Babies have ways of telling us when they are hungry and when they are full. This can involve:
- Recognising when baby is hungry.
- Feeding baby when they show us they are hungry.
- Recognising when baby is full.
- Stopping feeding when baby shows us they are full.
Babies' signs for hunger and fullness at different stages will be discussed further as we work through this resource.
You can responsively feed your baby whether you breast, bottle or combined/mixed feed. Caregivers can also offer complementary foods using a responsive approach.
Babies quickly learn how to adapt their responses to feeding to stay in tune with their main caregivers. By noticing and responding to your babies' hunger and fullness signs you can learn from your baby and your baby can learn from you through practice. There may be times when another adult needs to care for your baby. Grandparents and other family members can also learn how to recognise babies' hunger and fullness signs.
There may be special circumstances under which your healthcare professional may advise you not responsively feed. For example, feeding a preterm or ill baby.
