One of the benefits of feeding your baby formula is that you can track almost exactly how much he’s eating – but knowing this information can also raise a lot of questions. It doesn’t help that the amount your baby needs can change from week to week – and how much he’ll eat can double over the course of a year.

“The goal is to feed your baby the amount of formula she needs to progress along a healthy growth curve over time,” says Liz Donner, MD, a pediatric hospitalist and BabyCenter advisory board member.

If you’re wondering whether your formula-fed baby is getting too much, not enough, or just the right amount, these guidelines are for you. (If your baby is taking a combination of breast milk and formula, talk to your doctor for specific advice.)

How much infant formula

For the first few days, offer your newborn 1 to 2 ounces of formula every two to three hours. (Initially, infants may only take half an ounce of formula at a time.)

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

In the beginning, it’s best to feed your newborn formula-fed on demand, whenever he shows signs of being hungry. Since your child can’t tell you when he wants a bottle, you’ll need to learn to read his hunger cues. Crying is often a late sign of hunger, so if you can, try to catch earlier signs that it’s time to feed.

Here are some signs of hunger to look out for:

• Sniffing or licking lips
• Rooting (moving jaws, mouth or head in search of food)
• Putting hands over mouth
• They open their mouths
• Restlessness
• Sucking things
• He is becoming more and more alert
• Crying

As time goes on, your newborn will begin to develop a fairly regular feeding schedule. You will get to know their signs and needs, and knowing when and how much to feed them will be much easier.

Formula feeding chart by weight

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

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 are not hard and fast rules. They offer a rough estimate of what your baby may need. Some babies will grow well on less than the recommended amount, while others constantly need more. Your baby’s daily diet will also vary according to his individual needs – in other words, he may want a little more some days and a little less on others.

Formula feeding chart by age

Here are typical amounts per day based on age:

Old age	Ounces of formula
A full-term newborn	2 ounces every 3 to 4 hours
1 month old	3 to 4 ounces every 3 to 4 hours
2 months old	4 to 5 ounces every 3 to 4 hours
3 months old	4 to 6 ounces every 3 to 4 hours
4 months	4 to 6 ounces, 4 to 6 times daily
5 months old	4 to 6 ounces, 4 to 6 times daily
6 months old	6 to 8 ounces, 4 to 5 times daily
7 months old	6 to 8 ounces, 3 to 5 times daily
From 8 to 12 months	7 to 8 ounces, 3 to 4 times a day

As your baby gets older – and their tummies get bigger – they’ll drink fewer bottles a day with more formula in each. It is important not to overfeed your baby in order to stay at a healthy weight. Your baby should have no more than 32 ounces of formula in 24 hours.

When they reach their first birthday, they can stop drinking formula and switch to cow’s milk in a bottle, cup, straw or open cup. Offer up to 16 to 24 ounces (2 to 2.5 cups) a day of whole milk, so your child has room for other healthy foods.

Signs that your baby is getting enough formula

Here are signs your baby is getting all the formula she needs:

• Constant weight gain. They continue to gain weight after the first 10 days and follow a healthy growth curve during the first year. (Most babies lose up to 10% of their birth weight in the first few days, then regain it by about 2 weeks of age.) Your pediatrician can tell you where your baby falls on the growth chart, make sure they’re growing steadily on their own growth curve, and help you make sure they’re getting the right amount of formula.

• Happy baby. They seem relaxed and satisfied after feeding.

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• Wet diapers. He wets 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 per day.

Signs that your baby is getting too much formula

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

• Vomiting after feeding can be a sign that your baby has had too much to drink. (Spitting is normal – vomiting is not.)

• Stomach pain after feeding can also be a sign of overfeeding. If your baby is lifting her legs or her stomach feels tense, she may be in pain. (See other possible causes of colic in babies.)

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If your baby seems to constantly want to eat, even after drinking a bottle, talk to your pediatrician. Using a pacifier can soothe their need to suck.

Formula feeding tips

• In general, babies eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full, so resist the temptation to encourage your baby to finish every bottle. Overfeeding during infancy can contribute to obesity later in life.
• Do not respond to every cry of your baby with a bottle. Maybe they’re crying because their diaper is wet, they’re cold or hot, they need a burp, 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 a growth spurt. They usually occur 10 to 14 days after birth and around 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age.