2 week old baby bottle feeding amount
Formula Feeding FAQs: How Much and How Often (for Parents)
Whether you plan to formula feed your baby from the start, want to supplement your breast milk with formula, or are switching from breast milk to formula, you probably have questions.
Here are answers to some common questions about formula feeding.
How Often Should I Feed My Baby?
Newborns and young babies should be fed whenever they seem hungry. This is called on-demand feeding.
After the first few days of life, most healthy formula-fed newborns feed about every 2–3 hours. As they get bigger and their tummies can hold more milk, they usually eat about every 3–4 hours. As babies get older, they’ll settle into a more predictable feeding routine and go longer stretches at night without needing a bottle.
Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about feeding your baby, especially if your baby is very small, is not gaining weight, or was born early (prematurely).
How Can I Tell When My Baby Is Hungry?
Signs that babies are hungry include:
- moving their heads from side to side
- opening their mouths
- sticking out their tongues
- placing their hands, fingers, and fists to their mouths
- puckering their lips as if to suck
- nuzzling again their mothers' breasts
- showing the rooting reflex (when a baby moves its mouth in the direction of something that's stroking or touching its cheek)
Babies should be fed before they get upset and cry. Crying is a late sign of hunger. But every time your baby cries is not because of hunger. Sometimes babies just need to be cuddled or changed. Or they could be sick, tired, too hot or too cold, in pain, or have colic.
How Much Should My Baby Drink?
In the first few weeks, give 2- to 3-ounce (60- to 90-milliliter) bottles to your newborn. Give more or less depending on your baby’s hunger cues.
Here's a general look at how much your baby may be eating at different ages:
- On average, a newborn drinks about 1.5–3 ounces (45–90 milliliters) every 2–3 hours. This amount increases as your baby grows and can take more at each feeding.
- At about 2 months, your baby may drink about 4–5 ounces (120–150 milliliters) every 3–4 hours.
- At 4 months, your baby may drink about 4–6 ounces (120-180 milliliters) at each feeding, depending on how often they eat.
- By 6 months, your baby may drink 6–8 ounces (180–230 milliliters) about 4–5 times a day.
Watch for signs that your baby is hungry or full. Respond to these cues and let your baby stop when full. A baby who is full may suck with less enthusiasm, stop, or turn away from the bottle.
Why Does My Baby Seem Hungrier Than Usual?
As babies grow, they begin to eat more at each feeding and can go longer between feedings. Still, there may be times when your little one seems hungrier than usual.
Your baby may be going through a period of rapid growth (called a growth spurt). These can happen at any time, but in the early months are common at around:
- 7–14 days old
- between 3–6 weeks
- 4 months
- 6 months
During these times and whenever your baby seems especially hungry, follow their hunger cues and continue to feed on demand, increasing the amount of formula you give as needed.
Is My Baby Eating Enough?
At times, you may wonder whether your baby is getting enough nutrients for healthy growth and development.
Babies who get enough to eat seem satisfied after eating and are regularly peeing and pooping.
At your baby’s checkups, the doctor will review your baby’s growth chart, track your little one’s development, and answer any questions. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about your baby’s feeding and nutrition.
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: November 2021
Amount and Schedule of Baby Formula Feedings
- In the first week after birth, babies should be eating no more than about 1 to 2 ounces (30 to 60 ml) per feed.
- During the first month, babies gradually eat more until they take 3 to 4 ounces (90 to 120 ml) per feed, amounting to 32 ounces per day. Formula-fed babies typically feed on a more regular schedule, such as every 3 or 4 hours. Breastfed babies usually take smaller, more frequent feedings than formula-fed infants.
If your baby sleeps longer than 4 to 5 hours during the first few weeks after birth and starts missing feedings, wake them up and offer a bottle.
By the end of the first month: Your baby will be up to at least 3 to 4 ounces (120 mL) per feeding, with a fairly predictable schedule of feedings about every 3 to 4 hours.
By 6 months: Your baby will consume 6 to 8 ounces (180–240 mL) at each of 4 or 5 feedings in 24 hours.
Formula feeding based on body weight
On average, your baby should take in about 2½ ounces (75 mL) of infant formula a day for every pound (453 g) of body weight. But they probably will regulate their intake from day to day to meet their own specific needs, so let them tell you when they've had enough. If they become fidgety or easily distracted during a feeding, they're probably finished. If they drain the bottle and continues smacking their lips, they might still be hungry.
