Learning to suck – seeing your baby's feeding reflex do its thing

While your baby is so small, feeding (whether breast or bottle) will be a big part of both of your days. Try to find ways to make this special for you, as well as your baby.  

• Observe your baby as they suck during feeds. You will also be able to see this action take place if they have a dummy, and they may even try to suck your (clean) finger. 
• As the muscles strengthen, you will notice that your baby will be able to feed for longer periods before tiring. This is development in action! 
• As they grow, your baby’s mouth will be one of the main ways in which they explore objects. For now, their reflexes support them to feed by prompting them to open their mouth or begin to suck when food is available.