Newborn feeds start near 2–10 mL on day 1, rise to 30–60 mL by days 3–4, and from weeks 2–6 many take 60–90 mL per feed across 8–12 feeds daily.
How Many ML Of Breast Milk Per Feed? Age-By-Age Guide
In the early days, intake grows fast as milk changes from colostrum to mature milk. A practical way to see it is by feed volume. The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine summarizes common ranges in the first four days. Pair those ranges with a rhythm of 8–12 feeds in 24 hours, which is typical for most newborns.
Use the ranges below as a starting point. Babies vary, and feeding on cue always comes first.
Early-Days Volume Table (Per Feed And Feeds Per Day)
| Age | Per Feed (mL) | Feeds/24 h |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 2–10 | 8–12 |
| 24–48 h | 5–15 | 8–12 |
| 48–72 h | 15–30 | 8–12 |
| 72–96 h | 30–60 | 8–12 |
| Weeks 2–3 | 60–90 | 8–12 |
| Weeks 4–6 | 60–90 | 8–12 |
First-week ranges reflect ABM guidance.
Daily Intake In MLs Across The First Six Weeks
Daily totals depend on both feed size and how often your baby eats. If you multiply the per-feed range by 8–12 feeds, you’ll get a sensible day range for each stage. On day 1 that can be as low as a few dozen milliliters. By days 3–4, many reach a few hundred milliliters. From week 2 onward, lots of babies settle somewhere in the mid hundreds over 24 hours.
What if you’re offering pumped milk? For most babies after the second week, a 60–90 mL bottle is a reasonable place to start. Some babies will finish more, some will leave a little. Watch your baby, not the bottle. If your baby still looks hungry after a paced bottle, offer another 15–30 mL and reassess.
Hunger Cues, Fullness Cues, And Cluster Feeds
Cues tell you when to start and when to pause. Early hunger cues include stirring, hand-to-mouth moves, lip smacking, and rooting. Late cues like crying often make latching harder, so aim to begin before tears. Satiety cues include slowing sucks, relaxed hands and body, and turning away.
Many newborns bunch feeds in the evening. This cluster pattern is normal and tends to pass. Short, frequent feeds can line up with growth spurts or sleepy daytime patches.
Bottle Amounts For Expressed Milk
When offering expressed milk, pace the feed so your baby leads. Hold the bottle more horizontal, pause often, and switch sides. This style mimics the ebb and flow at the breast and helps babies stop when they’re content. A rough planning range after the first week is 60–90 mL per bottle, adjusting up or down based on cues.
If a baby guzzles a full bottle but then looks uncomfortable, try a slower nipple, longer pauses, and more burps. If a baby leaves a consistent amount, pour a little less next time.
Diaper Output: A Simple Intake Check
Diapers are an easy cross-check in the first week. Counts should rise day by day, then level off. By day 5, most babies have six or more wets and several yellow stools. If output falls below expectations, call your baby’s doctor or midwife and feed again.
Diaper Output Table (First Week And Beyond)
| Age | Wet Diapers (min) | Poops (min) |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Day 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Day 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Day 4 | 6 | 3 |
| Day 5–7 | 6 | 3 |
Common Scenarios And Quick Fixes
Sleepy First Days
Skin-to-skin helps babies wake for feeds. Offer both breasts each session. If three hours pass in the day or four at night without a feed, wake your baby gently and try again.
Evening Cluster Feeding
Plan for a feed-heavy window. A stretchy top, a comfy chair, and snacks within reach make it easier. Burp between sides and switch positions if you’re sore.
Baby Wants More Than The Chart
Growth spurts happen. Add another feed, or add a little to bottles, while watching diapers and comfort. If feeds are frequent and output is on track, you’re meeting needs.
Baby Was Premature Or Small
Babies born early or small often need extra help with latching and stamina. They may take smaller, more frequent feeds. Your care team can tailor a plan.
Safety Notes And When To Seek Care
Call your baby’s doctor without delay if you see fewer than three poops and six pees a day after day 5, if jaundice deepens, if latching is painful every feed, or if your baby is hard to rouse for feeds. Rapid breathing, blue tinge, or a fever need urgent care.
If weight continues to drop after day 5, ask for a same-day check. Bring any pumped volumes and diaper logs. Timely checks prevent bigger hiccups. Act early.
