You have just changed your baby's diaper, and went to bed, to finally rest. Suddenly, you hear a loud wail. Your baby is crying, again! This time, it is the hungry cry.

But what if we tell you that you no longer have to disrupt your rest with your baby's cry for hunger? This is only possible when you already know when to feed your baby. Babies cannot tell when they are hungry, so more often than not, parents may miss to understand they are hungry, until the hunger cry starts. But there are some cues you can look for to feed your baby!

Hunger Cues In Your Baby

Increased Activity

Your baby might become more alert and active. Thinking about food can make babies excited, so you may notice them moving around more than usual.

Head-Turning

Babies often turn their heads from side to side as if searching for food.

Mouth Movements

Look for signs like opening and closing their mouth, resembling a tiny bird waiting to be fed.

Rooting Reflex

Turning their head toward the breast, chest, or bottle is a classic hunger cue.

Sucking Motions

Babies may make sucking motions with their mouths, even if they don’t have a pacifier or bottle nearby.

Lip Smacking or Drooling

Increased drooling, lip-smacking, or sticking out their tongue are all signals they’re getting ready for a meal.

Sucking on Hands or Clothing

Your baby might start sucking on their fingers, hands, or even their clothes as a sign of hunger.

Clenched Fists

Watch for little fists clenching in frustration and impatience.

Focused Eye Contact

Babies who recognize their primary feeder might stare and follow you around the room with their eyes.

Facial Expressions

A furrowed brow or a distressed look might be your baby’s way of saying, “When’s the next meal?”

The “Neh” Sound

According to Dunstan baby language, the sound “neh” just before crying often means hunger.

Also remember that hunger pangs are strong enough to wake most babies, even from deep sleep. However, if your baby consistently sleeps for extended periods, it’s important to ensure they’re feeding frequently enough for their age.

For newborns, it’s generally recommended that they don’t regularly sleep longer than 4 hours at a stretch. Occasional long naps are fine—especially if they give you a much-needed rest! However, if your baby frequently sleeps through feeding times, consult your pediatrician to determine if gentle wake-ups for feeding are necessary.

How do you know your baby is feeding well enough?

It can be difficult to ensure that your baby is well fed, especially if you are breastfeeding, or when your baby is not of the age when he can talk. However, there are signals too for this, in fact your baby also learns how to signal that they need more milk or food.

It also depends on the age. For instance, a newborn will feed often, usually every 2 to 3 hours and sometime smore often. They feed up to 12 times every 24 hours. As your baby grows, their tummies grow too, in fact the tummy grows form a size of cherry at birth to walnut in 3 days. In a week, it is at the size of plum and in a month, it is of the size of a large chicken egg.

The "I am not hungry right now" signs for babies are:

• releasing or pushing away the breast or bottle
• closing their mouth and not responding to encouragement to latch on or suck again
• open and relaxed hands (instead of clenched)
• relaxing their body and even going a little limp
• looking around and showing interest in playing or other things
• looking content and maybe even smiling
• appearing happily drowsy and ready to go back to sleep

Many women notice that even months after delivery, their stomach continues to protrude despite weight loss efforts, exercise, or dieting. Often dismissed as normal postpartum body changes or “stubborn belly fat,” this condition may actually be Diastasis Recti, a separation of the abdominal muscles commonly seen during and after pregnancy.

What Exactly Is Diastasis Recti?

During pregnancy, the growing uterus stretches the abdominal muscles and connective tissues to make space for the baby. In some women, the two large abdominal muscles separate more than normal, creating a visible gap in the midline of the abdomen. This condition is known as Diastasis Recti.

While it is common after childbirth, it often goes undiagnosed because many women are unaware that persistent abdominal bulging may not simply be weight gain.

Symptoms Women Commonly Ignore

The condition can cause more than cosmetic concerns. Women may experience lower back pain, poor posture, abdominal weakness, pelvic floor issues, bloating, constipation, or difficulty lifting objects. Some also notice a “doming” or bulge in the centre of the abdomen while sitting up or exercising. The risk may be higher in women with multiple pregnancies, twin pregnancies, excessive abdominal strain, or inadequate postnatal recovery.

Why Can Incorrect Exercise Make It Worse?

Many women immediately begin intense abdominal workouts or crunches after delivery to “reduce tummy fat.” However, certain exercises performed incorrectly can worsen the muscle separation and increase strain on the abdominal wall. This is why proper postnatal rehabilitation becomes important. Strengthening the deep core muscles gradually and safely under professional guidance can help improve recovery.

Early Recognition Matters

Diastasis Recti is treatable in many cases with physiotherapy, guided exercises, posture correction, and core rehabilitation. In severe cases, surgical intervention may sometimes be considered.

Most importantly, women should understand that persistent postpartum abdominal changes are not always due to laziness, poor fitness, or inability to lose weight. Sometimes, the body is recovering from a real physical condition that requires attention, patience, and proper care.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has urged strengthening investment in maternal health initiatives in the US that will support mothers before and after they give birth.

