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Baby feeding chart by age

How much formula or breast milk a baby usually drinks, from the first day to the first birthday: per bottle, per day, how many feeds and how many at night. Tap an age for its own page, with the calculator already set to that age.

Updated
In short
  • Newborns: about ½ oz (15 ml) per feed for a day or two, then 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) every 2–3 hours, 8–12 times a day (AAP, CDC).
  • 1 month: 3–4 oz (90–120 ml) every 3–4 hours. 6 months: 6–8 oz (180–240 ml), 4–5 times a day (AAP).
  • By weight: about 2½ oz of formula per pound a day (about 165 ml per kg), rarely more than about 32 oz (960 ml) in 24 hours (AAP).
  • Breast milk doesn't grow with age the same way: about 25 oz (750 ml) a day from 1 to 6 months, typically 19–30 oz (KellyMom).
  • The real test is your baby, not the bottle: 6+ wet diapers a day, growth along their own curve, content after feeds.

How much formula by age: the chart

Typical amounts of formula for a baby of typical weight. Every row is a range, because babies differ and so does every day. Tap an age for what changes that month, breastfeeding, night feeds and when to call the doctor.

AgePer feedFeeds a dayPer dayNight feeds
Newborn (first week)⅓–2 oz (10–60 ml)8–123–18 oz (100–520 ml)around the clock
2 weeks2–2½ oz (60–80 ml)about 817–21 oz (500–630 ml)around the clock
3 weeks2½–3 oz (70–90 ml)7–819–23 oz (560–690 ml)around the clock
1 month3–4 oz (90–120 ml)7–822–26 oz (650–780 ml)2–3
2 months4–5 oz (120–150 ml)6–727–32 oz (800–950 ml)1–2
3 months4½–5½ oz (135–160 ml)627–32 oz (800–950 ml)0–2
4 months5–6 oz (150–180 ml)5–626–32 oz (780–950 ml)0–1
5 months6–7 oz (180–200 ml)528–32 oz (840–950 ml)0–1
6 months6–8 oz (180–240 ml)4–524–32 oz (720–950 ml)0–1
7–8 months6–8 oz (180–240 ml)3–420–30 oz (600–900 ml)0–1
9–10 months6–8 oz (180–240 ml)3–414–28 oz (400–800 ml)usually none
11–12 months6–8 oz (180–240 ml)2–314–24 oz (400–720 ml)usually none

Night feeds are a typical picture, not a target. From 7 months the ranges are wide on purpose: a baby who eats well drinks less milk. US (AAP) and UK (NHS) guidance also differ; the NHS expects about 600 ml (20 oz) a day at 7–9 months and about 400 ml (14 oz) at 10–12 months for formula-fed babies.

A page for every age

Newborn (first week)½ oz on day 1, then 1–2 oz every 2–3 hours, 8–12 feeds a day.Read →2 weeks2–2½ oz a bottle, 7–9 feeds, still around the clock.Read →3 weeks2½–3 oz a bottle, 7–8 feeds, and often a hungrier week.Read →1 month3–4 oz a bottle every 3–4 hours, about 22–26 oz a day.Read →2 months4–5 oz a bottle, 6–7 feeds, 27–32 oz a day.Read →3 months4½–5½ oz a bottle, about 6 feeds, and the daily total levels off.Read →4 months5–6 oz a bottle, 5–6 feeds, 26–32 oz a day; solids can wait.Read →5 months6–7 oz a bottle, 5 feeds, and the first signs of readiness for solids.Read →6 months6–8 oz × 4–5 bottles while solids start; milk is still the main food.Read →7–8 months20–30 oz a day in 3–4 bottles alongside 2–3 meals.Read →9–10 months3–4 bottles, about 14–28 oz a day, next to three meals.Read →11–12 months14–24 oz a day beside three meals; whole milk from 12 months.Read →

How to read the chart

Ranges, not targets. Most babies drink a bit more on some days and less on others; anywhere in the range is normal. Babies generally take what they need at each feed and stop when they're full (CDC).

