An 8-month-old typically needs 24 to 32 ounces of breast milk or formula per day, spread across four to five feedings. That range accounts for the fact that your baby is now eating solid foods too, which gradually replace some of the calories that milk used to provide entirely. At this age, breast milk or formula is still the primary source of nutrition, but solids are playing an increasingly important role.
Daily Milk Volume by Feeding Type
Formula-fed babies at 8 months generally drink 24 to 32 ounces total per day, broken into four or five bottles of roughly 6 to 8 ounces each. Some babies settle closer to the lower end of that range if they’re enthusiastic eaters of solid food, while others who are slower to warm up to solids will stay near the top.
Breastfed babies are harder to measure precisely since you can’t see how much they take at each feeding. Most breastfed 8-month-olds nurse four to five times in 24 hours. If you’re pumping, aiming for a similar 24-to-32-ounce total is a reasonable target. The best indicator that a breastfed baby is getting enough is steady weight gain and at least six wet diapers per day.
How Milk and Solids Work Together
Between 6 and 12 months, breast milk or formula can provide half or more of your baby’s total calorie needs, according to the World Health Organization. That means solids are filling in the other portion, and at 8 months, your baby should be eating two to three small meals of solid food per day. These meals are still relatively small, so milk remains the nutritional backbone of the diet.
A common question is whether to offer milk before or after solid food. At 8 months, offering milk first and then solids about 30 to 60 minutes later helps ensure your baby gets enough liquid nutrition before filling up on food that may be lower in calories. As your baby approaches 10 to 12 months, you can start reversing this pattern, offering solids first and milk afterward, which naturally helps the transition toward a food-based diet.
If your baby suddenly drops milk intake after starting a new food or texture, that’s normal. Appetite fluctuates day to day. What matters more than any single day’s intake is the overall pattern across a week.
What Counts as “Milk” at This Age
At 8 months, “milk” means breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula only. Whole cow’s milk should not be introduced as a drink until after your baby’s first birthday. The American Academy of Pediatrics is clear on this point: cow’s milk lacks the right balance of nutrients for an infant’s developing body and can interfere with iron absorption. Small amounts of cow’s milk used in cooking or mixed into foods like mashed potatoes are generally fine, but it shouldn’t replace breast milk or formula as a beverage.
Plant-based milks (oat, almond, soy) are also not appropriate substitutes at this age. They don’t provide the fat, protein, and micronutrient profile that infants need.
Iron and the Risk of Too Much Milk
While getting enough milk matters, consistently exceeding 32 ounces of formula per day can actually cause problems. Babies who fill up on milk may eat fewer iron-rich solid foods, and iron becomes increasingly important in the second half of the first year. Babies are born with iron stores that start to deplete around 6 months, which is one reason solids are introduced at that age.
Children who don’t get enough iron can develop iron deficiency anemia, a condition that reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. In young children, this can lead to learning difficulties if it persists. At around 12 months, your baby’s pediatrician will typically screen for anemia with a simple blood test. In the meantime, offering iron-rich foods like pureed meats, beans, and iron-fortified cereals alongside milk feedings helps keep stores adequate.
Water and Other Liquids
Eight-month-olds can have small amounts of water, typically 4 to 8 ounces per day. This is best offered in a cup during meals to help your baby practice drinking and to complement solid foods. Water at this age is supplemental, not a replacement for any milk feeding. Offering too much water can fill your baby’s small stomach and reduce milk and food intake, and in extreme cases, can dilute blood sodium levels.
Juice is not recommended for babies under 12 months. It adds sugar without meaningful nutrition and can contribute to tooth decay once teeth start coming in.
Signs Your Baby Is Getting Enough
Rather than fixating on exact ounces, watch for these reliable indicators that your 8-month-old is well-nourished and hydrated:
- Wet diapers: At least six per day suggests adequate fluid intake.
- Steady growth: Your pediatrician tracks weight and length on a growth curve. Staying on a consistent percentile (even a low one) is more important than hitting a specific number.
- Energy and mood: A well-fed baby is alert during awake periods, interested in play, and meeting developmental milestones.
- Stool patterns: Once solids are established, one to two bowel movements per day is typical, though the range is wide.
Sample Feeding Schedule
Every family’s routine looks different, but a typical day for an 8-month-old might include a milk feeding first thing in the morning, a solid food breakfast an hour later, a midday milk feeding, an afternoon meal of solids, another milk feeding in the late afternoon, a small dinner of solids in the early evening, and a final milk feeding before bed. That’s four milk feedings and two to three solid meals.
Some babies still wake for one nighttime feeding at this age, which would bring the total to five milk sessions. Others have dropped nighttime feeds entirely. Both are normal. The total daily volume matters more than when it happens.