For years we have heard that a baby is literally changing every day, little by little. But is growth actually continual like we think it is? In one study, the lengths and head measurements of 30 babies were recorded for a period of time. The parents were also asked to keep a journal to record their baby’s behaviour on a daily basis. At the start of the experiment, the babies were measured once a week and it was noted that baby growth happened in the span of one week. Next, the measurements were taken biweekly. Again, it was noted that a baby was growing even within half a week. Finally, the babies were measured daily. The growth that took place among the babies was surprising because it differed between 0.5 centimeters and 1.65 centimeters in the span of one 24-hour day. In between these days of extreme growth were days of no growth. This meant that the babies experienced growth in spurts.
Additionally, it was noted that the growth spurts correlated to the baby’s behaviour, which showed up in the forms of temper tantrums, irregular sleep, and unsatisfied hunger. This data proved that growth doesn’t happen the way we think it does. Instead, growth happens in two very distinct phases. Unfortunately, this new data was criticized and disputed by the scientific community, even though it had been formally published and accepted warmly by the public. But occurrences such as these are not uncommon in the scientific world. Whenever new information is brought to light that challenges an older way of thinking, one can always be prepared for some push back. But the negative feedback isn’t always bad because this is how science evolves.