Speaking to NBC News on the occasion of Mother’s Day on May 10, Moore, along with Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, spoke about the need to improve access to care for mothers.

Moore, who has served as governor since January 2023, emphasized the need to leverage resources from the government, the private sector, and community organizations to address access gaps.

In light of this, the Maryland Governor highlighted a new partnership his administration entered with The Bridge Project to provide direct cash assistance to new mothers.

The Bridge Project, which has programs in 10 cities, counties, or regions across the country, offers mothers financial support and community resources to assist them during pregnancy and “for the first several years” with their baby.

“It’s going to happen for 150 families in the … areas of Maryland that you’ve had concentrated poverty being a long-term challenge,” said Moore, a father of two.

“And it’s now coming off the heels of additional initiatives that we pulled together, where we’ve reestablished the Governor’s Office for Children. We’ve started something called the ENOUGH Initiative, which is actually an acronym that stands for engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments, and households, which is the nation’s first place-based, state-led anti-poverty initiative,” he added.

Sanders Urges Bipartisan Action to Improve Maternal Health

Meanwhile, Sanders, who has three children, said she made maternal health a priority after becoming governor, citing Arkansas’ consistently poor ranking in maternal mortality rates.

“If we can see these women and help them and support them from the very beginning of their pregnancy all the way through, then we can help address some of these problems, and we can change maternal health,” Sanders. “Not just in our state, but across the country.”

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Sanders said she convened a strategic working group to identify ways to improve maternal health outcomes throughout the state and was “pleasantly shocked by how many people showed up.”

“People that I know actively campaigned against me were some of the most helpful people in developing our strategic plan on how we were going to address this problem in Arkansas,” the governor added. “It is something that breaks down a lot of walls. Everybody knows a mom. Everybody has a mom.”

The working group led Sanders to introduce the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act and other initiatives, including the Proactive Postpartum Call Center run through the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, which calls women in their first six weeks postpartum to ask and answer questions about physical and mental health.

Maternal Mortality In The US

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As per March 2026 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 2024 figures raise concerns about maternal health in the country. The US has already had one of the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income countries.

The CDC's report stated that in 2024, 649 women died of maternal causes in the United States, compared with 669 in 2023

The maternal mortality rate for 2024, 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, shows no significant decline from 18.6 deaths in 2023.

In most cases, mothers tend to focus more on the health of their family members than on their own. With all the other tasks that mothers have to undertake, health check-ups are generally left out. Nonetheless, it is important for women to undergo yearly health tests so that any disease can be identified early enough and proper preventive measures can be put into place.

Why Regular Health Check-Ups Matter for Women

Some of the physical and hormonal changes that women undergo include pregnancy, delivery, menopause, and aging. These changes make women more prone to illnesses like anemia, thyroid disorders, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and cancer. Regular medical examinations offer women a chance to track their health and prevent future complications.

One of the biggest advantages of health screenings is early diagnosis. Conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and thyroid dysfunction, among others, have no apparent symptoms in their early stages. However, with screenings, one will be able to diagnose any abnormality and treat or manage the situation.

The ideal health screening process should start with a thorough physical exam. Some of the things that you may consider at the beginning include taking your blood pressure, weight, and body mass index (BMI). In addition, the heart rate and general health status can provide some critical insights regarding your health status.

Tests That Women Must Skip

Basic blood tests are equally important. The CBC test is conducted to check the presence of anemia, infections, or any deficiency.

A glucose test should be conducted to rule out diabetes or prediabetes. A lipid test should also be conducted to measure the level of cholesterol.

Thyroid tests are highly recommended for women, considering that thyroid disorders have become very common. They affect metabolism, weight management, mood regulation, and the menstrual cycle.

Tests for Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 can also be conducted if the woman experiences tiredness or weakness.

Routine Cancer Screening

Another essential preventive measure that should not be ignored regarding maternal health is routine screening against various forms of cancer. Routine breast exams and mammograms are useful in the early diagnosis of breast cancer, while Pap smear tests will screen for abnormal growths in order to reduce the likelihood of developing cervical cancer. Some women will require further and more thorough testing due to their age group or because of a family history of such conditions.

Other Preventive Health Check-ups

Attention should also be paid to maintaining healthy bones, particularly among women over 40 years of age. Screening for bone strength can detect the early stages of osteoporosis, avoiding future problems with broken bones.

The mental aspect is yet another crucial element that often goes unnoticed. Stress, anxiety, depression, and even insomnia can be prevalent among those women who try to cope with too many tasks at once. Yearly health visits are also a chance to speak to experts about one's emotions and lifestyle.

In summary, annual health visits are not only some kind of obligatory ritual—they are one of the most significant investments in one's health and well-being. Healthy mothers have more chances to look after their children and feel good about themselves and their lives.