Babies may not be able to talk, but they can still communicate and make demands!
As you spend time with your baby; keeping them close to you – you will learn their signs or their ‘cues’ that they are hungry. You don’t need to wait until your baby is crying as this will be stressful for you both. It is much easier to feed babies while they are calm and showing the first signs of hunger.
Feed them as often and for as long as they want. It’s all about getting used to feeding and allowing your body to establish a good milk supply and don’t worry, you cannot overfeed breastfed babies in these first few days and weeks. It’s a good thing if they are enjoying their milk!
They will get into a feeding pattern as the months go on. This will make it easier to judge when they need to be fed, which will help you plan your days better.
This short video from Best beginnings shows how your baby might let you know they are hungry and ready for a feed.
Early days
- Feeding your baby responsively
- Breastfeeding after a c-section
- If your baby arrives early or unwell
- How do I get my baby attached and feeding effectively?
- How can I tell if it's going well
- Bottle feeding and other ways to feed your baby
- What can partners or others do to help (instead of giving a bottle)
- Why am I finding it painful?