One 2-week-old usually drinks 2–3 oz (60–90 mL) per feed every 3–4 hours, with a daily total near 2½ oz per pound of body weight.
Two weeks is a hungry stretch. Your baby’s stomach is larger than in the first days, yet still tiny. Small, steady feeds work best. Most babies at this age take two to three ounces at a time, then rest.
A simple rule helps you size bottles: offer about 2½ ounces of formula each day for every pound your baby weighs. That’s a guide, not a quota. Let cues lead the way. If your newborn turns away or relaxes at the bottle, you can stop. If they root and stay alert, offer more. See the AAP’s amount and schedule of formula feedings for a full overview of portion sizes and timing across the first months.
How Much Formula For A 2 Week Old Baby: Quick Math
Most families land near 18–24 ounces per day. Use the 2½-ounces-per-pound guide, split across 8–12 feeds, and keep bottles near 2–3 ounces, adjusting to cues.
Feeding Amounts For A 2 Week Old Newborn: Safe Ranges
At this age, most babies drink 2–3 ounces per feed, usually every three to four hours. Some prefer smaller, more frequent bottles; others space feeds out a bit. Aim for eight or more feeds across 24 hours, including overnight. By the end of the first month, many reach 3–4 ounces per bottle.
Age, Typical Bottle, And Frequency
| Age | Typical Per-Feed Volume | Usual Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 days | 1–2 oz (30–60 mL) | Every 2–3 hours |
| 4–7 days | 1½–2½ oz (45–75 mL) | Every 2–3 hours |
| 1–2 weeks | 2–3 oz (60–90 mL) | Every 3–4 hours |
| 3–4 weeks | 3–4 oz (90–120 mL) | Every 3–4 hours |
How To Use The Per-Pound Rule
Use your baby’s weight to estimate a day’s total. Multiply pounds by 2.5 to get ounces. Try this: seven pounds × 2.5 oz = 17.5 oz per 24 hours. Split that across eight or nine feeds and each bottle lands near 2–3 ounces. A bigger newborn—say, nine pounds—would need about 22–23 ounces in a day, still lining up with 2–3 ounce bottles in week two. Don’t force the last ounce just to hit a number; stop when your baby shows they’re done.
Watch The Baby, Not The Clock
Hunger comes in waves. Early cues include stirring, bringing hands to mouth, smacking lips, and rooting. Late cues include crying and stiff movements. Try to feed at the early signs when latching to a bottle is easy. If the bottle is refused, pause and try again in a few minutes or offer a smaller amount.
Signs Your Baby Is Getting Enough
- Diapers: around 6+ wet diapers in 24 hours after the first week, with regular stools.
- Steady weight gain along your baby’s own growth curve.
- Calm periods between feeds and relaxed hands after a bottle.
- No constant arching or coughing while feeding; paced sips look smooth.
What If My 2-Week-Old Seems Always Hungry?
Growth spurts hit in week two for many babies. Appetites can spike for a day or two. Offer an extra ounce if the bottle empties quickly and your baby still shows active hunger cues. If spit-up rises or fussing increases after larger bottles, step back to smaller, more frequent feeds.
Day And Night Feeding Rhythm
Expect multiple night feeds at this stage. Most 2-week-olds can manage three to four hours between bottles overnight. Wake a sleepy baby if four hours pass with no feed, unless your doctor has given the green light to stretch. Gentle waking helps: un-swaddle, change the diaper, then offer the bottle.
Burping And Pace
Tiny stomachs trap air. Pause once or twice during each feed to burp. Keep the bottle angled so the nipple stays filled, and tilt your baby slightly upright. Paced-bottle feeding—short sips, brief pauses, then more sips—lets the baby control the flow and eases gas.
Paced Bottle Steps
Hold your baby upright, keep the nipple half-full, offer short bursts, and pause every minute to burp.
Safety Notes You’ll Use Daily
- Stick with iron-fortified infant formula unless your clinician advises a special type.
- Mix formula exactly as the label shows. Scoops need level, not heaping, fills.
- Use clean water, clean bottles, and clean hands. Discard any formula left in the bottle two hours after starting a feed.
- Never prop a bottle. Hold your baby and keep an eye on swallowing and breathing.
- Ready-to-feed formula can be handy for late-night bottles and trips out of the house.
How Many Bottles Per Day?
