https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 04:52:49 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-hunger-cues-in-first-two-weeks-and-waking-sleepy-baby#post-555763 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 22:33:05 +0000 sera_87 555763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Rooting, panting, bringing fingers to mouth, finally crying. I also nursed him immediately before and after sleeping. </p> <p>Have you used your voice? Put your face really close to his and speak - it always worked with LO to calm him down. A nurse told me my voice was my biggest weapon I had. </p> <p>For getting LO to eat I take my finger and stroke along the jaw. It stimulates them to continue suckling. </p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-hunger-cues-in-first-two-weeks-and-waking-sleepy-baby#post-555721 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 22:17:22 +0000 tororojo 555721@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In our breastfeeding class, they suggested putting some expressed milk on a spoon or on your nipple and giving LO a taste, which supposedly will wake him up/make him more alert and make him want to feed...I don't think that would work if he's totally asleep though. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-hunger-cues-in-first-two-weeks-and-waking-sleepy-baby#post-555667 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:56:23 +0000 hilsy85 555667@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For our LO it was rooting and opening and closing his mouth...he would also make small mewling noises. As for keeping them awake, the cool washcloth/ice cube are good ideas! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-hunger-cues-in-first-two-weeks-and-waking-sleepy-baby#post-555607 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:33:02 +0000 junebugmama 555607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My guy was a psycho if I let him go for to long, so I just woke him every 2 hours in the beginning. However, when he slept it was so hard to keep him up to eat. This sounds awful, but I wrapped an ice cube in a paper towel and rubbed it across his forehead. He was tongue tied and not gaining weight, so I really needed him to eat and not be sleepy at the breast</p> <p>Here's a visual:</p> <p>[attach=1372/13/mhvr33.463x600.775219_480980605292279_566776601_o.jpg] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-hunger-cues-in-first-two-weeks-and-waking-sleepy-baby#post-555588 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:26:49 +0000 SleepyMonkey 555588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't watch LO's cues that closely. I think the main ones were her rooting and making these panting noises. But she would do those pretty obviously before she would start crying. Maybe your LO doesn't have obvious cues? In that case I would watch the clock rather than the cues. </p> <p>For keeping them awake, we did the blowing on the face and tickling of the feet and cold hands on the tummy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-hunger-cues-in-first-two-weeks-and-waking-sleepy-baby#post-555568 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:20:55 +0000 mrskc 555568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think you need to watch like a hawk. You don't notice if he starts rooting? At night I would just wake up the moment he started stirring. The first couple of weeks are hard because they're so sleepy. I would have to tickle his cheek to wake him up to eat. It gets easier! Sounds like you're doing a great job. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-hunger-cues-in-first-two-weeks-and-waking-sleepy-baby#post-555548 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:15:35 +0000 birdofafeather 555548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i had to pump LO's arm like a gas station pump to get her to keep eating. along with disrobing, stroking feet, arms, talking to her, etc. i didn't watch her specifically for cues, but if i was holding her and she was rooting, i fed her. i felt like the only times she woke up were because her diaper was wet and she was hungry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-hunger-cues-in-first-two-weeks-and-waking-sleepy-baby#post-555538 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:12:29 +0000 rachiecakes 555538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS's visual cues were he'd purse his lips, he'd start going for his hand or moving his chin all around.<br /> I put a timer on my cellphone to wake him every 2/3 hours as instructed by the nurses &amp; LC. To wake him up I'd brush his face lightly, stroke his cheek, chin, mouth. Tickle his feet. </p> <p>Breastfeeding was so, so hard in the beginning. I'd had this fantasy that it would just fall beautifully into place and it didn't. Not at first. I was frustrated and exhausted. And it's something that no one can reeeally help you with, since it's coming from your body. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-hunger-cues-in-first-two-weeks-and-waking-sleepy-baby#post-555419 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:38:04 +0000 eeh 555419@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never watched my baby for visual cues. Of course I would notice them when she was awake but I never watched specifically for them. My philosophy is that the baby will let you know when he/she is hungry. </p> <p>We not woke our daughter to eat for the first few days but sometimes we had to strip her all the way down and give her a bath to wake her up. We also put cold wash clothes on her feet or would gently thump the bottom of her feet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reading-hunger-cues-in-first-two-weeks-and-waking-sleepy-baby#post-555404 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:34:19 +0000 ladyfingers 555404@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm currently obsessed with breastfeeding because I've found it very difficult and I'm trying to learn as much about the mechanics, tips, tricks, etc to maximize our bf'ing relationship so I keep it up. I'm struggling to understand something re: hunger cues.</p> <p>So I keep hearing, in the first two weeks, to feed every 2 hours at most with a max 4-hour stretch once per night. That you'll probably need to wake them up after 2 hours, but once they get older, they'll let you know they're hungry on their own schedule. That all makes sense. I also keep hearing, "watch the baby, not the clock." Which makes sense because we have had a lot of issues with getting him latched properly (engorgement, small nipples combined with large breasts) that is compounded when he's ravenous. Once he starts crying it takes 3 times as long for him to latch. </p> <p>But my question is: We have him nap in his pack n play in the living room. Unless we have our eyes on him constantly, we won't always see his visual hunger cues, and will only catch if he fusses audibly -- or when he wakes and starts crying, at which point I know I'm in for a nightmare of a feed. So how do you know your baby is hungry and catch it in time if you're not constantly watching them like a hawk? Or do you just pretty much watch them like a hawk (makes sleeping when the baby sleeps a bit difficult ;))?</p> <p>Another, related question: What are your tricks for waking a sleepy baby? I've tried disrobing him, changing his diaper, sitting him up and laying him down in my lap, tickling, waiting for REM sleep, turning off lights... sometimes they work, but sometimes nothing wakes him and then by the time I am finally able to rouse him sometimes 3+ hours have passed and then he's like a raving lunatic clawing at my boob. </p> <p>Look forward to many more bf'ing questions and vents to come... ;) </p>