Your baby will give you lots of cues at one time (called “clustered cues”) when they need to send you important messages like “I am hungry” or “I am full.”
When your baby is hungry, they may...
Move their head, looking for something to suck on.
Pull their hands & knees upward toward their face.
Make sucking noises and try to suck on anything they can find.
If no one feeds them right away, they may start crying while still using all the other cues.
When you hear your baby cry, be sure to check for clustered hunger cues to make sure they are hungry.
Babies use clustered cues to show they are full, too.
Knowing when to stop feeding is just as important as knowing when your baby needs to eat. Below are some cues your baby may show when they are full.
When your baby is full, they may...
Relax their muscles.
Slow down in their eating.
Let their hands fall away
from their face.
Sometimes
fall asleep.
Recommendation
Check out this video to see a baby's hunger and fullness cues in action!
This 30-second video clip shows and explains crying cues when babies are hungry.
How should I respond to my baby’s hunger cues?
When you notice your baby’s hunger cues early on, begin feeding them. You will not have to worry about feeding your baby on a schedule. By feeding your baby when they alert you that they are hungry, you can be sure they get enough, and at just the right time.
- If your baby’s first hunger cues are missed, and they become upset, calm them before starting to feed. If you have ever tried feeding a fussy baby, you know it is no easy task! Allow some time for them to calm down. Once they are soothed, they will take your breast or chest or their bottle much more willingly.
How are cues different for bottle-fed babies?
Babies show they are hungry in similar ways whether they are breast or chestfed or bottle-fed. The biggest difference is being able to tell when your baby is full! You cannot force a breast or chestfed baby to eat if they are not hungry. This is because babies have to make an effort to get milk when breast or chestfeeding. But when babies feed from a bottle, the milk flows right to their mouths, and they can easily overeat.
For this reason, it is important to practice paced bottle feeding (see Deeper Dive below). With paced bottle feeding, you notice when your baby’s sucking slows or stops, and you allow them to come off the bottle. Then, you see if they show signs they want more. If they do not show these signs, you can end the feeding regardless of how much is left in the bottle.
Deeper Dive (WITH VIDEO)
Tips for Practicing Paced Bottle Feeding
Do not make your baby finish their bottle. When they are done eating, they will show you with their actions. When your baby turns their head away, slows or stops sucking, or closes their lips, they are full.
You may be concerned about being wasteful. Or maybe you are worried your baby is not getting enough. Both of these concerns are normal. It is hard when you feel you are wasting food. If your baby consistently does not finish their bottle, prepare an ounce or two less next time. Your baby will let you know when they want more. It is important to help your child develop good eating habits from the start by allowing them to listen to their own fullness cues. Having them finish their bottle when they are not hungry can cause overeating. This can affect their eating patterns throughout life.
These signs will be the same as the hunger cues they show you before accepting their first bottle.