From day 1 to week 2, per-feed intake rises from 5–15 ml to about 30–90 ml, and most newborns feed 8–12 times in 24 hours.
Why One Number Doesn’t Fit Every Newborn
Newborns don’t eat on a clock or by a single quota. Milk needs swing with birth weight, day of life, latch quality, and feeding pace. The best rule is responsive feeding: offer the breast when your baby shows early cues and let them finish. In the first days, many babies nurse 8–12 times in 24 hours, with some brief clusters and some long naps.
Volume climbs fast across the first week. Colostrum comes in tiny, nutrient-dense sips. As milk shifts toward a higher volume, the same baby who took teaspoons on day 1 can take small sips on day 3, then small feeds by the end of the week. You’ll see diaper output rise as intake rises.
Newborn Breastmilk Milliliters Per Feed: Realistic Ranges
These ranges reflect normal physiology in the first four days and align with the typical pattern seen by lactation teams. Feed based on cues; the ranges help with bottle prep and expectations.
| Age Window | Per Feed (ml) | Feeds/24h |
|---|---|---|
| Birth–24 hours | 2–10 | 8–12+ |
| 24–48 hours | 5–15 | 8–12+ |
| 48–72 hours | 15–30 | 8–12+ |
| 72–96 hours | 30–60 | 8–12+ |
| 7–14 days | 45–85 | 8–12+ |
These first-week ranges mirror the ABM Protocol #3 table on normal early intakes. They pair well with cue-based nursing and skin-to-skin care.
How The First Week Ramps Up
Day 1: 2–10 ml per feed is common. Colostrum coats the gut, delivers antibodies, and comes in tiny volumes by design. Frequent latch attempts matter more than totals.
Days 2–3: 5–30 ml per feed fits many babies as intake steps up. You may notice more swallowing and a stronger suck as your baby wakes more often.
Days 4–7: 30–60 ml per feed is typical. Many babies start spacing feeds a bit, yet still reach 8–12 sessions in a day.
How Many Ml Per 24 Hours In The First Two Weeks?
Daily totals are the sum of small feeds. Multiply a realistic per-feed range by your baby’s sessions. A baby taking 30–45 ml per feed at 10 feeds will land near 300–450 ml in a day. By the end of week 2, many families see totals in the 500–700 ml range as supply and transfer improve.
When pumping for a newborn, totals build as milk moves from colostrum to mature milk. Many parents who express often reach a few hundred ml per day by the end of the first week, with steady gains after that. Regular milk removal and a deep latch drive that rise.
Using Frequency To Estimate Daily Intake
Pick a realistic per-feed number for your baby’s day of life, then multiply by sessions:
- Find your day-of-life row in the table above.
- Choose a number near the middle of the per-feed range.
- Multiply by 8–12 feeds (or your baby’s actual count) to get a ballpark daily total.
Example: On day 3, 20 ml × 10 feeds ≈ 200 ml in 24 hours. On day 6, 45 ml × 9 feeds ≈ 405 ml.
Bottle-Feeding Expressed Breastmilk: Practical Portions
When offering pumped milk, small bottles cut waste and match newborn stomach size. Pace the feed so your baby can pause and breathe. Let them finish; don’t push the last drops.
Portion guide: 10–20 ml sips for the first hours; 20–30 ml by day 2–3; 30–45 ml by day 4; 45–70 ml by days 7–14. If your baby leaves milk often, prep smaller bottles and keep a spare ready.
Paced Bottle Tips
- Hold the bottle more horizontal so flow is steady, not fast.
- Offer pauses every few swallows; watch for relaxed hands and soft jaw.
- Switch sides mid-feed to mimic the breast.
- Use small bottles and slow-flow teats to help matching newborn pace.
Signs Your Newborn Is Getting Enough
Numbers help, but your baby’s body tells the story. Look and listen during feeds, and track diapers. The wet and dirty pattern climbs across the first week, then settles. For wet nappies, the NHS guide gives clear targets that match real-world patterns; see NHS “getting enough milk” for details.
| Day Of Life | Wet Diapers | Stools |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | 2–3 light wets | 1–2 black meconium |
| 3–4 | 3–5 pale-yellow wets | 2+ green to brown |
| 5+ | 6+ heavy wets | 3+ yellow, seedy |
Feed Cues To Watch
- Early cues: stirring, hand-to-mouth, rooting, light fussing.
- Active cues: wide mouth, strong search, quick breaths.
- Late cues: hard crying. Calm first, then latch.
