How Many Ounces Should A Newborn Drink? | Milk Tips Now

New parents ask this on day one—and again at 3 a.m. The short answer: babies eat small amounts, often, and then scale up fast over the first month. This guide breaks down typical ounces per feed, daily totals, and easy signs that your baby is getting enough, whether you’re breastfeeding, formula feeding, or doing both.

Newborn Milk Intake By Age

The ranges below show common amounts for healthy, full-term babies. Feed on cues, not the clock.

Age	Per Feed (oz / mL)	Feeds In 24 Hours
First 24–48 hours	0.5–1 oz / 15–30 mL	8–12
Days 3–4	0.75–1.5 oz / 20–45 mL	8–12
Week 1	1–2 oz / 30–60 mL	8–12
Weeks 2–3	1.5–3 oz / 45–90 mL	8–12
Weeks 4–5	2–3 oz / 60–90 mL	7–9
Weeks 6–8	2.5–4 oz / 75–120 mL	6–8

For trusted guidance on patterns and portion sizes, see the AAP’s overview of how often and how much babies eat and the CDC’s page on formula amounts and timing.

Newborn Ounces Per Feeding: Typical Range

Across the first month, a common pattern looks like this: 1–2 ounces in the early days, 2–3 ounces through weeks two and three, then 3–4 ounces by the end of the month. Many babies land in the middle of those ranges, but it’s normal to drift a little higher or lower at a given feed. The best gauge is your baby’s cues, diapers, and weight checks.

Breastfed Newborn: Ounces And Rhythm

Expect 8–12 nursing sessions in 24 hours during the first weeks. Early feeds may transfer close to 1–2 ounces; by several weeks, many sessions deliver around 2–3 ounces, with some variation across the day. Cluster feeding—several feeds close together—often appears in the evening or during growth spurts.

If you pump to measure intake, note that output isn’t a perfect proxy for what baby removes at the breast. A full day’s milk supply for a nursing parent commonly settles near 25–35 ounces across 24 hours after the first few weeks, split across sessions.

Formula-Fed Newborn: Ounces And Rhythm

Offer about 1–2 ounces per feed every 2–3 hours in the first days. By the end of the first month, many babies take 3–4 ounces about every 3–4 hours. Some feeds run shorter or longer; let baby lead. If the bottle is empty and baby still acts hungry—wide eyes, rooting, steady suck—pour a little more.

A handy daily rule of thumb is about 2½ ounces of formula per pound of body weight, up to roughly 32 ounces in 24 hours. A 7-pound newborn would land near 17–20 ounces across the day, spread over many small bottles.

How Often Should A Newborn Drink?

In the early weeks, many babies feed every 1–3 hours if breastfeeding and every 2–4 hours if taking bottles. Long sleep stretches can happen, yet frequent feeds are common while stomachs are small. Wake sleepy newborns who miss feeds, especially in the first couple of weeks.

Daily Total: Simple Math You Can Use

To estimate a day’s intake for formula, multiply baby’s weight in pounds by 2.5. Keep the total under ~32 ounces unless your baby’s clinician has given a different plan. Breastfed babies self-regulate, so count feeds and diapers, and track growth over time with your care team.

Example: An 8-pound baby × 2.5 ≈ 20 ounces across 24 hours. Split into 8 feeds, that’s about 2.5 ounces each. Real days vary; some feeds run bigger and others smaller.

Hunger And Fullness Cues

Hunger Looks Like

• Stirring, hand-to-mouth moves, rooting, lip smacking
• Focused stare at the breast or bottle; eager latch
• Crying comes late; try to feed before that point

Fullness Looks Like

• Relaxed hands and body; turning away
• Slowing suck, longer pauses, sleepy face
• Milk dribbling out, loss of interest in the nipple

Pause halfway through a bottle to burp and give baby a moment to decide whether to continue. With responsive pacing, babies tend to stop at the right spot.

Bottle Size And Flow Guide

Right-sized bottles and a slow flow make feeding comfortable and help prevent overfilling tiny tummies.

