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: 6–8 oz (180–240 ml) of formula, 3–4 times a day.
- Per day: about 20–30 oz (600–900 ml).
- At night: 0–1 feeds, varies a lot.
- Breastfed: nurse on cue, and watch diapers and growth, not ounces.
- The real test: plenty of wet diapers, growth along their own curve and a baby who is content after feeds.
How much a 7- or 8-month-old drinks
| Per feed | Feeds a day | Per day | Night feeds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula | 6–8 oz (180–240 ml) | 3–4 | 20–30 oz (600–900 ml) | 0–1 |
Compared with 6 months: about the same bottle size, often one fewer as meals grow. The ranges are wide on purpose: a baby who eats well drinks less milk. US guidance (AAP) keeps milk generous through the first year; 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. Night feeds are a typical picture, not a target: babies vary a lot.
What's different at this age
Two numbers, both normal. US guidance keeps milk generous through the first year, while the NHS says formula-fed babies drink around 600 ml (20 oz) a day at 7–9 months as food takes over. The range in between is where most babies land: a big eater of solids drinks less, a baby still learning to chew drinks more. Growth along their curve tells you which is right for yours.
Meals grow to 2–3 a day. The Czech national guide suggests 2–3 meals a day at 6–8 months and lumpier textures toward 8–9 months, when most babies can pick up food and feed themselves (SZÚ).
Practice with a cup. Water and milk from an open or free-flow cup help your baby learn to sip (NHS); the AAP suggests starting the cup around 6 months and finishing with bottles by 12–18 months.
Night feeds
A night feed at 7–8 months is still common: 61% of 6–12-month-olds in one survey had at least one, and night feeds and wakings both fell with age (Brown 2015). Babies who got more milk or food during the day were less likely to feed at night, but not less likely to wake.
Breastfed babies: what to watch instead of ounces
Breastfed babies keep nursing on cue alongside meals, and there's no need to count. Breast milk remains a main source of nutrition through the first year, and the AAP and WHO support breastfeeding to 2 years or beyond for as long as you both wish.
Is my baby getting enough?
- Plenty of wet diapers and energy to play.
- Growth along their own curve: check with our growth percentile calculator.
- Interest in food and milk, and a baby who stops when full (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.
Hungry: reaches for or points to food, opens their mouth for the spoon, gets excited at the sight of food. Full: pushes food away, closes their mouth, turns their head (CDC). Let them stop; there's no need to finish the bottle or the bowl.
When to call the doctor
- Signs of dehydration: fewer wet diapers, a sunken soft spot, few or no tears, drowsiness (NHS).
- Refuses milk and food, vomits a lot, or seems in pain.
- Stops gaining weight or drops across curves on the growth chart.
- Breathing fast, pale or blotchy skin, or very hard to wake: emergency (NHS).
Trust your instinct: if your baby seems unwell, call, whatever the numbers say.
Questions
How much formula for an 8 month old?
Usually 6 to 8 ounces (180–240 ml) per bottle, 3 or 4 times a day, about 20 to 30 ounces a day alongside 2–3 meals. The NHS figure for 7–9 months is around 600 ml (20 oz).
How much formula for a 7 month old?
About 24 to 30 ounces (720–900 ml) a day while solids are still small, falling toward 20 ounces (600 ml) as meals grow.
How many bottles a day with three meals?
Usually 3 or 4. Offer milk at its usual times and meals in between; the total will settle where your baby needs it.
Is a night feed at 8 months normal?
Yes, common: in a survey of 6–12-month-olds, 61% still had at least one night milk feed (Brown 2015). If it bothers you or your baby isn't eating well by day, ask your pediatrician.
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
- AAP, HealthyChildren.org: Starting Solid Foods
- World Health Organization: Infant and young child feeding (fact sheet)
- NHS: Your baby's first solid foods
- Státní zdravotní ústav and Laktační liga (Czech National Institute of Public Health): Kojení, všechno, co potřebujete vědět (2023)
- NHS: Drinks and cups for babies and young children
- AAP, HealthyChildren.org: Discontinuing the Bottle
- Brown A., Harries V., Infant sleep and night feeding patterns during later infancy, Breastfeeding Medicine 2015
- World Health Organization: Child Growth Standards, weight-for-age (the typical weights)
Spotted a mistake or an outdated figure? Write to [email protected].