A nurse is educating a mother on how to feed her infant on cue, following his hunger and satiety signals.

Which of the following behaviors by the infant indicates that he is hungry?

Sucking on his fingers or fists.This is a feeding readiness cue that indicates that the infant is hungry and ready to eat.

Some possible explanations for the other choices are:

• Choice A is wrong because turning his head away from the breast or bottle is a sign of satiety or fullness, not hunger.

• Choice C is wrong because falling asleep or becoming drowsy is a sign of fatigue or satisfaction, not hunger.

• Choice D is wrong because spitting up or burping is a sign of air swallowing or overfeeding, not hunger.

Normal ranges for infant feeding frequency and duration vary depending on the type of feeding (breastfeeding or formula feeding), the age and weight of the infant, and the individual needs and preferences of the infant and the mother.

However, some general guidelines are:

• Breastfed infants should feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, with each feeding lasting 10 to 15 minutes per breast.

• Formula-fed infants should feed 6 to 10 times in 24 hours, with each feeding lasting 15 to 20 minutes and providing about 2 to 3 ounces of formula per pound of body weight per day.

“I should push my baby’s chin down if he doesn’t latch on properly.” This statement indicates a need for further teaching because pushing the baby’s chin down can cause pain and damage to the nipple and interfere with the baby’s ability to suckle effectively.The mother should wait for the baby to open his mouth wide before bringing him to her breast and then gently guide his lower jaw onto the breast.

Choice A is correct because holding the baby close to the body with his nose opposite the nipple helps him to latch on well and stimulates the rooting reflex.

Choice B is correct because supporting the breast with a C-shape below the areola prevents the fingers from compressing the milk ducts and allows the baby to grasp more of the breast tissue.

Choice C is correct because waiting for the baby to open his mouth wide ensures that he takes a large mouthful of breast tissue and forms a good seal around the nipple and areola.

Normal ranges for breastfeeding frequency and duration are 8-12 times in 24 hours and 15-20 minutes on each side.