How Much Formula Should A 2 Week Old Newborn Eat? | Fast Facts

The second week brings rhythm. Your baby’s tummy is still small, feeds come often, and intake rises a bit from the first days. You don’t need a rigid clock. You do need responsive feeding, safe prep, and a sense of normal ranges.

Below you’ll find practical numbers, real-world examples, and a simple way to match bottle size to weight. Use these ranges as guideposts, then let your baby lead. If weight gain or diaper counts look off, ask your pediatrician.

Typical Intake At Two Weeks

Across the first month, babies usually move toward 2–3 oz per bottle, sometimes 3–4 oz by the end of the month, with a ceiling of about 32 oz in 24 hours. Early in week two, many still hover near 1.5–2 oz, then creep upward. A handy rule is about 2½ oz of formula per pound of body weight per day, split over 8–12 feeds.

Those are averages, not targets you must hit at every feed. Shorter intervals and smaller bottles can be just as normal as longer stretches with a bit more per feed. What matters most: steady growth, satiety after feeds, and wet diapers.

Quick Intake Guide By Weight

This table uses the 2½ oz per pound per day rule and assumes 8–12 feeds per day. It helps you pick a starting bottle size for a 2-week-old.

Baby Weight (lb)	Daily Total (oz)	Per Feed (8–12x/day)
6	15	1.5–2.5
7	17.5	1.5–2.5
8	20	2–3
9	22.5	2–3
10	25	2–3
11	27.5	2–3
12	30	2.5–3

Most babies won’t need more than 32 oz in a day. If bottles keep pushing past that, talk with your doctor about reflux, faster-flow nipples, or soothing needs that look like hunger.

For more detail on typical amounts across the first month and the 32-oz daily cap, see the AAP guidance.

Feeding Cues To Trust

Hunger cues: stirring, rooting, hand-to-mouth, lip smacking, soft fussing. Crying is a late cue. Offer the bottle when you see early signs, not on a strict timetable.

Fullness cues: slower sucking, relaxed hands, turning away, letting milk dribble, or falling asleep near the end. Pause for a burp; if cues stay “done,” stop. For diaper checks, expect about six or more wets a day by the end of week one and onward.

How Much Formula For A Two-Week Baby: Real-World Examples

Here are snapshots that match common patterns. They show how a 2-week feeding day can fit different babies without forcing the same bottle at every feed.

Smaller Baby, Tighter Spacing

A 6.5 lb baby may drink 1.5–2 oz about every 2 hours during the day, with one or two 3-hour stretches at night. That lands near 16–20 oz across 24 hours.

Heavier Baby, Slightly Larger Bottles

An 8.8 lb baby might take 2–3 oz per feed roughly every 2–3 hours, reaching 20–24 oz in a day. Big evening cluster feeds can nudge the total close to the top of that range.

Schedule, Night Feeds, And Cluster Feeds

Most 2-week-olds feed 8–12 times in 24 hours. Two to three hours between daytime feeds is common. Some stack two or three feeds in the evening, then give you a longer first night stretch.

If your baby was small at birth or hasn’t regained birth weight yet, your doctor may ask you to wake for feeds until weight gain looks steady. Once gain is on track, many babies give you one 3–4 hour stretch overnight while keeping daytime feeds frequent.

Bottles, Nipples, And Flow Rate

Pick a slow-flow nipple. Tilt the bottle only enough to fill the nipple. Keep the bottle level and the baby upright to reduce air intake. Try paced bottle feeding: let your baby rest every few sucks, then resume. You’ll see more organized swallowing and fewer spit-ups.

Signs a nipple runs too fast: coughing, wide eyes, milk pooling at the corners of the mouth, or feeds that finish in minutes with gassy fussing after. Signs it’s too slow: hard pulling, collapsing nipple, and early fatigue before a reasonable intake.

Growth Spurts And Adjustments

A growth spurt often hits around 2–3 weeks. For a day or two, intake may jump and intervals shrink. Offer a bit more when cues say hungry again. When the surge passes, intake slides back to the usual range.

As bottles get larger later in the month, keep the daily total under 32 oz unless your doctor gives a plan that says otherwise. If your baby seems fussy but can’t finish a bottle, try a slower flow, extra burps, or a change of pace before assuming they need bigger volumes.

