Responsive feeding is giving your baby a feed when they show you signs they’re hungry and stopping when they show you they’re full. This makes your baby feel safe and cared for, supporting a close and loving bond between you and helping their brain to grow.

Breastfeeding your baby meets their needs for comfort and nutrition all in one and has many benefits for mother and child but this isn’t always an option for every family.

If you can’t or choose not to breastfeed, and bottle-feed with formula or expressed breastmilk, you can still follow your child’s needs and nurture them with affection through responsive feeding. This will help them to grow in a way that’s healthy for them.

Feeding your newborn

It’s normal for your newborn to want to feed frequently. 

Newborn stomachs are very small, only the size of a marble and then only increase in size slowly, so a baby can get full quickly. They need to feed little and often. This isn’t a sign you don’t have enough breastmilk for your baby, giving them formula will reduce your own milk supply.

If bottle-fed babies take more than they need, their stomachs can be overstretched and may become bigger than they might have been, leading them to need more milk to feel full.

Your baby will show you signs they are hungry before they start to cry.

• sticking out their tongue
• smacking their lips
• sucking on their fists
• turning their head to find milk.

 

Crying doesn't always mean a baby is hungry and needs a feed. Feeding a bottle-fed baby every time they cry can lead to overfeeding. Holding your baby or wearing them in a sling can help comfort your baby if they aren't showing any other hunger cues. Visit our baby behaviour and how to cope with crying for more support.

You cannot overfeed a breastfed baby, so you can feed your baby at the breast anytime, for your or their comfort.

How to bottle-feed responsively

When you bottle-feed make sure you hold your baby fairly upright, with their head supported - so they can breathe and swallow comfortably. Babies shouldn’t be flat on their backs or left alone with a propped-up bottle when they are being fed, as they can choke.

Hold the bottle flat with a slight tilt so they’re not overwhelmed with the flow. Start by stroking your baby’s top lip so they open their mouth and draw the teat in. Let them take the lead.

Babies feed in bursts of sucking with short pauses to rest. When your baby slows down, lower the bottle slightly to stop the milk flowing, let your baby pause and decide if they want to draw it in again.

Giving your baby a break allows them to register how full they are and how much more they need – helping them to control how much they take.

Talk to your baby gently and look into their eyes. This helps them to feel safe and loved. In the early weeks, to help your baby feel more secure, keep feeding as a special time between you and your baby.

As your baby starts to feel full you might notice they:

• push out the teat or don’t pull it back into their mouth
• start dribbling milk
• turn their head or push the bottle away
• fall asleep.

Once you think your baby has had enough, take the bottle away. Don’t force your baby to finish a bottle however tempting it is to have that last bit of milk gone. Just like us, babies have different appetites and needs, so sometimes their feeds are longer and sometimes they are shorter.

Babies who are encouraged to keep feeding find it harder to regulate how much they eat and may gain weight too quickly as they grow. Responding to your baby and helping them take in as much milk as they need helps them grow in the way that’s right for them.

It’s difficult to overfeed a breastfed baby because they have to actively suck to get milk. You can breastfeed anytime for yours or your baby’s comfort.

There is support available however you want to feed your baby including help to restart breastfeeding or to express breastmilk. Speak to your midwife or health visitor for more information.

Deciding how to feed your baby is a personal choice. The Health Visiting Team will support you to build a close and loving bond with your newborn.

Visit our 'Feeding your baby' page for more information on local support.

Responsive feeding from six months

From six months, you can introduce solid food alongside your baby’s usual milk feeds. At this age, most babies can sit up unaided, pick up food, put it in their mouth and swallow it rather than pushing it out again with their tongue. Remember your baby’s tummy is tiny and fills up quickly, so offer milk feeds after food.

How much your baby takes is less important than getting them used to the idea of eating, alongside all the new tastes and textures they’ll experience. Start with small amounts as most of their calories and nutrients will still come from breast or first-stage formula milk.

Your baby has a small tummy that fills up quickly so start with small portions and offer more if they're still hungry. Allowing your child to feed themselves as soon as they are able, will allow them to eat at their own pace. The amount your baby eats depends on their appetite, which can vary from day-to-day. Some days your baby might be more interested in milk feeds and some days solid foods.

Signs an older baby is full:

• closing their mouth
• turning head away or pushing food away.

Visit our 'Introducing solid foods' page for more information starting your baby on solid foods.