How Many Ounces Is A Newborn Supposed To Eat

Typical Portion Sizes And Daily Intake For Infants Age

HOW MUCH SHOULD MY NEWBORN EAT? Your Newbornâs Stomach Size and How Much Milk They Really Need

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

Your Life As A Parent: Returning To Work

Depending on your situation, different factors may come into play as you decide if and when to go back to work, including your finances, maternity leave options, and general family considerations. If you can, allow yourself some flexibility as you may change your mind about your return to work when the time comes. Whenever you do return to work, itâs natural to feel sad, anxious, or concerned about how your baby will adjust. If your partner is not staying home with your baby, the key is to find child care that you feel comfortable with and that your baby thrives under. You might also consider getting additional help at home so you can spend that precious home time with your baby without additional distractions.

Organizing Child Care

You may have multiple sources and forms of child care, which you could consider, including

  • your parents or other relatives

  • a babysitter

  • in-home care, either solely for your baby or in a group with other children

  • a nanny

  • or a combination of the above.

As you search for child care, keep in mind that the most important thing is to make sure your baby is happy and developing well under the care you select. Ask other parents or your babyâs healthcare provider for referrals. Speak to potential caregivers at length, observe them with your baby for a day or two, check their references and do background checks, and trust your instincts. You should always keep a watchful eye that your baby is doing well, and reevaluate your choice if need be.

What Food Is Healthy For A Nine

A nine-month-old baby is growing rapidly, and complex brain development is taking place. A well-balanced, nutritional diet that fills their belly is critical at this time. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a nine-month-old should be eating a wide variety of foods. If babies are eating cereal, it should be fortified. This will provide the nutrients that they need.

Its great to include a rainbow of foods in a nine-month-olds diet. Their food should be colorful, fresh, and tantalizing. Encourage them to try fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and meats. Wait until they have turned one year old before introducing honey, as it may contain the bacteria that can cause botulism. Along the same lines, unpasteurized drinks or foods can contain E. coli and cause severe intestinal problems.

  • Sweet potato
  • Pasta

When offering nine-month-old babies food , size is important. Pieces should be large enough to pick up but small enough that the baby wont choke. Try to aim for cubes about a third of an inch in size. This is just a little bit bigger than a standard pea.

Also Check: When A Newborn Is Constipated

How Much Milk How Often

It all starts fairly simply:

  • Most healthy formula-fed newborns take 2 or 3 ounces of formula per feeding, and eat every 3 or 4 hours.
  • By one month of age, most have increased on their own to about 4 ounces every 4 hours.

Another way to express this rule of thumb is that the average baby takes 2 or 3 ounces of formula each day for every pound of body weight, up to a maximum of 32 ounces. A newborn weighing 7 lbs. will take an average of 14-21 ounces of formula in a day. A 4-month-old weighing 14 pounds needs 28-32 ounces.

Nevertheless, these are general guidelines. In real life, this may vary quite a bit from day to day and from baby to baby. Itâs best to remain flexible and to let your babyâs appetite guide the amount. Do not worry too much about calculating the exact number of ounces per feeding or per day. You donât need to coax him to finish a bottle, or stop him if he still acts hungry. Doing so can actually override your babyâs natural hunger and satiety mechanisms. In general, babies will eat/drink when hungry and stop when full. It is this natural instinct that allows for proper growth and development. At each doctor visit, your pediatrician will check your babyâs growth. If there are concerns, your pediatrician may discuss alternative feeding plans. If you notice your baby refusing food, losing weight, or you are unsure about their growth, please make a visit with your pediatrician to discuss your concerns.

Signs Baby Is Eating Enough

How to Store Breast Milk

When it comes to newborns, how often you should feed baby depends on how much milk your newborn wants. Keep an eye out for signs you have a hungry babylike if they wake up and start rooting, or suckling or moving their mouthpreferably before they start fussing or crying. Pay attention to babys cues even while you feed. Youll know theyre still hungry if theyre actively suckling and audibly swallowing. When baby stops suckling, relaxes their hands and has that sleepy, relaxed milk-drunk look, youll know theyve eaten enough.

Checking babys diaper can also give you a clue as to whether baby is eating enough: A wet diaper every three to four hours is a good sign. Stools can be more variable: Some babies poop every time they eat, others just once a day.

But at the end of the day, how baby is acting and growing are the most important , Trachtenberg says. By measuring babys weight gain, your pediatrician will be able to tell if your child is thriving. Babies usually gain about half an ounce to two ounces per day for the first three months, says Meryl Newman-Cedar, MD, a New York City-based pediatrician and clinical instructor of pediatrics at Weill-Cornell Medical Center. But keep in mind that the big picture is more important than any single weigh-in. In general, you want to see babys height and weight basically follow their own growth curve, she says.

You May Like: How Can A Newborn Sleep At Night

How Many Ounces Of Breastmilk Should A Newborn Eat

Breastfeeding mommies are always concerned if they are producing sufficient milk or if the baby is getting enough feeds. It is also a great concern to know if the baby is nursing according to his chronological age or less/ more than other babies of his age. Obviously, if you are exclusively breastfeeding your baby, there is little to no chance to measure the milk however, it has been observed that mothers who collect the milk often report that the babies fed on breastmilk often consume less milk than formula-fed babies. However, if you are aware of the breast-feeding guidelines, it is pretty easy to tell if your baby is consuming sufficient breastmilk or not.

How Much Formula Should You Feed Your Baby By Age

Your cutie will be taking in more formula at each feeding, anywhere from 3 to 7 ounces, depending on her age. Her stomach capacity has increased, too, which means she’ll likely stretch out the time between feedings.

