Hunger and fullness cues

What responsive feeding means

Even before they can talk, babies tell you when they’re hungry and when they’ve had enough, using sounds, faces and movements. Responsive feeding means watching for those signals and responding to them, rather than following a set amount or a clock.

The WHO’s 2023 complementary feeding guideline makes it one of its recommendations for children 6–23 months: feeding that encourages a child to eat on their own and in response to their body’s needs. The WHO describes three steps: your child signals hunger or fullness, you notice and respond in a calm, supportive way, and your child learns what to expect. It says this helps children learn to regulate how much they eat, which protects against both underfeeding and overfeeding.

The AAP puts the same idea simply: your role is to offer healthy food in sensible portions, and your child’s role is to decide how much to eat.

Cues from birth to 5 months

In the milk-only months, the CDC lists these signs that your baby may be hungry:

• putting their hands to their mouth
• turning their head toward the breast or bottle
• puckering, smacking or licking their lips
• clenched hands

And these signs that your baby may be full:

• closing their mouth
• turning their head away from the breast or bottle
• relaxed hands

Crying is often a late sign of hunger, according to the CDC. If you can feed at the earlier signs, your baby will be calmer. The AAP also notes that crying doesn’t always mean hunger: babies cry when they’re tired, uncomfortable, or need a diaper change or burp. And sucking on fingers can be a way of self-soothing, not only a hunger sign.

With a bottle, the AAP suggests watching for your baby slowing down or stopping sucking, getting distracted, or turning their head away. Never prop the bottle up with a pillow or anything else: the AAP says it makes it hard for your baby to spit the bottle out when they’re done, which can make them choke or cause an ear infection, and can lead them to keep drinking after they’re full.

Cues from 6 months, once solids start

As babies grow, their signals change. From about 6 months to 2 years, the CDC says your child may be hungry if they:

• reach for or point to food
• open their mouth when you offer a spoon or food
• get excited when they see food
• use hand motions or sounds to tell you they want more

They may be full if they:

• push food away
• close their mouth when food is offered
• turn their head away from food
• use hand motions or sounds to tell you they’ve had enough

The NHS describes the clearest full signs as firmly closing their mouth or turning their head away.

How to feed responsively

• Wait for the open mouth. If you’re spoon-feeding, the NHS says to wait for your baby to open their mouth before you offer the food. Don’t slip the spoon in when they’re looking away.
• Let them feed themselves too. Finger foods let your baby show you how much they want to eat, the NHS says. Offer some at each meal, and let your baby hold a spoon of their own.
• Go at their pace. Allow plenty of time. The NHS warns that rushing or forcing a baby can lead to feeding problems.
• Stop when they show you they’re done. Don’t coax one more bite. The CDC says your child doesn’t need to finish a bottle, a jar or a plate. The AAP’s advice is simply: don’t overfeed.
• Don’t push when they refuse. If your baby cries or turns away, the AAP says not to make them eat. Try again at another meal.
• Keep food out of rewards and punishments. The CDC says food is not a good reward or punishment.
• Cut the distractions. The NHS suggests not sitting your baby in front of a TV, phone or tablet at meals. It’s much easier to notice cues when you’re both paying attention.
• Pick a good time. The NHS suggests a time when your baby isn’t too tired, and not leaving meals until they’re too hungry.

Funny faces are not “no”

A screwed-up face, a shudder or food pushed out with the tongue often just means “this is new.” The NHS says these faces don’t mean your baby doesn’t like the food: they’re getting used to new flavors and textures. It can take 10 tries or more before a baby accepts a new food.

The difference is in what comes next. A baby who grimaces and then opens their mouth again is still interested. A baby who clamps their mouth shut, turns away or pushes the spoon off is telling you they’re done for now. For more on this, see when your baby refuses food.

Toddlers: appetite goes up and down

Toddlers keep using hunger as their guide, and their appetite can swing a lot. The AAP says a toddler who ate a big breakfast or lunch may not want much for the rest of the day, and that’s fine. Pressuring children to eat, or punishing them for not eating, can make them dislike foods they might otherwise enjoy.

Serve small portions and let your child ask for more. The AAP suggests starting with about 1 tablespoon of each food per year of age. See how much your baby should eat for typical amounts.

When to talk to your doctor

The AAP’s rule of thumb is that a child who is growing well is getting enough to eat. Your pediatrician or health visitor checks growth at routine visits.

Talk to your doctor if you’re worried about how much or how little your child is eating (CDC), or if your baby struggles with feeding, gagging or swallowing, or you’re worried about their weight gain (NHS). In the US, start with your pediatrician.In the UK, your health visitor or GP can help.Your doctor or child health nurse can help.

Where US and UK advice differs

• Snacks before 12 months. The AAP’s sample menu for 8–12 months includes two small snacks a day. The NHS says babies under 12 months don’t need snacks, and suggests offering an extra milk feed if your baby seems hungry between meals.
• The core message is the same. Both, along with the WHO, say to follow your baby’s hunger and fullness cues, never force food, and let your baby decide how much to eat.

Ready to start? Read is my baby ready for solids? and see what to feed at 6 months.