Feeding cues are the signals a baby gives to say they are ready to feed. Crying is the last cue, not the first. Early cues are opening the mouth, lip smacking, turning the head side to side, and bringing hands to the mouth — and a newborn will nearly always show them as soon as they wake up. Responding at the early stage makes latching far easier.
Babies are really clever — they know how to tell us when they're hungry from birth.
The early cues to look for
Babies don't necessarily cry as soon as they're hungry. In fact, crying is the last feeding cue a baby will exhibit, so we want to look for the earlier ones. Whether breast or bottle fed, a newborn will show you they're ready to eat nearly always as soon as they wake up.
Early feeding cues include:
- Opening their mouth
- Lip smacking
- Turning their head side to side
- Bringing their hands to their mouth
These behaviours become more frantic and exaggerated if we don't respond quickly, and eventually the baby will cry to signal that they are now really hungry and want your attention. Offer a feed as soon as any of these cues appear — it makes getting a good latch far easier.
What responsive feeding means
Responsive feeding means responding to the baby's cues, rather than trying to restrict or schedule feeds. This is best for the baby, as their tummies are tiny and they like to be fed little and often.
At the breast, a baby can control their own milk intake. It isn't possible to overfeed a breastfed baby, because the baby is in control of how much milk they take at any time.
Responsive feeding also relates to the mother. We'd always encourage feeding the baby if the breasts are engorged, if she's feeling overwhelmed or 'blue', or if she simply wants to sit down and have some quiet time with her baby. That is perfectly safe.
Pacing a bottle feed
With bottle feeding we need to be a bit more conscious of pacing, because the baby can't regulate the flow in the same way.
- Give the baby frequent breaks to wind them
- Hold them upright, with the bottle horizontal to the ground
- If the baby starts to reject the bottle, turn their head away or spit it out, they have likely had enough
If we try to get a baby to finish the bottle anyway, they may end up overfed and uncomfortable. Overfeeding also makes reflux more likely, and overfeeding in infancy is linked to obesity in later life — so it's really important that we only give babies what they need, when they ask for it.
If the baby is too upset to feed
If a baby is crying and reluctant to feed because they're upset, soothe them first — rocking, or some skin to skin — before trying to feed them. A calm baby will accept a feed much more easily than a distressed one.
Common questions
Is crying a feeding cue?
Yes, but it's the last one. By the time a baby cries they are already very hungry, and latching is harder. Look for the earlier signs instead.
What are early feeding cues?
Opening the mouth, lip smacking, turning the head side to side, and bringing hands to the mouth — usually as soon as the baby wakes.
Can you overfeed a breastfed baby?
No. At the breast the baby controls how much milk they take. Overfeeding is a bottle-feeding risk, which is why paced feeding matters.
What is responsive feeding?
Feeding in response to the baby's cues rather than to a schedule or restriction.
Train to support families with feeding
Babyem's accredited courses cover responsive feeding, paced bottle feeding and how to recognise when something isn't right.