How Many Drops Of Lactase Drops Does A Newborn Need? | Baby Feeding Facts

Parents reach for lactase drops when feeds seem to spark gas, watery stools, or a crampy cry. The enzyme breaks milk sugar into simpler sugars before your baby drinks the feed. So the natural question appears: how many drops does a newborn need per feed? Here’s a practical, step-by-step guide you can use today at home, built from product labels and clinical sources.

Newborn Lactase Drop Directions At A Glance

Feeding setup	Typical drops	Timing & notes
Breastfeeding (spoon or syringe)	4 drops	Mix with 2–3 tsp warm expressed milk; give before latch.
Bottle feeding, immediate	4 drops	Add to warm (not hot) milk; swirl and wait ~30 minutes.
Make-ahead bottle in fridge	2 drops	Add to warm milk, then refrigerate 4–12 hours; use within 12–24 hours per label.
Volume-based brands	1 drop / 50 mL	Mix into the measured volume; feed right away.

Labels differ, so check your bottle. Many list 4 drops per feed for newborns; some give a ratio per volume. For dosing language and examples, see the clinical dosing page on Medscape and local care guidance such as the NHS colic guidance.

What Lactase Drops Do

Lactase is a digestive enzyme. When you add it to expressed milk or formula, it starts splitting lactose into glucose and galactose while the feed rests. That pre-digestion can make the feed gentler for some babies who struggle with lactose load during the early months.

These drops do not treat cow’s milk protein allergy. If your baby has blood in stool, a widespread rash, wheeze, or swelling after feeds, that points away from lactose and needs medical care. Professional groups also remind parents that many colic-like cries are not caused by lactose malabsorption at all. Drops may help some babies, while others get no benefit.

Newborn Lactase Drops: How Many Drops Per Feed?

Most lactase infant products give a simple answer for a newborn: 4 drops at each feed. That’s the common dose when you use the “spoon method” for breastfeeding or the “wait method” for bottles. Some brands use a ratio, such as 1 drop per 50 mL. If your brand prints a ratio, match the dose to the volume you actually serve.

Breastfeeding Method

1. Express 2–3 teaspoons of warm milk into a sterilised cup.
2. Add 4 drops of lactase. Swirl gently.
3. Give this small volume by spoon or oral syringe.
4. Latch and breastfeed as normal.

This method delivers enzyme-treated milk first, then ongoing milk from the breast. Many labels describe this exact approach for newborns.

Bottle Method

1. Prepare formula or expressed milk as usual.
2. Cool to warm, not hot. Add 4 drops to the bottle.
3. Swirl and let the bottle rest for about 30 minutes so the enzyme can act.
4. Check temperature and feed. Discard any leftovers.

Heat above body temperature can damage the enzyme, so keep milk warm, not hot. The short rest time gives lactase a chance to work before feeding.

Make-Ahead Method

1. Make the bottle, let it cool to warm, then add 2 drops.
2. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to allow the enzyme to work slowly.
3. Use within the storage window shown on your label. Warm to feeding temperature before serving.

This lower drop count appears on some labels because the long chill gives the enzyme extra time. Follow the storage window printed by your brand.

Volume-Based Method

A few brands print a simple ratio like “1 drop per 50 mL.” If you serve 100 mL, use 2 drops. If you serve 25 mL top-ups, use half a drop by preparing a larger batch and dividing evenly between feeds.

Age, Weight, And Feed Size

Drops are not weight-based; the dose comes from the feeding method or the bottle’s ratio guidance. That means a small newborn and a bigger newborn often use the same label dose. If your baby was born preterm, on special formula, or has a medical condition, ask your paediatrician before using any enzyme product.

Feed size does matter for ratio-based products. When a label tells you to use 1 drop per 50 mL, match the dose to each bottle, or pre-treat a bigger batch and split it evenly.

Safety, Side Effects, And When To Stop

Lactase acts in the milk; it is not a drug absorbed into your baby’s blood. Reported side effects are uncommon and usually mild, like extra gas from faster lactose breakdown. Stop and seek care if you see persistent vomiting, blood in stool, breathing trouble, or poor weight gain.

