What Are the Signs of Hunger in Breastfed Babies?
How are you to know when your baby is hungry? Well, here we have a few suggestions on how to tell if your baby is hungry…
The Different Hunger Cues
All babies are different, and all have different ways of letting their mothers know that they are hungry; as you and your baby get to know one another, you will recognize your baby's unique hunger signals.
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Early Signs of Hunger
Look out for early baby hunger signs that occur before crying:
Mouth, lips, and tongue movements:
- Making sucking motions with the lips.
- Opening and closing the mouth.
- Sticking out the tongue.
- Puckering of the lips.
Rooting for the breast:
- Baby moves their head from side to side as if looking for something. This is called the rooting reflex.
- If you touch the side of your baby’s head, and they turn that way, looking for something to suck, then you will know that your baby is hungry.
Hand-to-mouth reflex:
- This is when your baby puts their hands in their mouth and sucks on them. Your baby might also suck other things like toys or clothing.
Rapid eye movement while sleeping:
- This is a great time to feed a sleepy newborn if you know they haven’t fed in a while.
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Interpreting Baby's Cries
- Every baby is different, so every mother must learn to interpret her baby’s cries.
- Remember that the time between feedings will increase as your baby gets older.
- A "baby hunger cry" usually starts with "baby hunger cues" of discomfort, grunts, and whining sounds.
- If your baby begins to suck, leaves the breast again, and starts crying again, then you can assume that they are probably not hungry.
- Some infant cries are just plain developmental.
Things To Remember
- If your baby is younger than four weeks, it’s always best to feed him every two hours. You do not need to stick to a fixed schedule; ensure you breastfeed your baby at least eight times every 24 hours.
- Babies who are always hungry: Some hungry babies like to breastfeed more often than every two hours, which is perfectly normal. The first few weeks of constant feeding will help build a good milk supply. Worried about overfeeding your baby?
- "My breastfed baby acts hungry but just drank a few minutes ago!" Your baby may go through a growth spurt or like to comfort feed. Another thing that might cause this is lactose overload (usually accompanied by an oversupply of milk).
- Some babies do not like to feed until they are full and might want to drink small amounts every hour; this is normal.
- Never force your baby to feed!