Understanding their baby's appetite and how to wind them after a feed can help parents ensure their baby is comfortable and satisfied

Appetite

Babies are not all the same and appetites will vary even among those of the same weight or age. A baby’s appetite will also vary from day to day and week to week. Advise parents to let their babies be the guide as to how hungry they are by looking out for these signs:

• When the baby has had enough, they will fall asleep or let go of the teat
• If a baby doesn’t want to finish a feed, don’t force them
• If they are still awake and interested in the bottle when the feed is finished, they probably need larger feeds.

Winding after feeding

Some babies are not troubled by wind, while others suffer after every feed. The aim of winding babies is to remove air from their stomachs because air can make them uncomfortable and stop them settling. Babies can swallow air when they drink, especially from a bottle, and when they cry. In general, babies need to be winded halfway through a feed and when they have finished.

There are two main positions for winding: 

• Lying the baby over a shoulder 
• Sitting the baby on a lap, holding the back and chin. 

The baby’s back should be rubbed or patted until they bring up their wind – often with a satisfying burp! Some babies bring up a little milk – also known as posset – during winding, so it can be useful to have a cloth or muslin square handy to wipe up any mess.