How Much Do Newborns Eat Chart? | Baby Feeding Guide

New parents want numbers they can trust and a chart they can use at 3 a.m. This guide gives you clear ranges for the first weeks, explains why the ranges can shift, and shows how to read your baby’s signals. The aim is simple: feed on cue, use reasonable targets, and track diapers and weight gain.

Newborn Feeding Chart: How Much Do Newborns Eat Daily

The chart below blends common patterns for both nursing and formula. Volumes are per feed unless noted. If your baby was preterm or your clinician shared a different plan, follow that plan.

Age	Breastfeeding	Formula
Day 1–2	8–12 feeds in 24h; colostrum; brief sessions; latch on signs of rooting, lip smacking, hand-to-mouth	1–2 oz every 2–3 h; pace the bottle
Day 3–7	8–12 feeds; milk volume rising; swallow sounds more frequent	2–3 oz every 3 h; don’t exceed 32 oz per day
Week 2–4	8–12 feeds; some cluster stretches in evenings; one 4–5 h sleep stretch can appear	3–4 oz every 3–4 h; about 2½ oz per lb per day, max ~32 oz

Two anchor rules keep the chart practical: frequent feeds in the early weeks and a sensible upper cap on total daily bottle volume. The AAP’s formula schedule puts most babies at 1–2 oz per feed in the first days, building toward 3–4 oz by the end of the first month and usually not more than about 32 oz per day. For nursing, the CDC guide to breastfeeding frequency notes 8–12 feeds in 24 hours with cluster periods and a longer sleep stretch once weight gain looks steady.

Why Ranges Beat Rigid Schedules

Babies don’t read charts. Appetite shifts with sleep, growth spurts, and catch-up days after doctor visits or long naps. Ranges prevent overfeeding on slow days and underfeeding on hungry days. If a bottle is always drained and your baby still looks unsettled, add an ounce next time. If half the bottle keeps getting left, offer a little less.

Size, Weight, And Stomach Capacity

Smaller babies often need shorter, more frequent feeds. Bigger babies can handle a bit more per session. Weight gain over the first weeks gives the best signal that intake matches needs. Most families aim for steady gains along the growth curve set by their care team.

Breastfeeding: Volumes, Timing, And Cues

Nursing runs on supply and demand. Early, frequent latching helps milk come in and stay steady. A newborn often settles into 8–12 feeds per day. You’ll notice patterns: a run of evening cluster feeds, a longer stretch after midnight, or brief “snacks” during fussy periods. Watch for strong sucks with swallows, a relaxed face, and open hands when content.

If Latch Is Tough

Try skin-to-skin, change positions, and ask a lactation specialist through your clinic. Pumping after feeds can protect supply while you work on latch. For sleepy babies in week one, set alarms for 2–3-hour checks until weight gain is tracking.

Formula Feeding: Volumes And Pacing

Bottles bring clear ounce markers, yet the same feed-on-cue approach still applies. Offer 1–2 oz in the first days, then 2–3 oz by the end of week one, reaching 3–4 oz by 3–4 weeks. Keep an eye on the daily total, usually 24–32 oz for many babies by one month. Use a slow-flow nipple and paced bottle technique to reduce gulping and spit-up.

Reading The Bottle

Swapping nipples to a slower flow, holding the bottle more horizontal, and giving pause breaks help babies self-regulate. If feeds are finishing in minutes with fussiness afterward, the flow may be too quick. If feeds drag on and baby tires out, try a fresh nipple of the same flow or check for clogs.

Safe Formula Prep At A Glance

Wash hands, use clean bottles, follow the scoop-per-water line on the can, and mix well. Use hot water guidance on your formula brand if needed, cool to body temp, and test drops on your wrist. Store made bottles in the fridge, toss any leftovers from a session, and keep night gear set out so you can work half-asleep without mistakes.

Night Feeds, Cluster Feeds, And Growth Spurts

Evenings often bring back-to-back feeds. This pattern helps a baby load calories and sleep a longer first stretch. Around three and six weeks, many babies ramp up intake for a few days, then settle. You don’t need to preempt these days; just offer more often when cues appear and rest when the rush passes.

When To Wake A Sleepy Newborn

During the first two weeks, don’t let stretches run far past three hours during the day or four to five hours at night until weight checks look good. Once gains are steady, you can let the longest stretch extend while keeping daytime feeds frequent.

Hunger And Fullness Cues

Feeding on cue sounds simple; spotting the signs takes practice. Early cues beat late crying and lead to calmer sessions.

Cue	What It Looks Like	What To Do
Early hunger	Stirring, rooting, hand-to-mouth, lip smacks	Offer breast or bottle
Active hunger	Fast sucking motions, eager latch, body tense	Feed now; pace the bottle
Fullness	Slower sucks, relaxed hands, turning away	End the feed; don’t coax extra

Diapers, Weight, And Reassurance

Wet and dirty diapers are the daily dashboard. After day four, many babies make six or more wets and regular yellow stools if nursing, with a bottle-fed pattern that can look a bit firmer. Fewer wets or hard stools can point to low intake or formula changes. Share patterns at checkups so your team can tie diapers, weight, and feeding notes together.

The 2½ Oz-Per-Pound Rule

Many bottle guides use a daily target of about 2½ oz per lb of body weight. It’s a guide, not a mandate. Some babies thrive below it, others sit near the upper end of common daily totals. If intake consistently runs high and spit-ups climb, try smaller, more frequent feeds.

Burping, Gas, And Comfort

Pause midway and at the end of a feed for a gentle burp. Upright holds, side-lying positions, or a slow stroll after a bottle can reduce bubbles. If gas seems to peak with a faster nipple or frantic feeds, shift to paced bottle steps and check the flow.

Pumping And Offering Bottles Of Breast Milk

Families often introduce a bottle of expressed milk in weeks two to four. Start with 1½–3 oz and increase in small steps if the bottle is emptied quickly. Store milk safely, warm gently, swirl to mix the fat back in, and use paced bottle technique to align with nursing rhythms.

Sample 24-Hour Rhythm

Here’s a common pattern in month one: a feed around 2 a.m., 5 a.m., 8 a.m., late morning, early afternoon, late afternoon, then a cluster around dinner and bedtime. Some babies take shorter, more frequent sessions; others stretch a bit more overnight once gains look solid.

When Your Plan Needs Tweaks

Call your baby’s doctor if there are fewer than five wets after day five, stools stay dark after day four, weight drops, or your baby seems too sleepy to cue. For sore nipples, low supply worries, or latch pain, ask your clinic for in-person lactation help. Quick help beats weeks of stress.

Shielding Against Overfeeding

Watch for signs like frequent spit-ups, gassy discomfort, or growth that jumps far off the curve. Space bottle feeds a bit, slow the nipple, and build in pauses. Avoid propping bottles, and let your baby set the finish line.

Takeaways For Tired Parents

Use the chart to set starting volumes, then let your baby fine-tune the plan. Keep daytime feeds frequent in the first weeks, protect one longer night stretch once gains look good, and watch diapers and mood. When you’re unsure, bring notes to your baby’s clinician and decide next steps together. Sleep when you can, batch wash bottles, and jot quick notes on feeds and diapers. Small systems keep nights smoother and make checkups easier later.