A 5-month-old typically drinks 24 to 36 ounces of breast milk or formula per day, spread across five to six feedings. Each feeding session usually runs about 5 to 7 ounces for formula-fed babies, while breastfed babies tend to feed more frequently in smaller amounts.
Daily Totals and Per-Feeding Amounts
For formula-fed babies at 5 months, expect roughly 6 to 7 ounces per bottle, five to six times a day. That puts the daily total somewhere between 30 and 42 ounces, though most babies land in the 30 to 36 range. UC Davis Health guidelines suggest 5 to 7 ounces every 4 to 6 hours as a reasonable target at this age.
Breastfed babies are harder to measure because you can’t see the ounces going in. They typically nurse 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, which means shorter gaps between feedings compared to formula. If you’re pumping and bottle-feeding breast milk, most 5-month-olds take between 3 and 5 ounces per session. Breast milk is digested faster than formula, which is why breastfed babies eat more often, not because they’re getting less nutrition.
The Weight-Based Way to Calculate
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a simple formula: about 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight per day. So a 14-pound baby would need roughly 35 ounces daily, while a 16-pound baby would need about 40 ounces. This calculation is more personalized than age-based charts and is especially useful if your baby is on the smaller or larger side for their age.
There is a ceiling, though. Most pediatricians note that babies rarely need more than 32 to 36 ounces of formula in a day, even if the math suggests otherwise. If your baby consistently seems hungry after hitting that range, it may be a sign they’re ready for other developmental changes rather than simply more milk.
Breastfed vs. Formula-Fed Differences
The total caloric intake ends up similar between breastfed and formula-fed babies, but the pattern looks different. Formula-fed babies settle into a more predictable schedule with larger, less frequent bottles. Breastfed babies often cluster-feed, especially in the evening, taking several small feeds close together and then going longer stretches at other times.
If you’re combo-feeding (some breast milk, some formula), there’s no exact ratio you need to hit. The weight-based calculation still works as a rough guide for the formula portion, and you can let your baby’s hunger and fullness cues fill in the rest.
How to Tell if Your Baby Is Getting Enough
At 5 months, your baby can’t tell you they’re hungry or full with words, but the body language is surprisingly clear. Hunger looks like hands going to the mouth, head turning toward the breast or bottle, and lip smacking or licking. Clenched fists are another early hunger signal. Crying is actually a late sign of hunger, so catching those earlier cues makes feeding smoother for everyone.
Fullness is just as readable. Your baby will close their mouth, turn their head away from the bottle or breast, and visibly relax their hands. Pushing the bottle away or losing interest mid-feed are also clear signals. Respecting these cues matters more than hitting a specific ounce target. Some babies consistently drink 5 ounces per feeding and thrive, while others regularly take 7. Both can be perfectly normal.
The most reliable check is weight gain and diaper output. Steady growth along your baby’s own curve (not someone else’s) and six or more wet diapers a day are strong signs that intake is on track.
What About Starting Solids?
Five months is right in the window when many parents start thinking about solid foods, though most guidelines recommend waiting until around 6 months. If your pediatrician has given the go-ahead to start early, keep in mind that breast milk or formula remains the primary source of nutrition for the entire first year. Solids at this stage are about exploration and practice, not calories.
When you do begin introducing solids, offer milk first and solids second. This ensures your baby fills up on the nutrition they need most before experimenting with purées or soft foods. You shouldn’t see a significant drop in milk intake at this point. That gradual shift happens later, typically between 8 and 12 months, as your baby gets better at eating and starts relying more on solid food for energy.