At a glance
Understanding your child’s signs of hunger and fullness is important to help you know when and how often to feed your child.
What to know
Even before your child can talk, they will show signs of hunger or fullness by using sounds and movements. Crying is often a late sign of hunger. Look for other signs of hunger listed below. That way, you can put your child to the breast or bottle while they are still calm. As your child gets older, they will develop new signs for hunger and fullness.
Signs of hunger and fullness in children, from newborn to 5 months and from 6 to 23 months, are listed below.
Birth to 5 months old
Signs your child may be hungry
- Puts their hands to their mouth.
- Turns their head toward your breast or the bottle.
- Puckers, smacks, or licks lips.
- Has clenched hands.
Signs your child may be full
- Close their mouth.
- Turn their head away from your breast or the bottle.
- Relax their hands.
Watch this video from the American Academy of Pediatrics to learn more about recognizing hunger and fullness cues in your baby.
6 to 23 months old
Your child may be hungry if they:
- Reach for or point to food.
- Open their mouth when offered a spoon or food.
- Get excited when they see food.
- Use hand motions or make sounds to let you know they are still hungry.
Your child 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 make sounds to let you know they are full.
Let your child decide how much they want. Your child does not need to finish a bottle or all of the food in the jar or on the plate. Food is not a good reward or punishment.
Talk to your child's doctor or nurse if you are concerned about how much or how little they are eating.