Which behaviors would the nurse identify as 'early feeding cues' that a rooming-in parent might observe?

• A. Crying
• B. Rooting
• C. Opening the mouth
• D. Sucking on fingers or hands

Answer: (D)

Early feeding cues are the baby’s calm signals that feeding is needed before they become distressed. Sucking on fingers or hands is a classic example because it shows the infant is actively seeking oral stimulation and initiating a sucking pattern, a sign of readiness to feed that often appears before more overt signs. This behavior is non-distressed and observable in a rooming-in setting, giving parents a reliable moment to respond with a feeding attempt. In contrast, crying tends to indicate higher hunger drive and distress, appearing later after other cues have been missed. So, among typical early signals, this self-directed oral activity—sucking on fingers or hands—best demonstrates readiness to feed.