FF. Babies are so different?
My DS at 1 month was on 6x50 ml feeds a day (300ml total)by 6 months, he was on 4x 180 mls per day (720mls total).
Odd.....

Basically, it's because formula is not breastmilk. Breastmilk is a living fluid that changes day to day and hour to hour to meet the changing needs of your baby, so the volume doesn't need to increase. Formula doesn't change, and so the volume needs to increase to ensure baby gets enough nutrition.

Didn't find that in my experience. Expressing or formula the amounts where very different at 6mths then at 1mth.

Were you exclusively feeding EBM or a mixture?
Also, I imagine it would be likely that babies on bottles of EBM may take more as mothers have probably been told that they should and so feed them more. (if that makes sense)

If you were expressing and feeding baby, your breasts wouldn't be getting the direct feedback from baby, which might affect the composition of the milk in a different way to if you were looking at a baby who was exclusively breastfed at the breast.

Just out of curiosity how do they measure how much a fully breastfed baby is having?

For the stiudy they actually weighed breasts and baby before and after each feed. very labour intensive!

Very labour intense!
No I haven't exclusively expressed its always been to let my nipples rest within the 1st 3 months or take excess out.

Interesting idea. I'll have a look online for more.
I would have thought 1 st 6 months would be different and 6-12 mths the same

Yep, that was the received wisdom till not long ago! It's only in very recent times that we've had this new evidence that proved all theories wrong :)

Whoa yeah definitely labour intensive!

I think it's cool these days we have the technology and research to help us understand more about babies development.