Age	Typical Bottle To Pour	Nipple Flow Tip
First week	1–2 oz	Use a slow or “newborn” flow
Weeks 2–3	2–3 oz	Stay slow; pace the feed
Weeks 4–5	3 oz	Watch for gulping; slow down
Weeks 6–8	3–4 oz	Only upsize if feeds drag on

Diapers, Weight, And When To Call

Wet diapers climb after the first few days—look for 5–6 or more heavy wets every 24 hours after day five. Stools vary, yet by day four you should see several daily. Steady weight gain across checkups shows intake is on target.

Call your baby’s doctor if you see fewer wets, strong yellow urine, extra sleepy feeds, weak suck, dry mouth, or fast breathing. These can signal that your newborn isn’t getting enough.

Special Cases That Change Ounces

Preterm Or Low Birth Weight

These babies often need smaller, more frequent feeds and close tracking with the care team. Written plans from the nursery usually outline exact volumes for the first days.

Jaundice

Frequent feeds help clear bilirubin. Offer often, keep baby alert at the breast or bottle, and follow lab and visit plans.

Reflux And Spitting Up

Smaller, paced feeds and upright time can help. If spit-up is forceful or weight gain stalls, ask about next steps.

Pumping And Measuring

Pumped milk amounts vary by time of day and the pump session. Many nursing parents see 1–3 ounces from both breasts per session early on, rising as supply sets in. Store milk safely and label dates and volumes.

Breast + Bottle Combo: How To Tweak Ounces

Mixing breast and bottle works best when you let the breast set the baseline and use bottles to fill gaps. Offer the breast first when you’re building supply, then pour small, paced top-offs if baby still shows hunger cues. On days with more direct nursing, bottles shrink. On days with less nursing, bottles grow. The total across 24 hours still lands near the same overall intake for that stage.

Paced Bottle Feeding: Quick Method

1. Hold baby semi-upright and keep the bottle at a slight angle so the nipple stays full, not gushing.
2. Let baby latch to the bottle; don’t push it in.
3. Count slow sucks and pauses. Tip the bottle down during breaks to match the rhythm.
4. Switch sides midway to mimic the breast and give a burp break.
5. Stop when baby relaxes, turns away, or the suck slows to fluttering.

This pacing style helps babies tune in to fullness and keeps ounces aligned with appetite, not bottle size.

Sample Day: Weeks Two To Three

Think in ranges, not strict slots. Across 24 hours you might see eight to twelve feeds: a few close together in the evening, a couple of longer gaps after midnight, and mid-day feeds that feel steady and predictable. Individual session volumes shift through the day. A morning bottle might be 3 ounces, an afternoon nurse might be shorter, and the bedtime feed may stretch a bit longer. That mix still adds up to the same daily total for your baby’s size.

Common Mistakes To Skip

• Coaxing a bottle to the last drop “just because”
• Jumping to a faster nipple when baby only needed more pauses
• Stretching times between feeds on purpose in the early weeks
• Letting mixed formula sit out too long
• Counting only ounces and ignoring diapers, mood, and weight checks

Night Feeds: What To Expect

Most newborns wake for night feeds. Some take short, frequent sips; others take a fuller feed and settle again. Offer a calm, low-light setup and keep the routine simple: feed, burp, change if needed, back to sleep. As daytime intake grows and stomach capacity rises, many babies begin to space night feeds on their own.

Safe Feeding Basics

• Hold your baby semi-upright; keep the bottle angled so the nipple stays full.
• For formula, mix as directed and pour fresh bottles; discard leftovers sitting out for 2 hours.
• Do not prop bottles or add cereal to bottles unless your baby’s clinician told you to.
• If you combine breast milk and formula, offer breast first when building supply.

What Matters Most

Feed on cues, offer frequent chances to eat, and watch diapers and growth. The ounces on any single feed tell only part of the story; the full day—and your baby’s content, alert moments—tell the rest.