Red Flags Worth A Call

Call your pediatrician if you see fewer than six wets per day after day five, dark urine, hard stools, forceful vomiting, fever, listless behavior, or no weight gain. Trust your gut on breathing or color changes during feeds.

Safe Prep, Storage, And Hygiene

Wash hands. Use clean bottles. Mix formula exactly as the label states. Room-temp bottles should be used within 2 hours of mixing and within 1 hour from the start of a feed. Leftovers get tossed. Ready-to-feed cartons skip mixing and are handy for nights. They travel well too. If you pre-make bottles, refrigerate right away and use within 24 hours.

These time limits and handling rules come straight from CDC prep and storage guidance. When water safety is in doubt, ask your pediatrician about boiling and cooling steps for powdered formula.

Formula Prep And Storage At A Glance

Step	What To Do	Time Limit
Mixing	Follow the scoop line; use safe water; shake well	Use within 2 hours if at room temp
Start Of Feed	Begin within 2 hours of mixing or from fridge	Discard 1 hour after baby starts
Fridge Storage	Store mixed bottles at 4°C/40°F	Use within 24 hours
Leftovers	Do not save the rest of a used bottle	Toss right away
Warming	Warm under tap or in a warm-water bath	No microwave

Burping And Gas Tips

Pause mid-feed and at the end. Try upright on your shoulder, seated with head supported, or tummy-down across your lap. Gentle pats work better than firm thumps. If gas lingers, a slower nipple and more pacing often help more than jumping up in bottle size.

Sample 24-Hour Feeding Day For Week Two

This example totals about 22 oz. Adjust the ounces up or down inside the ranges your baby shows you.

• 7:00 — 2 oz, burp
• 9:30 — 2.5 oz, burp
• 12:00 — 2.5 oz, burp
• 14:30 — 2.5 oz, burp
• 17:00 — 3 oz, burp
• 19:00 — 2 oz, short cluster top-off
• 22:00 — 3 oz, burp
• 02:00 — 2.5 oz, burp
• 05:00 — 2 oz, burp

Practical Bottle Sizing

For week two, 2–3 oz bottles cover most feeds for newborns. Keep a few 4-oz bottles ready for evening stacks or growth-spurt days at night. If your baby leaves more than an ounce behind at most feeds, scale the pour down to cut waste and keep timing flexible.

Weight Checks And Diapers

By two weeks, many babies are back near birth weight. From here, steady gain counts more than a single bottle size. Diaper output helps you spot low intake early. Six or more wet diapers a day and regular soft stools suggest intake is on track.

Common Questions

Should I Wake My 2-Week-Old To Eat?

If weight gain is steady and the day feeds are frequent, let the longest night stretch run 3–4 hours. If gain is lagging or your doctor gave waking advice, set an alarm and keep the plan until the next weight check.

What If My Baby Still Seems Hungry After A Bottle?

Offer a little more in 0.5–1 oz steps. If your baby spits up or gets gassy with bigger bottles, try slower flow and more pacing before increasing volume again.

Can I Switch Formula Types At Two Weeks?

Most babies do well on iron-fortified standard formula. If you see persistent rash, blood in stool, or ongoing vomiting, call your pediatrician before switching. Sudden changes without a plan can muddle symptoms.

Week Two Feeding Recap

• Offer 1.5–3 oz every 2–3 hours; aim for 16–24 oz per day, staying under 32 oz unless your doctor directs otherwise.
• Use the 2½ oz per pound per day rule to size daily totals, then divide by 8–12 feeds.
• Watch cues and diapers. Safe prep and smart pacing beat strict schedules.

Paced Bottle Steps, Quickly

Think “slow and steady.” Aim for calm swallows and easy breathing. Use this flow.

1. Sit your baby upright; hold the bottle level so the nipple just fills.
2. Let your baby draw the nipple in; don’t push it deep.
3. Count five to ten sucks, tip the bottle down for a short pause, then resume.
4. Switch sides halfway through to mimic both breasts and give neck muscles a break.
5. End the feed when cues say finished, even if a little milk remains.

Before the first use, sterilize new bottles and nipples. Then wash with hot soapy water and a brush. Air-dry on a rack.