The short version: a newborn eats little and often, and the amount climbs quickly over the first month. In the first week that means roughly 1 to 2 ounces per feed, at least 8 times a day. By one month it is closer to 3 to 4 ounces, and by six months, 6 to 8 ounces at fewer, larger feeds.12
Those are averages, and averages are the least interesting part of this question. The part that actually keeps parents up at night is whether their own baby is getting enough, and that is not answered by a number on a bottle. It is answered by what comes out the other end and by the number on the scale.
Here is what the amounts look like by age, how to read the signals that matter more than the ounces, and the specific signs that mean it is time to call your pediatrician.
Key Takeaways
Feed on demand. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises feeding whenever your baby shows hunger cues, not on a fixed clock.1
First week: about 1 to 2 ounces per feed. By one month: 3 to 4 ounces. By six months: 6 to 8 ounces.12
A formula-fed newborn needs roughly 2.5 ounces per pound of body weight per day, up to about 32 ounces in 24 hours.2
The proof your baby is getting enough is output and weight gain, not how much is left in the bottle. Aim for 6 or more wet diapers a day after the first week.3
Bottle-fed babies are easier to overfeed than breastfed babies, because a bottle keeps flowing after the baby is full.1
Any fever of 100.4F (38C) in a baby under 3 months, or forceful projectile vomiting, needs a call to the doctor the same day.68
Table of Contents
Feed on Demand, Not on a Chart
Quick Answer
A newborn typically eats 1 to 2 ounces per feed in the first week, 3 to 4 ounces by one month, and 6 to 8 ounces by six months, feeding 8 or more times a day at first and fewer as the volume grows. Formula guideline: about 2.5 ounces per pound per day, up to roughly 32 ounces in 24 hours.12
Before the numbers, the single most important rule: healthy newborns are fed responsively, which means you feed in answer to hunger rather than to a schedule you set. The AAP is direct about this. Babies should be fed whenever they seem hungry, and they regulate their own intake from one day to the next.1
Early hunger cues come before crying: rooting, bringing hands to the mouth, lip smacking, and stirring. Crying is a late cue. If you can catch the early ones, feeds tend to go more smoothly.1
Newborns also need to eat often because their stomachs are small and breast milk and formula digest fast. Bottle-fed newborns usually eat every 2 to 3 hours, and breastfed newborns nurse every 2 hours or so, which works out to 8 to 12 sessions in 24 hours in the early weeks.1
How Much a Newborn Eats, by Age
These are typical amounts. Your baby may run a little above or below and still be perfectly on track. Use the range as a sanity check, not a target to hit exactly.12
Age
Approximate amount per feed
Feeds per 24 hours
First 1 to 2 days
A teaspoon to about 0.5 oz (colostrum, small volumes)
Breast: 8 to 12; bottle: on demand
First week
1 to 2 oz (30 to 60 mL)
8 to 12
Weeks 2 to 4
2 to 3 oz (60 to 90 mL)
8 or more
1 month
3 to 4 oz (90 to 120 mL), about every 3 to 4 hours
6 to 8
2 to 4 months
4 to 5 oz (120 to 150 mL)
5 to 6
6 months
6 to 8 oz (180 to 240 mL)
4 to 5
Amounts adapted from AAP feeding guidance. Breastfed volumes rise slowly and top out around 4.5 oz per feed near one year.
For formula specifically, the AAP gives a useful rule of thumb: about 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight per day, with a ceiling of roughly 32 ounces in 24 hours. A 9 pound baby, for example, works out to somewhere near 22 ounces a day spread across feeds.2
Breastfed babies are harder to measure by volume, which is by design. You cannot see the ounces, so you lean on feeding frequency and output instead. That is not a downside, it is just a different dashboard.3
The Stomach-Size Chart, and What It Actually Shows
You have probably seen the viral graphic that maps a newborn’s stomach to fruit: a cherry on day one, a walnut by day three, an apricot by week one, with tidy millilitre figures attached. It is a nice teaching aid for one true idea, that newborn stomachs are tiny and fill fast. But the exact day-by-day millilitre numbers are lactation-education illustrations, not measurements from a rigorous study.
The one peer-reviewed physiological estimate puts a term newborn’s functional stomach capacity at around 20 millilitres, which is higher than the popular day-one figure and, notably, is the reasoning behind why newborns feed roughly hourly rather than in big spaced-out meals.5 The honest takeaway is the concept, not the decimal points: small stomach, frequent feeds, and volumes that climb fast.
This matters because parents sometimes panic that a baby is not taking “enough” against a chart number. The chart is a metaphor. Your baby’s diapers and weight are the data.
Feeding sorted, but nights still a mess?
Intake is only half the picture. Get a plan that fits your baby’s feeding and sleep together.
