5. Benefits of responsive feeding

What are the benefits of responsive feeding?

For baby:

• Learning to listen to their bodies. Responsive feeding helps babies recognise and respond to their own hunger and fullness signs.
• Less likely to over-eat. Responsive feeding teaches babies how to control their food intake and not to overfeed.
• Gaining weight steadily. Responsive feeding helps babies gain weight steadily rather than too quickly or too much.

As they grow up:

• Healthy weight. Babies who are responsively fed by their caregivers are more likely to grow at a healthier rate.
• Independence when they eat. Responsive feeding helps children to trust their own hunger and fullness signs, meaning they are less likely to eat when they are not hungry.

For the relationship between you and your baby:

• Bonding. Responsive feeding helps you develop a close loving relationship with your baby, by encouraging you to pay attention to their feeding signs and respond appropriately.