Hungry baby

Babies who wake up often due to hunger may be at risk of overfeeding and excessive weight gain.

Why does my baby wake so often?

Babies who are fed milk alone (either breast milk or formula) need to feed often throughout the day to receive enough nourishment and energy to fuel their rapid growth and development.

For many babies, feeding every few hours or more leaves them feeling satisfied until the next meal. They sleep well and the timing of their hunger cues means they wake rested for their next feed. Some babies may start to feel hungry much sooner, finding it hard to settle.

Is my baby hungry?

When your baby seems constantly hungry it can be tempting to introduce solids early, but this should be avoided as your baby’s digestive system may not have fully matured.

How can I settle my hungry baby?

Understandably, tired, hungry babies feel grumpy and tend to cry more. Hungry babies may wake frequently, sleeping only for brief periods before waking and crying for another feed or sucking their hand. When your newborn wants to feed every hour you can quickly become exhausted, and constant crying may become stressful for you and your family.

If your formula-fed baby is hungry and demanding extra feeds, you may notice they’re gaining more weight than they should. Some things you can try to help your baby feel satisfied are:

Try not to let your baby fall asleep while feeding, if they do they’ll be much more likely to wake from hunger later on.

Slow feeding time down to give your baby’s fullness signals time to kick in. You can do this by using a slower teat or giving your baby breaks during the feed.

If your baby is crying while feeding or won’t take the bottle, try walking around while you’re feeding them and experiment with different teats. Be patient, it may take a little trial and error to find a position and a teat that works for you and your baby.

Try giving your baby a little water. Although formula-fed babies usually receive enough fluids from their feeds (provided formula is prepared correctly), offering your formula-fed baby an extra 30–60mL of cooled, boiled water once or twice a day may help respond to their feeding cues.

What else can I do?

Try the following settling techniques to encourage your baby to sleep:

Try a warm bath before bedtime, followed by a gentle massage

Play some soft music in your baby’s room

Speak to your doctor or healthcare professional if you are concerned or need extra help.

Sweet Dreams

Learn more about how you can help manage
excessive hunger in babies.

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Frequently asked questions

Find answers to common questions about Novalac and conditions that might impact your child’s feeding habits.

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Novalac Sweet Dreams is speciality infant formula with a balanced blend of slow-digesting carbohydrates and casein protein to support longer-lasting satiety, helping reduce frequent infant feeding.

While every baby is different, this formula is designed to help your baby feel satisfied for longer between feeds, potentially reducing the frequency of infant night feeding.

By helping your baby feel fuller for longer, Novalac Sweet Dreams may support longer sleep stretches and reduce overnight wakeups linked to hunger, supporting more restful sleep for both baby and parents.

Yes, Novalac Sweet Dreams can be used for both day and night for infant feeding and fits easily into your baby’s regular infant milk intake routine.

Need support or advice?

We offer a dedicated support line to assist you promptly with any questions or concerns you may have about Novalac products.

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