Hunger is a common reason why a baby cries. However, many parents do not understand as know if the baby is hungry.
If you want to know more about as know if the baby is hungry, Continue reading this article we prepared.
How do you know if your baby is hungry?
Communication with your baby is non-verbal. Your child needs you to understand his signals. This works best if you watch your baby and react before he starts crying.
Of course, every baby is different, but many of the signs of hunger can be found in all children. This type of communication is given to your baby so that he can make himself understood. That includes:
- Your baby moves his head to the side: this is how he looks for the food source. If it is close to the breast, it will smell the milk and try to reach it.
- Your baby closes his hands into fists
- Your baby keeps pushing out his tongue
- Your baby makes clicking noises
- Your baby makes laughing noises
- Your baby is anxiously kicking his legs and arms
- Your baby puts his fist or fingers in his mouth and sucks on them
If your baby starts crying from hunger, you have already ignored the other signs. Babies use crying as a late signal of hunger. It's best not to let it get that far.
You can avoid this, for example, by offering your baby the breast repeatedly or preparing a bottle at the first signs of hunger.
The need for food intake in breastfeeding babies
If you are breastfeeding, you may have noticed that your baby does not have a fixed schedule. One day the baby wants it every hour, other days he only needs the breast every few hours. This is quite normal and also depends on your baby's stage.
If your baby is healthy and born on the right day, 8 to 12 breastfeeding meals within 24 hours is normal and sufficient.
There is no clear scheme that can or should be followed. Sometimes babies want the breast more often and then take a longer break.
Recognize the signs of saturation
An issue that many parents have doubts about is the baby's saturation, that is, how to know when he is satisfied with the portion of milk he receives.
Obviously, here you cannot see how much the baby has already taken from your breast and therefore, there is no way to estimate an amount. Therefore, recognizing the signs your baby gives is essential.
In fact, saturation signals are a special help to recognize that your baby is full after a meal. This includes the following points:
- Your baby relaxes: While clenching hands into fists is one of the most common signs of hunger, relaxed hands and legs indicate that your baby is feeling full.
- Drink slowly: if the baby is slowing down and even letting the breast drop, he may already be full.
- Your baby falls asleep: Baby sleeps very well with a full tummy. If your baby falls asleep at the breast or bottle, this indicates a feeling of fullness.
- Your breast is lighter: it may be trivial, but the feeling of a lighter breast certainly indicates that the baby has already had enough milk.
