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Feeding · birth to 6 months

How much should a newborn eat?

Checked against current guidance on October 8, 2026. General information, not medical advice.

Illustration of a parent bottle-feeding a baby held upright.

The 10-second answer

  • Day 1: just 2-10 ml per feed. A newborn's stomach is tiny.317
  • By the end of week 1: about 30-60 ml per feed, 8-12 times in 24 hours.2175
  • By 1 month: about 90-120 ml per feed, about every 3-4 hours (6-8 feeds a day). Every baby is different: follow hunger and fullness cues.2114
  • Breastfed babies: feed whenever they show hunger cues. Count wet diapers, not milliliters.1754

General information from published guidance, not a diagnosis or medical advice for your baby. If you are worried, call your doctor, midwife or local health line, whatever this page says. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

Amounts for your baby's age

For formula or pumped milk. Every baby is different: follow hunger and fullness cues, not the bottle markings.

Choose by birthday
Per feed
2-10 ml
Feeds in 24 hours
8-12
Usually every
2-3 hours

Colostrum comes in small amounts and is all most babies need. Expect short, frequent feeds and lots of sleep.371

Per feed
5-15 ml
Feeds in 24 hours
8-12
Usually every
2-3 hours

Many babies feed almost nonstop on the second night. This cluster feeding is normal and helps bring in your milk.37

Per feed
15-30 ml
Feeds in 24 hours
8-12
Usually every
2-3 hours

Breast milk often comes in between days 2 and 5. Feeds may suddenly get longer and swallowing louder.37

Per feed
30-60 ml
Feeds in 24 hours
8-12
Usually every
2-3 hours

Expect more wet diapers each day, with at least 6 heavy ones a day from day 5, and poop turning from black to green-brown, then yellow.345

Per feed
30-90 ml
Feeds in 24 hours
8-12
Usually every
2-3 hours

Most babies are back to their birth weight by day 10-14.2183

Per feed
60-120 ml
Feeds in 24 hours
8-10
Usually every
2-4 hours

A growth spurt between 3 and 6 weeks can mean a few days of extra-hungry feeds. It passes.218

Per feed
90-150 ml
Feeds in 24 hours
6-8
Usually every
3-4 hours

A growth spurt is common around 6 weeks. Daily totals usually stay under 960 ml.28

Per feed
120-180 ml
Feeds in 24 hours
6-8
Usually every
3-4 hours

Some babies start dropping a night feed, others don't. Both are normal.2

Per feed
150-240 ml
Feeds in 24 hours
4-6
Usually every
4-5 hours

Most babies need no more than 960 ml of formula a day.21

Formula by weight

On average, formula-fed babies take about 165 ml of formula per kilogram of body weight a day (about 2.5 oz per pound), but intake varies from day to day.2

Most babies need no more than 960 ml a day.2 In the first week, follow the day-by-day amounts above instead. For healthy babies born at full term. If your baby was premature, is unwell or isn't gaining weight, follow your care team's plan.

See the time since the last feed, and log the next one with one tap, in Ella. Open Ella

Get medical help now if

  • your baby is very sleepy and hard to wake for feeds96
  • your baby has no wet diaper for 8 hours or more11
  • your baby has a dry mouth, a sunken soft spot, or seems floppy109

Call your doctor or midwife today if

  • fewer than 6 wet diapers a day after day 5456
  • your baby has not pooped in 24 hours in the first week45
  • your baby is still below birth weight at 2 weeks68
  • feeds regularly take longer than about 50 minutes, or every feed is a struggle6

If your baby stops breathing, turns blue or grey, is floppy or cannot be woken, call your local emergency number now.

The details

Breastfed or bottle-fed: what changes

You can't see how much a breastfed baby drinks, and you don't need to. Feed whenever your baby shows hunger cues, usually 8-12 times in 24 hours, and let them finish the first breast before offering the second. Bottle-fed babies have amounts printed on the tin, but those are averages. Your baby's cues are the better guide.

5742

Signs your baby is getting enough
  • At least 6 heavy wet diapers a day from day 5-6
  • Yellow poop by day 5, at least 2 a day in the first weeks
  • You hear or see swallowing during feeds
  • Your baby seems content and relaxed after most feeds
  • Back to birth weight by 2 weeks, then steady weight gain

4586

Hunger and fullness cues

Early hunger cues are stirring, rooting (turning toward anything that touches the cheek), sucking on hands and smacking lips. Crying is a late cue: calm the baby first, then feed. Fullness looks like slowing down, turning away, releasing the nipple and relaxed, open hands. See the feeding cues, illustrated.

