How Much ML Milk Newborn? | Safe Feeding Guide

New babies eat little and often. The volume in the bottle or expressed milk changes fast in the first two weeks, then settles into a steadier rhythm. This guide gives clear, practical ranges in milliliters (mL) for the early days, plus calm, easy ways to judge whether your baby is taking enough without stressing over every ounce.

How Many mL Of Milk For A Newborn Per Feed And Per Day

In the first week, most formula-fed newborns take about 30–60 mL per feed. By the end of the first month, many reach 90–120 mL per feed. These ranges come from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which also notes a soft upper cap of about 960 mL across 24 hours for formula unless your pediatrician suggests otherwise. Breastfed babies usually feed more often and may take smaller amounts per session in the early days because colostrum and early milk come in small, rich volumes made for a newborn.

Use the table below as a quick reference for the first month. It’s a range, not a target. If your baby stops early, relax. If they drain the bottle and still cue for more, offer a bit more.

Age Window	Average Per Feed (mL)	Typical Feeds / 24h
First 24 Hours	5–15	8–12
Days 2–3	15–30	8–12
Days 4–6	30–60	8–12
Week 2	45–75	7–10
Week 3–4	60–90	6–10
End Of Month 1	90–120	6–8

Formula volumes above are in line with AAP guidance on formula amounts, which also adds a handy body-weight rule of thumb. On average, babies take about 75 mL of formula per pound of body weight daily, stopping when full. If your baby is still rooting and smacking after a full bottle, they may want a little more, and if they’re turning away with relaxed hands, that’s a stop sign.

Breastfeeding Versus Formula: What Changes, What Doesn’t

Whether you breastfeed, pump and bottle-feed, use formula, or mix both, the same big ideas apply: feed on cue, expect frequent feeds, and watch diapers and weight gain. Breastfed newborns often cluster feed, especially in the evenings. That pattern helps milk supply and meets a newborn’s tiny-but-often appetite. Formula-fed babies tend to land on a more predictable rhythm by the end of the first month.

Amount per feed will vary widely with breastfeeding. Early colostrum feeds are tiny and powerful. As mature milk ramps up, many babies take volumes similar to the table above, though the number of sessions may stay higher. If your baby is nursing well 8–12 times daily and producing the wet and dirty diapers listed later, the intake is likely on track even without measuring mL.

Sample 24-Hour Patterns (Realistic, Flexible)

Every day looks a bit different, yet patterns appear. Here are three sample days that match ranges. They are examples, not prescriptions.

Early Days, Lots Of Tiny Feeds

Day 1–2 often brings 8–12 short sessions. You may see 10–20 mL at a sitting, then a nap, then a repeat within two hours.

Days 4–6, Building Volume

Feeds stretch a little, with 30–60 mL per bottle for many babies. Late afternoon can run closer together. If a feed tops out early, try a brief burp and a calm restart; many babies take a second wind.

Weeks 2–4, A Looser Rhythm

Many families settle into 7–9 feeds daily, with 60–90 mL per feed for a lot of babies. A few babies still prefer many small sips, which is fine if diapers and weight checks look good.

Reading Hunger And Fullness Cues

Newborns communicate with movement, mouth cues, and sounds long before a full-throated cry. Crying is a late sign. Offer a feed when you see early cues.

Early Hunger Cues

• Stirring, wriggling, or light fussing
• Rooting or turning toward the cheek being stroked
• Hands to mouth, gentle sucking sounds
• Wide, alert eyes during a feeding window

Late Hunger Cues

• Hard crying
• Arching away when picked up
• Frantic movements that make latching tough

Feeding earlier keeps sessions calmer and often shorter. With bottles, pace the feed: hold the bottle more horizontal, give short pauses, and switch sides halfway to mirror the rhythm of nursing.

Is My Newborn Getting Enough Milk?

Two simple checks answer this: diapers and weight. From a few days after birth, many babies produce about six wet diapers daily with pale yellow urine and pass soft yellow stools at least once per day. Weight gain will be reviewed at routine checks. If diapers drop off, stools stay dark after the first week, or weight gain stalls, call your pediatrician.

