Newborn breast milk starts tiny—about 5–7 mL on day 1—then rises to 45–90 mL by week 2, with 8–12 feeds across 24 hours.
Feeding a brand-new baby can feel like guesswork. Milk volume changes fast in the first weeks, and babies set the pace. You’ll see short, frequent feeds at first, then steadier stretches. The goal is simple: offer the breast whenever your newborn shows early hunger cues, and watch diapers and growth to see how things are going right now.
Direct breastfeeding doesn’t come with ounce marks, and that’s okay. Your baby’s cues, swallow pattern, and diaper output tell the real story. If you’re offering expressed milk by bottle, you can start with small amounts and build from there while keeping feeds calm and unrushed.
Newborn Intake At A Glance
Here’s a quick view of typical amounts. These are ballpark ranges, not targets. Some feeds will be smaller, some larger. Feed on cue and expect 8–12 feeds in 24 hours (AAP guidance).
| Age | Typical Amount Per Feed | Feeds In 24 Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 5–7 mL (about 1 tsp) | 8–12 |
| Days 2–3 | 22–27 mL (¾–1 oz) | 8–12 |
| Days 4–6 | 45–60 mL (1½–2 oz) | 8–12 |
| Week 2 | 45–90 mL (1½–3 oz) | 8–12 |
| Weeks 3–4 | 60–120 mL (2–4 oz) | 8–12 |
If you’re seeing lots of short sessions, that’s normal. Cluster feeding often pops up in the evenings and during growth spurts. Short, frequent feeds help bring in and match supply.
How Much Breast Milk For A Newborn: Bottle Amounts That Work
When offering pumped milk, start small, then add more as needed. A handy estimate is about 1 to 1¼ ounces (30–38 mL) per hour since the last feed. If it’s been two hours, offer 2–2½ ounces, then pause and see if baby still wants more.
Use a slow-flow nipple and paced bottle feeding so baby can pause and breathe. Hold the bottle more horizontal, switch sides midway, and watch for relaxed hands, slower sucking, and turning away. Those are full signs. Gulping hard, panting, or milk spilling from the mouth means the flow may be too fast.
From about one month through the next months, many exclusively breastfed babies take roughly 19–30 ounces (570–900 mL) across a day. That daily total stays fairly steady while per-feed amounts rise as feeds space out.
Hunger And Fullness Cues To Watch
Early Cues
Stirring, mouth opening, lip smacking, bringing hands to mouth, rooting. Late cue: crying. Offer the breast before crying starts when you can.
Fullness Cues
Slower sucks with longer pauses, relaxed hands and shoulders, turning head away, falling asleep at the breast after active swallowing. If baby unlatches and stays settled, the feed is likely done.
These cues guide you better than a rigid clock. Some days your newborn will ask for more; other days, less. That ebb and flow is normal.
Diapers, Weight, And When To Call The Doctor
Wet diapers rise over the first week. Expect at least one on day 1, at least two on day 2, around three on day 3, then from day 5 onward at least six heavy wets every 24 hours (NHS guidance). Stools change from dark meconium to greenish, then mustard-yellow and seedy by the end of the first week.
Call your baby’s doctor urgently if there are fewer than three wets on day 3, fewer than six after day 5, deep yellow urine, a dry mouth, a sunken soft spot, fever, extreme sleepiness, or weak sucking. Also call if stools stay dark or hard to pass after the first days, or if you’re worried about weight gain.
Most babies drop some weight in the first days, then regain birth weight by 10–14 days. Regular checkups track that line. If weight gain stalls, your care team can help with a plan.
Night Feeds, Cluster Feeds, And Growth Spurts
Newborns wake often. Many eat every two to three hours day and night at first. Evening clusters are common. During a spurt, feeds bunch up for a day or two, then space back out as supply adapts.
You don’t need to stretch feeds to “train” longer sleep in the early weeks. Responsive feeding helps milk supply and keeps baby well hydrated. If your newborn sleeps longer than four to five hours in the first couple of weeks, wake for a feed.
Pumping And Storing Your Milk
If you’re pumping, try to match your baby’s rhythm. Early on, that may mean every two to three hours, including at night. Many parents see around 2–4 ounces per session once milk is in, though output varies.
Safe storage keeps nutrients intact. Use clean, food-grade containers or breast milk bags. Label with date and time, store in small portions, and cool fresh milk before adding it to chilled milk from the same day. See the CDC storage chart for full details.
