Scheduled feedings as indicated by your pediatrician are best for premature babies or babies having any kind of medical issues. For full-term healthy babies, check for hunger cues instead of following the clock. This type of feeding is called “on-demand feeding” or “responsive feeding”.
When a newborn is hungry, they often cry. However, it’s ideal to keep an eye out for hunger cues before the baby starts wailing, as this is a late sign of hunger that makes it difficult for them to settle down and eat their fill. Here are some hunger cues to look for:
– Licking lips
– Sticking tongue out
– Rooting (moving jaw, mouth, or head in quest of the breast)
– Putting a hand to mouth repeatedly
– Opening mouth
– Fussiness
It’s crucial to remember that your baby’s cries and cues aren’t always due to hunger. Sucking is done by babies for a variety of reasons, including hunger and comfort; parents may find it difficult to distinguish between the two at first. It’s also possible that your infant may not be actually hungry and simply require a snuggle or a diaper change on occasion.