Most newborns take about 30–60 mL per feed in week one and 75–120 mL by weeks 2–4, with 8–12 feeds a day based on hunger cues and steady weight.
Newborn mL Per Feeding: Age-Based Ranges
Right after birth, intake starts small and climbs fast. Colostrum comes in tiny amounts that match a newborn’s marble-sized stomach. By the end of the first week, feeds look larger and more regular.
Here’s a clear view of common ranges that parents and clinicians use when teaching newborn feeding. These figures reflect typical, healthy babies. Some will fall a bit above or below and still grow well.
| Age | Typical mL Per Feed | Feeds Per 24h |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 5–7 mL | 8–12 |
| Days 2–3 | 20–30 mL | 8–12 |
| Days 4–6 | 30–60 mL | 8–12 |
| Week 2 | 60–90 mL | 8–10 |
| Weeks 3–4 | 75–120 mL | 7–9 |
What Guides A Safe Amount
Two things keep you on track: hunger cues and growth. A hungry newborn wakes often, roots, brings hands to mouth, and shows a quick, eager latch. A full baby relaxes, turns away, or falls asleep and keeps sleeping.
Wet and dirty diapers tell the same story. In the first days, counts rise from a few to at least six wet diapers a day by the end of week one, along with regular stools. Steady gain on the growth chart confirms that intake fits your baby.
Hunger Cues
- Stirring, mouth opening, and rooting
- Hand-to-mouth movements and sucking sounds
- Crying as a late cue
Fullness Cues
- Slower sucking and longer pauses
- Relaxed fists and a loose body
- Turning the head away from the breast or bottle
Breastfeeding Versus Bottle Feeding Volumes
When nursing, intake per feed swings more than with bottles. Across 24 hours, many fully breastfed babies take about 700–1,000 mL once supply is steady. Bottles show a number and can tempt overfilling.
Paced bottle feeding helps. Hold the bottle more horizontal, pause every few minutes, and switch sides so the baby does not rush through the feed. This keeps pace with natural rhythms from nursing and reduces gulping and spit-ups.
If You Bottle-Feed Expressed Milk
A simple daily estimate many lactation teams teach is about 150–200 mL per kilogram of body weight. Divide that daily total by the number of feeds to find a starting point, then tweak based on cues.
If You Use Infant Formula
Early on, many newborns take 30–60 mL per bottle, then move toward 75–120 mL by weeks two to four. Across a day, most should not need more than about 950 mL of formula. If bottles near that level and your baby still seems unsettled, ask your clinician to review weight, mixing, and flow rate.
Signs You May Need To Adjust
Call your pediatric office if any of these show up. These signs can point to low intake, poor transfer, or a mixing error with formula.
- Fewer than six wet diapers a day after the first week
- Very sleepy feeds with little swallowing
- Hard, pellet-like stools or no stools for days in the first month
- Frequent, large spit-ups or forceful vomiting
- Fast weight loss or no gain across several days
Practical Feeding Tips That Work
Aim for 8–12 feeds in 24 hours during the first weeks. Offer both breasts when nursing, and burp during natural pauses. With bottles, use a slow-flow nipple, tilt the bottle just enough to fill the tip, and stop when cues say the baby is done.
Skin-to-skin time boosts feeding drive and supply. Keep a simple feed log for the first week or two. Jot down start times, which side you offered first, and rough volumes for any bottles. Patterns appear fast. Pick one method and keep it simple to reduce stress.
What This Means Day To Day
Across the first month, most newborns land near 30–60 mL per feed in week one and 75–120 mL by weeks two to four. Feed on cue, watch diapers and growth, and let your baby set the finish line. Numbers guide your setup; your baby confirms it. Trust the cues you see daily.
Feeding Frequency Across The Day
Newborns do not eat on a fixed three-hour clock at first. Many cluster feeds happen in the evening, and longer sleep stretches appear near dawn. The span between feeds can swing from one hour to three. Across a full day you still reach 8–12 feeds.
Until birth weight is back, wake at least every three hours by day and four hours at night. After steady gain, let one overnight stretch run longer and keep daytime feeds frequent.
