How Much Should I Feed My Baby
There are general guidelines, but no hard and fast rules, for how much your baby should have at each feeding. It depends on their own habits and rate of growth, plus a few other things, such as their age and how often they feed.
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Babies usually drink more each time as they grow and their stomachs can hold more. If you breastfeed, your baby may drink a little less each time but feed more often than babies who get formula.
Most babies add about 1 ounce to what they drink per feeding with each month of age. This levels off when theyre about 6 months old, when they usually drink 7 to 8 ounces per feeding. Heres about much your baby should drink at each feeding when they are:
- Newborn to 2 months.In the first days after your baby is born, they may want only a half ounce of milk or formula at each feeding. This will quickly increase to 1 or 2 ounces. By the time theyre 2 weeks old, they should drink about 2 or 3 ounces per feeding.
- 2-4 months.At this age, your baby should drink about 4 to 5 ounces per feeding.
- 4-6 months. At 4 months, your baby should drink about 4 to 6 ounces per feeding. By the time your baby is 6 months old, theyll probably drink up to 8 ounces each time you feed them.
Not sure if your baby is getting enough to eat? You can probably relax. If your child has four to six wet diapers a day, has regular bowel movements, and is gaining weight, chances are that theyre doing just fine. If you have any concerns, give your pediatrician a call.
How Many Ounces Of Breast Milk Should A Newborn Drink
- Day One —> Your babys stomach is about the size of a cherry! This means that it holds just 1 1 ½ teaspoons of milk at a time.
- Day Three —> Your babys stomach is about the size of a walnut! This means that it holds just ¾ – 1 ounce of milk at a time.
- One Week —> Your babys stomach is about the size of an apricot! This means that it holds about 1 ½ – 2 ounces of milk at a time.
- Two Weeks —> Your babys stomach is about the size of a large egg! This means that it holds about 2 ½ – 5 ounces of milk at a time.
Between one month old and six months old, your baby will begin to eat more efficiently in fewer sessions throughout the day, but the total amount of milk that he or she drinks per day will not change significantly. Every baby is different and many will certainly have days when they are hungrier than others, but the amount of breast milk that your little one will take in during this time typically averages out to anywhere from 19 30 ounces per day. However, this can change if you begin supplementing or, later on, as youre introducing solid foods.
If you need a little help tracking how much milk your baby is drinking each day, download our Medela Family app to easily log your pumping, nursing, and feeding sessions and your little ones diapers. You can also download our – available in English and Spanish – to stay as organized as possible during those early weeks at home with your baby.
When To Start Solids
Your baby needs to reach certain stages of development before you add solid food to their diet. If you breastfeed, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that you feed your baby breast milk alone until theyre about 6 months old. Many babies are ready for solids when theyre about this age.
Heres how to tell if your baby may be ready for solid food:
- They can hold up their head and keep it steady while seated in a high chair or other infant seat.
- They open their mouth for food or reach out for it.
- They put their hands or toys in their mouth.
- They can take food from a spoon and swallow it instead of dribbling it all out.
- They have doubled their birth weight and weigh at least 13 pounds.
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How Do You Know If Your Baby Is Hungry
If your baby is hungry, crying will usually be a telltale sign. But since its harder to settle down a crying baby to make them eat, its best to pay attention to other hunger cues from your baby. These may include:
- Licking their lips
- Rooting
- Sucking on whatever they come into contact with
- Crankiness
Guide For Formula Feeding
- When breast milk is not available, standard infant formula is an appropriate alternative for most healthy full term infants, but there are some differences between brands. Do not hesitate to ask your health care provider for a recommendation if you are unsure which formula to use.
- Bottle-feeding should be interactive, with the caregiver holding both the bottle and the infant. Propping a bottle has been linked to an increased risk of ear infections and tooth decay.
- Formula feeding should be in response to the infants needs and not based on a predetermined schedule. Look for cues of hunger and fullness to determine both when to feed and how much. The number of wet diapers per day and your childs growth will reflect if he or she is getting enough formula. The chart below demonstrates common intakes for infants at various stages. However, ask your health care provider if you have any questions about how much formula your infant is taking.
- The amount of formula an infant takes will decrease as the baby increases intake of solid foods, but formula remains a significant source of calories, protein, calcium and vitamin D for the first year of life.
- Ask your health care provider before switching an infant less than 1 year of age from formula to cows milk or a cows milk alternative.
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How Much Should Newborn Babies Eat The Day Theyre Born
You may be anxious about getting your baby started eating as soon as possible. But on the first day of life, its possible that your baby is just as tired as you after going through birth.
Its not uncommon for babies to be very sleepy in the first 24 hours of life. That first 24-hour period after birth can be a learning curve for the baby to literally learn how to eat and be alert enough to eat. Dont fret too much if your baby isnt showing interest in eating every two hours on schedule.
One study found that, on average, infants who were breastfed ate around eight times and had three wet or dirty diapers in the first 24 hours of life. This is less than theyll eat and eliminate later.
You may be shocked to see how little your newborn is actually eating through breastfeeding in that first day of life, too. This is normal so dont be worried. Keep in mind that until your milk comes in , your baby is drinking colostrum only.
Colostrum is like concentrated superfood full of calories and nutrients, which is why it is adequate even in its small amounts the first couple days. Think quality over quantity.
