During a routine visit, a 2-month-old infant has a recent growth spurt and the mother notes increased fussiness and nursing. What is the best explanation?

During a routine visit, a 2-month-old infant has a recent growth spurt and the mother notes increased fussiness and nursing. What is the best explanation?

• A. The infant may be going through an expected growth spurt.
• B. She should keep a log of the frequency and duration of each feeding.
• C. She may not be making as much breastmilk as before.
• D. The infant should stay on the previously established nursing schedule.

Answer: (A)

Infants have growth spurts where their caloric needs rise, and their behavior often changes to match. When a baby is growing rapidly, they commonly nurse more frequently and can be fussier because they’re feeding more often and may be asking for more calories. Breast milk production responds to demand, so increased nursing typically leads to more milk being produced to meet that higher need. This pattern—more frequent feeding and ongoing fussiness during a growth phase—is a normal, expected part of development at around two months. So the best explanation is that the infant is going through an expected growth spurt. Keeping a feeding log can be helpful in some situations, but it isn’t necessary to explain the current behavior. It’s unlikely that milk production is decreased during a growth spurt; rather, it often increases to satisfy the baby's higher intake. Staying on a strict nursing schedule isn’t advised, since feeding on demand supports both growth and milk supply.

Infants have growth spurts where their caloric needs rise, and their behavior often changes to match. When a baby is growing rapidly, they commonly nurse more frequently and can be fussier because they’re feeding more often and may be asking for more calories. Breast milk production responds to demand, so increased nursing typically leads to more milk being produced to meet that higher need. This pattern—more frequent feeding and ongoing fussiness during a growth phase—is a normal, expected part of development at around two months.

So the best explanation is that the infant is going through an expected growth spurt. Keeping a feeding log can be helpful in some situations, but it isn’t necessary to explain the current behavior. It’s unlikely that milk production is decreased during a growth spurt; rather, it often increases to satisfy the baby's higher intake. Staying on a strict nursing schedule isn’t advised, since feeding on demand supports both growth and milk supply.