As a mother, understanding if a baby is hungry through coos and cries might be a challenge. However, with practice, you can start to detect a child’s call for hunger, as well as fullness.
As kids are unable to speak coherently, there are certain signs that you can follow to understand their appetite.
And these would be:
Till 6 months of age
If your child is hungry, they shall:
- Lick their lips or pucker them while cooing,
- Put their hands or just fingers inside their mouth.
- Lean their head forward to your breast or towards the bottle you are holding.
- Ball their tiny palms up.
If your child is full, they shall:
- Their hands relax down and un-balls.
- They stop cooing and close their mouth.
- They turn their heads away from the milk.
Till 12 Months of Age:
If your child is hungry, they shall:
- They reach their hands out when they can see the food.
- A child’s happiness is in their eyes and mouth as they smile and laugh at the sight of food.
- They learn certain sounds and small incorrigible words that indicate that they are hungry.
If your child is full, they shall:
- They become more eager to sleep.
- A full child shall become fussy if not allowed to fall asleep after their meals.
- They will look away from the food and spoons that have food.
- They throw tantrums if told to eat more and can start crying.
Till 2 Years of Age:
If your child is hungry, they shall:
- They are excited to see food and smiles.
- Additionally, they point at the food when excited.
- They also wave their hand to show if still hunger.
- Their mouth opens when they see food on a spoon.
If your child is full, they shall:
- They might rub their tummy or make other hand motions to show that they are full.
- These children also push their food away using their hands.
- They can also shut their mouth and refuse to open it for more spoonfuls.
- Their heads turn away from the sight of food.
Understanding if your baby is hungry or not can be a big fuss, but with practice, you can start detecting their languages quicker!