Growth Spurts, Cluster Feeds, And Night Patterns
Short bursts of frequent feeds often pop up in the evening. That pattern can last a day or two, then ease. Night feeds matter for supply and for your baby’s total intake. Many parents see one longer stretch of sleep appear by the end of the first weeks, then feeds return on waking.
When To Call Your Baby’s Doctor
Seek care fast if your newborn has fewer than two wets on day 2, fewer than six wets after day 5, deep jaundice, a weak cry, poor tone, or hard trouble latching. Call as well if weight loss is beyond the range your care team expects, or if pain with latch doesn’t ease after skilled help.
Practical Ways To Boost Milk Transfer
Skin-to-skin, a deep latch, and frequent milk removal help milk move. Try breast compressions during active sucking. If you’re pumping, aim for 8–10 sessions across the day. If baby takes a bottle, add a short pump around that feed. A trained helper can watch a feed and give targeted tweaks.
Weight And Intake Move Together
Healthy newborns often lose a little weight in the first days, then regain as milk transfer improves. Your care team will track that trend across the first two weeks. Steady diaper output, bright alert periods, and a stable latch usually signal that intake is on track even if the scale wobbles day to day. One feed doesn’t define the plan; look at the whole day.
When weight checks lag behind plan, the path forward is simple and kind to supply: more frequent milk removal, a deeper latch, and smart, modest top-ups only when needed. Keep baby at the breast first, then give the small extra, and pump to tell your body to make that extra next time. Small, steady steps work.
Pumping Strategy In Week 1–2
If you’re adding bottles early, match newborn intake with frequent, short pump sessions. Hand expression can be handy right after birth, then a pump can take over as volumes rise. Aim for 8–10 sessions spaced across the day. Short sessions right after a feed each day send a strong signal without long gaps away from your baby.
Tips that help many parents:
- Warmth and gentle massage before you start.
- Hands-on pumping: light compressions while milk flows.
- Flange fit that feels snug, not tight.
- Collect in 15–45 ml portions to cut waste and speed warm-up.
- Label date and time.
Common Pitfalls To Skip
- Big bottles too soon: Newborn stomachs are small. Keep portions small and feed again when cues return.
- Clock feeding: Waiting for a timer can backfire. Cues beat the clock.
- Long gaps overnight: One longer stretch can happen, but long, repeated gaps can lower supply. Dream-feed if diapers are light.
- Skipping help: A skilled professional or peer helper can watch a latch, spot quick fixes, and lift your confidence.
- Ignoring pain: Nipple pain that doesn’t ease with a deeper latch needs prompt care.
Sample Day: Putting The Numbers Together
Here’s one normal day for a healthy term baby in week 1:
- 07:00 Feed at breast, active transfer 15 minutes per side.
- 09:30 Brief snack, soft swallows; parent offers both sides.
- 12:00 Pumped 30 ml bottle, paced; parent pumps after.
- 14:30 Long nap, then a strong feed with audible swallows.
- 17:00 Cluster window starts; several short feeds over 2 hours.
- 21:00 Calm bath, then a steady feed; baby sleeps a longer stretch.
- 02:00 Night feed; parent does a short pump after.
- 04:30 Quick feed and diaper; back to sleep.
Total sessions: 9–11. If each feed averages ~35–45 ml, the daily total lands near 315–495 ml. Bottle volumes stay small to match newborn needs.
Common Newborn Feeding Scenarios
Why A Bottle Can Look Bigger Than The Chart
Flow can be faster with bottles, so babies may keep sipping past comfort. Try paced feeding, slow-flow teats, and mid-feed burps. Stop when your baby relaxes or turns away.
When Top-Ups Are Useful
Not if diapers, latch, and weight checks look good. If you’re using supplements, keep volumes modest and keep baby at the breast often so supply can rise.
Back-To-Back Feeds In 30 Minutes
That can be normal, especially in the evening. Offer the other side, then switch again if your baby still wants more. If stress rises, pause, breathe, reset the latch, then offer more milk gently and slowly.
Bottom Line For Newborn Milk In Milliliters
Newborn intake grows from teaspoons on day 1 to small bottles by the end of week 1–2. Most babies will land near these ranges: 2–10 ml per feed on day 1; 5–30 ml on days 2–3; 30–60 ml on days 4–7; 45–85 ml by days 7–14. Across a day, many babies feed 8–12 times, with daily totals rising toward the mid-hundreds of ml as transfer and supply build. Follow cues, watch diapers, and lean on skilled help when you need it.