Most newborns drink 1 to 2 ounces of milk per feeding in the first week of life, gradually increasing to 3 to 5 ounces per feeding by the end of the first month. The exact amount depends on your baby’s age in days, whether you’re breastfeeding or formula feeding, and your baby’s individual hunger cues.
These numbers shift quickly. A newborn’s stomach is remarkably small at birth and grows rapidly over the first few weeks, so the right amount on day one looks nothing like the right amount on day fourteen.
Your Newborn’s Stomach Is Tiny at First
On day one of life, a baby’s stomach holds about 5 to 7 milliliters at a time. That’s roughly one teaspoon. This is why those early feedings are so frequent and so small. Your baby isn’t being fussy or difficult by wanting to eat constantly. Their stomach simply can’t hold much yet.
By day three, stomach capacity jumps to around 22 to 27 milliliters, which is just under an ounce. By one month, your baby’s stomach can hold 3 to 5 ounces per feeding. This rapid expansion is why feeding guidelines change almost daily in those first weeks.
Week-by-Week Feeding Amounts
Days 1 Through 3
If you’re formula feeding, start by offering 1 to 2 ounces every 2 to 3 hours. Breastfed babies will nurse frequently during this window, sometimes as often as every hour, taking very small amounts of colostrum (the thick, concentrated early milk your body produces before your regular milk supply comes in). Don’t worry about measuring exact volumes if you’re breastfeeding. The small amounts of colostrum are nutrient-dense and perfectly matched to that tiny stomach.
Days 4 Through 7
By the end of the first week, most babies take about 1 to 2 ounces per feeding session whether breast or bottle fed. Feedings still happen frequently, roughly 8 to 12 times in a 24-hour period. For formula-fed babies, that works out to somewhere around 12 to 24 total ounces per day, though the range varies from baby to baby.
Weeks 2 Through 4
Over the next few weeks, your baby will start taking larger volumes at each feeding and spacing feedings slightly further apart. By the end of the first month, most babies drink 3 to 5 ounces per session. Formula-fed infants at this stage typically eat every 3 to 4 hours. Breastfed babies may still eat more frequently since breast milk digests faster than formula.
Breastfed vs. Formula-Fed Intake
Breastfed and formula-fed babies end up consuming similar total volumes, but the pattern looks different. Breastfed newborns usually nurse every 2 hours (measured from the start of one feeding to the start of the next), totaling 10 to 12 sessions in 24 hours. Bottle-fed newborns typically eat every 2 to 3 hours, with 8 feedings per day as the recommended minimum.
One key difference: it’s harder to overfeed a breastfed baby because they control the flow and naturally stop when full. With a bottle, milk flows more easily, and some babies will drink more than their stomach can comfortably hold. If your baby frequently spits up large amounts or seems uncomfortable and unsettled right after a bottle, you may be offering slightly too much at once. Try reducing each bottle by half an ounce and feeding a bit more often instead.
How to Tell Your Baby Is Getting Enough
Charts and ounce ranges are helpful guidelines, but your baby’s own signals are more reliable than any fixed number. Hunger cues to watch for include hands moving to the mouth, head turning toward the breast or bottle (called rooting), lip smacking or licking, and clenched fists. Crying is actually a late hunger signal. If you wait until your baby is crying to start a feeding, they may be too agitated to latch or eat well.
Fullness looks like the opposite: relaxed, open hands, a closed mouth, and turning away from the breast or bottle. Let your baby set the pace. Not every feeding will be the same size, and that’s normal.
The most practical way to confirm your baby is eating enough is diaper output. After day five, you should see at least six wet diapers per day. Fewer than that could signal your baby needs more milk. Weight gain is the other reliable indicator. Healthy newborns gain about 1 ounce (28 grams) per day in the first few months. Most pediatricians check weight at well-baby visits during the first two weeks, so you’ll get confirmation early on.
Growth Spurts Change the Pattern
Just when you think you’ve figured out your baby’s feeding schedule, a growth spurt can throw it off. These typically happen around 2 to 3 weeks and again around 6 weeks, though every baby is different. During a growth spurt, your newborn may suddenly want to eat much more frequently, sometimes clustering several feedings into a few hours. This is called cluster feeding.
Cluster feeding can feel alarming, especially if you’re breastfeeding and wondering whether you’re producing enough milk. In most cases, the increased demand is temporary, lasting a day or two. For breastfeeding parents, the extra nursing actually signals your body to increase milk production, so it’s a self-correcting system. For formula-feeding parents, follow your baby’s hunger cues during these periods rather than sticking rigidly to a schedule. Offering an extra ounce or an additional feeding is fine.
Common Concerns About Feeding Too Much or Too Little
New parents often worry about hitting an exact ounce target, but healthy babies are good at regulating their own intake when you follow their cues. The ranges given (1 to 2 ounces per feeding in the first week, 3 to 5 ounces by one month) are averages. Your baby might consistently fall at the low end or the high end and still be perfectly healthy.
Signs that something may be off include fewer than six wet diapers a day after the first week, persistent weight loss beyond the first few days of life, extreme sleepiness that makes it hard to wake your baby for feedings, or a baby who seems hungry immediately after every feeding no matter how much they eat. Any of these patterns is worth bringing up with your pediatrician, who can check weight gain and help troubleshoot.
One useful upper limit to keep in mind: formula-fed babies who consistently take more than 32 ounces per day are likely getting more than they need. At that point, the extra volume doesn’t offer nutritional benefits and may contribute to discomfort or excessive spit-up.