A newborn drinks surprisingly little milk in the first days of life, starting at just 1 to 2 ounces per feeding and gradually increasing to about 2.5 ounces per pound of body weight per day by the end of the first month. The exact amount depends on your baby’s age in days, whether they’re breastfed or formula-fed, and their individual weight and appetite.
Your Newborn’s Stomach Is Tiny
At birth, a baby’s stomach is roughly the size of a marble, holding only about 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk at a time. This is why newborns eat so frequently and take in such small volumes in the beginning. By day 10, the stomach has grown to about the size of a ping-pong ball, holding around 2 ounces. This rapid growth continues throughout the first month, and feeding volumes rise to match.
Because of this small starting capacity, it’s completely normal for your baby to want to eat every couple of hours, even through the night. Trying to get a newborn to take larger, less frequent feeds in those early days works against their anatomy.
Day-by-Day Intake in the First Week
Breastfed babies receive colostrum for the first few days before mature milk comes in. Colostrum is produced in very small amounts, but that’s by design. On day one, a baby typically takes just 2 to 10 milliliters per feeding (less than half an ounce). By days one to two, that increases slightly to 5 to 15 milliliters per feed. These amounts sound almost impossibly small, but they match what a marble-sized stomach can hold.
For formula-fed newborns, the CDC recommends starting with 1 to 2 ounces of formula every 2 to 3 hours in the first days of life. As the days pass and your baby’s stomach grows, they’ll naturally start taking more at each feeding. By the end of the first week, most babies are comfortably taking about 2 ounces per feeding.
Weeks Two Through Four
Once feeding is established, a simple rule of thumb helps estimate daily intake for formula-fed babies: about 2.5 ounces of formula per day for every pound of body weight. So an 8-pound baby would drink roughly 20 ounces over a full 24-hour period, spread across multiple feedings. Most newborns in the first month fall somewhere between 16 and 24 ounces per day total, increasing as they gain weight.
Breastfed babies are harder to measure precisely because you can’t see how much milk they’re transferring at the breast. Instead of tracking ounces, breastfeeding parents rely on feeding frequency and output. A breastfed newborn typically nurses 8 to 12 times in 24 hours. Some cluster their feeds, eating several times in a short window and then sleeping a longer stretch. This is normal and doesn’t mean your supply is low.
Breastfed vs. Formula-Fed Differences
Breast milk and formula are digested at different rates. Breast milk moves through a newborn’s system faster, which is one reason breastfed babies tend to eat more frequently. Formula-fed babies often settle into a slightly more predictable schedule, feeding every 3 to 4 hours once they’re past the first week or so.
One nutritional difference worth knowing: breastfed babies (and babies receiving a mix of breast milk and formula) need a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 IU, starting shortly after birth. Formula-fed babies who consistently drink 32 ounces or more per day get enough vitamin D from the formula itself, but most newborns aren’t drinking that volume yet in the first month.
How to Tell Your Baby Is Getting Enough
Since you can’t always measure intake precisely, especially with breastfeeding, output is the most reliable day-to-day indicator. After day five, a well-fed newborn produces at least six wet diapers per day, along with regular bowel movements. In the first few days the numbers are lower, roughly matching the day of life (one wet diaper on day one, two on day two, and so on) before ramping up.
Weight gain is the other key measure. It’s normal for newborns to lose a small amount of weight in the first few days after birth. After that initial dip, healthy babies gain about 1 ounce (28 grams) per day in the first few months. Your pediatrician will track this at well-baby visits, and steady weight gain is the strongest confirmation that your baby is eating enough.
Reading Your Baby’s Hunger Cues
Rather than watching the clock, feeding on demand based on your baby’s behavior is the most reliable approach in the newborn period. Early hunger signs include putting hands to mouth, turning their head toward a breast or bottle (called rooting), smacking or licking their lips, and clenching their fists. Crying is actually a late hunger cue. If you wait until a baby is crying from hunger, they may be too upset to latch or feed well, so responding to those earlier, quieter signals makes feedings smoother.
Fullness cues are equally important. When a baby has had enough, they’ll close their mouth, turn their head away from the breast or bottle, and relax their hands. Trying to coax a baby into finishing a bottle after they’ve shown these signs can lead to overfeeding and discomfort. Trusting your baby to regulate their own intake, even when the amount seems small to you, sets up healthy feeding patterns from the start.
When Intake Seems Too Low or Too High
New parents often worry their baby isn’t eating enough, especially in the first few days when volumes are so small. A baby who is feeding at least 8 times in 24 hours, producing enough wet and dirty diapers, and gaining weight steadily is almost certainly getting what they need, even if individual feedings seem short or small.
On the other end, a formula-fed baby who consistently wants more than 32 ounces a day in the first month, or who spits up large amounts after every feeding, may be taking in more than their stomach can comfortably hold. Smaller, more frequent feedings and proper pacing with the bottle (holding it at a slight angle and allowing pauses) can help. If your baby seems constantly unsatisfied despite adequate intake, or if weight gain is significantly above or below that 1-ounce-per-day benchmark, it’s worth discussing with your pediatrician at the next visit.