Feeding a newborn: how often, how much and signs of enough

Most newborns feed at least 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, and in the first few days that can mean a feed every 1 to 3 hours. Breastfed babies start on colostrum, and about a teaspoon a feed is enough at first. Formula-fed newborns take about 15 mL (½ oz) a feed on days 1 and 2, then 30–60 mL (1–2 oz), building to at least 90–120 mL (3–4 oz) by the end of the first month. The surest signs that feeding is working are plenty of wet nappies (at least 5 to 6 heavy ones a day from about day 5) and your baby getting back to their birth weight by about 2 weeks.

This guide goes deeper on the first 4 weeks than our baby feeding schedule by age. It covers breastfed, formula-fed and combination-fed babies, waking a sleepy newborn, an example day, and which signs need help the same day or straight away. If your midwife, doctor or child-health nurse has given you a feeding plan, follow that plan first.

How often should a newborn feed?

Often, day and night, and on cue rather than by the clock. The NHS guide to the first few days of breastfeeding says babies should feed at least 8 to 12 times, or more, every 24 hours in the first few weeks, and possibly every 1 to 3 hours in the first few days. It calls this responsive feeding: feeding as often and for as long as your baby wants.

The sources give slightly different ranges, which shows how wide normal is:

The Australian Breastfeeding Association's guide to feeds and nappies in the first week says that includes night feeds. The AAP's feeding guide gives the breastfed and bottle-fed figures above, and adds that it's best to respond to hunger cues before your baby starts crying. The CDC's breastfeeding guide notes that some feeds are long and others short, and that some babies feed as often as every hour at times. Our hunger cues guide shows what early cues look like.

What is colostrum, and how much does a newborn need?

Colostrum is your first milk. The NHS describes it as thick and golden yellow, and says your baby only needs about a teaspoonful at each feed. The Australian Breastfeeding Association says it is more concentrated than later milk and packed with protein and antibodies, and that a newborn's tummy is very small, so they only need tiny amounts of milk at first.

The NHS says many people notice fuller breasts around 2 to 4 days after birth, often called your milk coming in, and the Australian Breastfeeding Association gives 2 to 5 days. After a few days, the NHS says, babies begin to have fewer but longer feeds.

The Australian Breastfeeding Association's first-week guide says your supply builds when your baby can feed as often as they want, and that skin-to-skin contact helps trigger the hormones that make milk. It also says formula top-ups make supply harder to establish, and the CDC says most breastfed babies should not be given formula in the first few days. If your midwife suggests a top-up for a medical reason, ask how to protect your supply while you use it. Day-by-day detail is in breastfeeding in the first week.

How much formula does a newborn need?

Formula feeds start small and grow quickly over the first month. These figures come from the AAP and the CDC's formula guide:

The CDC suggests starting with 30–60 mL (1–2 oz) every 2 to 3 hours in the first days and offering more if your baby still shows hunger, while the AAP says many babies take only about 15 mL a feed for the first day or two. The AAP's formula schedule page says to expect no more than about 30–60 mL a feed in the first week. So small, uneven feeds are normal.

By weight, Victoria's Better Health Channel in Australia says a healthy full-term baby needs about 150 mL per kg of body weight a day from 5 days to 3 months. Its own example is a 3 kg baby, who needs around 450 mL a day, or roughly 55 mL a feed spread over 8 feeds. It also notes that the amounts on the formula tin are often more than a baby needs. For older babies and the full by-weight tables, see how much formula.

How to bottle feed responsively

1. Feed when your baby seems hungry. The AAP says it's best to feed a formula-fed newborn on demand at first.
2. Hold your baby close and semi-upright. The NHS bottle feeding advice suggests looking into their eyes and talking to them as you feed.
3. Let them pause. The NHS says babies may take short breaks during a feed, so give them plenty of time. Paced bottle feeding shows how.
4. Stop when they're full. The Better Health Channel lists turning away, frowning and pushing the teat out. The AAP says it's better to offer less, because you can always give more.
5. Never prop the bottle. The NHS says never to leave your baby alone to feed with a propped bottle, and to throw away any milk left at the end of a feed.
6. Keep feeding close. The NHS says babies feel more secure when most feeds are given by you, your partner or their main caregiver.

Make each bottle exactly as the label says; preparing formula covers water and hygiene.

Can I combine breastfeeding and bottles in the first weeks?

Yes, and many families do. The NHS introduction to mixed feeding recommends breastfeeding only for the first 6 to 8 weeks if you can, so your supply and your baby's breastfeeding get established first. The Australian Breastfeeding Association's mixed feeding guide explains why: the more formula your baby takes, the less milk your breasts will make.

