When you lot're breastfeeding, figuring out whether your baby's getting the correct amount to swallow is normally a pretty uncomplicated adding — if enough's coming out in the diaper, enough'south going in. With bottle-feeding, however, there's some math to do. After all, yous'll desire to know how much you can expect your piddling i to down, or how much formula volition get the babysitter through the day — or y'all through the calendar week. Which is why rough guidelines for formula amounts are so handy.

But these guidelines also come with some caveats. Bottle-fed babies, only like breastfed babies, know when they've had enough. But because formula delivery is regulated by caregivers, it's possible that parental pushing — prodding your little i to take those concluding few ounces — can result in your bottle-fed baby getting too much of a good thing.

And then accept your cues from your baby's hunger and feed to lucifer her appetite instead of to a specified number of ounces. As long as your baby is gaining enough weight, is wetting and dirtying enough diapers, and is happy and good for you, you tin be sure yous're on target. Remember: Let your picayune one call the shots — and call it quits — when it comes to feedings.

Formula feeding guide

So given those caveats, you may all the same be wondering how much formula in full general your baby needs. As a rule of thumb, infants under 6 months who haven't all the same started solids should exist taking two to 2½ ounces of formula per pound of body weight over a 24-hour menstruation. In practice, that may work out to somewhere between xviii and 36 ounces per day, depending on your baby'south size and mood.

Then, if your baby weighs 10 pounds, that could interpret to 20 to 25 ounces of formula a 24-hour interval; in a 24-hour period you'll be feeding your baby about 3 to 4 ounces every four hours.

Just remember, every infant is different — bigger babies tend to drink more than smaller babies, and your baby's appetite may vary mean solar day-to-twenty-four hours and feeding-to-feeding. And then treat these guidelines as crude approximations — there are no absolutes when it comes to how much formula to feed your fiddling one at each meal — and always take your cues from your babe. If she becomes fidgety or easily distracted during a feeding, she'south probably had plenty. If she drains the bottle and starts smacking her lips for more, she might still be hungry.

Formula-feeding chart

Wondering just how much formula to give your infant? Use this formula-feeding chart as a guide.

formula-feeding chart, how much formula does my baby need

How much formula does a newborn need?

Your adorable bundle'south tummy is tiny (the size of a fist — hers, non yours), and then information technology's best to start slowly when it comes to feedings.

For newborns, offer only 1 to 3 ounces at each feeding every three to iv hours (or on demand). Gradually upward the ounces, adding more as the demand becomes greater, merely never push button a baby to take more than than she wants.

How much formula should you feed your baby by age?

Your cutie will be taking in more formula at each feeding, anywhere from 3 to seven ounces, depending on her age. Her stomach chapters has increased, likewise, which ways she'll likely stretch out the time betwixt feedings.

In general, hither's what yous can expect:

  • ii-month-olds will usually beverage 3 to six ounces of formula every three to iv hours. That adds upwardly to xviii to 32 ounces of formula in effectually 8 feedings total in a 24-hour period.
  • three-calendar month-olds volition mostly drink 4 to 6 ounces of formula around every four hours. That adds up to 24 to 36 ounces of formula in around six feedings total in a 24-hour menses.
  • 4-month-olds will oftentimes drink 5 to seven ounces of formula every 4 to five hours. That adds upward to 24 to 32 ounces of formula in four to six feedings total in a 24-hour period.
  • 5-month-olds volition typically drink 6 to 8 ounces of formula around v times per day. That adds up to 24 to 36 ounces of formula full in a 24-hour period.
  • six-calendar month-olds will usually drink six to eight ounces of formula four to v times per day. That adds up to 24 to 32 ounces of formula total in a 24-hr menstruation.

Have a serious sipper who consistently seems to want more than than that? Talk over information technology with your physician. The upper daily intake formula intake for babies 6 months and younger is 32 to 36 ounces per 24-hour period, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Formula-feeding schedule

Now that y'all've got the amounts figured out, when should your little eater exist drinking upwardly? Early on, it'south best to feed your newborn on demand whenever she is sending out hunger cues like lip smacking, rooting and finger sucking. As yous get a sense of her appetite and natural rhythms over the class of a month or two, you'll be able to transition to more formal mealtimes.

Newborn formula-feeding schedule

Much equally you might be longing for some predictability right now, newborns aren't typically ones to stick with a schedule for eating or sleeping.

Rather than do mealtimes past the clock or try to enforce nap or bedtimes, try to go with your little ane's menstruation. Yous tin offering an ounce or two of formula every two to three hours, or 8 to 12 feedings inside a 24-hour menstruation. Simply those are more loose guidelines than hard rules. Ultimately, you'll want to feed your newborn on demand when she seems hungry.

Within a few months, she'll start to establish a rhythm that you tin use as the basis for a feeding and sleeping schedule.

Can a baby consume as well much formula?

Healthy babies, when allowed to drinkable (and eventually consume) to their appetites without any prodding by parents, will grow at the rate that's normal for them. If your little one's weight is increasing at a steady prune and following a familiar curve, there's no need to worry that she's overeating. But if your baby's canteen becomes the liquid equivalent of an all-you-tin-eat cafe, there's a adventure she tin easily get too much.

Here are signs to look for that may indicate your baby is taking in more formula than she needs:

  • Frequent spit-ups. Overfeeding can pb to overflow in the form of excessive spit-up. Put also much in her little tummy, and it's bound to come up support.
  • Excessive weight gain. If your baby's weight seems to exist consistently moving upward faster than her meridian, check with the medico. She may exist picking upwardly too many pounds too apace because she'due south taking in too much formula.

If your pediatrician tells you that your baby seems to be overeating, there are a few things y'all tin can do to slow downward her formula intake (and the rate of weight gain):

  • Feed for the right reason. The right reason being because she'due south hungry. Not because she's unhappy, or because she's bored, or because she got a boo-boo, or because she'south craving attention. Baby'south recently fed just crabby? Offering condolement with a cuddle, not an extra feed. Baby'southward fussy after a meal? Consider that she may just need a burp, not a second serving.
  • Offering your babe a pacifier to satisfy the need to suck. Or help her notice her yummy fist or fingers. Some babies just need extra sucking (not an extra canteen) between meals or after a feed.
  • Brand sure you're non under-diluting the formula. Always check the label when y'all're mixing formula to make sure you're non inadvertently adding too little h2o — which tin increase the calorie count per ounce considerably.
  • Ask the doc if you tin offer your baby water. Usually not recommended earlier solids are started at 6 months, a few sips of water could quench her thirst without filling her up. But don't over-dilute formula with water to cutting downwardly on her consumption of calories without a physician'south advice — this tin can lead to a sodium imbalance.

Figuring out feeding times tin can feel like a lot at first. In the beginning, try to follow your baby'due south pb and keep the general rules of pollex for feeding times and amounts in mind as helpful guideposts. (And if you have any questions, e'er inquire the pediatrician.) Over time, the two of you will autumn into a feeding rhythm and you'll get a sense for how much your piffling i needs to beverage and when she'due south likely to await a sip.