Storage Quick Chart
| Location | Temperature | Max Time |
|---|---|---|
| Room (77°F/25°C or cooler) | — | Up to 4 hours |
| Refrigerator | 40°F/4°C | Up to 4 days |
| Freezer | 0°F/−18°C or colder | Best by 6 months; ok up to 12 months |
| Thawed (not refrozen) | Fridge | Up to 24 hours |
| Leftover from a feed | Room/Fridge | Use within 2 hours, then discard |
Warm gently by set-in-water warming or a dedicated warmer; skip the microwave. Swirl to mix fat back in. Once a bottle touches baby’s mouth, plan to use it within two hours. Don’t refreeze thawed milk.
Latch, Flow, And Comfort Tips
Skin-to-skin snuggling settles babies and can cue feeding. For latch, bring baby to you, tummy-to-tummy, nose to nipple, chin touching first, then a wide mouth over more areola below than above. You should feel firm tugs, not pinching. Try breast compressions when swallows slow.
If bottle feeding, sit baby upright, keep the nipple partly full, and tip the bottle just enough to cover the nipple hole. Pause often so baby leads the pace. Avoid propping a bottle.
If nipples are sore or baby often slips off, try a different position, aim for a deeper latch, and ask your care team for hands-on help. Quick tweaks early can make a big difference in comfort.
Special Situations
Late preterm or small newborns may tire quickly and need closer follow up. Your team might suggest weighted feeds, a brief pump after nursing, or small, frequent top-ups of expressed milk. Twins and higher-order multiples can thrive on a mix of direct nursing and planned pumping.
If your baby has jaundice, more frequent feeds can help move bilirubin through the gut. If baby is ill or you’re on medicines, your clinician can guide milk timing and safety.
Sample 24-Hour Feeding Patterns
Every baby writes a different script, yet patterns do emerge. In the first week, many babies nurse eight to twelve times with uneven spacing. A day might look like this: two morning feeds about two hours apart, a mid-day nap with a three-hour stretch, three afternoon feeds closer together, then an evening cluster of two or three shorter sessions. Overnight, you might see two feeds, each after two to three hours of sleep.
By weeks three to four, feed spacing may widen. You could see seven to ten feeds, many around two and a half to three hours apart. Bottled expressed milk often follows a similar rhythm, with 2–4 ounce portions and pauses built in. If your baby finishes a bottle and still shows early hunger cues, offer a little more and watch for relaxed cues to stop.
How To Tell Milk Is Going Down Well
Listen for soft, rhythmic swallows after each burst of sucks. Watch for a wide jaw drop, a wiggle near the ear, and steady breathing. Your breasts may feel lighter after feeds, and baby should seem calm and wake for the next feed without long, distressed crying.
A short “snack” isn’t a failed feed. Quick top-ups are common while supply and appetite sync. What matters over a day is active swallowing in multiple sessions, plenty of wet diapers, and content periods between feeds.
If You’re Worried About Supply
Feed more often for a few days. Offer both sides each session, and add a brief pump after some feeds to signal your body to make more. Keep baby close, do lots of skin-to-skin, and avoid long gaps between sessions.
Check the basics: a deep latch, a comfortable position, and a slow-flow nipple if using bottles. Make sure pump flanges fit well and suction feels gentle yet effective. Track diapers and weight with your clinic. If numbers lag or feeds feel stressful, reach out to your lactation team for hands-on help.
Common Pitfalls New Parents Can Avoid
Big bottles can tempt fast top-ups. Pour smaller portions and add more only if cues say so. Switching to faster nipples early can flood a small tummy and lead to spit-up or gulping. Keep the slow flow. Skipping night feeds in the early weeks can lower supply and make babies too sleepy to ask for milk. Wake, feed, then let baby settle again. Apps are handy, yet trust your baby more than a timer. Cues beat clocks.
When Breast And Bottle Work Together
Plenty of families combine direct nursing and bottles. Offer the breast when you’re together, then leave paced bottles of expressed milk for stretches apart. Try to keep the number of bottles close to the number of sessions you miss so supply stays steady. Plan small freezer stashes in two to four ounce bags for easy thawing. If baby prefers the bottle, shorten bottle sessions and start each feed at the breast to re-balance the flow and pace they expect. Small changes add up nicely.