Formative Research to Revise Materials for Mothers and Child Care Providers of Infants (SLT)

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Attachment J – Research Stimuli for Child Care Providers – English
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How Can I Tell if a Baby is Hungry or Full?
Table 1

How Can I Tell If a Baby is Hungry?

Look for these signs:

Benefits for
Mothers
• Opens and closes
mouth

•

Bends arms and legs

• Sucks on lips,
hands, fingers, toes,
toys, or clothing

•

Moves head towards
spoon or tries to
bring food to his or
her mouth

•

Reaches or points
to food

• Cries. This is a late
sign of hunger

•

Brings hands to face

•

•

Rooting around on
the chest of the person
holding the infant

Gets excited when he or
she sees food

•

Smiles, stares at the
person holding the infant,
or coos during feeding

•

Uses words or sounds
to show he or she wants
food

•

Makes sucking noises
and motions

Table 2

How Can I Tell If a Baby is Full?

Look for these signs:
• Sucks slowly or
stops sucking
• Relaxes fingers
• Eating slows down

• Extends arms and legs

• Turns head away

• Shakes head to say
“no more”
• Uses words or
sounds to show he or
she is done eating
• Plays with or
throws food
• Falls asleep

• Pushes food away

• Seals lips together

• Looks around and
does not pay attention
during a feeding

You will normally see more than one of these signs together. When you see more
than one sign, it may be time to stop the feeding.

Developmental Readiness

A baby’s feeding skills are a good clue of what
textures of food the baby may be ready to eat.
All babies develop at their own rate. The foods fed to a baby at different times
during their first year of life are based upon the baby’s development. This is related
to how well the baby can control his or her large and small muscles and digest
certain foods. Although age and size are often related to developmental readiness,
these should not be used as the only factors in deciding what and how to feed
babies. A baby’s feeding skills are a good clue of what textures of food the baby
may be ready to eat.
The CACFP infant meal pattern provides flexibility. This allows you, as the child
care provider, the ability to feed babies based on their developmental readiness,
ensuring that babies get what they need to grow and be healthy. We will talk
more about this flexibility later in the chapter.

A Baby’s Feeding Skills
As a baby grows and develops, they are able to eat different foods and textures. There are feeding skills
a baby will use that will tell you when he or she is ready for a new food.
These feeding skills include:

Rooting - When a baby’s
mouth, lips, cheek, or chin
are touched by an object, the
baby turns his or her head
towards the object and baby
opens his or her mouth. This
reflex lets a baby find and
grasp a nipple.

Suck and swallow - When
a baby opens his or her lips
and mouth when touched,
they start to suck. As liquid
moves into the baby’s mouth,
his or her tongue moves it
to the back of the mouth for
swallowing.

Tongue thrust - When the
lips are touched, the baby’s
tongue moves out of the
mouth. This reflex lets babies
feed from the breast or bottle,
but not from a spoon or a
cup. When solid foods are
started too early, the baby’s
tongue thrust reflex may be
confused with the baby not
liking the food that was given.

Gag reflex - When a spoon
or solid food is placed in
the mouth, the food is quickly
pushed out of the mouth
on the tongue. This reflex
is an important reason for
waiting until a baby is around
6 months old to feed solid
foods.

Palmer grasp - When the
baby uses his or her whole
hand to pick up larger pieces
of food or objects.

Pincer grasp - When a
baby begins to use his or her
thumb and index finger to
pick up smaller pieces of food
or objects.

Food and Nutrition Service

Is Your Baby Ready for Solid Foods?
Your baby is around 6 months old and is growing very quickly! Feeding your baby the right
foods at the right time is important for their nutrition and health. Your baby will grow to enjoy
many types and textures (smooth, lumpy, and so on) of food during his or her first year.

How Can You Tell When Your Baby Is Ready to Eat Solid Foods?

Your baby is ready to start solid foods if he or she can:

• Sit in a high chair with
good head control.

• Open his or her mouth

when foods come their
way or reach for food.

• Use his or her tongue to

move food from the spoon
into his or her mouth to
swallow the food without
pushing it out.

Why Do You Need to Give Your Baby Solid Foods?
Starting solid foods at around 6 months of age is important
for your baby because:
• Your baby is getting bigger and needs more calories and
nutrients that can come from solid foods.
• It gives your baby a chance to try different foods so they
will like them at an early age and will continue to eat them
as they get older.

Tip:

Remember to continue to give your baby breastmilk or iron-fortified infant
formula even after your baby starts eating solid foods.

Food and Nutrition Service

Have You Already Started Giving Your
Baby Solid Foods? Please Let Us Know!
Please complete this handout and give it to your child care provider.

Today’s Date:

Baby’s Birth Date:

Baby’s Name (first and last):

Parent’s Name (first and last):

What foods have you given to your baby?
Has your baby had an allergic reaction to any foods?
Did your baby’s health care provider tell you that your baby has a food allergy or intolerance?
Yes

• If yes, which foods should we not serve to your baby in child care?

No

If your baby has a reaction to a food, who should we call?
Name:

Phone number:

If your baby has a reaction to a food at child care, is there medication your baby’s health care provider
said to give to him or her?
Are there foods your family does not eat due to religious reasons?

Yes

No

• If yes, which foods does your family not eat?
Is there anything else we should know about what or how your baby eats?

Parent’s Signature:
A handout from the Feeding Infants in the Child and Adult Care Food Program Guide
https://teamnutrition.usda.gov  FNS #XXXXXX  Publication date XX.XX.XXXX
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
.

Food and Nutrition Service

Breastfed Babies
Welcome Here!
https://teamnutrition.usda.gov  FNS #XXXXXX  Publication date August 2018
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

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