Typical ranges, not targets. Babies vary a lot, and appetite varies day to day. If you have any concern about intake or weight gain, speak to your pediatrician, midwife or health visitor rather than adjusting feeds based on a chart.
The honest answer is that a healthy baby regulates their own intake better than any chart does. The figures below are useful for sanity-checking — for knowing whether you are roughly in the normal range — not for hitting a target.
Formula amounts by age
| Age | Per feed | Feeds per day | Total per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| First few days | 15–60 ml (0.5–2 oz) | 8–12 | rapidly increasing |
| 2 weeks–1 month | 60–90 ml (2–3 oz) | 7–10 | ~475–710 ml (16–24 oz) |
| 1–2 months | 90–120 ml (3–4 oz) | 6–8 | ~590–770 ml (20–26 oz) |
| 2–4 months | 120–150 ml (4–5 oz) | 5–7 | ~710–890 ml (24–30 oz) |
| 4–6 months | 120–180 ml (4–6 oz) | 5–6 | ~710–950 ml (24–32 oz) |
| 6–9 months | 180–240 ml (6–8 oz) | 4–5 | ~710–950 ml (24–32 oz) |
| 9–12 months | 210–240 ml (7–8 oz) | 3–4 | ~710–890 ml (24–30 oz) |
A common rule of thumb for the first six months is about 150–200 ml of formula per kilogram of body weight per day (roughly 2.5 oz per pound). Most babies do not need more than about 950 ml (32 oz) of formula in 24 hours — consistently wanting much more is worth mentioning to your doctor.
Breastfeeding: the numbers work differently
Breastfed babies take, on average, about 750 ml (25 oz) per day between one and six months, with a normal range of roughly 570–900 ml (19–30 oz). The striking thing is that this total stays remarkably flat from about one month to six months, because breast milk composition changes as the baby grows. This is the opposite of the formula pattern, where volumes climb steadily.
That is why comparing a breastfed baby to a formula chart usually causes needless worry. If you are expressing, an average feed for a 1–6 month old works out at around 90–120 ml (3–4 oz), but babies vary widely and often take more in the morning.
Feeding frequency by age
- Newborn: 8–12 feeds in 24 hours, including overnight. Do not go longer than about four hours without feeding in the first weeks, and wake to feed if necessary.
- 1–3 months: 7–9 feeds, with a longer stretch starting to appear at night.
- 3–6 months: 5–7 feeds. Many babies drop one or both night feeds during this period, though plenty do not.
- 6–9 months: 4–5 milk feeds plus solids. Milk is still the main source of nutrition at this stage.
- 9–12 months: 3–4 milk feeds, with solids taking over as the primary source of calories toward the first birthday.
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The signs that matter more than volume
Rather than counting millilitres, look at these:
- Wet nappies. After the first week, roughly six or more heavy wet nappies a day, with pale, mild-smelling urine.
- Weight gain. Tracking along their own curve on the growth chart, with birth weight regained by about two weeks.
- Alert and content. Satisfied after feeds, with periods of alert wakefulness. Not persistently lethargic or persistently frantic.
- Feeding behaviour. Actively sucking and swallowing, and coming off the breast or bottle calm rather than still rooting.
Signs a baby may not be getting enough
- Fewer than six wet nappies a day after the first week
- Dark yellow urine, or no wet nappy for many hours
- No weight gain, or weight loss after two weeks of age
- Persistent lethargy, difficulty rousing for feeds
- Very few or no dirty nappies in the early weeks
- Dry mouth, or a sunken soft spot
Any of these warrants prompt contact with your healthcare provider.
Overfeeding, and why it is rarer than people think
Breastfed babies are essentially self-regulating. Bottle-fed babies can be overfed, because a bottle keeps flowing whether they are hungry or not. Paced bottle feeding — holding the bottle horizontally, taking breaks, letting the baby set the rhythm — helps considerably. Signs a baby has had too much include large spit-ups after most feeds, unusual fussiness or gassiness after feeding, and very frequent large stools.
Night feeds
Night feeds are normal and necessary for months. Most babies still need at least one overnight feed at four months, and many at six. Whether a night waking is hunger or habit is the practical question: a baby who takes a full feed is hungry; a baby who feeds for two minutes and falls asleep was using the feed to settle. That distinction matters if you are considering sleep training.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Amount and Schedule of Baby Formula Feedings, HealthyChildren.org.
- Kent JC et al., Volume and frequency of breastfeedings and fat content of breast milk throughout the day, Pediatrics (2006).
- NHS, Bottle feeding advice and Breastfeeding: the first few days.
Common questions
How many ounces should a 3 month old eat?
A formula-fed three-month-old typically takes about 4 to 5 ounces (120 to 150 ml) per feed, five to seven times a day, for a daily total of roughly 24 to 30 ounces. Breastfed babies average around 25 ounces a day in total, and that figure stays fairly flat from one to six months.
Does a breastfed baby need more milk as they grow?
Not in volume. Breast milk intake stays close to 750 ml (about 25 oz) a day from around one month to six months, because the composition of the milk changes as the baby grows. This is very different from formula, where daily volumes climb steadily.
How do I know if my baby is getting enough milk?
Look at wet nappies (six or more heavy ones a day after the first week), weight gain tracking along their own curve, and whether your baby is alert and settled after feeds. These tell you far more than the volume in the bottle.
Can you overfeed a baby?
It is very unusual with breastfeeding, since babies self-regulate at the breast. Bottle-fed babies can be overfed because the bottle keeps flowing. Paced bottle feeding helps. Large spit-ups after most feeds and marked fussiness after feeding are the usual signs.
When can my baby stop night feeds?
There is no fixed age. Many babies still need one night feed at six months, and some longer. The practical test is whether the baby takes a full feed, which suggests hunger, or feeds briefly and falls asleep, which suggests the feed is being used to settle.