How do I know when my baby is actually hungry?

Most babies will be feeding regularly around the clock at this stage. Some babies may be able to take a 4-5 hour stretch after they reach 2 weeks but they will only do so once in a 24 hour period. After this long stretch they will wake in a regular feeding pattern (every 2-3 hours) for a feed the rest of the night. If it has been 2-3 hours since your baby’s last feeding then it is likely they will need to be fed especially if it is after a longer stretch of 3-5 hours.

Babies will also have growth spurts around 7-10 days, 2-3 weeks and 5-6 weeks. During these growth spurts your baby will want to feed more frequently and you will need to follow their lead. This usually lasts a few days then feeding intervals will begin to resume in a regular feeding pattern again. If your baby’s sleep or feeding patterns change and it is around these time frames – it may signal your baby is going through a growth spurt and indeed will need to feed during night wakings.