A question I am often asked is “How much milk should my baby be drinking per day?” This is the million dollar question!! Trying to find an answer can make you crazy!! Why is this? It seems easy enough to decide. However, there are many variables affecting the outcome.
Breastfeeding mothers feeding on demand (meaning feeding baby from the breast when she is hungry) have a difficult time discovering how much milk baby is actually drinking. The best way to find actual amounts baby is drinking is with a home infant scale. Weigh baby in his diaper before feeding. Breastfeed. Then reweigh him in the same clothing or just his diaper. This provides an actual number on how many ounces baby is finishing. The amount will change through out the day. Early the morning, after both baby and mommy have been sleeping there will be more milk. As the day moves on amounts will vary as to mother’s food and water intake, baby’s attention, length of the feed, etc. You will have a general idea on how much each feeding provides.
Baby Scale, Toddler Scale, Accurate Enough Digital Weighing Scale for Newborn Infant Toddler
Talk with your friends about which scales they have found to be most efficient. These are available on Amazon. You will only need this for a few months. it you have a friend whose baby is a few months older than yours perhaps you can go together to purchase one. Or simply borrow it for the time you need it. As you will discover there is no shortage on the number of items you can purchase for baby.
Smart Weigh Comfort Baby Scale, 44 Pound Capacity, 3 Weighing Modes, Accurate Digital Scale for Infants, Toddlers, and Babies. $34.99
For families using formula it is easier to know exactly how much baby is drinking. Our tendency is to overfeed babies. I encourage you to start at the lower amounts on the following charts and move into more milk as baby grows and her stomach stretches. Babies who have been fed too much milk tend to spit it out at the end of the feeding. If this is happening to you and you baby, diminish the amount of formula by an ounce. Use the smaller amount for a few days and see how the spitting up problem proceeds. Try adding more formula to your feedings a few days later and watch results. I encourage you to be patient. Overfeeding baby is messy and upsetting.
Also, think about how you want your time with you infant to proceed. Talk with your friends about how they decide how much to feed their babies. Know if your baby is putting on weight and is calm and happy you are doing well. Do not let grow charts or others push you into feeding your baby more often or more than necessary.
BABYCENTER
https://www.babycenter.com/baby/formula-feeding/how-much-formula-your-baby-needs_9136
Formula feeding chart by age
Here are typical amounts per day based on age:
| Age | Ounces of formula |
| Full-term newborn | 2 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours |
| 1 month old | 3 to 4 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours |
| 2 month old | 4 to 5 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours |
| 3 month old | 4 to 6 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours |
| 4 month old | 4 to 6 ounces per bottle, 4 to 6 times a day |
| 5 month old | 4 to 6 ounces per bottle, 4 to 6 times a day |
| 6 month old | 6 to 8 ounces per bottle, 4 to 5 times a day |
| 7 month old | 6 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.
Ounces per day by weight:
| Weight | Ounces of formula |
| 6 pounds | 15 fl oz every 24 hours |
| 7 pounds | 17.5 fl oz every 24 hours |
| 8 pounds | 20 fl oz every 24 hours |
| 9 pounds | 22.5 fl oz every 24 hours |
| 10 pounds | 25 fl oz every 24 hours |
| 11 pounds | 27.5 fl oz every 24 hours |
| 12 pounds | 30 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.
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