What Shapes Intake In The First Weeks
Intake isn’t just about age. Birth weight, gestational age, latch, and transfer all play a part. Colostrum is dense, so tiny volumes do a big job. As milk volume rises, babies stretch feeds out a little.
Latch and transfer sit at the center. You’ll know transfer is going well when you see deep jaw drops, hear soft swallows, and notice milk in the corner of the lips. Nipple pain that persists through a feed suggests a shallow latch, which can limit milk moved and reduce intake.
Stomach size grows too. On day 1, the stomach is marble-small. By day 3, it’s up to ping-pong size. That growth matches the step-up in feed volumes.
Timing And Spacing
Newborns often cue every two to three hours by day, sometimes more at night. Some prefer several short sessions; others take fuller feeds with longer naps between. Both patterns can be healthy when diapers and weight look good.
If you’re setting alarms, think windows not exact times. Offer milk when cues start. If a nap runs long, wake to feed so total sessions still reach 8–12 in 24 hours.
Pumped Amounts Vs. What Baby Drinks
Pumps are helpful, but the number on the bottle isn’t a mirror of baby’s intake. Direct nursing often removes more milk than early pumping sessions.
For routine bottles after the second week, many portion 60–90 mL and keep a second small bottle nearby. Offer more only if cues continue and diapers stay on track.
Practical Ways To Boost Intake Without Pressure
Make Latch Comfy
Bring baby to you, tummy to tummy, nose level with the nipple, wide mouth, and chin planted first. If pain starts and stays beyond the first seconds, break the seal gently and relatch.
Use Both Sides
Start on the side that feels fuller, then switch when swallows slow. Some feeds will use both sides, others just one—either can be fine.
Try Skin-To-Skin
Warm, chest-to-chest time steadies breathing and cues, and often shortens the time to the next good latch.
If Pumping
Pump as often as your baby would feed. Hands-on techniques and a roomy flange help flow. Night sessions protect supply in the first month.
When Amounts Fall Outside These Ranges
If per-feed volumes are well below the table and diapers lag, offer another feed and contact your baby’s doctor the same day. Milk transfer problems, tongue-tie, jaundice, or sleepiness after a long labor can all play a part—each fixable with tailored care.
If bottles regularly top 120 mL before six weeks and spit-ups climb, consider paced bottle feeding and slower nipples. Some babies empty fast when flow is brisk, then feel gassy. Slowing the flow often improves comfort and intake quality.
Red Flags That Need Prompt Care
- Fewer than six wets after day 5, or brick-dust stains after day 5.
- No stools for 24 hours in the first week, or black stools beyond day 4.
- Breathing that’s fast or labored, or a blue tinge around the lips.
- Very hard to wake for feeds, weak suck, or a fever.
Sample Feeding Volumes Across A Day
Day 1 sample: twelve feeds, each 3–7 mL. That totals dozens of milliliters and is enough when diapers and energy look good.
Days 2–3 sample: ten feeds, each 10–25 mL. Short sessions add up nicely as milk volume rises.
Week 2 sample: nine feeds, each 65–80 mL. Many babies land near this window, with one longer stretch of sleep.
Weight And Growth Checkpoints
A small weight drop is common in the first few days. Most babies are back to birth weight by days 10–14, then gain steadily. If weight is slow to rise, more frequent feeds and comfortable latch work are the first moves.
Your clinic may schedule a weight check in the first week. Bring feeding notes if you have them. Patterns often tell the story faster than any single number.
Smart Portions And Storage For Pumped Milk
Store milk in 60–120 mL portions to cut waste. Label by date and use the oldest first. Warm gently and swirl; don’t shake hard, which can make extra bubbles. Any milk left in the bottle after a feed can return to the fridge for the next feed within a short window.
If you’re pumping for work or study, aim to match what baby drinks when you’re away. Most families find that three daytime bottles of 60–90 mL fit well with nursing at wake-up, after work, and overnight.
Quick Reference For Parents
In the first four days, typical per-feed volumes rise from 2–10 mL to 30–60 mL as documented by the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. Most newborns nurse 8–12 times in 24 hours and many cluster feed at times, a pattern described in CDC guidance. Match bottles to cues, track diapers, and call your doctor if something feels off. Small steps each day keep feeding on track.