Older babies and growth spurts

[stephie_corin]

This might be a daft question, but do older babies feed more when growth spurting too? LO is 6.5 months and not established on solids. We do BLW and he has finger foods once per day. He's pretty established on 4 day feeds and 2 night feeds (his choice not mine) but several times this last week he has wanted to nurse 5+ times a night. I don't know if it is comfort nursing or he is going through a growth spurt. We have terrible sleep anyway, but I don't want to create a feed to sleep association or a situation where he takes most of his milk at night. he is a very distracted day feeder.

We nurse at nap times and bed time but for a lot of his night wakings I rock him to sleep if he is not asking for milk. Should I let him feed as often as wants in case he is growing or should I try limit him to 2-3 feeding a a night spaced out. Surely he can't be hungry every hour at night?

 

[TigerLady]

Always feed on demand for at least the first 12 months, especially if solids aren't well established. Even when baby is older, even when demand is frequent.

Older babies have growth spurts. Even older kids do. My preschoolers still have growth spurts where they eat more. Increased nursing in a baby your LO's age could also be due to illness, teething, impending milestones, change in routine, or something else.

Either way, nurse in demand.

 

[stephie_corin]

Thanks TL