There are high and low limits, however. If your baby consistently seems to want more or less than this, discuss it with your pediatrician.
Your baby should usually drink no more than an average of about 32 ounces (960 mL) of formula in 24 hours. Some babies have higher needs for sucking and may just want to suck on a pacifier after feeding.
On-demand feeding
Initially it is best to feed your formula-fed newborn a bottle on demand, or whenever they cry with hunger. As time passes, your baby will begin to develop a fairly regular timetable of their own. As you become familiar with their signals and needs, you'll be able to schedule their feedings around their routine.
Eating & sleeping patterns
Between 2 and 4 months of age (or when the baby weighs more than 12 lb. [5.4 kg]), most formula-fed babies no longer need a middle-of-the-night feedings. They're consuming more during the day, and their sleeping patterns have become more regular (although this varies considerably from baby to baby). Their stomach capacity has increased, too, which means they may go longer between daytime feedings—occasionally up to 4 or 5 hours at a time.
If your baby still seems to feed very frequently or consume larger amounts, try distracting them with play or with a pacifier. Sometimes patterns of obesity begin during infancy, so it is important not to overfeed your baby.
Getting to know your baby's feeding needs
The most important thing to remember, whether you breastfeed or bottlefeed, is that your baby's feeding needs are unique. No book―or website―can tell you precisely how much or how often they need to be fed or exactly how you should handle them during feedings. You will discover these things for yourself as you and your baby get to know each other.
More information
- How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat?
- Making Sure Your Baby is Getting Enough Milk
- Is Your Baby Hungry or Full? Responsive Feeding Explained (Video)
- Remedies for Spitty Babies
- Last Updated
- 5/16/2022
- Source
- Adapted from Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 7th Edition (Copyright © 2019 American Academy of Pediatrics)
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician.
There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
How Much Should a Newborn Baby Eat
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Like every new mom, you're probably wondering, "How often should a newborn eat?" and “How many milliliters does a newborn baby drink at a time?”. A mother's body is designed to provide her baby with all the nutrients she needs, but every mom needs practical advice and confidence when it comes to how much milk a newborn should drink.
Whether you are breastfeeding, bottle feeding or a combination, here you will find all the information you need to know about how much food your baby needs to grow and develop properly.
Signs indicating that the child is hungry
Every mother has a wonderful maternal instinct, but we cannot guess the child's desires from the first time.
Over time, you will learn your child's unique gestures and body movements, as well as signs that he is hungry. In the meantime, here are some of the most common signs that a child is hungry:
- turns head towards your breast or bottle;
- clenches;
- puts pens in mouth;
- pouts, smacks or licks lips.
If your child is showing any of these signs, they are probably trying to tell you it's time to eat. Ideally, your baby should be fed on demand when he is hungry. If you're breastfeeding, on-demand feeding is a good way to keep your milk supply going as your body will naturally respond to your baby's needs and continue to produce the required amount of milk. Bottle-feeding on demand can also be beneficial for your baby, as it allows him to self-regulate his feeding needs.
How much breast milk should a newborn drink?
So, how much should a newborn baby eat? A remarkable feature of each child is its uniqueness, so it would be wrong to feed the baby strictly according to the instructions.
Don't panic if the recommendations below don't fit your own feeding schedule, but please contact your healthcare provider or pediatrician if you have any questions.
Although every baby is different, newborns typically eat every two to three hours, for a total of 8 to 12 meals a day.
How many milliliters does a newborn baby drink? At the very beginning, your body will only produce a small amount of yellowish and thick breast milk called colostrum. This milk is an ideal source of nutrients that your newborn needs, in addition, it has many immunological components. 1
How much milk does a newborn baby drink? Infants drink 30-60 ml per feeding, while this volume increases to 60-90 ml by two weeks of age. So don't worry if you don't feel like your body is producing much milk in those first few days after your baby is born! Feeding times will also vary, ranging from 10 to 30 minutes at the very beginning and then gradually increasing as your baby grows.
