Sometimes it seems like crying is the only way your baby communicates with you. However, before your baby starts crying, they'll let you know in other ways that they're hungry. By responding to your newborn's feeding cues, you can feed them before they get too upset. Babies that are too upset from crying may have a more challenging time settling down to take the breast or bottle.
What Is Responsive Feeding?
Responsive feeding is the process of responding to your baby's hunger cues and responding quickly in a warm, loving way. Responsive feeding lays the foundation for your baby to develop healthy eating habits. Practicing responsive feeding with your baby will:
- Reduce the risk that they will be overweight later in life
- Make meals more peaceful
- Help you bond with your baby
- Help your baby learn to eat on their own
What Are the Signs Your Baby Is Hungry?
Even very young babies can let you know if they're hungry. Some cues include:
- Putting their hands or other things in their mouth
- Clenching their hands
- Turning their head toward anything that touches their cheek, including breast or bottle
- Flexing their arms and legs
- Making sucking noises or smacking and licking their lips
- Becoming more active and alert
As your baby gets older, their hunger cues may change. Some hunger cues your 6-to-23-month-old baby may show include:
- Opening their mouth when you offer food or a spoon
- Getting excited when they see food
- Reaching for or pointing at foods
- Using hand motions or signs to let you know they're still hungry
What Are the Signs Your Baby Is Full?
It's important to follow your baby's cues and stop feeding them when they show you they're full, though waking your baby to feed may also be necessary if they aren't gaining weight. With responsive feeding, you provide the food, but your baby decides how much to eat. Some signs your infant may show when they're full are:
- Turning their head away from breast or bottle
- Closing their mouth
- Relaxing their hands
When your baby is older, they may have different signs that they are full, such as:
- Turning their head away from food
- Pushing away food
- Using hand motions or making noises to show you they're full
- Closing their mouth when you offer food
- Playing with their food
- Fidgeting or getting distracted
Don't try to make your baby finish a bottle or the food on their plate if they aren't hungry. Food shouldn't be used as a punishment or reward. Let your baby decide how much they want to eat.
How Often Should Babies Eat?
Unless your baby's pediatrician advises you to schedule their feedings because of a medical condition like being underweight, it's better to go by your baby's hunger cues than the clock. All babies are different when it comes to eating. Some like to eat smaller meals more often, and some like to eat larger meals less frequently. Most babies will start to go longer between feedings as they get older and their stomachs are able to hold more milk. As a general guideline:
- Newborns eat every 2 to 3 hours, starting with 1/2 ounce per feeding and working up to 1 to 2 ounces.
- By 2 weeks, most babies eat every 2 to 3 hours, 2 to 3 ounces per feeding.
- By 2 months, most babies eat every 3 to 4 hours, 4 to 5 ounces per feeding.
- By 4 months, most babies eat every 3 to 4 hours, 5 to 6 ounces per feeding.
- By 6 months, most babies eat every 4 to 5 hours, up to 8 ounces per feeding.
Many babies will increase the amount they eat at each feeding by 1 ounce per month until they get to around 7 or 8 ounces per feeding. You can tell if your baby is getting enough to eat by their wet diapers. In the first few days, your baby should have two or three wet diapers each day. Once they are 4 or 5 days old, your baby should have at least 5 or 6 wet diapers every day.
