Hunger cues

Hunger cues, also known as feeding cues, are how your baby shows you they are hungry.

As your baby grows, their feeding needs and patterns will change. Rather than following a feeding schedule, responding to your baby's hunger cues can help you make sure they are getting enough milk.

Hunger cues are the same regardless of whether your baby is breastfed or bottle-fed.

Learn more about feeding your baby.

Your baby's hunger cues may vary depending on:

• how old they are
• how hungry they are
• their own feeding patterns

Early hunger cues are signals that your baby is ready to feed. These may include your baby:

• opening their mouth
• moving their tongue
• becoming more alert and restless
• rapidly moving their eyes
• bringing their hands to their mouth
• showing the rooting reflex (turning their head and opening their mouth when the side of their mouth is touched)
• making jerky movements with their arms or legs

How long your baby feeds will vary. Usually, a feed will take 20 to 30 minutes, but it may take up to 1 hour. A feed may take longer if your baby is:

• not attached (latched) correctly
• a newborn, and needs encouragement to feed
• tired
• restless

As your baby grows, they may take less time to feed. It's best to let your baby feed for as long as they need, rather than stopping after a set time.

When your baby is full, they may respond by:

• turning their head away
• spitting out the milk
• becoming unsettled
• clamping their mouth shut

Babies are usually good at knowing how much milk they need. If your baby is showing signs that they are full, you do not need to encourage them to keep feeding.

If your baby is crying, this may be a late hunger cue. It's best to settle your baby before trying to feed them. This is because, when your baby is crying:

• their tongue is raised, making it harder to attach to your breast
• they are more likely to be unsettled and refuse to feed

Once your baby is calm, you can encourage them to feed by:

• having skin-to-skin contact
• holding them to your breast
• hand expressing a small amount of milk onto their lips
• gently stroking their mouth to trigger the sucking reflex

Your baby may not always be crying due to hunger. Your baby may cry for other reasons, including if they:

• are tired
• need to burp
• are being fed too fast or too slowly
• are sick
• are uncomfortable

Every baby is different. Trust your instincts and respond to your baby's crying in a way that feels right for you both.

If your baby is crying more than usual or you are concerned about your baby, see your midwife or doctor.

To help know if your baby is getting enough milk, you can monitor your baby's:

• growth
• urine (wee)
• stool (poo)
• overall wellbeing

Growth

Growth is a sign your baby is getting enough milk. Your baby is probably getting enough milk if they are:

• gaining weight — about 150 grams (g) per week in the first 3 months
• growing in height
• outgrowing their clothes

Read more about how your baby gains weight and slow weight gain in babies.

Urine and stool

Your baby's urine (wee) and stool (poo) can help you know if they are getting enough milk:

• Your baby's wee should be clear or pale. Your baby should have at least 5 wet nappies every day.
• Your baby's poo should be soft and yellow or brown in colour. Before 6 to 8 weeks of age, most babies will have 3 or more stools each day. After 8 weeks of age, some babies will have less frequent stools — this is normal.

Wellbeing

Your baby is likely getting enough milk if they:

• have healthy skin colour
• are alert when awake
• have periods of calm between feeds

Every baby is different. If you think your baby is not getting enough milk, talk with your midwife or doctor.

If you are worried your baby isn't getting enough milk, here are some ways to encourage your baby to feed more:

• Offer more breastfeeds. Most babies will feed between 8 and 14 times each day, but some babies need more frequent feeds.
• Feed your baby based on their needs rather than following set times. Some feeds may need to be closer together, so look for early hunger cues.
• Breastfeed to soothe your baby instead of using comforts such as a dummy.
• Feed from both breasts. Let your baby finish the first breast before switching. They may be ready to swap sides when their sucking slows, or they come off the breast by themselves.
• Check your baby's attachment when breastfeeding. Make sure your baby's attachment feels comfortable and you can see or hear sucking and swallowing.

You may find it helpful to hand express milk. This can increase your milk production and provide extra milk for your baby. If you choose to hand express milk, you can:

• finish each breastfeed with a few minutes of hand expressing to help remove more milk
• express both breasts at the same time or express one breast while you breastfeed from the other

As your supply of breastmilk increases, you may be able to stop expressing and just breastfeed.

If you are still worried that your baby is not getting enough milk or you are not producing enough milk, see your:

• child health nurse
• lactation consultant
• doctor

Read more about expressing and storing breastmilk.

To find a lactation consultant in your area, visit the Lactation Consultants of Australia and New Zealand page.

The Australian Breastfeeding Association offers resources on topics such as:

• feeding cues
• feeding patterns in the early months
• how to know if your baby is getting enough milk
• how to increase your breastmilk supply
• breastfeeding over time
• hand expressing milk

Visit The Sydney Children's Hospital Network for more information on how to know if your baby is hungry.