Caring for newborns often makes many parents confused, especially when they have to understand the baby's needs through behavior and crying. In which, recognizing when the baby is hungry is an important skill, helping to breastfeed the baby at the right time and provide more effective care.
According to Dr. JK Reddy, pediatrician at Apollo Children's Hospital (India), newborns usually need to be breastfed about 8–10 times a day. For full-term babies, the interval between breastfeeding sessions is usually 2–5 hours, while premature babies may need to be breastfed every 2–3 hours. However, instead of applying a rigid schedule, experts encourage parents to breastfeed their children according to actual needs.
It is important to recognize early signs of hunger, because when the baby has cried loudly, breastfeeding will be more difficult. Initial signs are often quite subtle such as opening the mouth, turning around to find the breasts, putting hands in the mouth, sucking fingers, sucking lips or becoming restless. When detecting these signs, parents should breastfeed the baby immediately to avoid prolonged crying.
However, not all baby cries originate from hunger. In fact, babies may be uncomfortable with wet diapers, bloating, drowsiness, or simply wanting to be held.
To determine the cause, parents can let the baby try breastfeeding. If the baby immediately sucks and breastfeeds evenly, it is highly likely that the baby is hungry. Conversely, if the baby does not breastfeed or is still fussy, it is necessary to check other factors such as diapers, sleep or digestion. This observation method helps parents avoid confusion between hunger and other physiological needs, thereby taking care of the child more accurately and effectively.
During development, children have periods of rapid growth, usually falling into the second week, sixth week and about three months old. At these times, babies can breastfeed more often than usual. This is a completely natural phenomenon and not worrying.
According to Dr. JK Reddy, breastfeeding according to needs is the most suitable way in the first months of life. This helps children receive enough nutrition, while increasing the bond between mother and child. When breastfeeding, parents should keep the space quiet, place the baby in the correct position and maintain a comfortable psychology.
However, do not assume that every cry is a sign of hunger. Overfeeding can cause the baby to be bloated, indigestion, and easily uncomfortable. Therefore, observing the baby's behavior and signals plays an important role in proper care.
Parents need to take their children to the doctor when signs appear such as urinating less than normal, slow weight gain, refusing to breastfeed for many hours, repeated vomiting or abnormal lethargy. According to experts, monitoring the number of urinations per day is a simple way to recognize if the child is breastfeeding enough or not.
Each child has different needs and circadian rhythms. Understanding hunger signs correctly will help parents take care of their children more effectively and proactively in the first months of life.
