A 1-week-old baby typically drinks 1.5 to 2 ounces of milk per feeding, which matches the size of their stomach at this age (roughly the size of an apricot, holding 45 to 60 ml). Over a full day, that adds up to about 12 to 24 ounces total, depending on whether your baby is breastfed or formula-fed and how frequently they eat.
Stomach Size Sets the Limit
Your baby’s stomach grew rapidly during the first few days of life but is still tiny at one week. It holds about 1.5 to 2 ounces at a time. That’s why newborns eat in small, frequent amounts rather than taking large bottles spaced far apart. Trying to push more than 2 ounces into a single feeding at this age can lead to spit-up or discomfort, not better nutrition.
Formula-Fed Babies
If your baby is exclusively formula-fed, offer 1 to 2 ounces per feeding every 2 to 3 hours. That works out to roughly 8 to 12 feedings in a 24-hour period. Some babies will consistently drain the bottle, while others leave a little behind. Both are normal. The key is offering frequently and letting your baby decide when they’re done rather than pushing them to finish a set amount.
At this age, you don’t need to measure daily totals obsessively. As long as your baby is producing enough wet diapers and gaining weight on schedule, the per-feeding amount will naturally vary.
Breastfed Babies
With breastfeeding, you can’t measure ounces directly, and that’s fine. Breastfed newborns typically nurse 8 to 12 times in 24 hours. Some of those sessions will be short (10 minutes), others much longer, especially during cluster feeds.
Cluster feeding, where your baby wants to nurse nearly every hour for several hours in a row, is completely normal during the first week. It happens around the clock in the earliest days and tends to taper off by the end of week one as your milk supply comes in and your baby’s stomach grows. These marathon sessions can feel exhausting, but they serve a purpose: they signal your body to produce more milk and help your baby get the calories they need in small, frequent doses.
Hunger and Fullness Cues to Watch
Rather than watching the clock or the bottle markings alone, let your baby guide you. Newborns show clear signals when they’re hungry:
- Hands to mouth: bringing fists up to their face or sucking on fingers
- Rooting: turning their head toward your breast or the bottle
- Lip movements: puckering, smacking, or licking their lips
- Clenched fists
Crying is actually a late hunger sign. If you wait until your baby is wailing, they may be too upset to latch well or may gulp air along with milk. Try to catch the earlier, subtler cues.
When your baby is full, they’ll close their mouth, turn away from the breast or bottle, or visibly relax their hands. These signals mean the feeding is done, even if there’s still milk left in the bottle. Forcing a baby past their fullness cues doesn’t help them grow faster.
How to Tell Your Baby Is Getting Enough
Since you can’t always measure what goes in, the best indicators come from what comes out. By day 5 through the end of the first week, a well-fed baby produces at least 6 wet diapers per day. The number of dirty diapers varies more, but you should see at least a few each day during this period. Urine should be pale or clear, not dark yellow.
Weight is the other reliable marker. Most newborns lose 7 to 10 percent of their birth weight in the first few days, which is entirely normal. By 2 weeks old, your baby should be back up to their birth weight. Your pediatrician will check this at the first well-baby visit, but if you’re worried before then, many lactation consultants and pediatric offices offer quick weight checks.
When to Wake a Sleepy Baby
During the first week, some babies are sleepy enough that they won’t wake on their own to eat often enough. If your baby hasn’t fed in 3 hours (measured from the start of the last feeding, not the end), wake them. This is especially important if your baby hasn’t regained their birth weight yet or lost more than 10 percent in the first few days. Once weight gain is solidly on track and your pediatrician gives the green light, you can start letting your baby sleep longer stretches at night without waking them.
To rouse a sleepy newborn, try undressing them down to their diaper, placing them skin-to-skin on your chest, or gently stroking the soles of their feet. A cool washcloth on the forehead also works. The goal is just enough stimulation to get them interested in eating without making them upset.
Feeding Amounts Change Quickly
One week is a snapshot. Your baby’s intake will increase noticeably over the next few weeks as their stomach grows. By 2 weeks, most babies take 2 to 3 ounces per feeding. By a month, 3 to 4 ounces is typical. The feeding frequency gradually drops as the volume per session goes up, so while the early days feel relentless, the schedule naturally spaces out over time.