Quick Weight-Based Check (With Examples)

By the end of week one, many health services suggest a daily range tied to body weight. A simple rule is 150–200 mL of milk per kilogram of body weight across 24 hours in the early months. That spread leaves room for appetite swings and growth spurts. Use it as a check, not a strict assignment.

Not every day fits the math. Growth, vaccines, hot weather, or a brief cold can nudge intake up or down. The goal is steady diapers, a settled mood after feeds, and weight trending up on your baby’s chart.

Baby Weight (kg)	Daily Total (mL at 150 mL/kg)	Approx Per Feed (8 feeds)
2.5	375	≈47
3.0	450	≈56
3.5	525	≈66
4.0	600	≈75
4.5	675	≈84

This weight-based range aligns with NHS advice on daily formula amounts for babies under six months. Some days your baby may land near the lower end, other days near the higher end. That’s normal.

Shaping A Calm, Safe Bottle Feed

Small tweaks make feeds smoother for everyone. Tweaks help.

Flow, Nipple, And Position

• Start with a slow-flow nipple in the first weeks. If feeds take 30–40 minutes with lots of effort, try the next flow up. If milk gushes and baby coughs, go slower.
• Hold baby upright, with the head steadied and chin tipped slightly down. Keep the bottle angle low to start; raise it only as the teat empties.
• Burp during natural pauses. A brief shoulder break at the halfway point saves spit-ups later.

How To Pace The Volume

• Pour a little less than you expect to use. You can add more if needed.
• Watch for turning away, relaxed hands, slower sucking, and milk left in the mouth. Those are stop signs.
• If baby still wants to suck after a full feed, offer a clean pacifier. Some babies just want extra soothing.

Common Questions About Overfeeding, Gas, And Spit-Ups

A fast bottle, a flow that’s too high, or long gaps between feeds can lead to guzzling and spit-ups. Try slower flow, upright holds, and mid-feed burps. If your baby fusses soon after every bottle, check the nipple size, watch the angle, and trial shorter, more frequent feeds for a day or two.

Some babies bring up small mouthfuls after feeds. That can be normal if weight and diapers look fine and the baby seems content after a brief cuddle. If you see hard crying with arching, poor weight gain, green or bloody vomit, or fewer diapers, call your pediatrician.

Storing And Warming Milk Safely

Warm bottles in a bowl of warm water or a bottle warmer. Do not microwave. Swirl to mix fat back in; avoid vigorous shaking. Test on the inside of your wrist. Keep bottles and pump parts clean per maker’s instructions, and wash hands before every prep and feed. Always.

Growth Spurts And Cluster Feeds

Expect short bursts of higher appetite around days 7–10 and again near three weeks. You may see tighter spacing between feeds, longer feeds, or both. That spike often lasts a day or two, then intake settles again. These surges do not mean your usual volumes are wrong; they reflect a baby’s rapid growth and brain development in the first month.

During a spurt, offer the next feed a little earlier and keep bottles slightly smaller than you think you will need so you can top up if baby still shows strong cues. With breastfeeding, offer both sides, then return to the first side if your baby still wants more. Extra skin-to-skin time steadies many babies and can make feeds smoother.

Practical Numbers You Can Trust

Here’s a tidy recap for the question, “How much mL milk newborn?”

• First day: 5–15 mL per feed, 8–12 feeds.
• Days 2–3: 15–30 mL per feed.
• Days 4–6: 30–60 mL per feed.
• Week 2–4: 60–90 mL per feed for many babies; some will want a bit more.
• Daily check by weight: 150–200 mL per kg, spread across the day.
• Soft cap for formula: around 960 mL in 24 hours unless your pediatrician gives a different plan.

When To Call The Doctor

Reach out promptly if your newborn has fewer than four wet diapers today, feeds less than six times in 24 hours after day three, vomits forcefully more than once, seems too sleepy to wake for feeds, or breathes fast during feeds. Quick advice keeps feeds safe and steady.