If your baby needs top-ups sooner, for example for weight or jaundice, follow your care team's plan and:

• offer the breast before giving formula, as the Australian Breastfeeding Association suggests
• keep top-ups small if you want to protect your supply, and pace each bottle
• express between bottle feeds, which the NHS says helps keep your supply going
• use a slow-flow teat, as the NHS suggests.

A combination-fed baby needs less formula than the table above, because some of their milk comes from the breast. See combination feeding for planning which feeds to swap.

Should I wake my newborn to feed?

In the first weeks, often yes. The AAP's warning signs of breastfeeding problems say that if your newborn sleeps longer than 4 hours at night, you should wake them and encourage a feed. The AAP's formula page says that if a baby sleeps longer than 4 to 5 hours in the first few weeks and starts missing feeds, wake them and offer a bottle. The Australian Breastfeeding Association says an extra sleepy baby may need waking to get the milk they need.

To help your baby wake, the CDC suggests patting, stroking, undressing or a nappy change. Jaundice can make babies sleepy, and the NHS jaundice page says feeding around 8 to 12 times a day can help, and to try waking sleepy babies for feeds. See newborn jaundice.

The AAP says babies born even a little early can be sleepy and may not take in enough in the early weeks, and that premature babies or those with medical conditions do best on the feeding schedule their doctor advises. Use your baby's corrected age for any age-based guide.

A sleepy baby who wakes and feeds when roused is common. A baby who is too sleepy to feed, or hard to wake, is different and needs emergency help (see below).

How do I know my newborn is getting enough?

Count what comes out. This table combines the Australian Breastfeeding Association, the NHS signs your baby is getting enough milk and the AAP guide to telling if your breastfed baby is getting enough.

The NHS gives 2 or 3 wet nappies in the first 48 hours, and the Australian Breastfeeding Association says the wee should be clear or pale; dark, smelly wee is a sign your baby isn't taking in enough. It also says to check with your doctor if you still see a rust-coloured stain in the nappy after day 4. Disposable nappies can be hard to judge, so the NHS suggests pouring 2 to 4 tablespoons of water into a clean nappy to feel what a wet one is like. The NHS bottle feeding advice says formula-fed babies should also have plenty of wet and dirty nappies.

Weight. The Australian Breastfeeding Association's weight gains page says breastfed babies lose up to 10% of their birth weight in the first week and regain it by 2 weeks. The AAP says a breastfed newborn should lose no more than 8% to 10% before starting to gain again. Its warning signs include a baby still under birth weight at 2 weeks, or one who hasn't gained at least 5 to 7 oz (about 140 to 200 g) a week since your milk came in.

During feeds. The NHS looks for rounded cheeks, swallowing you can hear or see, and a baby who comes off the breast on their own and seems content after most feeds. For more, see is my baby getting enough milk?.

What does a newborn feeding day look like?

These are made-up examples built from the ranges above. Your baby's times and number of feeds will differ, and many days won't follow any pattern at all.

2-week-old, breastfed — Example day — adjust to your baby

3-week-old, formula-fed — Example day — adjust to your baby

Amounts should follow your baby's appetite. Using the Australian per-kg figure, a 3.5 kg baby would take about 525 mL a day, or about 65 mL a feed over 8 feeds, but some bottles will be bigger and some smaller.

Common newborn feeding questions

Why does my newborn want to feed all evening?

That's usually cluster feeding. The Australian Breastfeeding Association's cluster feeding guide says feeds bunch close together, often in the evening or early hours of the morning, and that it's common in the first few months. Many babies seem to fill up before a longer sleep, some need extra sucking for comfort, and it may help keep your supply going for the next day. It says cluster feeding is not usually a sign of low supply.

The NHS guide to cluster feeding says it usually happens in the first 3 to 4 months and can go on for a few days during a growth spurt. Formula-fed babies cluster feed too, but the NHS says it's important not to overfeed: watch for splayed fingers and toes, milk spilling from the mouth, stopping sucking or turning away. The AAP's advice to offer less, since you can always give more, helps here. See cluster feeding for ways to cope, and growth spurts for what's known about hungry patches.

When should I get breastfeeding help?

As early as you want it. The NHS says it's important to ask for help early if you're worried about how much milk your baby is getting. Its breastfeeding help and support page says you can contact your midwife or health visitor between appointments, and that trained peer supporters can help too. You can also call a breastfeeding helpline (the Australian Breastfeeding Association on 1800 686 268 in Australia, the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 in the UK). In Australia, the Australian Breastfeeding Association says its breastfeeding counsellors can suggest ways to build your supply and avoid top-ups.

