When I sat down to write Eat, Sleep, Poop & Repeat one of the top items on my list were to teach parents about CUES; simply because they were mistaking stress signalling as "cute" little wrinkles on the forehead, tight fists, splayed fingers, turning heads away, falling asleep after being passed around. These are signals that the baby has been overstimulated and is going into states of shut down in their nervous system. Babies systems are delicate and it doesn't take much to trigger this response.
Before your wee human can speak, there will be times that frustration will set in and you will hear yourself say, “Why can’t you just tell me what is wrong with you, what do you need from me?”
Your baby’s body language can tell you a great deal about how they are feeling, what is bothering them, what they need, and, of course, how you can help them. By educating yourself on these cues and responding to them, you will build a solid, trusting relationship with your baby. This is only going to enhance and strengthen their development going forward.
Every baby will give cues, but each baby will also develop their own cue “language” as well. Be patient with yourself; trust that in no time you will know and understand these cues better than anyone. Below you will find some specific cues indicative of babies' needs.
Baby Cues Indicating “I Am Hungry”
Here are some cues to watch for in your wee human, indicating they may be hungry. If they are a newborn, you will want to watch for these cues every one to two hours. As they get to be about four to six months old, you can look for them every three to four hours.
turns head towards the breast, regardless of who is holding them
baby sucking on their fist
puckers, smacks, or licking of the lips
Baby Cues Indicating “I Am Tired”
Nothing makes a new parent more delighted than a content, sleepy baby. But missing those sleepy-time cues can leave us with an over-tired, fussy wee one. So, what should we be on the lookout for?
Baby is just staring off into space, much like we do when we are tired.
Great big yawns and stretches from the wee one.
Ear or hair pulling; oftentimes we confuse this with teething, but in newborns they are sleepy.
Rubbing those teeny little eyes because they are sleepy.
Crying, yes they will let out small little cries letting you know they need a nap.
Losing interest in play because they are getting tired.
Baby Cues Indicating “I Am Over It”
Babies are much like us in the sense that they too can become overwhelmed by visitors, toys, sounds, or light. It is important to watch for cues and know when they have just had enough.
The baby will be squirming or trying to push away from you.
Watch for them trying to cover their tiny, little faces.
You will see them turn their head away from the light or noise.
Excessive crying and louder than normal.
Baby will kick and wave arms erratically.
Baby Cues Indicating I Want to Play
So, how exactly do we know when our new baby wants to play? They are so tiny and fragile; do they have the capacity to tell us? They most certainly do. Below you will find the cues indicating play.
They make direct eye contact with you.
Beautiful moments when they reach their tiny arms out to you.
Big smiles appear on their faces when making eye contact.
Bright, wide-open eyes and smooth movements.
They make cooing and babbling noises.
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