Most two-week-olds take eight to twelve bottles across a full day. If your baby eats nine times, and each bottle averages 2.5 ounces, the daily total hits about 22–23 ounces—right in line with the per-pound guide for a nine-pound newborn. Fewer feeds often means slightly larger bottles, and the reverse is true as well.
Choosing Nipple Flow And Bottle Size
Start with a slow-flow nipple. Milk should bead at the tip and drip, not stream. If your baby coughs or gulps, the flow may be fast. If they work hard with few swallows and doze before finishing, try a different nipple style. A 4-ounce bottle suits week-two portions.
Hunger And Fullness Cues To Trust
- Hunger: rooting, hand-to-mouth, active turning of the head, bright eyes, quick sucks on a pacifier that don’t calm.
- Fullness: slower sucking, relaxed fingers, milk pooling at the corners of the mouth, turning away, or gently pushing the nipple out.
Hunger Cues, Fullness Cues, And Next Steps
| Cue Type | What You’ll See | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Early hunger | Hands near mouth, rooting, quiet alert state | Offer a bottle; start with 2 oz and reassess |
| Active hunger | Strong sucking on fists, fussing, rapid head turns | Offer 2–3 oz; consider another ½–1 oz if cues continue |
| Fullness | Slower sucks, eyelids droop, turning away | Stop the feed; burp; offer again only if cues return |
Normal Diapers At Two Weeks
Wet diapers usually reach six or more per day after the first week. Stools vary: some babies go after most feeds; others skip a day. Color ranges from mustard-yellow to tan or green. Straining alone doesn’t equal constipation; watch stool texture. Hard pellets point to constipation and deserve a call to your baby’s doctor.
Spit-Up: What’s Okay, What’s Not
Small, milky dribbles after feeds are common. Large, forceful vomiting, green or bloody spit-up, poor weight gain, or signs of dehydration—such as fewer wet diapers or a very dry mouth—need urgent medical care. Frequent spit-up may ease with smaller, more frequent bottles, extra burping, and holding your baby upright for 20–30 minutes after feeds.
Can I Switch Formulas At Week Two?
Most newborns do well on a standard, iron-fortified cow’s-milk formula. If your baby has a diagnosed allergy or needs a different formula, your doctor will guide that choice. Gas alone isn’t a reason to change. Before swapping, try pace changes, more burps, and checking nipple flow.
How To Prepare Formula Safely
Read the label each time you mix. Wash hands. Measure cool water, add the exact number of level scoops, cap, and shake well. Store mixed formula in the fridge and use within 24 hours. Any bottle warmed or touched by a baby’s mouth needs to be used within two hours, then tossed. Clean bottles and parts with hot, soapy water and let them dry completely. For steps and storage timelines, see the CDC’s guidance on formula preparation and storage.
When To Call The Doctor
- Fewer than six wet diapers per day after day seven.
- Constant vomiting or very large spit-ups with most feeds.
- Lethargy, poor tone, or refusal of several feeds in a row.
- Hard stools, blood in stool, or black stools after the meconium phase.
- Concerns about weight, jaundice that’s getting darker, or signs of dehydration.
How Many Ounces Should A 2-Week-Old Take At Night?
Plan on about the same bottle size as daytime—usually 2–3 ounces—since total daily intake still lands within the per-pound range. If your baby wakes again sooner than expected, a smaller top-off, like 1 ounce, can bridge to the next full feed.
Pump And Bottle If You’re Mixed Feeding
Some families combine breast and bottle. If that’s you, aim to pump when a bottle replaces a nursing session so supply keeps pace. Offer small, frequent bottles after nursing only if hunger cues remain. The 2–3-ounce guideline still fits a two-week-old who’s getting both milk and formula.
Bottle Refusals And Slow Feeds
If feeds drag on past 30 minutes, reduce the volume to match your baby’s natural pace and add another short feed later. If a baby refuses the bottle, try a different nipple shape, adjust the angle, check that the milk is flowing, and offer skin-to-skin time before trying again.
Bottom Line For Week Two Feeding
Most 2-week-olds thrive on 2–3-ounce bottles every three to four hours, adding up to roughly 2½ ounces per pound over a day. Let your newborn set the pace, use cues to guide volume, and keep mixing and handling safe. When something feels off, call your baby’s doctor without delay.