Weight matters as much as age. The AAP's rule of thumb is about 2½ ounces of formula per pound of body weight per day, and no more than about 32 ounces in 24 hours for most babies. The feeding calculator does the sum for your baby's weight and lays out a day and night rhythm.

Total levels off around 3 months. Formula intake climbs until it reaches the 27–32 oz zone, then bottles get bigger and fewer while the total stays put until solids. After that, food gradually takes over.

Breastfed babies

At the breast there are no ounces to count. Breastfed babies nurse on cue, typically 8–12 times a day in the early months (AAP), and in one study anywhere from 6 to 18 times a day, with feed frequency saying nothing about how much milk the mother made (Kent 2006). What tells you it's enough: diapers, growth and a content baby. For a bottle of pumped milk, divide about 25 ounces (750 ml) by the number of feeds; from 1 to 6 months that amount hardly changes (KellyMom).

Is my baby getting enough?

Fewer wet diapers, a sunken soft spot, few tears or a drowsy baby are signs of dehydration: call your doctor (NHS). A fever of 100.4 °F (38 °C) or more in a baby 3 months or younger: call right away (AAP).

Preparing bottles, water and tea

How to prepare formula safelyScoops to water, water at 158 °F (70 °C), how long a bottle keeps, night feeds without the wait.Read → When can babies drink water?Not before about 6 months, then sips from a cup with meals. Tea, juice and what not to give.Read →
Night feeds are where a monitor earns its keep. Mamoon turns a phone you already own into a baby monitor that recognizes a cry and wakes you even with the nursery sound muted, so between feeds you sleep instead of listening to every rustle. It doesn't count feeds or ounces; it just listens. See how Mamoon works →

Questions

How much should a newborn eat?

About ½ ounce (15 ml) per feed for the first day or two, then 1–2 ounces (30–60 ml) every 2–3 hours, 8–12 times in 24 hours (AAP, CDC). See the newborn page for day-by-day amounts.

How much formula should a baby drink by weight?

About 2½ ounces per pound of body weight per day (about 165 ml per kg), and no more than about 32 ounces (960 ml) in 24 hours for most babies (AAP). A 10-pound baby: about 25 ounces a day.

How much breast milk does a baby need?

Exclusively breastfed babies take on average about 25 ounces (750 ml) a day between 1 and 6 months, typically 19–30 ounces, and that amount barely changes with age (KellyMom). At the breast, watch diapers and growth rather than ounces.

How many ounces should a baby drink at night?

A night feed is usually the same size as a daytime one. Newborns feed around the clock; the AAP says that between 2 and 4 months, or above about 12 pounds, most formula-fed babies no longer need a middle-of-the-night feed, though many still wake.

How long is formula good for?

Use a prepared bottle within 2 hours, and within 1 hour once your baby has started drinking; throw away what's left. A bottle that went straight into the fridge keeps 24 hours (CDC). More in how to prepare formula safely.

Does my baby need water?

Not before about 6 months: milk covers thirst. From around 6 months, sips of water from a cup with meals, up to 4–8 ounces a day (AAP). See water and tea for babies.

Sources

  1. American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org: Amount and Schedule of Baby Formula Feedings
  2. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat?
  3. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: How to Tell if Your Breastfed Baby is Getting Enough Milk
  4. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: Recommended Drinks for Children Age 5 & Younger
  5. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: Fever and Your Baby
  6. CDC: How Much and How Often to Feed Infant Formula
  7. CDC: Infant Formula Preparation and Storage
  8. CDC: Signs Your Child is Hungry or Full
  9. NHS: Your baby's first solid foods
  10. NHS: Dehydration
  11. KellyMom: How much expressed milk will my baby need?
  12. Kent J.C. et al., Volume and frequency of breastfeedings and fat content of breast milk throughout the day, Pediatrics 2006
  13. Paul I.M. et al., Weight change nomograms for the first month after birth, Pediatrics 2016
  14. World Health Organization: Child Growth Standards, weight-for-age (the typical weights)

Spotted a mistake or an outdated figure? Write to [email protected].

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