Struggling with 5 month old hunger cues

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Hi everyone

I'm struggling recently with my 5 month old and his hunger cues. He is FF. I just can't tell when he is hungry until it's too late and he cries then feeds poorly. I have tried just offering every 3hrs but even he doesn't always want it.

Could anyone share with me how you can tell if your LO is hungry? He literally shows no obvious signs and he chews his hands all day so that's not a reliable cue for me.

Thanks all 😊 x

Does your baby have solids? Try some pureed fruit/vegetables, or Ready Brek, something smooth like that, see if it helps.

(in my day - I'm 62 - babies were weaned a lot earlier. My 2nd son was about 6 weeks old when he started having food)

does he have a distinctive "la" cry when hungry?

I’ve always FF on a schedule as it’s easier to manage plus I wouldn’t want to wait until they’re screaming with hunger and neither of mine ever showed any obvious early stage hungry signs. If every 3 hours is too soon I’d try offering every 3.5 or 4 until you find the right interval.

@TheCreamCaker we actually have started him on a bit of puree on doctors advice but hasn't taken to them very well yet! But we're carrying on slowly!

@mrwalkensir oh I'm not too sure! All his cries sound the same! First time mum, I am clueless!! Haha

apologies - to be honest I can't remember what age they stop doing it. But I've heard other (small) babies do it - a very distinctive "la". Used to trigger let-down in me when mine did it. But don't think that I twigged until the second :) If he's not crying, then I guess he isn't hungry until he does if you see what I mean? Mine only told me by crying...

I'd do what @LakeShoreD says and try every 3.5 hours.

Is there a reason that the GP suggested early weaning? I'm just wondering in case that has any affect in his cues

@PanicBuyingSprouts I will give the 3.5hrs a go thanks @LakeShoreD

Well we took him to see a Private Pediatrician over his reflux and colic and he was very pro early weaning to help with those 2 issue so we thought why not. We are literally only giving him a few tastes of purees or porridge once a day though, not trying to replace his milk at all

At 5 months I was giving bottles at 8am, 12pm, 4pm, and 8pm, they were 7oz then up to 8oz of formula each time. She starts to get crabby when hungry as like your DC she has hands in the mouth all the time.
I have fed to a schedule for quite a while and how I knew when to go up an oz was when DD would cry at the end of her bottle (because she wanted more I assumed). DD is very enthusiastic about her food though so perhaps more obvious than other babies.