https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:34:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-173358 Wed, 30 May 2012 11:01:40 +0000 heffalump 173358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmmm.... I guess when my LO wakes up in the middle of the night I give her a bottle to sooth her and get her back to sleep even though I know it can't be hunger. But she rarely wakes up so it's not a big issue for us. </p> <p>Hope you find a solution so you can get some sleep! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-173075 Wed, 30 May 2012 09:00:25 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 173075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Thehistoryofus: What is reverse cycling? </p> <p>She's eating well at daycare (3 or 4 4oz bottles), and then she usually scarfs down another 5 oz right before she goes to bed. </p> <p>I can tell as soon as I put her on the boob if she's hungry or just soothing herself, but I'm trying to figure it out before I offer it to her. And I've noticed that she's not always hungry at the same time of the night... sometimes it's the first feeding when she's really hungry, sometimes it's the last one. If I try to soothe her first (by rocking or offering the paci), it seems to only make her mad. </p> <p>I think I might try sending in my husband first, like @Sammyfab: said and see if she responds to that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-173050 Wed, 30 May 2012 08:35:12 +0000 MsMamaBear 173050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No idea! I just offer her bottle and if she pushes it away, sometimes to the point of knocking it out of my hands LOL she's not hungry! She only wakes up once, so it's hard to figure out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-173009 Wed, 30 May 2012 08:05:59 +0000 Sammyfab 173009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We tried using the soother for a few weeks but it caused more nightwakings because he'd wake and we'd have to put it back in. It would definitely tie LO over for longer (a few hours) but it sucked to be woken every hour!</p> <p>Now I can definitely tell with his cries. If he is just waking for the heck of it then it's a sobbing cry. If he is hungry it's a shrill shrieking cry that makes me want to poke my eyes out! I will also send DH in first and if LO is trying to eat his shoulder then he's hungry :). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-172917 Wed, 30 May 2012 01:44:47 +0000 loveisstrange 172917@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always try soothing first. Miss C has a very distinct, piercing hunger cry and even before she cries, she spazzes out when she's hungry so I can usually tell. My chubby girl makes hunger known pretty well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-172699 Tue, 29 May 2012 19:09:14 +0000 mrs. wagon 172699@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Once we got the ok from the pediatrician (around 3-4 months) that he was doing ok in terms of weight and didn't nutritionally need night feedings anymore, we gave him a pacifier instead of his one night feeding and he would fall back asleep. He was super soothed by sucking in general so we knew he was ready. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-172684 Tue, 29 May 2012 18:58:41 +0000 chopsuey 172684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I still have no idea during the middle of the night!<br /> I usually feed her when she first wakes up (usually 5-7 hours of straight sleep). Then if she wakes up again I won't feed her.<br /> My pediatrician says she shouldn't have to eat in the middle of the night now that she's older.. :T Trying to drop night feedings before the baby arrives! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-172666 Tue, 29 May 2012 18:46:54 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 172666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Agree it may be reverse cycling... And that the sucks feel different. If LO just sucks for a few seconds, very shallow and irregular, then I pop him off and try to soothe another way :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-172664 Tue, 29 May 2012 18:43:53 +0000 T.H.O.U. 172664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It sounds like it could be reverse cycling where they don't or aren't taking enough at daycare so they want to nurse more at night. It could be because they are hungry or because they want to cuddle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-172657 Tue, 29 May 2012 18:32:28 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 172657@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I soothe first and if that doesn't work, then I feed. Also M has a very distinct (and shrill) hunger cry. When she makes that noise there's no mistaking it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-172645 Tue, 29 May 2012 18:21:32 +0000 Mrs. Superhero 172645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We use a soother, and if she's hungry she will spit it out and I nurse her :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-172598 Tue, 29 May 2012 17:32:26 +0000 banana 172598@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The sucking felt a little different to me. When my son was hungry, he would be taking longer, harder sucks but when he was soothing, he would suck a little bit and just kind of just play with the nipple and repeat. It was hard to tell in the beginning but I think I figured it out pretty fast just based on how he was sucking. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-172579 Tue, 29 May 2012 17:19:52 +0000 Mrs. Pen 172579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Bumping cause I'm curious too. LO will wake four times a night and I know he's not hungry that often!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-172574 Tue, 29 May 2012 17:17:51 +0000 MegWag 172574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good question! No answers, but curious to see what others say. LO is nearly 3 mos and seems to be hungry when he does wake. I feel like until he hits a higher weight (He was 10 lbs 6 oz last Thurs), it's important to feed him when he shows signs of hunger, but I don't want to reinforce wakings/feedings that aren't necessary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-know-the-difference-between-your-baby-waking-from-hunger-vs-needing-to-be-soothed#post-172558 Tue, 29 May 2012 17:12:55 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 172558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO (4 months) used to sleep 8-10 hours per night, and it was WONDERFUL! But ever since she went to daycare, she's been getting up every 2-3 hours... sometimes 5. Also, since she's been there, she's had one cold after another, so I'm pretty sure that doesn't help her sleep. </p> <p>Now that she's healthy again, I'm trying to figure out if she's actually hungry or if she just wants me to soothe her back to sleep. </p> <p>How did you figure out the difference? </p>