Most 8-month-old babies drink about 24 to 32 ounces of breastmilk per day, spread across 4 to 6 nursing or bottle-feeding sessions. If you’re giving expressed milk in bottles, that typically works out to 3 to 5 ounces per feeding. The exact amount varies from baby to baby, and it shifts as your little one eats more solid food.
Daily Totals and Per-Feeding Amounts
At 8 months, breastmilk (or formula) is still the primary source of nutrition. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies drink breastmilk or formula for the entire first year of life, even as solid foods become a bigger part of the diet.
If you’re nursing directly, it’s hard to measure exact ounces, which is completely normal. Most 8-month-olds nurse about 4 to 6 times in a 24-hour period, including any overnight feeds. If you’re pumping and bottle-feeding, expect your baby to take 3 to 5 ounces of breastmilk per bottle. Four to six bottles at that range puts you in the 24-to-32-ounce ballpark for the full day.
One thing worth knowing: breastmilk intake doesn’t increase steadily the way formula intake does. Breastmilk changes in composition over time, becoming more calorie-dense as your baby grows. So your 8-month-old may actually drink a similar volume to what they drank at 4 or 5 months, and that’s perfectly fine.
How Solids Fit Into the Picture
By 8 months, your baby is likely eating solid foods two to three times a day, but those meals are supplementing breastmilk, not replacing it. Think of solids as practice and exploration at this stage. Milk still delivers the bulk of calories, fat, and protein your baby needs.
A typical day for an 8-to-9-month-old includes, alongside breastmilk:
- Iron-fortified cereal: 2 to 4 tablespoons, twice a day
- Vegetables: 2 to 5 ounces of mashed or soft-cooked vegetables, twice a day
- Fruit: 2 to 5 ounces of soft mashed fruit, twice a day
- Protein: 1 to 2 ounces of pureed meat, 2 tablespoons of cooked egg yolk, or 2 tablespoons of mashed beans or tofu, once a day
- Finger foods: Dissolvable puffs or small cereal pieces like Cheerios, once or twice a day
A common approach is to nurse or offer a bottle first, then follow with solids about 30 minutes later. This makes sure your baby isn’t too full from food to drink enough milk. As they get closer to 10 or 11 months, you’ll gradually see the balance tip toward more food and slightly less milk.
If You’re Pumping for Daycare or Caregivers
Parents who pump often want a specific number to write on the bottle label. For an 8-month-old, 3 to 5 ounces per bottle is the standard range. Start with 4-ounce bottles. If your baby consistently drains them and still seems hungry, move to 5. If they’re regularly leaving an ounce behind, drop to 3.5.
It helps to send smaller, more frequent bottles rather than fewer large ones. Breastmilk is expensive to pump and heartbreaking to waste, so a caregiver can always offer a small top-off bottle if your baby is still hungry. Leftover milk in a bottle that’s been partially drunk needs to be used within 2 hours or tossed.
How to Tell Your Baby Is Getting Enough
Since you can’t measure ounces at the breast, output is the most reliable indicator. A well-hydrated 8-month-old produces 6 to 8 wet diapers a day. Fewer than 3 or 4 wet diapers signals dehydration and warrants attention.
Other reassuring signs include steady weight gain (your pediatrician tracks this at well-visits), a baby who seems satisfied after most feeds, and normal energy levels between feedings. On the flip side, a sunken soft spot on the top of the head, no tears when crying, extreme sleepiness, or unusual irritability can all point to inadequate fluid intake.
Keep in mind that intake naturally fluctuates. Teething, minor illnesses, growth spurts, and even a new food your baby loves can all cause temporary dips or spikes in how much milk they want. A day or two of lighter nursing is rarely a concern if your baby is otherwise acting like themselves and producing enough wet diapers.
When Babies Start Drinking Less Milk
Around 8 to 9 months, many parents notice their baby becoming more interested in table food and slightly less enthusiastic about nursing or bottles. This is developmentally normal. Your baby is discovering new textures and flavors, and their appetite for solids is growing. The shift happens gradually over the next several months, with breastmilk remaining an important part of the diet through at least the first birthday. Most babies don’t drop below 16 to 20 ounces of milk per day until they’re well past 10 months and eating three full meals of solid food.