How Feeding Changes From Day 0 To Week 4
Day 0–1: colostrum in small sips. Expect about 5–7 mL at a time. Feeds are short and frequent. Stools are dark and sticky, then shift to greenish and finally yellow as milk volumes rise.
Days 2–3: milk starts to increase. Many babies take 20–30 mL at a time and still eat often. Engorgement can appear; hand expression before latching can soften the areola and make attachment easier.
Days 4–6: bigger gulps and some longer sleeps. Typical feeds land near 30–60 mL. If you use bottles, pace the feed to match this gentle rise.
Week 2: appetite grows. Many feeds reach 60–90 mL. Growth spurts can bring bursts of cluster feeding, then settle within a day or two.
Weeks 3–4: intake often sits around 75–120 mL per feed with 7–9 feeds in 24 hours. Some babies sit lower and gain well; others sit higher and space out sooner.
Milk Transfer And Stomach Size
Stomach capacity rises quickly. On day one it holds only a few milliliters. By the end of week one, capacity can handle the 30–60 mL most babies take at a sitting. That jump is the reason early volumes look small yet remain right for the body.
Trying to push large bottles before that growth can cause fussiness and spit-ups. Small, frequent feeds fit the newborn gut and match the body’s rhythm for digestion and blood sugar.
When To Wake For A Feed
Sleepy babies sometimes nap through hunger, especially in warm rooms or after a long car ride. Set gentle alarms during the day so no stretch goes far past three hours in the first two weeks. At night, a four-hour cap works for many families until gain is confirmed.
If jaundice was an issue, keep feeds frequent. Daylight during awake time and skin-to-skin raise alertness for better latching.
Safe Mixing For Formula Bottles
Always use the scoop that comes with the tin. Level it off, add water first, then powder, and follow the label for the exact ratio. Use cooled, previously boiled water if your local guidance suggests it. Shake well and check the temperature on your wrist.
Discard leftover formula one hour after the start of a feed. Wash bottles and nipples well and air dry.
How Many Milliliters Per Feed By Weight
Weight-based math can steady the plan when appetite swings. The next table shows sample daily totals using 150 mL per kilogram, with an example per-feed amount if you offer eight feeds a day. Adjust the per-feed column if your baby eats more or less often.
| Weight | Total mL/Day | Approx mL Per Feed (8 feeds) |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 kg | 375 mL/day | ≈45–50 mL/feed |
| 3.0 kg | 450 mL/day | ≈55 mL/feed |
| 3.5 kg | 525 mL/day | ≈65 mL/feed |
| 4.0 kg | 600 mL/day | ≈75 mL/feed |
| 4.5 kg | 675 mL/day | ≈85 mL/feed |
Paced Bottle Feeding Step By Step
- Hold your baby upright and keep the bottle near horizontal
- Tickle the lip with the nipple and wait for a wide mouth before placing it
- Let the baby set the rhythm; pause every few minutes to breathe and burp
- Switch sides halfway through to balance neck muscles
- End the feed when sucking slows and the baby turns away
Growth Spurts And Cluster Feeding
Many babies cluster feed around days 7–10 and again near week three. They may ask for milk every hour for an evening stretch, then sleep a bit longer afterward. Supply rises to meet that demand within a day or two.
If a bottle follows a nursing session during a spurt, keep volumes modest so you do not overshoot the tummy’s limit. Watch diapers and mood rather than chasing a target number at each feed.
Small Or Large Newborn: What Changes
Babies under 3 kilograms often need the lower end of the per-feed ranges but more frequent sessions. Offer both breasts and keep the bottle slow-flow. Short, stacked feeds add up nicely.
Babies over 4 kilograms can land near the higher end of the ranges and may space out sooner. Even then, the daily ceiling still applies. If your baby pushes past roughly 950 mL of formula day after day, your medical team should check growth, reflux, and bottle technique.
Tracking That Helps Without Stress
A simple notebook or an app can log start time, side, and bottle volumes. You only need a week or two of notes. Share the pattern at well-checks so your team can give specific feedback without extra clinic visits.
If you pump, label bottles with date, store milk at the back of the fridge, and rotate oldest first.