On average, a healthy newborn will only drink about a 1/2 ounce in colostrum over the first 24 hours of life. Of course, every baby is different.
How Much Should A 1 3 Month Old Eat
Not surprisingly, youll expect to see your little ones appetite increase at this time.
He will also be more vocal about letting you know hes hungry since hell be less sleepy now.
Many breastfeeding moms worry about their milk supply at this point as infants can go through growth spurts at this age. Your infant may feed more frequently for a couple of days to help increase breastmilk production.
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Typical Portion Sizes And Daily Intake For Infants Age
0 to 4 months
- Breast milk or infant formula Feedings per day: eight to 12.
4 to 6 months
- Breast milk or infant formula Feedings per day: four to six.
- Infant cereal .
6 to 8 months
- Breast milk or infant formula Feedings per day: three to five.
- Infant cereal .
- Crackers bread .
- Juice or water .
- Fruit or vegetable .
- Meat or beans .
8 to 12 months
- Breast milk or infant formula Feedings per day: three to four.
- Cheese or yogurt .
- Infant cereal bread crackers or pasta .
- Juice or water .
- Fruit or vegetable .
- Meat or beans .
While babies do not need additional water or juice for hydration, it is recommended to provide some in a cup to help with transition off the bottle, which is recommended at 12 months. If you have any questions about your babys diet and nutrition, talk to your pediatrician or a dietitian. They can help you form a healthy plan for your child.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 02/17/2020.
References
How Often And How Much Should I Feed My Baby
At Westchester Health Pediatrics, we have the joy and the privilege of taking care of a lot of newborns. We also get to help parents transition into that wonderful phase of caring for a baby. One thing weve noticed over the years is how much parents want to make sure if theyre feeding their baby often enough, or giving them enough at each feeding.
To help calm their fears and give some helpful guidelines, we offer this blog detailing how often, and how much, your newborn should be eating. We also have lots of other helpful information and advice for new parents on our website which you can access here.
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Can A Baby Eat Too Much Formula
Healthy babies, when allowed to drink to their appetites without any prodding by parents, will grow at the rate that’s normal for them. If your little one’s weight is increasing at a steady clip and following a familiar curve, there’s no need to worry that she’s overeating. But if your baby’s bottle becomes the liquid equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet, there’s a chance she can easily get too much.
Here are signs to look for that may indicate your baby is taking in more formula than she needs:
- Frequent spit-ups. Overfeeding can lead to overflow in the form of excessive spit-up. Put too much in her little tummy, and it’s bound to come back up.
- Excessive weight gain. If your baby’s weight seems to be consistently moving upward faster than her height, check with the doctor. She may be picking up too many pounds too quickly because she’s taking in too much formula.
If your pediatrician tells you that your baby seems to be overeating, there are a few things you can do to slow down her formula intake :
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
Is My Baby Hungry
If your baby is hungry, he or she will try to let you know. Crying is a late sign of hunger so its a good thing your baby exhibits other signs that can help signal to you it is time for them to eat. These include:
- Moving head from side to side.
- Constantly opening mouth.
- Closing mouth.
- Turning away from breast or bottle.
If your baby does these things once, it may be an accident or because he or she needs to burp. Try to continue the feeding once more. If any of the signs persist, then end the feeding.
Breastfed babies will often fall asleep at the breast and it can be hard to know if you should unlatch them. In fact, each time you try to take them off the breast, they start sucking again. If your baby begins actively swallowing again after starting to suck, then he may still be hungry. Otherwise, dont feel bad taking him off the breast.
Editor’s Note:
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How Many Ounces Do Breastfed Babies Eat At 2 Months 3 Months 4 Months Etc
As one might expect, breast milk intake varied slightly with the babys age, with it averaging slightly lower in the first month of life and then increasing up to between 26 and 28 oz until about 10 months of age.
At this point, presumably, solids are making up a more substantial part of the babys diet, and the average drops down to 25 oz at 10 months and 19.5 oz at 11 months.
I also looked to see if breast milk intake varied by any other factors that I had asked about in the survey, such as the age of the mother, whether the baby was a first baby or a subsequent child, and race. I didnt find any statistically significant differences based on maternal or child characteristics, except for the age of the baby as described above.
The one relationship that I did find with regard to a babys intake of breast milk was the amount of milk that the mother pumped. Mothers that pumped more milk tended to feed their babies more milk.
This could be for a few different reasons. For example, mothers that switched from nursing to exclusive pumping might be closely in sync with the amount of milk that their baby needs. Additionally, women with supply on the low end of the spectrum that have babies that also dont need as much milk might not work to bring it up as much as mothers whose babies take in more.
Why Do Newborns Feed Often
Newborns feed frequently because their stomachs are small and can only hold tiny amounts of milk. Experts say that by 10 days of age, babys tummy is about the size of a golf ball. And that golf ball would hold about 2 ounces.
Breastfed babies tend to eat more often than formula-fed babies because breast milk breaks down faster in their stomachs. What researchers have found a newborns stomach capacity is about 20ml , and it takes about an hour for baby to digest this amount. This fits perfectly with babys one-hour sleep cycle.
Formula takes longer to break down, so your baby will not want to eat as often .
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