Understanding your baby's cues to foster bonding and responsive care.
Understanding how your baby communicates is essential in building a strong bond and meeting their needs effectively. From cries to coos, gestures to eye contact, being attuned to your baby's unique signals fosters responsive and nurturing care.
Mothers and babies interact with each other in many ways, using a variety of communications: vocal, visual and tactile. Every mother who has breastfed their baby knows that feeding at the breast is the prime time for her baby to communicate and express their needs. These early interactions and attachments are the foundation for trust and bonding between the mother, caregiver and the baby.
During the first 3 months infants begin to use their body and voice to communicate with everyone around – they begin to smile, make new sounds and grasp objects. But before you see the first smile of your little one, he or she will start to show simple cues to communicate their needs to you or other caregivers. Below we will discuss and list disengagement, hunger and satiety cues, as well as cues that communicate your baby’s desire to interact or play.
The following are early hunger cues that your baby may demonstrate:
Rooting
Sticking their tongue out
Licking their lips
Clenching their fingers and fists
Flexing their arms and legs
Turning head from side to side
Crying is considered a late hunger cue.
However, infants can also cry for many reasons such as: having a dirty diaper, feeling uncomfortable, being too hot or too cold, if they need to be burped or simply need a change of environment because they are overstimulated. If parents can respond effectively and in a timely manner to infant cues, crying can be minimized, thereby reducing parental stress.
Healthy infants who are full, may show the following satiety cues:
Slow decrease in sucking motion
Falling asleep at the breast with fists open
Pulling away or letting go of the breast
Falling asleep and having a very relaxed body
Extending their arms and legs
It should be noted that if these cues are seen early during the feeding, infant is not gaining weight well or has jaundice - further evaluation by an IBCLC is needed to ensure the milk transfer is happening.
Cues that indicate that your baby may need some quiet time or a break from stimulation or environment are called disengagement cues. Infants show these cues by:
Grimacing
Stiff hands and arms
Yawning
Crying
Pushing away
Turning or arching
Alternatively, if your infant is ready to play or interact with you, he or she will have:
A relaxed face
Smiling face
Smooth body movements
Following objects or voices with their eyes
Display early hunger cues.
It will take some time to recognize what your baby needs, however as your get to know your little one better each day, you will learn to identify even the smallest cues and instinctively will respond with appropriate actions. Remember that it’s new for you and your baby, but with some patience and time you will find a natural rhythm of communication within your new family structure.
If you're not sure about your baby's signals or need help understanding them as you learn more about your baby, we're here to help you! Reach out for support until you feel confident in your parenting journey.
