A one-week-old baby typically eats 1.5 to 2 ounces per feeding, about 8 to 12 times in a 24-hour period. That works out to roughly 12 to 24 ounces total per day, whether your baby is breastfed or formula-fed. The exact amount varies from baby to baby, but understanding what’s normal at this stage can help you feel confident that your newborn is getting enough.
Stomach Size at One Week
A newborn’s stomach is tiny and grows rapidly in the first few days. By the end of the first week, your baby’s stomach can hold about 45 to 60 milliliters (1.5 to 2 ounces) at a time, roughly the size of an apricot. This is why newborns need to eat so frequently. They physically cannot take in large amounts at once, so they make up for it by feeding often throughout the day and night.
Breastfeeding at One Week
Breastfed babies at one week old typically nurse 8 to 12 times every 24 hours. That’s roughly every 2 to 3 hours around the clock, including overnight. Some feedings may be spaced closer together, especially in the evening, which is completely normal clustering behavior.
At this stage, your body is producing transitional milk, which gradually replaces the thick, concentrated colostrum your baby received in the first few days. Transitional milk comes in around days 2 to 5 and continues until about two weeks after birth, when mature milk takes over. Transitional milk is higher in volume than colostrum, which is why your baby starts taking in more at each feeding during this period. You won’t be able to measure exactly how much your baby drinks at the breast, so watching for fullness cues and tracking diapers (more on that below) are the best ways to gauge intake.
Formula Feeding at One Week
If your baby is exclusively formula-fed, offer 1 to 2 ounces per feeding every 2 to 3 hours in the first days of life. By the end of the first week, most babies are comfortably taking closer to 2 ounces per session. Let your baby set the pace rather than pushing them to finish a bottle. If they turn away or relax their hands, they’re telling you they’ve had enough, even if there’s formula left.
Unlike breastfeeding, formula feeding gives you a visible measurement, which can be reassuring. But resist the urge to compare your baby’s intake to exact targets. Babies naturally vary from one feeding to the next. One session might be 1 ounce, the next might be 2.5. What matters is the overall pattern across the day.
How to Tell Your Baby Is Hungry
Newborns communicate hunger through a predictable sequence of physical cues. The early signs are subtle: putting hands to their mouth, turning their head toward your breast or the bottle, puckering or smacking their lips, and clenching their fists. These are the ideal moments to start a feeding, before your baby escalates to fussing.
Crying is actually a late sign of hunger. A crying baby often has a harder time latching or settling into a feeding, so responding to those quieter, earlier signals makes the whole process smoother for both of you. When your baby is full, you’ll notice the opposite: their mouth closes, they turn their head away from the breast or bottle, and their hands relax and open.
Signs Your Baby Is Getting Enough
Since you can’t measure breast milk intake directly, diapers are your best daily indicator. After day 5, a well-fed newborn should produce at least 6 wet diapers per day. The number of soiled (poopy) diapers varies more widely but should be happening regularly in the first weeks.
Weight is the other key measure. It’s normal for newborns to lose some weight in the first few days after birth. Babies born vaginally lose a median of about 7% of their birth weight, while those born by cesarean lose closer to 8.6%. A loss of more than 10% is a reason for concern and warrants closer follow-up. When feeding is going well, most babies return to their birth weight by 5 to 8 days of age, though many pediatricians use two weeks as the expected timeline.
Growth Spurts Change the Pattern
Just when you think you’ve figured out your baby’s feeding rhythm, a growth spurt can scramble it. The first major growth spurt typically happens around 2 to 3 weeks old, with later ones around 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. During a growth spurt, your baby may want to nurse much more frequently, sometimes as often as every 30 minutes, and for longer stretches. This is temporary and usually lasts a few days. For breastfeeding parents, the increased demand signals your body to produce more milk, so it’s important to feed on demand rather than trying to stick to a schedule during these periods.
Warning Signs of Dehydration
While most newborns feed well with a little patience and practice, dehydration in a one-week-old can become serious quickly. Signs to watch for include a sunken soft spot on the top of the head, sunken eyes, few or no tears when crying, fewer wet diapers than expected, and unusual drowsiness or irritability. If you notice any of these, your baby needs prompt medical attention. A baby who is consistently difficult to wake for feedings, or who seems too sleepy to eat, also warrants a call to your pediatrician.