The growth charts used for many years have been based on formula-fed babies. Growth is also not necessarily consistent. Babies tend to have growth spurts and we warn breastfeeding mothers to expect them. When your baby seems much hungrier just when you thought you had got the pattern of feeding he liked sorted out, he is changing it because he needs to grow and has increased his appetite. This means that for a few days he will feed far more often and then settle back into a pattern again, though probably not the same one. (For information about temporary lack of weight gain see under Illness in the mother p.30.) | 