Newborns usually take 1–2 oz per feed in week one, then 2–3 oz every 3–4 hours, reaching about 24–32 oz per day by one month.
Newborn Milk Intake Basics
Brand-new bellies are tiny. On day one, many babies sip teaspoons of colostrum, then move to small pools of milk across the next few days. By the end of the first week, most babies handle 1–2 ounces (30–60 mL) per feed. Over the first month, intake climbs toward 3–4 ounces (90–120 mL) per feed and totals about 24–32 ounces (710–950 mL) across 24 hours. These ranges describe typical patterns; your baby sets the pace.
Feeding rhythm matters too. In the early days, many newborns feed 8–12 times each day. Spacing often stretches to every 3–4 hours by the end of the first month. Formula bottles tend to follow a steadier timetable, while direct breastfeeds are usually shorter and more frequent. Focus on your baby’s cues and steady growth, not someone else’s schedule.
How Much Milk Does A Newborn Drink Per Day: Day-By-Day Guide
The chart below gives a clear, broad view for the first month. Use it as a starting point and adjust to your baby’s signs of hunger and fullness.
| Age | Per Feed (oz / mL) | Feeds Per Day & Daily Total |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 0.2–0.5 oz (5–15 mL) | 8–12 feeds; 2–6 oz (60–180 mL) |
| Days 2–3 | 0.5–1 oz (15–30 mL) | 8–12 feeds; 4–12 oz (120–360 mL) |
| Days 4–7 | 1–2 oz (30–60 mL) | 8–12 feeds; 8–24 oz (240–710 mL) |
| Weeks 2–3 | 1.5–2.5 oz (45–75 mL) | 8–10 feeds; 16–25 oz (480–740 mL) |
| Week 4 | 2–3+ oz (60–90+ mL) | 7–8 feeds; 24–32 oz (710–950 mL) |
Where do these numbers come from? Guidance for bottle volumes and daily totals reflects pediatric recommendations, while breastfeeding frequency patterns match public health guidance. For quick reference on bottle amounts and timing, see the AAP’s page on amount and schedule of formula feedings. For direct breastfeeding patterns across the first weeks, see the CDC’s page on how much and how often to breastfeed. Local norms and baby size shift these ranges a bit. That’s okay. Truly.
Breast Milk Versus Formula: What Changes
The goal is a well-fed, thriving baby, no matter the feeding method. Here’s how intake patterns often differ between milk straight from you and milk from a bottle.
Direct Breastfeeding
Expect frequent feeds in the first two weeks, often every 2–3 hours day and night. Sessions may cluster in the evening. Milk transfer varies from feed to feed; some sessions are quick snacks and some are full meals. Once supply is in, many babies settle into 8–10 feeds daily during the first month.
Pumped Milk And Formula Bottles
Bottles make ounces easy to see. Through the first month, many babies take 1.5–3 ounces per bottle. If a provider suggested a weight-based formula rule of thumb (such as about 2½ ounces per pound of body weight for a day’s total), treat it as a ceiling, not a target, and let your baby lead during each feed.
Real-World Bottle Portions Across The First Month
- Days 1–3: Offer tiny portions. Start with 0.5 ounce, pause often, and add small refills if cues continue.
- Days 4–7: Move toward 1–2 ounces per bottle. Keep a slow-flow nipple and use paced feeding to match a newborn’s rhythm.
- Weeks 2–3: Many babies finish 2 ounces and sometimes 2.5 ounces. If baby dozes off early, try a burp and a short pause before offering more.
- Week 4: Portions often land at 2–3 ounces. Some babies take a little more at bedtime and a little less overnight.
Night Feeds And Daytime Rhythm
Newborn sleep is irregular. Night feeds are normal and protective in the early weeks. Many babies feed two or three times between dusk and dawn, then take a few shorter naps between daytime feeds. Wake windows stay short, often 45–90 minutes. A gentle pattern during the first month looks like: feed on waking, brief awake time, then sleep. If a stretch goes past three to four hours in the first couple of weeks, offer a feed.
Hunger Cues You Can Trust
Before a cry, babies send quieter signals. Look for stirring, hand-to-mouth movements, rooting, soft coos, or alert eyes. Crying shows late hunger and can make latching harder. Watch your baby, not the clock, and start a feed when those early cues appear.