In general, heres what you can expect:

  • 2-month-olds will usually drink 3 to 6 ounces of formula every three to four hours. That adds up to 18 to 32 ounces of formula in around eight feedings total in a 24-hour period.
  • 3-month-olds will generally drink 4 to 6 ounces of formula around every four hours. That adds up to 24 to 36 ounces of formula in around six feedings total in a 24-hour period.
  • 4-month-olds will often drink 5 to 7 ounces of formula every four to five hours. That adds up to 24 to 32 ounces of formula in four to six feedings total in a 24-hour period.
  • 5-month-olds will typically drink 6 to 8 ounces of formula around five times per day. That adds up to 24 to 36 ounces of formula total in a 24-hour period.
  • 6-month-olds will usually drink 6 to 8 ounces of formula four to five times per day. That adds up to 24 to 32 ounces of formula total in a 24-hour period.

Have a serious sipper who consistently seems to want more than that? Discuss it with your doctor. The upper daily intake formula intake for babies 6 months and younger is 32 to 36 ounces per 24-hour period, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics .

Recommended Reading: How Much Gas Is Normal For Newborn

First Weeks And Months

Some babies need additional vitamin D.

Babies who are fed breast milk exclusively or who receive both breast milk and infant formula need extra vitamin D, starting shortly after birth. They can get this through over-the-counter vitamin D drops. Babies receiving only infant formula do not need vitamin D drops. Infant formula is fortified with vitamin D.

  • Over the first few weeks and months, the time between feedings will get longerabout every 3 to 4 hours for most infant formula-fed babies. This means you may need to wake your baby to feed. You can try patting, stroking, undressing, or changing the diaper to help wake your baby to feed.
  • Some feeding sessions may be long, and other feedings short. That is okay. Babies will generally take what they need at each feeding and stop eating when they are full.

How Much Breast Milk Or Formula Should I Give My Baby After Starting Solids

How much milk should I feed my 2 month old at night?

Breast milk or formula should make up the bulk of your babys nutrition until hes a year old. But as he starts eating more solid food, the amount of breast milk or formula he drinks will slowly taper off. Specific amounts are different for every baby, of course, but here are some basic rules of thumb:

  • 6 months: Nurse five to six times a day for a total of 24 to 36 ounces of breast milk, or offer four to five bottles a day with 6 to 8 ounces of formula each.

  • 7 months: Nurse five to six times a day for a total of 24 to 30 ounces of breast milk, or offer four to five bottles a day with 6 to 8 ounces of formula each.

  • 8 months: Nurse four to six times a day for a total of 24 to 30 ounces of breast milk, or offer three to five bottles a day with 7 to 8 ounces of formula each.

  • 9 months: Nurse four to six times a day for a total of 24 to 30 ounces of breast milk, or offer three to four bottles a day with 7 to 8 ounces of formula each.

  • 10 months: Nurse four times a day for a total of 24 to 30 ounces of breast milk, or offer three to four bottles a day with 7 to 8 ounces of formula each.

  • 11 months: Nurse or bottle-feed three to four times a day for a total of 24 ounces of breast milk or formula.

  • 12 months: 24 ounces of breast milk or formula a day, edging closer to 16 ounces by your babys first birthday.

You May Like: Why Is Newborn So Fussy At Night

Recommended Feeding Guide For The First Year

Breast milk and formula are designed to be the primary sources of nutritionthroughout an infants first year of life. You should talk with your babyshealth care provider before starting solid foods. Solid foods should notbegin before age 4 months because:

  • Breast milk or formula provide your baby with all the nutrients that are needed.
  • Your baby isnt physically developed enough to eat solid food from a spoon.
  • Feeding your baby solid food too early may result in poor feeding experiences and increased weight gain in both infancy and early childhood.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants,children and adolescents take in enough vitamin D through supplements,formula or cows milk to prevent complications from deficiency of thisvitamin. In November 2008, the AAP updated its recommendations fordaily intake of vitamin D for infants, children, and adolescents whoare healthy. It is now recommended that the minimum intake of vitamin Dfor these groups should be 400 IU per day, beginning soon after birth.Your babys health care provider can recommend the proper type andamount of vitamin D supplement.

How Often Should A Newborn Eat

A baby should be fed about 2 ounces every 2 hours until you and the newborn get used to the feeding schedule. They can be fed a bit more or a bit less during the first couple of days, depending on how hungry they seem.

Dont hesitate to wake them up if you have to in order to feed them, because ultimately you will have to find the exact amounts and times that work for you, and the best way to do that is through trial and error.

After the initial feedings, youll probably have a better idea of what your baby will eat and at what times. A baby should be fed every few hours, no matter what for most of the first year of their life.

The amount and the number of hours are the variables that change.For instance, if the first few feedings of your baby are 2 ounces every 2 hours, this number is not set in stone.

As the baby grows and gets bigger, it not only will have to eat more, but it can go a little bit longer in between feedings.

A newborn at 2 months old should be able to eat around 4 ounces of milk every 4 hours, so its important to keep in mind how old your child is and what their previous feeding milestones were.

This should give you a better idea of how much your child will eat, so you can change the amount and times as they get older.

Don’t Miss: How Is Hemophilia Treated In A Newborn

How Do You Store Breast Milk

Whether you choose to refrigerate or freeze your milk, you should:

  • Use sterilised containers. Opt for plastic bottles or plastic breastmilk bags.
  • Label and date your bottles and bags, and use up the oldest ones first.
  • Keep your breast pump clean.
  • Wash your hands before expressing and handling breastmilk for storage.
  • Related Posts

    Popular Articles