Newborn milk needs: about 16–24 oz per day in weeks 1–2, rising toward 24–32 oz per day by 1–2 months; breastfed babies nurse 8–12 times daily.
What “Ounces A Day” Really Means
Newborn intake isn’t a single number. Needs shift across the first weeks, and the pattern looks a bit different for breast milk and formula. You’ll see small, frequent feeds at first, then bigger feeds with longer gaps. The goal is steady growth, good diapers, and a calm baby after most feeds.
Two anchors help: feed breast milk on demand, and for formula use the classic rule of roughly 2.5 ounces per pound of body weight per day with a soft cap near 32 ounces. That rule comes from pediatric guidance and gives a quick ceiling while you watch your baby’s cues.
Early Benchmarks You Can Use
The table below gives practical ranges for the first eight weeks. It blends typical feed counts with per-feed ounce targets, so you can scan both the micro (each feed) and the macro (the day).
| Age | Feeds / 24h | Approx Intake (oz per feed; total / day) |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–7 | 8–12 | 1–2; about 12–24 |
| Weeks 2–3 | 8–10 | 1.5–3; about 16–24 |
| Weeks 4–8 | 6–8 | 3–4; about 24–32 |
For bottle-fed babies, the AAP schedule lists 1–2 ounces per feed during week one, then 3–4 ounces per feed by the end of the first month, with a daily ceiling near 32 ounces. For breastfed babies, the CDC breastfeeding guidance describes 8–12 nursing sessions per day and average gaps of about two to four hours as the weeks go by.
How Many Ounces A Newborn Needs Per Day: Easy Benchmarks
Here’s a plain-English way to sanity-check the day. Use it as a starting point, then fine-tune based on diapers, satiety, and weight checks.
Week 1: Settling In
Plan for about 12–24 ounces across the day. Most feeds land near 1–2 ounces. Babies this new tire fast, so shorter, frequent sessions make sense. Wake a sleepy newborn who is going past four to five hours without eating.
Weeks 2–3: Steady Gains
Total intake drifts toward 16–24 ounces. Per-feed amounts rise to around 1.5–3 ounces. You’ll still see 8–10 feeds in a day, sometimes with a tighter evening pattern.
Weeks 4–8: Bigger Bottles, Fewer Feeds
Most babies move into the 24–32 ounce zone with 3–4 ounces per bottle and 6–8 feeds per day. Many now manage one longer stretch of sleep.
Night Feeds And Longer Stretches
In the early weeks, going longer than four to five hours between feeds can shortchange intake. If your newborn sleeps past that window, rouse gently and offer a feed. Later, once growth settles and daytime intake looks solid, that longer stretch may shift to the night, with daytime feeds picking up the slack. Daytime feeds carry the extra ounces. Often by week two.
Bottle Size, Flow, And Pacing
Fast flows can lead to big, rushed bottles that overshoot true hunger. Try slow or medium nipples for the first month, keep baby more upright, and tip the bottle just enough to fill the nipple. Pause gently to burp and check cues. If a baby is still rooting hard after finishing, add a half ounce and watch how the next feed spacing changes.
On the flip side, if spit-up is heavy, scale the bottle back by half an ounce and feed a little sooner next time. You’re aiming for a relaxed finish, easy burps, and a baby who can stay content until the next feed window.
Breastfeeding Rhythm And Pumped Bottle Parity
Eight to twelve nursing sessions per day is the usual rhythm for a new baby. Some sessions are hearty, others are comfort-heavy and short. When you offer expressed milk, don’t chase the largest formula volumes; many babies do well with 2–3 ounce breast milk bottles in the first month and 3–4 ounces in the second. If bottles start outpacing nursing sessions, scale them back a touch and space feeds so the day’s total still matches your baby’s needs.
Pumped output varies widely and doesn’t always mirror what a baby can draw at the breast. A small pump session isn’t a direct read on milk supply. Track the whole day, not a single bottle, and pair daytime pumping with skin-to-skin and an extra nursing session when feasible.