Fullness Cues And Signs To Pause
End a feed when your baby releases the breast or slows, relaxes their fists, turns away, dozes off, or lets milk dribble out. For bottles, try paced feeding so your baby can take breaks. Angle the bottle so milk doesn’t gush, and pause after every few swallows. This protects against overfilling a small stomach.
Hunger And Fullness Cues At A Glance
| Cue | What It Looks Like | Feed Or Pause |
|---|---|---|
| Early hunger | Stirring, rooting, hands to mouth, soft sounds | Offer the breast or bottle |
| Active hunger | Fussing, searching head turns, strong sucking on hands | Begin or continue the feed |
| Late hunger | Crying, red face, rigid body | Calm first, then feed |
| Getting full | Slower sucks, relaxed hands, looking away | Pause and burp; let baby decide to resume |
| Full | Let-down bottle, closed lips, sleep | End the feed |
Diapers, Weight, And Growth Signals
Output is a handy snapshot of intake. After the first several days, many babies have about six or more wet diapers daily. Stools shift from dark meconium to mustard-yellow or yellow-brown within the first week. Steady weight gain across checkups is the anchor. A brief dip after birth is common; then the curve rises.
How Bottle Size And Flow Affect Intake
Newborns manage flow better with slow-flow nipples and smaller bottles. Start with 2–3 ounce bottles. If your baby finishes quickly and seems unsettled, try paced feeding and a short burp break before adding more. If milk pours or sputtering appears, step down a nipple size. Comfort matters as much as numbers.
Growth Spurts And Cluster Feeding
During common spurts around days 7–10 and again near week 3, many babies ask for extra sessions for a day or two. Supply meets demand for nursing families, and bottle amounts may nudge up temporarily. Once the spurt passes, things settle back to the usual rhythm.
Pumping And Supplementing Without Guesswork
If you’re pumping milk for a newborn, think in small portions. Store 1.5–2.5 ounce bags so little is wasted, and send two small bottles instead of one large bottle for short separations. When combining chestfeeding and formula, offer the breast first when that’s part of your plan, then prepare a small top-off bottle only if baby still shows hunger cues.
Weight-Based Bottle Math (Use With Care)
Some clinics share a quick rule such as about 2½ ounces per pound of body weight for a full day. This can help size bottles, yet babies are not math problems. Treat any total as a range. Pace feeds, pause often, and stop when your baby looks relaxed. If your baby weighs 8 pounds (3.6 kg), a rough day’s cap is near 20 ounces. A 10-pound baby might land near 25 ounces. Babies smaller or larger than those examples may sit above or below those lines and still do well.
When Intake Looks Low Or High
Low Intake Signs
Few wet diapers after the first week, dark urine, hard stools, persistent sleepiness during feeds, weak sucking, or a flat weight curve call for prompt help from your baby’s care team.
High Intake Signs
Frequent spit-ups that seem painful, coughing during bottle feeds, fussing at the bottle yet finishing large volumes, or rapid weight gain can signal flow that’s too fast or portions that are bigger than needed. Try slow-flow nipples and paced feeding, and shorten bottle sessions.
Simple Ways To Keep Feeds Comfortable
Positioning
Hold your baby close, with head, neck, and torso in a straight line. Tummy-to-tummy for nursing or an upright, well-supported angle for bottles keeps swallowing smooth.
Burping
Pause halfway and at the end of feeds. A gentle pat or rub on the back often releases air that can make babies gassy and fussy.
Tracking That Helps
A short log of start times and approximate amounts can spot trends. If logging adds stress, keep it light: note only unusual days, extra cluster sessions, or bottle volumes that felt too large or small.
Sample Day In The First Month
Here’s a gentle pattern many families find workable: 7:00 a.m. feed, awake time, nap; 10:00 a.m. feed; 1:00 p.m. feed; 4:00 p.m. cluster of two feeds; 7:00 p.m. feed and bedtime; 11:00 p.m. feed; 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. night feeds. Feeds stay on cue, not strict clock. Change diapers during each wake. Some days run closer together, others stretch out. Treat it as a map you redraw from your baby’s signals.
Takeaway You Can Use Today
Use the ranges as guardrails, then watch your baby’s cues. Offer frequent feeds, practice paced bottles, and aim for steady diaper counts and relaxed, content wake times. That’s the picture of a well-fed newborn.