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How much formula newborns and babies need

How much formula does your baby need? Here's how to tell based on their age, weight, and hunger cues.

man holding a baby and a bottle, while baby is drinking from the bottle
Photo credit: Thinkstock

These guidelines are for babies who are exclusively formula-fed for the first 4 to 6 months, and then fed a combination of formula and solids up to age 1. If your baby is getting a combination of breast milk and formula, talk to their doctor for separate advice.

Your pediatrician can tell you where your baby falls on the growth charts, make sure they're growing steadily on their own growth curve, and help you ensure that they're getting a healthy amount of formula. If you're ever worried about your baby's growth, behavior, or development, talk with their doctor.

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How much formula for a newborn

For the first few days, offer your newborn 1 to 2 ounces of formula every 2 or 3 hours. (At first, newborns may only take a half ounce of formula at a time.)

After the first few days, give your newborn 2 to 3 ounces of formula every 3 to 4 hours.

Initially it's best to feed your formula-fed newborn on demand, whenever they show signs that they're hungry. Because your little one can't tell you when they want a bottle, you'll need to learn to read their hunger cues. Crying is often a late sign of hunger, so if you can, try to catch the earlier signs that it's time for a feeding.

Here are some hunger cues to watch for:

  • Smacking or licking their lips
  • Rooting (moving their jaw, mouth, or head in search of food)
  • Putting their hands to their mouth
  • Opening their mouth
  • Fussiness
  • Sucking on things
  • Becoming more alert
  • Crying

As time passes, your newborn will begin to develop a fairly regular feeding schedule. You'll become familiar with their cues and needs, and knowing when and how much to feed them will be much easier.

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Formula feeding chart by weight

During the first 4 to 6 months, when your baby isn't eating solid foods, here's a simple rule of thumb: Offer 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight every 24 hours, with a maximum of about 32 ounces.

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WeightOunces of formula
6 pounds15 fl oz every 24 hours
7 pounds17.5 fl oz every 24 hours
8 pounds20 fl oz every 24 hours
9 pounds22.5 fl oz every 24 hours
10 pounds25 fl oz every 24 hours
11 pounds27.5 fl oz every 24 hours
12 pounds30 fl oz every 24 hours

These numbers aren't rigid rules. They offer a rough estimate for what your baby may need. Some babies will grow well while taking less than the recommended amount, while others consistently need more. Your baby's daily feedings will also vary according to their individual needs – in other words, they may want a bit more on some days and a bit less on others.

Formula feeding chart by age

Here are typical amounts per day based on age:

AgeOunces of formula
Full-term newborn2 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
1 month old3 to 4 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
2 month old4 to 5 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
3 month old4 to 6 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
4 month old4 to 6 ounces per bottle, 4 to 6 times a day
5 month old4 to 6 ounces per bottle, 4 to 6 times a day
6 month old6 to 8 ounces per bottle, 4 to 5 times a day
7 month old6 to 8 ounces per bottle, 3 to 5 times a day

From 8 months old until their first birthday, you can expect your baby to have 7 to 8 ounces per bottle, 3 to 4 times a day.

As your baby gets older – and their tummy gets bigger – they'll drink fewer bottles a day with more formula in each. It's important not to overfeed your baby so they'll stay at a healthy weight. Your baby shouldn't have more than 32 ounces of formula in 24 hours.

When they reach their first birthday, they can stop drinking formula and transition to cow's milk in a bottle, sippy cup, straw cup, or open cup. Limit your toddler to 16 to 24 ounces (2 to 2.5 cups) a day of whole milk, so they have room for other healthy foods.

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Signs that your baby's getting enough formula

Here are signs that your baby's getting all the formula they need:

  • Steady weight gain. They continue to gain weight after their first 10 days and follow a healthy growth curve during their first year. (Most babies lose up to 7 to 10 percent of their birth weight in the first few days and then regain it by the time they're about 2 weeks old.)
  • Happy baby. They seem relaxed and satisfied after a feeding.
  • Wet diapers. They wet two to three diapers a day in the first few days after birth. Over the next few days, the amount should increase to at least five to six wet diapers a day.

Signs your baby's getting too much formula

Babies are usually good at eating the amount they need, but bottle-fed babies can drink too much at times. Here are the signs that they're getting too much formula:

  • Vomiting after a feeding may be a sign that your baby had too much. (Spitting up is normal, vomiting isn't.)
  • Tummy pain after a feeding can also be a sign of overfeeding. If your baby draws up their legs or their tummy seems tense, they may be in pain. (See other possible reasons for stomach pain in babies.)

If your baby seems to want to eat all the time, even after finishing a bottle, talk to your pediatrician. Using a pacifier may help soothe their need to suck.

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Formula-feeding tips

  • In general, babies eat when they're hungry and stop when they're full, so resist the temptation to encourage your baby to finish each bottle. Overfeeding during infancy can contribute to obesity later in life.
  • Don't respond to your baby's every cry with a bottle. They may be crying because their diaper is wet, they're cold or hot, they need to be burped, or they want to be close to you. (Learn more about why babies cry, and how to soothe them.)
  • Your baby may be hungrier than usual during growth spurts. These typically occur 10 to 14 days after birth and around 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age.

Read more:

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Sources

BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

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AAP. 2021. Why formula instead of cow's milk? American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/formula-feeding/Pages/Why-Formula-Instead-of-Cows-Milk.aspxOpens a new window [Accessed March 2022]

Anthony Porto and Dina DiMaggio. 2016. The Pediatrician's Guide to Feeding Babies and Toddlers. [Accessed March 2022]

CDC. 2021. How much and how often to feed infant formula. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/formula-feeding/how-much-how-often.htmlOpens a new window [Accessed March 2022]

Jain S. 2020. How often and how much should your baby eat? American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/How-Often-and-How-Much-Should-Your-Baby-Eat.aspxOpens a new window [Accessed March 2022]

Mayo Clinic. 2020. Feeding your newborn: Tips for new parents. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/healthy-baby/art-20047741Opens a new window [Accessed March 2022]

Nemours Foundation. 2021. Formula feeding FAQs: How much and how often. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/formulafeed-often.htmlOpens a new window [Accessed March 2022]

Nemours Foundation. 2021. Feeding your newborn. https://www.kidshealth.org/en/parents/feednewborn.htmlOpens a new window [Accessed March 2022]

Marcella Gates

Marcella Gates is Director of Content Operations at BabyCenter, the world's number one digital parenting resource, and is an expert on pregnancy and parenting. As a mom of three, she loves that her professional life is focused on supporting and empowering parents and expecting parents. Gates lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.

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