Hunger Cues: 5 signs your baby is hungry

It’s a scene that we’ve watched play out in film, novels and pop culture: A baby cries, and the mother instinctively reacts. “She’s hungry,” she may say, and her baby easily settles down when feeding starts.

The idea that babies use crying to communicate hunger is one of the most widespread misconceptions today about infant feeding. It’s highly prevalent among new and experienced parents, and even perpetuated by some well-meaning but uninformed medical professionals.

In fact, babies do not cry when they start to get hungry; they cry when they are very hungry and distressed. A crying baby probably showed earlier, more subtle signs of hunger before she started to cry. And once a baby starts crying, it can be much more difficult to help them settle down, let alone initiate a positive feeding experience.

What is a hunger cue in babies?

Infants have a shared, non-verbal language for communicating their needs. From sucking their hands to making certain sounds, your baby’s movements and gurgles are often more than random, cute behaviors. They are part of a sophisticated system of signals telling caregivers what they need and when.

That’s why we call them cues. We all experience hunger cues that help us detect and address hunger before it impacts our mood and concentration – the so-called “hangry” phase. As children and adults, our bodies send us signs that we are hungry every day: Stomach rumbling, mouthwatering or low energy. If we miss these cues, we may feel shaky, lose focus, develop headaches or become irritable.

It’s the same with babies. When an infant is calm, they tend to latch onto their mother’s breast or take a bottle more easily. That’s why parents who learn to identify their baby’s more subtle, early hunger cues may experience more successful feedings overall: They tend to get started when their baby is most content and ready.

For babies, crying is what experts call a “late hunger cue.” ­In other words, your baby has become stressed and hangry.

Top 5 early infant hunger cues

Lucky for us, babies share a common language. These non-verbal cues are reliable signals that your baby wants to feed soon:

• Sucking: Your baby may start sucking on hands or actively sucking on a pacifier.
• Hands to Mouth: Your baby may bring a hand or fist to his mouth.
• Alertness: A baby who is ready to feed may appear more alert or active, as opposed to sleepy or relaxed. Their eyes will be open.
• Tongue/Mouth Movements: Your baby may smack or open his lips or move his tongue. Some babies may make an mmmmm sound.
• Turning to Breast or Bottle: Often called “rooting,” this refers to a baby instinctively turning her head to find her mother’s breast or a bottle. A baby may root on any object near the mouth, such as an arm, finger, etc.

Fussing, squirming, agitated movements and ultimately crying are all late-stage hunger cues. If your baby has any difficulty with feeding, then waiting until this stage can make it very difficult to calm your baby enough to initiate feeding.

While not every baby will feed with the same frequency, it’s a good idea to look out for early hunger cues about every 2-3 hours during the newborn phase (0 to 3 months). When you first start to notice the tell-tale signs, it’s a good idea to make your bottle or begin prep for your breastfeeding routine.

Want to learn more about what a successful feeding routine should look like? Browse our tips for How to Establish a Successful Bottle Feeding Routine.

Signs your baby is not hungry

Just like hunger cues, your baby also signals when they are not ready to feed, unhappy with feeding or done with feeding. Read more about Infant Stress Cues & Signs that Feeding is Not Going Well.

Share