A newborn drinks surprisingly little in the first few days of life, starting at just 1 to 2 ounces per feeding and gradually increasing to 3 to 4 ounces by the end of the first month. The exact amount depends on whether your baby is breastfed or formula-fed, how old they are in days, and their individual appetite. Rather than hitting one fixed number, the goal is a steady upward curve from those tiny first feedings to a more predictable routine over the first four weeks.
The First Week: Smaller Than You Think
At birth, a baby’s stomach is roughly the size of a marble, holding only about 1 to 2 teaspoons. That’s why newborns eat so little at first and need to eat so often. During the first week, feedings should be no more than about 1 to 2 ounces (30 to 60 ml) each. By day 10, the stomach has stretched to about the size of a ping-pong ball, holding around 2 ounces comfortably.
This small capacity is why your baby may seem hungry again almost immediately after eating. Breastfed newborns typically nurse every 2 to 3 hours around the clock, which works out to 8 to 12 feedings per day. Formula-fed newborns follow a similar pattern in the first week, though feedings may space out slightly because formula takes longer to digest. By the end of the first week, a breastfed baby typically takes in 10 to 20 ounces total over 24 hours.
Weeks Two Through Four
Over the course of the first month, babies gradually ramp up their intake. By the end of week four, most formula-fed babies are drinking 3 to 4 ounces (90 to 120 ml) per feeding, totaling roughly 32 ounces per day spread across six to eight feedings. Breastfed babies reach a similar daily range of 24 to 30 ounces, though individual feedings are harder to measure since the milk comes directly from the breast.
Formula-fed babies tend to settle into a more regular schedule, eating every 3 to 4 hours. Breastfed babies often continue to feed more frequently and less predictably, which is completely normal. The transition from 1-ounce feedings to 3- or 4-ounce feedings happens gradually. You don’t need to push your baby to drink more at any particular pace.
Breastfed vs. Formula-Fed Differences
The total daily intake ends up in a similar range for both breastfed and formula-fed newborns, but the feeding patterns look different. Breastfed babies control the flow and tend to take smaller, more frequent meals. They also experience something called cluster feeding, especially in the evenings, where they may want to nurse every 30 minutes to an hour for a stretch. This can feel alarming, but it’s a normal way babies stimulate milk production and satisfy hunger during growth spurts.
Formula-fed babies are easier to measure since you can see exactly how many ounces go into the bottle. The trade-off is that it’s also easier to accidentally push past what the baby actually needs. If your baby consistently finishes a bottle and still seems hungry, it’s fine to offer a little more, but let the baby’s cues guide you rather than aiming for a predetermined number.
How to Tell Your Baby Is Getting Enough
Since you can’t always measure intake precisely, especially with breastfeeding, diapers are the most reliable indicator. After day five, a well-fed newborn produces at least six wet diapers per day. Stool frequency varies more, but regular dirty diapers in the first few weeks are a good sign. Steady weight gain, checked at your baby’s pediatric visits, confirms the picture.
Your baby’s behavior also tells you a lot. Early hunger cues include putting hands to their mouth, turning their head toward your breast or the bottle (called rooting), smacking or licking their lips, and clenching their fists. Crying is actually a late hunger sign, so try to catch the earlier signals. When a baby is full, they’ll close their mouth, turn their head away from the breast or bottle, and visibly relax their hands. These cues are more reliable than any chart.
Signs of Overfeeding
Overfeeding is more common with bottle feeding, simply because milk flows from a bottle more easily than from a breast. A baby who’s been fed too much often becomes uncomfortable because their digestive system can’t keep up. Common signs include excessive spitting up, gassiness, visible belly discomfort, loose stools, and more frequent or intense crying. Overfeeding doesn’t cause long-term harm in most cases, but it makes your baby miserable in the short term.
One way to avoid overfeeding with a bottle is paced feeding: hold the bottle more horizontally, pause every few minutes, and let the baby decide when they’re done rather than encouraging them to finish. If your baby turns away, closes their mouth, or seems disinterested, the feeding is over, even if there’s still milk left in the bottle.
Quick Reference by Age
- Days 1 to 3: 1 to 2 teaspoons per feeding (stomach is marble-sized), feeding 8 to 12 times per day
- Days 4 to 7: 1 to 2 ounces per feeding, totaling 10 to 20 ounces per day
- Day 10: Stomach holds about 2 ounces comfortably
- End of month 1: 3 to 4 ounces per feeding, 6 to 8 feedings per day, totaling 24 to 32 ounces daily
These are ranges, not rules. Some babies sit on the lower end and gain weight perfectly well. Others need a bit more. As long as your baby is producing enough wet diapers, gaining weight steadily, and showing clear hunger and fullness cues, the exact ounce count matters less than the overall pattern.