1141542

Paced bottle feeding in 5 steps
  1. Hold your baby fairly upright, head supported.
  2. Keep the bottle nearly horizontal so milk only just fills the nipple.
  3. Touch the nipple to the lips and let your baby draw it in.
  4. After 3-5 swallows (about 20-30 seconds), tip the bottle down for a short pause, then tip it back up when your baby starts sucking again.
  5. Stop when your baby shows fullness cues, even if milk is left.
Pacing lets the baby control the flow, which helps prevent overfeeding and spit-up, and suits babies who also breastfeed.

1213

Should I wake my newborn to feed?

Yes, in the first weeks. Until your baby is back to birth weight and gaining well, wake them if it has been 3-4 hours since the start of the last feed. After that, most doctors are happy to let a healthy, growing baby set their own schedule at night.

621

Growth spurts and cluster feeding

Many babies have growth spurts, often around 7-10 days and again between 3 and 6 weeks, when they want to feed much more often for a few days. Evening cluster feeding, when feeds bunch together for a few hours, is also common. It is not a sign that your milk is running out.

83

Formula safety in one line

Make formula exactly as the label says: never add extra water or extra powder, and throw away what your baby doesn't finish.

12

Questions parents ask

How many ounces should a newborn drink?

In the first days, very little: about 2-10 ml (under half an ounce) per feed on day 1, rising to about 1-2 oz (30-60 ml) by days 4-5 and 3-4 oz (90-120 ml) by 1 month. Formula-fed babies usually take about 2.5 oz per pound of body weight per day.321

Can you overfeed a bottle-fed baby?

Yes. Fast-flowing bottles and finishing every last drop can lead to discomfort, spit-up and too much weight gain. Paced feeding and stopping at fullness cues help.113

How long should a breastfeed take?

It varies a lot: anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes is common in the first weeks. Feeds that are regularly shorter than about 10 minutes or longer than about 50 minutes, or a baby who never seems satisfied, are worth checking with a midwife, lactation consultant or doctor.6

How do I know my breastfed baby is getting enough milk?

Count wet and dirty diapers, watch for swallowing during feeds, and check weight gain at your baby's check-ups. From day 5-6, at least 6 heavy wet diapers a day is a good sign.45

Is it normal for my newborn to want to eat every hour?

For a few hours at a time, yes, especially in the evening and during growth spurts. If your baby wants to feed every hour all day and night for more than a couple of days, or diapers are fewer than expected, talk to your doctor or midwife.37

Ella

Know when the last feed was, without asking

Log a feed from the Ella widget in one tap. Ella shows the time since the last feed, today's total and which side is next, on every family phone.

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Sources

  1. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: How often and how much should your baby eat?
  2. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: Amount and schedule of baby formula feedings
  3. Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine: Clinical protocol #3, supplementary feedings in the healthy term newborn (2017)
  4. NHS: Is my baby getting enough milk?
  5. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: How to tell if your breastfed baby is getting enough milk
  6. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: 11 warning signs of breastfeeding problems
  7. NHS: Breastfeeding, the first few days
  8. AAP, HealthyChildren.org: Physical appearance and growth in the first month
  9. NHS: When to get urgent medical help for babies and children under 5
  10. NHS: Dehydration
  11. NHS: Soothing a crying baby
  12. NHS: Bottle feeding advice
  13. Minnesota Department of Health (WIC): Paced bottle feeding (2018)
  14. CDC: Signs your child is hungry or full
  15. Queensland Health: Baby feeding cues (2012)

Guidance can differ between countries. Where it does, we show both. Follow your own doctor or health service.

Checked against current guidance on October 8, 2026. General information, not medical advice. Written by the Ella team at Muchita AI from published guidance by the AAP, NHS, NICE, WHO and CDC, with AI-assisted drafting and translation checked against those sources by our team. These organisations have not reviewed or endorsed this page. General information, not a diagnosis or medical advice. If you are worried about your baby, trust your instinct and call a doctor.

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