The AAP lists these as reasons to get feeding checked:

• feeds that are consistently shorter than about 10 minutes or longer than about 50 minutes
• a baby who still seems hungry after most feeds
• no frequent swallowing once your milk has come in
• breasts that haven't started to feel fuller by day 5
• severe engorgement, or pain that gets in the way of feeding.

The middle three need a same-day check (see below). Pain, cracked nipples or a baby who keeps slipping off are worth hands-on help soon; see latch and positioning and sore nipples.

Is it safe to feed my newborn in bed at night?

Night feeds are tiring, and many parents doze off while feeding. The Lullaby Trust says never to fall asleep on a sofa or armchair with your baby; if you might fall asleep feeding, prepare your bed by keeping pillows and duvets away from your baby. It says sharing a bed is very dangerous if anyone in it smokes, has drunk alcohol or taken drugs that cause sleepiness, or if your baby was born before 37 weeks or weighed under 2.5 kg.

NICHD Safe to Sleep says to put your baby back in their own sleep space as soon as you wake. That space is a cot or bassinet in your room for at least the first 6 months, day and night: on their back for every sleep, on a firm, flat, level mattress, with nothing soft or loose, no inclined or weighted sleep products, and a smoke-free home. See safe sleep.

What changes after the first month?

Feeds often start to space out. The AAP says most formula-fed babies take at least 90–120 mL (3–4 oz) a feed about every 3 to 4 hours by the end of the first month, and the CDC says most exclusively breastfed babies feed every 2 to 4 hours over the first weeks and months. Evening clusters often carry on.

Vitamin D is worth sorting out early. The NHS guide to vitamins for children advises a daily vitamin D supplement for breastfed babies from birth, but not for babies having more than 500 mL of formula a day. Advice differs in Australia and the US; see vitamin D for babies. For the next stage, see feeding a 1- to 3-month-old.

When to get help

Call your local emergency number (000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US) now (or go straight to the nearest emergency department) if your baby:

• has had no wet nappy or wee for 12 hours
• is floppy, much sleepier than usual, hard to wake or can't be woken, or is too sleepy to feed
• is struggling to breathe, breathing very fast or grunting, or has blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
• is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher, or has a temperature below 36°C
• has a weak, high-pitched or continuous cry, or has a seizure
• has a bulging or sunken soft spot on their head, or sunken eyes
• has green or yellow vomit, or vomit that is red, black or brown
• has yellow skin in the first 24 hours, or is jaundiced and much sleepier than usual or not feeding.

Most of these come from the NHS guide to urgent help for babies and the NHS jaundice page. Green or yellow vomit can mean a twisted or blocked bowel, and the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network in Australia says to call an ambulance or go to an emergency department. The NHS diarrhoea and vomiting page also lists green vomit as an emergency.

Get medical help today (a same-day GP, after-hours doctor or a health advice line (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 in Australia, NHS 111 in the UK, your pediatrician's after-hours line in the US); go to an emergency department if you can't be seen) if your baby:

• has fewer wet nappies than usual, or dark, strong-smelling wee
• is refusing feeds or feeding much less than usual, but is alert
• keeps vomiting feeds
• seems hungry after most feeds, or you can't hear or see swallowing once your milk is in
• still has dark poo by day 7, or your breasts haven't started to feel fuller by day 5
• has yellow skin that first appears after 24 hours or isn't getting better, dark yellow wee or pale, creamy poo.

The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne in Australia says any baby under 6 months with signs of dehydration should see a doctor, and that severe signs such as lethargy, sunken eyes or cold, mottled hands need an ambulance or emergency department straight away. The NHS dehydration page lists a sunken soft spot as a reason for an urgent GP appointment rather than an emergency call; we use the stricter emergency tier for it.

Talk to your midwife, GP or child-health nurse soon (or call a breastfeeding helpline (the Australian Breastfeeding Association on 1800 686 268 in Australia, the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 in the UK)) if feeding hurts, your baby is below birth weight at 2 weeks or gaining slowly, feeds are very short or very long, or you're unsure how much formula to give.

What's useful to note

For the first couple of weeks, a simple tally of feeds, wet nappies and dirty nappies (with poo colour) for each 24 hours shows whether output is building day by day. Add any weights with dates and any times your baby was hard to wake. That record helps your midwife or child-health nurse far more than the minutes of each feed.