Combo Feeding And Growth Spurts
Plenty of families blend breast milk and formula in the early weeks. Keep the total daily ounces within the same bands and let one source fill the gaps when the other dips. Growth spurts often show up as a day or two of hungry behavior. Rather than jumping up a full ounce right away, nudge bottle sizes up in small steps and see if spacing between feeds lengthens on its own.
After a spurt, babies often settle into their old rhythm with slightly larger bottles. If intake jumps quickly and then sleep and diapers look off, step back by half an ounce and reassess over the next day.
What About Water Or Juice?
Skip both at this age. Milk—breast or formula—covers fluids and calories. Small tummies need every ounce to count. If heat or dry air has you worried, offer another feed rather than water. Juice can wait until later childhood and only in small amounts.
Signs Feeding Is On Track
- Feeds land within the ranges above, with a mix of short and longer sessions.
- Baby settles after most feeds and wakes with a clear appetite.
- Wet diapers and stools follow a steady pattern after the first few days.
- Weight checks at routine visits show steady gain.
Twins And Small Babies
Twins and babies who are small for their gestational age often prefer even smaller, very frequent feeds. That doesn’t change the daily totals by much; it changes how you get there. Think of the day as many mini meals. Keep bottles modest, keep the rhythm steady, and lean on side-lying or football holds to make tandem nursing more comfortable.
Weight-Based Formula Math (Use As A Guardrail)
The common guidance is about 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight in 24 hours, with a usual cap near 32 ounces. That range keeps intake in a healthy band while you follow your baby’s signals.
| Baby Weight | Daily Total (oz) | Typical Feed Size* (8 feeds) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 lb | 15 | ~2 oz |
| 7 lb | 18 | ~2–2.5 oz |
| 8 lb | 20 | ~2.5 oz |
| 9 lb | 22–23 | ~2.75–3 oz |
| 10 lb | 24–25 | ~3 oz |
| 11–12 lb | 27–30 | ~3–3.75 oz |
*Divide the daily total by your baby’s usual number of feeds to tailor the per-feed target.
Sample Days That Keep Things Simple
If Your Baby Weighs 7 lb
Daily target sits near 18 ounces. With 9 feeds, that’s about 2 ounces each time; with 10 feeds, closer to 1.8 ounces. Bottles won’t all match, and that’s okay—offer a little more if they drain it and still cue for more, or pause and pace the feed if spit-up is frequent.
If Your Baby Weighs 10 lb
The rule points to 24–25 ounces. With 7 feeds, aim for about 3–3.5 ounces; with 8 feeds, about 3 ounces. Many babies at this size give you one longer stretch of sleep and slightly larger daytime feeds.
How To Adjust Without Guesswork
When Baby Seems Ravenous
Add a modest bump—about half an ounce—to the next bottle, or offer the other breast. Growth spurts (often around two to three weeks) can drive a short burst of frequent feeds. After a day or two, the pattern often settles right back.
When Bottles Come Right Back Up
Try paced bottle feeding, hold baby upright after feeds, and leave more time between bottles. Smaller, more frequent feeds can reduce spit-up while keeping the same total ounces across the day.
When You’re Not Sure They’re Getting Enough
Count outputs and watch the calm-after-feeds test. After day four, you’ll see regular wet diapers and looser stools. A baby who relaxes after most feeds and wakes hungry on a predictable rhythm is usually taking what they need.
Pumped Milk Pointers
Bottle volumes of expressed milk don’t need to match the largest formula bottles. Many parents find 2–3 ounce breast milk bottles after the first weeks fit nicely with a nursing rhythm. If you’re building a stash, label dates and rotate the oldest first. Warm gently, swirl to mix the fat, and discard leftovers from a feed.
Simple Red Flags That Warrant A Call
Phone your pediatrician promptly if feeds drop to fewer than six in a day after the first week, if diapers are scarce, if jaundice deepens, or if your baby isn’t back to birth weight by two weeks. Quick guidance early keeps feeding on track.
Daily Ounces, Made Practical
Across the first two months, most newborns land between 16 and 32 ounces per day. The number climbs week by week, not in a straight line, and the clock tells part of the story. Use the frequency cues for breast milk, the weight-based rule for formula, and your baby’s signals for the fine tuning. That trio keeps daily ounces right where they should be.