The rule of thumb
About 2.5 oz per pound a day, up to about 32 oz
Newborns take 1–2 oz per feed, 8–12 times a day. At 1 month that's about 3–4 oz a bottle, at 2 months 4–5 oz, at 4–5 months 5–7 oz. The calculator works it out for your baby's exact age and weight; the full chart by month is below.
Your day and night feeding rhythm
- Per feed: 2–2½ oz (60–80 ml) of formula, about 8 times a day.
- Per day: about 17–21 oz (500–630 ml).
- At night: around the clock.
- Breastfed: nurse on cue, and watch diapers and growth, not ounces; a pumped bottle is about 1½–2½ oz (50–75 ml).
- The real test: plenty of wet diapers, growth along their own curve and a baby who is content after feeds.
How much a 2-week-old drinks
| Per feed | Feeds a day | Per day | Night feeds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula | 2–2½ oz (60–80 ml) | about 8 | 17–21 oz (500–630 ml) | around the clock |
| Breast milk in a bottle | 1½–2½ oz (50–75 ml) | 8–12 | about 25 oz (750 ml), typically 19–30 oz | around the clock |
Compared with the first week: about ½ oz more per bottle, and feeds start to space out a little. For a baby of typical weight (8½ lb, WHO median). A heavier baby drinks a little more, a lighter one a little less: about 2½ oz per pound a day (about 165 ml per kg), rarely more than about 32 oz (960 ml) in 24 hours (AAP). The calculator above does it for your baby's weight. Night feeds are a typical picture, not a target: babies vary a lot.
What's different at this age
The two-week weigh-in. Many babies are back to their birth weight by now; half are by day 9–10. But about 1 in 7 babies born vaginally and 1 in 4 born by cesarean are still a little below it at 2 weeks (Paul 2016), so a baby who is close and feeding well is usually fine. Your pediatrician looks at the trend, not one number.
Hungrier days are normal. Babies don't eat the same every day. A few days of wanting more, more often, is common in the early weeks; the Czech national breastfeeding guide names around 3 and 6 weeks as typical growth spurts, when a breastfed baby may nurse 12–15 times a day (SZÚ). For a bottle-fed baby, offer a little more when they show hunger cues and let them stop when they turn away.
Spitting up a little is common; a lot is a question. Small spit-ups after feeds are usually harmless. Frequent or forceful vomiting, or a baby who seems in pain, is a reason to call (NHS). So is a baby who wants to eat all the time, even right after a full feed (AAP).
Night feeds
Still no real night: most 2-week-olds feed every 2½ to 3½ hours day and night. Formula-fed babies often settle into feeds every 3–4 hours in the first weeks (CDC); breastfed babies come more often, typically 8–12 times a day (AAP). If your baby sleeps longer than 4–5 hours and misses feeds, wake them (AAP).
Breastfed babies: what to watch instead of ounces
At the breast there is nothing to count, and you don't need to. Breastfed babies feed on cue, typically 8–12 times a day in the early months (AAP); in one study of 1–6-month-olds the range was 6 to 18 feeds a day, and how often a baby fed said nothing about how much milk their mother made (Kent 2006). Watch the signs below instead. For a bottle of pumped milk, plan on about 25 ounces (750 ml) a day divided by the number of feeds: this amount hardly changes from 1 to 6 months (KellyMom).
Is my baby getting enough?
- Wet diapers: 6 or more a day, pale and not smelly (AAP).
- Growth along their own curve on the WHO charts (AAP). Our growth percentile calculator shows where your baby sits; the curve matters more than the number.
- Content after most feeds: relaxed hands, settled for a while (CDC).
Hungry or full? Paced bottle feeding
Hungry: hands to mouth, turning toward the breast or bottle, puckering, smacking or licking lips, clenched hands (CDC). Crying is a late sign. Full: closes their mouth, turns away from the breast or bottle, relaxes their hands (CDC).
Paced bottle feeding lets your baby set the speed: hold them fairly upright, keep the bottle closer to horizontal so milk flows only while they suck, and pause every few minutes (Kassing 2002). The NHS puts it simply: be guided by your baby, give them plenty of time and don't force them to finish. Leftover milk means it worked.
When to call the doctor
- Fever of 100.4 °F (38 °C) or more under 3 months: call right away (AAP).
- Signs of dehydration: fewer wet diapers, a sunken soft spot, few or no tears, drowsiness (NHS).
- Vomiting a lot, forcefully, or a baby who seems in pain (NHS).
- Wants to eat all the time, even when full, or has trouble gaining weight (AAP).
Trust your instinct: if your baby seems unwell, call, whatever the numbers say.
Born early? Use the corrected age for the number of feeds and for starting solids, and real weight for the amounts. Our corrected age calculator works it out.
Questions
How much formula should a 2 week old drink per feed?
Usually 2 to 2½ ounces (60–80 ml) per bottle, 7 to 9 times in 24 hours. Some feeds will be smaller, some bigger; anywhere in that range is normal.
How much should a 2 week old eat per day?
About 17 to 21 ounces (500–630 ml) of formula in 24 hours for a typical 8½-pound baby. A heavier baby drinks a little more, roughly 2½ ounces per pound of body weight a day (AAP).
Should my 2 week old be back to birth weight?
Many are, but not all: in a large study, 14% of babies born vaginally and 24% born by cesarean were still below birth weight at 2 weeks (Paul 2016). Your pediatrician checks the trend at the 2-week visit.
How many wet diapers should a 2 week old have?
Six or more wet diapers a day, with pale or nearly colorless urine (AAP). Fewer than usual is worth a call.
Feeding by age
All ages: the baby feeding chart · the full feeding calculator · how to prepare formula safely · water and tea
Same age: weight percentiles · wake windows and naps
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org: Amount and Schedule of Baby Formula Feedings
- AAP, HealthyChildren.org: How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat?
- CDC: How Much and How Often to Feed Infant Formula
- NHS: Bottle feeding advice
- AAP, HealthyChildren.org: How to Tell if Your Breastfed Baby is Getting Enough Milk
- CDC: Signs Your Child is Hungry or Full
- Kassing D., Bottle-feeding as a tool to reinforce breastfeeding, Journal of Human Lactation 2002 (paced bottle feeding)
- NHS: Dehydration
- Kent J.C. et al., Volume and frequency of breastfeedings and fat content of breast milk throughout the day, Pediatrics 2006
- KellyMom: How much expressed milk will my baby need?
- Paul I.M. et al., Weight change nomograms for the first month after birth, Pediatrics 2016
- Státní zdravotní ústav and Laktační liga (Czech National Institute of Public Health): Kojení, všechno, co potřebujete vědět (2023)
- AAP, HealthyChildren.org: Fever and Your Baby
- World Health Organization: Child Growth Standards, weight-for-age (the typical weights)
Spotted a mistake or an outdated figure? Write to [email protected].