How Many ML Per Day For Newborn? | Feeding Facts

Newborn intake isn’t a single fixed number. It shifts with age, body weight, and whether feeds are breast milk or formula. The aim is steady growth, good diaper output, and a calm baby across each 24 hours. Below you’ll find clear daily mL guideposts, practical tables, and simple ways to size bottles without overdoing it.

Weight-Based Formula Intake (After Week One)

Once you’re past the very early days, a straightforward rule helps with daily totals for formula: about 150–200 mL per kg of body weight across 24 hours. The American Academy of Pediatrics also gives a handy yardstick of roughly 2½ oz per pound per day (about 165 mL per kg) and advises not to push past about 960 mL in 24 hours unless your doctor has set a plan. Use the table to turn weight into an easy daily mL target.

Weight (kg)	Daily Total At 150 mL/kg	Daily Total At 200 mL/kg
2.5	375 mL	500 mL
3.0	450 mL	600 mL
3.5	525 mL	700 mL
4.0	600 mL	800 mL
4.5	675 mL	900 mL
5.0	750 mL	1000 mL
5.5	825 mL	1100 mL
6.0	900 mL	1200 mL

How many bottles is that? Divide the daily total by your baby’s usual number of feeds. If a 3.5 kg baby is taking about 600 mL a day in six feeds, that’s around 100 mL per feed. Let baby call time on each bottle; when the body relaxes and the rhythm slows, you’re done.

That 150–200 mL/kg range is a guide, not a quota. Some babies do well closer to 150 mL/kg, others sit near 180–200 mL/kg. If diapers are heavy, spit-ups are low, and growth checks are on track, you’re in a good spot.

How Many Ml A Day For A Newborn: Age Guide

Across the first month, intake rises fast and then steadies. Here’s an age map that keeps the math easy while you settle into a routine.

Days 0–1

Stomach capacity is tiny. Many breastfed babies transfer only teaspoons a feed, while formula offers stay small too. Short, frequent sessions matter more than big volumes. Expect lots of skin-to-skin and quick feeds that stack up across the day.

Days 2–3

Volume edges up, still with many feeds. You’ll hear more swallows, see more wet diapers, and notice brief naps between sessions. For bottles, pour small amounts, hold baby upright, and keep the pace slow so baby does the work, not gravity.

Days 4–6

Intake climbs again as milk volume increases and babies get stronger at feeding. You’ll see heavier diapers and a bit more time between feeds. If you’re using bottles, you can start nudging toward 30–60 mL per feed while reading baby cues.

Week 2–3

Rhythms start to form. Most babies land on 8–12 feeds in 24 hours if breastfed, or about every 3–4 hours if formula-fed. Daily intake now sits closer to the weight-based table above. You might notice clusters in the evening and longer stretches after midnight.

End Of Month 1

Many babies finish 90–120 mL per bottle, four to eight times a day. Breastfed babies may reach similar totals across the day in smaller, more frequent sessions. Night feeds often shrink first; daytime bottles may inch up a touch to balance things out.

Breastfed Newborns: Daily ML Is A Range

Counting every mL isn’t practical with direct nursing, so think in terms of frequency, diapers, and growth. Most newborns feed 8–12 times in 24 hours. Research on exclusively breastfed infants shows daily intake landing in the hundreds of mL by the third week and around three-quarters of a liter per day by one month, with a wide normal range. Your baby’s pattern can sit below or above these averages and still be healthy if weight checks and diaper counts look good.

Water isn’t needed in the first six months. If your baby seems thirsty on a hot day, add an extra breastfeed rather than water. Breast milk already covers fluid needs at this age.

Feed Frequency, Diapers, And Growth Signals

These checks keep you on track regardless of feeding method:

• Feeds per day: About 8–12 for direct breastfeeding; bottles often run every 3–4 hours.
• Wet diapers: From around day six, expect roughly 6–8 heavy wets in 24 hours.
• Stools: Color and number change across the first week; ask your midwife or pediatric team if you’re unsure.
• Weight trend: Many term babies regain birth weight by around day 10, then gain steadily.

First-Week Per-Feed Volumes (Both Feeding Types)

The ranges below reflect normal physiology in the first weeks. Treat them as guardrails, not hard caps. Feed on cues and stop when baby turns away or relaxes at the nipple.

Age	Typical Per-Feed (mL)	Notes
Day 0–1	5–10	Tiny stomach; frequent feeds; paced bottles.
Days 2–3	15–30	More swallows; short rests between feeds.
Days 4–6	30–60	Milk volume rising; longer naps.
Week 2–3	60–90	Many babies settle into a looser rhythm.
End Of Month 1	90–120	Some want a bit more during growth spurts.

Turning Daily ML Into Real Bottles

Use the weight-based daily total to size bottles without overfilling. A few tweaks make life easier and keep intake steady.

Step 1: Pick A Daily Total

Choose a point in the 150–200 mL/kg range that matches appetite and growth. If weight gain is strong and diapers look good, stay there. If bottles drain fast and diapers are light, slide upward by small steps.

Step 2: Split Across Feeds

Divide by your usual feed count. If your baby drinks faster in the morning and slower at night, vary bottle size through the day rather than forcing the same pour each time. Leave a small buffer in each bottle so you can top up by 10–20 mL when cues say “I’m still hungry.”

Step 3: Watch Cues, Not The Ounce Mark

Stop when you see relaxed hands, a soft body, slower sucks, or turning away. If the bottle is empty and your baby still roots, offer a little more. If spit-ups rise or feeds feel rushed, slow the flow and trim each pour slightly.

Morning And Evening Swings

Plenty of babies take bigger bottles early and smaller ones late. That’s fine. Keep the daily sum in range and let the clock breathe a bit.

Growth Spurts

Short bursts of extra hunger pop up around 2–3 weeks and again near the end of the first month. Add 10–30 mL to a few bottles or add an extra feed, then slide back when appetite settles.

Paced Bottle Tips That Protect Intake

• Hold baby upright and keep the bottle more horizontal so milk flows with active sucking, not gravity.
• Pause every minute or so to give baby a chance to breathe and self-limit.
• Try smaller nipples first; fast flows can lead to overfeeding and more spit-ups.
• Share night feeds when possible; rested caregivers read cues better and pour smarter.

Expressed Milk: Portioning Without Guesswork

Pumping for work or sleep? A simple way to plan bottles is to divide your baby’s usual daily total by 24 to get a per-hour estimate, then multiply by the hours you’ll be away. If daily intake is near 720 mL, that’s about 30 mL per hour. Pack that amount per hour apart, plus a small buffer, and ask the caregiver to pace bottles.

When To Nudge Volumes Up Or Down

Move toward the higher end of the range if bottles vanish fast, lips keep smacking, and diapers are light. Scale back or slow the pace if spit-ups climb, baby seems uncomfortable, or daily totals creep near the upper limits again and again. Talk to your pediatrician any time you’re unsure, or if weight checks aren’t where you expect.

Safe, Trusted References In Plain Language

You can read the pediatric rule of “about 2½ oz per pound per day” and the 32-oz ceiling on the AAP page on formula amounts. For direct nursing, the WHO breastfeeding Q&A explains the 8–12 feeds per day guidance and why extra water isn’t needed under six months.