How much breastmilk the baby takes if bottle feeding
If you choose to bottle feed your baby from time to time, do so at the same intervals and for the same period of time as if you were breastfeeding. Pumping is a great option for breastfeeding your baby. It will allow you to separate from the baby if necessary and at the same time retain all the benefits of breastfeeding.
It's also important to get a bottle that helps make bottle feeding more natural for both you and your baby. For example, take a look at this Philips Natural bottle. Its wide, physiologically shaped nipple promotes a natural latch that is identical to that of a mother's breast, making it easier to alternate between bottle and breastfeeding.
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the child is full
How to understand that the child is already full? When breastfeeding or bottle feeding, look out for the following signs that may indicate that your newborn baby is full:
- baby closes his mouth;
- turns head away from bottle or breast;
- handles are not clenched and relaxed;
- falls asleep quickly.
If the baby shows signs of fullness, stop breastfeeding or bottle feeding, even if the bottle is not yet empty. 2
The right choice for you and your baby
Remember that every child is different and no one is as close to you as you are. Choose the feeding option that works best for you and your newborn, whether breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or a combination.
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Like any new mother, of course you want to know how much a newborn should eat and how many milliliters of milk he drinks during one feeding session.
In creating your body, nature made sure that you can give your baby all the necessary nutrients. And yet, each of us needs practical advice and authoritative opinion from the outside when it comes to such an important issue as feeding. So how much milk does your baby need?
Whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding your baby (or a combination of both), our page will tell you how much milk a newborn needs for healthy growth and development.
How do you know if a child is hungry?
All mothers have well-developed instincts, but at first not everyone can read their baby's mind! Over time, you will learn to understand your baby's body language well and to recognize the signs that indicate that he is hungry. In the meantime, you are just learning, we will tell you how to understand what the baby is asking to eat. Here are the most typical signs:
- Reaches head towards breast or bottle.
- Clenches her fists.
- Brings pens to mouth.
- Wrinkles, smacks or licks lips.
If you notice even one of these signs, then your baby is trying to tell you that it's time to eat. Ideally, the baby should only be breastfed when he is hungry and asks for food. If you are breastfeeding, this approach will allow you to maintain the required supply of milk, as the body naturally responds to the baby's need and produces the optimal amount of milk. On-demand formula feeding can also be beneficial for the baby, as newborns are able to self-regulate their feeding needs.
How much breast milk does a newborn need?
So, how much do newborns eat? The beauty is that each child is unique, so no kid will ever eat according to the textbook. Don't be discouraged if your feeding schedule is slightly different from what is described in this article. However, if something causes you serious concerns, be sure to consult your doctor or the pediatrician who is treating your baby.
Newborns typically eat every two to three hours, eight to twelve times a day. How many milliliters of milk does a newborn drink in one feeding session? In the first days after giving birth, your milk is yellowish in color and has a thick consistency. Colostrum, as the first breast milk is called, has unique immunological properties and is an ideal source of nutrients needed by the newborn 1 .
How much milk does a baby need to be full? In the first days of life, newborns drink from 30 to 60 ml of milk per feeding, after two weeks this amount increases to 60-90 ml. So don't worry if you feel like you don't have enough milk in the first days after giving birth! The duration of feeding also changes: in the first days it ranges from 10 to 30 minutes, then it gradually increases as the baby grows.
How much breastmilk do you need if you want to bottle feed your baby?
If you decide to bottle feed your baby from time to time, the duration of the feeding session should be no less than the duration of the breastfeeding.
Periodic pumping allows the nipples to rest, while your baby continues to receive healthy breast milk, and you can plan and control the feeding process more effectively.
It's important to choose a bottle that will help you and your baby feel comfortable formula feeding, such as the Natural bottles. The comfortable bottle shape and special soft petals on the nipple provide a natural latch and feel like a real mother's breast - so realistic that the baby will hardly notice the difference.
How do you know when your baby is no longer hungry? Whether you're breastfeeding or bottle feeding, the following signs will help you know that he's had enough:
If you see that the baby is full, stop feeding, even if there is milk left in the breast or bottle 2 .
The right choice for you and your baby
Remember, every child is different and your relationship with your baby is unlike anyone else's.
Choose the feeding method that works best for you and your baby, whether it's breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or a combination of both.
1. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000712.htm
2. https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/mealtime/signs-your-child-is-hungry-or-full.html
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