A newborn needs surprisingly little milk at first, starting with just 1 to 2 teaspoons per feeding on day one and gradually increasing to about 4 to 6 ounces per feeding by the end of the first month. The exact amount depends on whether you’re breastfeeding or formula feeding, your baby’s age in days, and your baby’s own hunger cues.
Your Newborn’s Stomach Is Tiny
At birth, your baby’s stomach is about the size of a marble, holding only 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk. This is why newborns eat so frequently and take so little at each feeding. By day 10, the stomach has grown to roughly the size of a ping-pong ball, holding about 2 ounces. That rapid growth continues through the first month, when most babies comfortably take 4 to 6 ounces at a time.
This tiny starting capacity means you don’t need to worry if your baby seems to eat almost nothing in the first day or two. The small volumes of colostrum (the thick, concentrated first milk your breasts produce) are perfectly matched to what that marble-sized stomach can handle.
Formula Feeding Amounts by Age
For formula-fed newborns, the CDC recommends starting with 1 to 2 ounces per feeding every 2 to 3 hours in the first days of life. That works out to 8 to 12 feedings in a 24-hour period. Over the first few weeks, your baby will gradually take more at each feeding while spacing them further apart, moving toward a feeding roughly every 3 to 4 hours.
By the end of the first month, most formula-fed babies consume approximately 24 to 32 ounces total per day. Here’s a rough progression:
- Days 1 to 3: 1 to 2 ounces per feeding, 8 to 12 times daily
- Days 4 to 7: 2 to 3 ounces per feeding as the stomach grows
- Weeks 2 to 4: 3 to 4 ounces per feeding, every 3 to 4 hours
- End of month 1: 4 to 6 ounces per feeding
These are averages. Some feedings will be bigger, some smaller. The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that parents should use their infant’s hunger and fullness cues rather than hitting a specific volume target.
Breastfeeding: Frequency Over Volume
If you’re breastfeeding, you won’t be measuring ounces, and that’s completely normal. Breastfed newborns typically nurse 8 to 12 times in 24 hours during the first month. Some of those sessions will be long, others surprisingly short. Babies generally take what they need at each feeding and stop when they’re full.
The feeding pattern won’t look evenly spaced. Your baby might cluster several feedings close together, especially in the evening, and then go a slightly longer stretch. This is normal and actually helps build your milk supply. Frequent nursing in the early days signals your body to produce more milk, so the system is designed to be demand-driven rather than scheduled.
How to Tell Your Baby Is Getting Enough
Since you can’t measure what a breastfed baby takes in, diapers and weight are your best indicators. By days 4 through 7, a well-fed baby produces at least six wet diapers and three dirty diapers per day. Fewer than that can signal the baby isn’t getting enough milk.
Weight is the other key measure. Most newborns lose some weight in the first few days after birth, which is expected. They typically start regaining weight between days 3 and 5, and about 80 percent of babies are back to their birth weight by two weeks. A weight loss of more than 10 percent of birth weight warrants a closer look at feeding technique and intake. Your pediatrician will track this at early checkups, so those first visits matter.
Recognizing Hunger and Fullness Cues
Crying is actually a late sign of hunger. By the time a newborn is wailing, they’ve already been signaling for a while. Early hunger cues include putting hands to the mouth, turning the head toward your breast or the bottle (called rooting), puckering or licking the lips, and clenching their fists. Catching these early signs makes feeding calmer for both of you, since a frantic, crying baby has a harder time latching or settling into a bottle.
Fullness looks like the opposite: your baby closes their mouth, turns away from the breast or bottle, and relaxes their hands. When you see these signs, the feeding is done. Resist the urge to push the last half-ounce of a bottle. Letting your baby stop when satisfied helps them develop healthy self-regulation from the very start.
Signs You May Be Overfeeding
Overfeeding is more common with bottle feeding than breastfeeding, simply because the flow from a bottle is easier to maintain and harder for the baby to control. A baby who’s getting too much milk often shows discomfort: increased gas, frequent spitting up (more than the normal small amounts), loose stools, and fussiness that can look a lot like colic. The discomfort comes from the stomach struggling to digest more than it can comfortably hold.
If your baby consistently finishes every bottle and still seems unsettled, the issue may not be hunger. Try smaller, more frequent feedings instead of larger ones. You can also use paced bottle feeding, where you hold the bottle more horizontally and give the baby pauses, mimicking the natural rhythm of breastfeeding.
Storing Expressed Milk and Formula Safely
If you’re pumping breast milk or preparing formula in advance, safe storage times matter. Freshly expressed breast milk stays safe at room temperature (77°F or cooler) for up to 4 hours, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and in the freezer for about 6 months (up to 12 months is acceptable, though quality declines). Prepared formula should be used within 2 hours at room temperature or stored in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hours. Once a baby has started drinking from a bottle, use it within one hour regardless of the type of milk.