A 5-month-old typically drinks 30 to 42 ounces of breast milk or formula per day, spread across five to six feedings of about 6 to 7 ounces each. That said, every baby is a little different, and the best guide is your baby’s own hunger and fullness cues rather than a rigid number.
Daily Intake for Formula-Fed Babies
For formula-fed 5-month-olds, a helpful rule of thumb is about 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight per day. An average 5-month-old weighs roughly 14 to 17 pounds, which puts most babies in the range of 35 to 42 ounces daily. Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and Johns Hopkins Medicine both place typical feedings at 6 to 7 ounces, five to six times in a 24-hour period.
There is an upper limit to keep in mind: babies should generally drink no more than about 32 ounces of formula in 24 hours. If your baby consistently wants more than that, it may be worth mentioning to your pediatrician, as it can sometimes signal the baby is eating for comfort rather than hunger, or that they’re ready to start solids soon.
Daily Intake for Breastfed Babies
Breastfed babies are harder to measure in ounces because you can’t see how much they take at the breast. Most breastfed infants consume somewhere around 24 to 32 ounces per day by this age, though the volume tends to plateau between months one and six rather than steadily climbing. If you’re pumping and bottle-feeding, bottles of 3 to 5 ounces offered five to eight times a day are common.
Because exact volume is tricky to track, the better indicators are wet diapers (at least six per day), steady weight gain, and a baby who seems satisfied after feeding. The AAP recommends exclusive breastfeeding for approximately six months, noting that babies under 6 months get everything they need from breast milk or formula alone.
How to Read Your Baby’s Hunger Cues
Rather than watching the clock or counting ounces, let your baby tell you when they’re hungry and when they’re done. At this age, hunger signs include putting hands to their mouth, turning their head toward your breast or bottle, and puckering or licking their lips. Clenched fists are another early signal. Crying is actually a late sign of hunger, so catching those earlier cues makes feedings smoother for everyone.
When your baby is full, they’ll close their mouth, turn their head away from the breast or bottle, and relax their hands. These signals are reliable. Your baby does not need to finish every bottle. Forcing the last ounce can teach them to override their own fullness signals over time, which isn’t a habit you want to build.
Feeding Schedule at 5 Months
Most 5-month-olds eat every three to four hours during the day, which works out to five or six feedings in 24 hours. Some babies at this age are sleeping longer stretches at night, which means more of their daily intake shifts to daytime hours. Others still wake once or twice to eat overnight, and that’s normal too.
If your baby seems hungrier than usual for a few days, it’s likely a growth spurt. These temporary increases in appetite are common around 4 to 6 months. During a growth spurt, offering an extra feeding or a slightly larger bottle is fine. Their intake usually levels off within a few days.
What About Starting Solids?
At 5 months, most babies are still exclusively on breast milk or formula. The AAP recommends waiting until around 6 months to introduce solid foods, though some pediatricians give the green light closer to 4 to 6 months if the baby shows signs of readiness (sitting with support, showing interest in food, good head control).
If your baby has started tasting small amounts of purees or cereal, those first solids are more about practice than nutrition. Breast milk or formula should still make up the vast majority of calories and nutrients. You wouldn’t reduce milk volume at this stage to make room for solids. The solid food is a supplement, not a replacement.
Signs Your Baby Is Getting Enough
The number on the bottle matters less than what you see day to day. A well-fed 5-month-old produces at least six wet diapers in 24 hours, gains weight steadily (your pediatrician tracks this at well-child visits), and seems content between feedings. They should be alert and active during awake periods.
Babies who aren’t getting enough milk may seem unusually sleepy, produce fewer wet diapers, or fail to gain weight appropriately. If you notice any of those patterns, a quick weight check at your pediatrician’s office can clarify whether intake needs to increase.