What do all those baby movements mean? Are they hungry, tired, cold? Feeding cues for newborns are easy to spot when you know what to look for!
Feeding your baby on cue is important in maintaining your milk supply. This is especially true in the early days of nursing while your milk supply is building in the first 4-6 weeks of life.
Knowing how to tell when your baby is cueing to eat can sometimes be tricky. Here are the feeding cues to look for. For newborns my general guidance is if they are awake - they are hungry!
Early Cues "I'm hungry"- stirring, mouth opening, turning head to side, rooting
Mid-cues "I'm really hungry" - stretching, hand to mouth, increased physical movement
Late-cues "Calm me first, then feed me"- crying, agitated body movements, hand to mouth
Ways to calm your baby before feeding - skin to skin, talking/singing, cuddling, stroking
Need more help? Book a visit with Wisco Lactation! We offer home & office visit in SE Wisconsin and NE Illinois. We also offer virtual visits worldwide.