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CRIB - Caregivers' Responsive Infant Feeding Behaviours.

3. How to responsively feed

What are the potential signs?

Babies show different hunger and fullness signs at different stages e.g. at the new-born stage your baby might put their hands and fingers to their mouth when they are hungry or as they get older they may point to their food or a cupboard or the fridge. Some signs you can see and some signs you can hear.

When to respond?

  • Sometimes you can respond to the early signs and sometimes you might find yourself in situations where you can only respond to the much later signs like crying and distress.
  • It can be helpful to watch what happens between the early and late signs.
  • Sometimes babies will become distressed quite quickly and other times you may see them trying to soothe themselves e.g. sucking on their hands.
  • Try to soothe and calm your baby before feeding if they are distressed with a cuddle or skin to skin.

In our busy lives it is difficult to always respond to baby's signs in the moment. The important thing is that you learn more about baby's hunger and fullness signs and respond in the moment some of the time. This should get easier with practice.

We are sure you will be familiar with many of these signs but there may be some that are new to you. How about you give it a go yourself by looking for your baby's signs and responding to them?

If you have any concerns about your baby’s health or baby not feeding or responding as usual, then you should contact your midwife, health visitor or GP.

Some of the signs your baby might show when they are hungry and full.

Hunger Signs

Example hunger signs

Younger babies may show these signs:

  • Stirring
  • Rustling in cot
  • Putting hands and fingers to mouth
  • or turning towards food source (breast or bottle)
  • Mouth opening
  • Stretching
  • Increased physical movement
  • Sucking
  • Making distinct noises such as urgh noise
  • Rubbing eyes or face
  • Waking up
  • Making sucking noises
  • Crying
  • Agitated body movements
  • Colour changes (turning red)

Older babies may show these signs:

  • Taking food
  • Pointing at food or where food is kept such as a cupboard or fridge
  • Sticking tongue out for solids

Fullness Signs

Example fullness signs

Younger babies may show these cues:

  • Milk dribbling from sides of mouth
  • Splaying fingers and or toes
  • Spitting milk out
  • Looking around
  • Releases breast/ Taking themselves off breast or coming off themselves
  • Falling asleep
  • Pushing bottle away
  • Turning head away from nipple or bottle
  • Having a hard stomach
  • Looking “milk drunk”
  • Opens fists
  • Relaxes body
  • Closes mouth when offered food
  • Makes hand motions or makes sounds to let you know he or she is full

Older babies may show these cues:

  • Throwing food
  • Playing
  • Putting food back on plate
  • Dropping food on floor
  • Trying to climb out of highchair
  • Food falling out of mouth
  • Taking or throwing bottle away
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