Because crying often eases with time, many paediatric teams suggest a short trial. Try drops at every feed for 7 days. If wind, watery stools, or crying windows don’t budge, stop the drops and re-think the cause with your clinician. If feeds improve, you can carry on, then wean off around 3–4 months as the gut matures.

Practical Tips For Day And Night

• Keep a clean cup, syringe, and small spoon at your feeding station for the spoon method.
• Set a simple timer for the 30-minute bottle rest so you don’t overshoot the next hunger cue.
• Batch-treat night bottles with the make-ahead method if your label allows fridge storage.
• Use warm, not hot, milk. Hot milk can inactivate the enzyme.
• Don’t mix drops into a full bottle and leave it at room temperature. Treat, then feed or chill.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Adding drops to hot milk.
• Skipping the rest period for bottle feeds.
• Storing treated milk longer than the label allows.
• Using drops for suspected cow’s milk protein allergy.
• Changing dose without reading the product’s ratio rules.

Make-Ahead Ratios And Quick Math

Milk volume	Ratio	Drops to add
50 mL	1 drop / 50 mL	1
100 mL	1 drop / 50 mL	2
150 mL	1 drop / 50 mL	3
200 mL	1 drop / 50 mL	4
240 mL	1 drop / 50 mL	5

When your label uses a ratio, treat only the volume your baby will drink. If you need half a drop, treat a bigger batch and split it into equal portions.

Evidence Snapshot: What Studies Say

Trials in infants show mixed results. A recent randomised study used 5 drops added to each 50 mL of warm formula and measured crying time over two weeks. Some babies cried less; others showed little change. Reviews of colic remind parents that lactose malabsorption is not the only driver of symptoms. So a short trial makes sense, not an open-ended plan.

What To Do Next

If your newborn’s feeds seem to trigger gas or watery stools, a one-week trial is reasonable. Use 4 drops per feed with the spoon method for breastfeeding, or 4 drops with a 30-minute rest for bottles. If your brand prints a volume ratio, follow it precisely. Track crying, stools, and ease of feeding across the week. No improvement? Stop the drops and talk with your paediatrician about other causes. Notice a clear change? Keep going, then try stepping down after 3–4 months.

Care routines work best when they stay simple, safe, and consistent. Pick one method, stick with the label directions, and give your baby time to settle each day.

Reading Your Label: Plain-English Guide

Every bottle prints the same core points. Find the dose line, the temperature warning, the wait time, and the storage window. Dose lines often read “4 drops per feed” or show a ratio per volume. Temperature warnings tell you to keep milk warm. Wait times are commonly 30 minutes for the quick bottle method, or several hours in the fridge for make-ahead. Storage windows run 12–24 hours for treated, chilled milk. If any part is unclear on your brand, ask your midwife, health visitor, or paediatrician before you start.

Many labels also show when to stop. Most parents taper around 3–4 months as digestion matures. If symptoms return, step back to your last working routine and try again later.

Troubleshooting By Symptom

Gas without pain. This often reflects normal air intake. Work on a deep latch, burp during and after feeds, and keep baby upright for 15–20 minutes. Drops can stay in place while you fine-tune technique.

Loose, explosive stools. Use the make-ahead method or the 30-minute bottle rest so more lactose is split before feeding. Track nappies for three days. If stools stay loose or blood appears, stop the drops and call your paediatric team.

Evening crying spells. That classic pattern fits normal colic periods. A short lactase trial is fine, yet soothing routines, contact naps, and paced feeds often matter more.

Storage And Handling

• Keep the dropper clean. Don’t touch the teat or milk with the tip.
• Close the cap firmly right after dosing to protect enzyme strength.
• Store at the temperature printed on your label. Many bottles like room temperature; some prefer the fridge.
• Watch expiry dates. Enzymes lose strength past the marked date.
• Mark treated bottles with time and date when you batch-treat ahead of a busy night.

Myths And Realities

“Drops fix colic.” Not every crying spell comes from lactose load. Some babies improve; others need tweaks such as slower bottle teats, upright positions, or smaller feeds more often.

“More drops work better.” Going above the label dose does not guarantee better results. If your brand uses a ratio, match the math to volume instead of adding extra.

“You must switch to lactose-free formula.” That step is rarely needed for short-term tummy trouble in young babies who breastfeed or use standard formula.