A 3-day-old baby typically eats about 15 to 30 ml (half an ounce to one ounce) per feeding, which matches the size of their stomach at this age. That number can feel shockingly small, but a newborn’s stomach on day three is only about the size of a walnut. Over the course of 24 hours, with 8 to 12 feedings, total intake lands roughly in the range of 120 to 360 ml (4 to 12 ounces).
Why the Amount Seems So Small
On day one, a newborn’s stomach holds roughly 15 ml, about one tablespoon. By day three, it has stretched to hold about 15 to 30 ml (half to one ounce). This rapid but still tiny growth means your baby genuinely does not need large volumes at each feeding. The small, frequent meals are by design: they keep blood sugar stable and give the digestive system time to adjust to life outside the womb.
Breastfed vs. Formula-Fed Volumes
If you’re breastfeeding, you won’t be measuring milliliters, and that’s normal. Your body produces colostrum during the first two to five days after delivery. Colostrum comes in very small quantities, sometimes just a few milliliters per session, but it is extremely concentrated in nutrients and antibodies. Around day three, your milk begins transitioning from colostrum to what’s called transitional milk, which increases in volume. Many parents worry they aren’t producing enough during this window, but those tiny colostrum amounts are matched to what a newborn’s stomach can actually hold.
For formula-fed babies, the CDC recommends starting with 1 to 2 ounces (30 to 60 ml) of formula every 2 to 3 hours. At day three, most babies will take closer to the lower end of that range. If your baby consistently drains 2 ounces and still seems hungry, it’s fine to offer a little more, but let the baby guide you rather than pushing a set amount.
How Often to Feed
Whether breast or bottle, a 3-day-old should eat 8 to 12 times in 24 hours. That works out to roughly every 1 to 3 hours, including overnight. Some feedings will be spaced closer together, especially in the evening, a pattern called cluster feeding. This is normal and does not mean your supply is low or your baby isn’t getting enough.
At this age, many pediatricians recommend waking a baby to feed if they’ve gone longer than 3 hours without eating, particularly if the baby hasn’t regained birth weight yet. Once weight gain is established, usually by the two-week mark, you can typically start following the baby’s lead on timing.
Hunger and Fullness Cues
Rather than fixating on exact milliliters, learning your baby’s hunger cues is the most reliable way to know when to feed. Early hunger signs in newborns include putting hands to the mouth, turning the head toward your breast or the bottle (called rooting), lip smacking or licking, and clenched fists. Crying is actually a late hunger signal. If you wait until your baby is crying hard, they may be too upset to latch or feed well, so try to catch those earlier cues.
When your baby is full, they’ll close their mouth, turn away from the breast or bottle, and visibly relax their hands. These signs are subtle but consistent once you start watching for them.
How to Tell Your Baby Is Getting Enough
Since you can’t measure what a breastfed baby takes in, diaper output is the best day-to-day indicator. By day three, you should see at least 3 wet diapers and 2 to 3 dirty diapers in a 24-hour period. The stools at this stage are transitioning from the dark, tarry meconium of the first day or two to a greenish-brown, and eventually to the yellow, seedy stools typical of a well-fed newborn.
Weight is the other key measure. It’s normal for newborns to lose up to 7% of their birth weight in the first few days before regaining it by around day 10. A loss of 10% or more is a red flag that warrants a closer look at feeding. Most hospitals and pediatricians will do a weight check within the first few days after discharge for exactly this reason. If your baby was 3,500 grams (about 7 lbs 11 oz) at birth, a loss of up to 245 grams (about 8.6 oz) is within the expected range.
Common Worries at Day Three
Day three is when many breastfeeding parents hit a rough patch. The baby may seem fussier and want to eat constantly, which often coincides with the milk supply transitioning from colostrum to a higher volume. This increased demand is actually what signals your body to ramp up production. Frequent feeding during this period, even if it feels relentless, is the mechanism that builds your supply.
Spitting up small amounts after a feeding is also common and usually not a concern at this age. If your baby is vomiting forcefully, refusing to eat, or producing fewer wet diapers than expected, those are signs worth bringing up with your pediatrician sooner rather than later.
For formula-fed babies, overfeeding can happen more easily because milk flows faster from a bottle than from a breast. Paced bottle feeding, where you hold the bottle more horizontally and pause periodically, helps the baby regulate their own intake and reduces spit-up.