A one-week-old baby typically drinks 1 to 2 ounces per feeding, whether breast milk or formula. Over a full 24-hour period, that adds up to roughly 10 to 20 ounces total. The exact amount varies from baby to baby, and even from feeding to feeding, so watching your newborn’s cues matters more than hitting a precise number.
Per Feeding and Per Day Amounts
At one week old, your baby’s stomach is tiny. It holds about 20 milliliters at birth (just under an ounce) and grows slightly over the first week, but it’s still remarkably small. That’s why newborns eat such small amounts so frequently: 1 to 2 ounces at a time, every 2 to 3 hours, for a total of 8 to 12 feedings in 24 hours.
These numbers apply to both breastfed and formula-fed babies. A breastfed baby at day 7 typically takes in 1 to 2 ounces per session, totaling 10 to 20 ounces over the course of a day, according to Cleveland Clinic data on expressed breast milk volumes. Formula-fed babies follow a similar pattern. The CDC recommends starting with 1 to 2 ounces of formula every 2 to 3 hours in the first days of life.
Some babies cluster their feedings, eating every hour for a stretch and then sleeping a bit longer. Others space things out more evenly. Both patterns are normal at this age.
Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding
If you’re breastfeeding, you can’t measure exactly how much your baby is getting at the breast, and you don’t need to. Instead, focus on how often your baby nurses and whether they seem satisfied afterward. Most breastfed newborns eat 8 to 12 times per day, sometimes as often as every 1 to 3 hours. That frequency is normal and helps establish your milk supply during this early period.
If you’re formula feeding, the measurements are more straightforward. Prepare 1 to 2 ounces per bottle and let your baby finish what they want. Some feedings they’ll drain the bottle, others they won’t. Resist the urge to push them to finish every drop. Overfeeding is easier to do with a bottle because milk flows more passively than at the breast, and your baby’s stomach simply can’t hold much yet.
How to Tell Your Baby Is Getting Enough
The most reliable indicator at this age is diaper output. After day 5, your baby should produce at least 6 wet diapers per day. The number of soiled diapers varies more, but regular wet diapers signal that your baby is staying hydrated and taking in enough milk.
Weight gain is the other key measure. Most newborns lose a small amount of weight in the first few days after birth and then start gaining it back. Your pediatrician will track this at early checkups. By about two weeks, most babies are back to their birth weight.
Reading Your Baby’s Hunger and Fullness Cues
Your one-week-old can’t tell you they’re hungry, but they’ll show you. Early hunger cues include putting hands to their mouth, turning their head toward your breast or the bottle (called rooting), and puckering, smacking, or licking their lips. Clenched fists are another sign. Crying is actually a late hunger signal, so try to catch the earlier cues when you can. A baby who’s already crying may need to be calmed down before they can latch or take a bottle effectively.
When your baby is full, the signals shift: they’ll close their mouth, turn their head away from the breast or bottle, and relax their hands. These are clear signs to stop the feeding, even if they’ve only taken an ounce. Letting your baby set the pace teaches them to eat according to their own hunger rather than a rigid schedule.
What Changes Over the Coming Weeks
Feeding amounts increase quickly. By the end of the first month, most babies are taking 3 to 4 ounces per feeding and spacing their meals out a bit more, roughly every 3 to 4 hours. This progression happens naturally as your baby’s stomach grows and they become more efficient at eating.
At one week, though, the combination of small, frequent feedings is exactly what your baby needs. If your newborn is eating 8 to 12 times a day, producing plenty of wet diapers, and seems content between feedings, they’re almost certainly getting enough.