Cries Before Feed

[Jenifer]

My 8 week old daughter cries to be fed.  She used to give me hunger cues - like opening her mouth (like a bird) or sucking on her hands - but now she sucks her hands right after a feed so that's no longer a hunger cue in my opinion (I think its that she's finding her hands).

So, now she just cries.  And I can be in position, her in the feed position, breast out and she'll keep crying!  At what point will she see that its coming and calm down?  Is she too young to make this correlation?  Or is she just a demanding little girl?   

Any tips on how to get her to be a little calmer before a feed?

After her feed she's all smiles .. 
 

[RachelC]

Jenifer, Do you have her on EASY?  How often do you feed?  You might be missing her cues and then she's crying b/c she's really hungry.  Glad to hear that she is all smiles after!

[nattymarsh]

My DD went through this too at about 8 weeks.  Come to find out she was having a growth spurt and was just hungry. It only lasted about one week (or less) and then she went back to being a pretty patient little girl.  My doctor told me that once babies start putting on weight and chub up a little bit they are less frantic for food and so far she was right!

[Jenifer]

Rachel,

Yes, she's on EASY.  She feeds every 3 hours most of the time (sometimes 2.5+ hours).

I don't know how I could miss her cues .. she sleeps and then gets up to feed.  I try to talk to her for a minute (to transition her to be awake) but she starts crying.  Even if she's in position and SECONDS away from food she's crying.   

[RachelC]

Jenifer,
Sounds like you are doing just fine.  We went through a time like that as well and it calmes down after a while and then resurfaced when we started solids... like the food couldn't come fast enough.  As long as she eats well and is happy after, I wouldn't worry.  She might just be really enthusiatic about her milk