This is the question under the question. You cannot meter a breast, and even with a bottle the amount consumed varies feed to feed. So pediatricians judge intake by output and growth, which are far more reliable than any single feed volume.3
Is my newborn getting enough? Six checks
Judge by what comes out and the scale, not by ounces offered
1
Wet diapers
After the first week, 6 or more wet diapers a day, with pale, nearly colorless urine.
2
Stools
By day 5 to 7, at least 3 to 4 yellow, loose, seedy stools a day in the early weeks.
3
Weight loss then gain
A newborn should lose no more than about 8 to 10 percent of birth weight in the first days, then start regaining.
4
Swallowing
During a feed you can see and hear swallowing, and it picks up once the milk lets down.
5
The breast softens
If breastfeeding, the breast feels noticeably softer at the end of a feed than the start.
6
Contentment
Your baby seems satisfied and relaxes or drifts off after most feeds, rather than staying frantic.
Output and weight are the reliable signals. Feeding frequency alone is not.
If your baby is meeting these, the exact ounces do not matter much. If they are not, that is worth a same-week call to your pediatrician rather than guesswork with the bottle.3
How Feeding and Settling Are Connected
One thing worth knowing as you sort out feeds: for most babies, feeding is not just nutrition, it is also how they fall asleep. In our State of Baby Sleep 2026 report, a survey of 74,379 parents across 112 countries, we asked how babies actually get to sleep.
How babies actually fall asleep
Share of parents using each method to settle their baby
63.9 percent of parents said feeding is how their baby falls asleep, and fewer than 1 in 10 babies fall asleep on their own. That is useful context when you are worrying about feed amounts and night waking together. Frequent feeding and settling on the breast or bottle is the norm, not a habit you have accidentally created.
When to Call the Doctor
Get medical advice the same day if
Most feeding worries are normal variation. These are the exceptions that are not, and they need a professional, not a forum:
A fever of 100.4F (38C) or higher in a baby under 3 months, even if the baby otherwise seems fine.6
Forceful, projectile vomiting, especially if it starts around 3 weeks of age and your baby seems hungry again straight after. This can signal pyloric stenosis, which needs prompt evaluation.8
Signs of dehydration: fewer than 6 wet diapers a day, no wet diaper for 3 hours or more, crying without tears, a dry mouth, or a sunken soft spot.7
Poor weight gain, unusual sleepiness with skipped feeds, or a baby who is consistently too weak or frantic to feed.3
One more note on overfeeding, which is mostly a bottle issue. A bottle keeps delivering milk after a baby is full, and babies do not always pull away, so bottle-fed infants can take in more than they need. That is one reason to pace bottle feeds and watch for fullness cues rather than encouraging a baby to finish. Read our guide to paced bottle feeding for the technique.19
For the flip side, when a newborn wants to feed constantly in the evenings, that is usually normal cluster feeding, not a sign your supply has failed. And once night feeds are well established, our guides to the dream feed and night weaning cover what changes as your baby grows.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should a newborn eat per feeding?
In the first week, roughly 1 to 2 ounces per feed, rising to 2 to 3 ounces by weeks 2 to 4 and 3 to 4 ounces by one month. These are averages; a baby who is gaining weight and making 6 or more wet diapers a day is getting enough regardless of the exact amount.
How often should a newborn eat?
Newborns eat frequently: bottle-fed babies about every 2 to 3 hours, breastfed babies roughly every 2 hours, which comes to 8 to 12 feeds in 24 hours at first. Feed in answer to hunger cues rather than on a strict schedule, and wake a very sleepy newborn who is not feeding often enough.
How many ounces of formula should a newborn drink a day?
A common guideline is about 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight per day, up to a ceiling of roughly 32 ounces in 24 hours. Spread that across the day and follow your baby’s fullness cues rather than pushing them to empty every bottle.
Can you overfeed a newborn?
Breastfed babies rarely overfeed because they control the pace. Bottle-fed babies can take in more than they need, because a bottle keeps flowing after they are full and they may keep sucking. Frequent large spit-ups and discomfort can be signs. Paced feeding and watching for fullness cues help.
How do I know if my newborn is getting enough milk?
Look at output and growth, not ounces. After the first week you want 6 or more wet diapers a day, regular stools, steady weight gain after the normal early dip, and a baby who seems satisfied after feeds. If those are missing, call your pediatrician.
When should I worry about my newborn’s feeding?
Call the same day for a fever of 100.4F (38C) in a baby under 3 months, forceful projectile vomiting, fewer than 6 wet diapers a day, no wet diaper for over 3 hours, or a baby too weak or sleepy to feed. These go beyond normal feeding variation.
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Li R, Fein SB, Grummer-Strawn LM. Association of breastfeeding intensity and bottle-emptying behaviors at early infancy with infants risk for excess weight at late infancy. Pediatrics. 2008;122 Suppl 2:S77-84. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18829835/
