How much milk does your baby need?

Unless you're breastfeeding, you will at some point worry if your baby is getting the right amount of milk. When you're breastfeeding, this is unlikely to be a concern —  everything is on demand and there is no need to worry if enough is coming out in the diaper. No measuring or pouring required.

By contrast, bottle-feeding often requires some calculations. This is because formula delivery is regulated by the parents or helper, it's possible that this may result in overfeeding. Also, you will want to know how much you can expect your little one to down, or how much will get the babysitter through for the day.

While rough guidelines for formula amounts are useful, our advice is take your cues from your baby and feed to match her appetite instead of to a specified volume.

As long as your baby is putting on enough weight, wetting and dirtying enough diapers, happy and healthy, you can be sure you're doing well. Remember: Let your little one call the shots — and call it quits — when it comes to feedings.

 

General guidelines for formula-feeding

So what then are those rough guidelines? As a rule of thumb, infants under 6 months who haven't yet started solids should be taking 120 to 150 ml (4-5 Oz) of formula per kilogram (kg) of body weight over a 24-hour period.

So, if your baby weighs 5 kg, that would translate to 600 - 750ml (20-25 Oz) of formula in a 24 hour day. This works out to about 100 to 125ml every four hours.

However, every baby is different. For instance, active babies tend to drink more, larger babies drink more too, all things the same. Moreover, your baby's appetite may vary day-to-day and feeding-to-feeding. Additionally, the same infant can typically drink slightly more expressed breast milk than formula each feeding as breast milk are more easily digested. Direct breastfed babies may drink even more as sucking from the breast is a big workout, for a baby! Hence, always treat these guidelines as rough approximations and take your cues from your baby. If she is fidgety or easily distracted during feeding, she might be full. If she finished the bottle faster than usual and smacks her lips for more, she might still be hungry.

 

Do you know that Evorie's cross-cut adaptive flow teat mimics that of natural breastfeeding where the flow rate depends on how hard and fast your little one suckles? This discourages lazy feeding and works up a bigger appetite.

Bottle-feeding tips age-by-age

Ever wondering how much formula to give your baby? Use the respective formula-feeding charts as a guide:

Newborns: 

Your baby's tummy is the size of a dollar coin, so it's best to start slow. For newborns between 2.2 - 4.0 kg, offer 30 to 90 ml each feeding every three to four hours (or on demand). Gradually increase the intake as the demand becomes greater, but never push a baby to take more than she wants. The above table serves only as a guideline.

Baby's weight (kg)	24 hour intake need (mL)	mL per feeding (8 feeds per day)
Newborns
2.5 kg	400 - 450	50 - 56
3.0 kg	500 - 550	63 - 69
3.5 kg	600 - 650	75 - 81
4.0 kg	700 - 750	88 - 94
4.5 kg	775 - 825	97 - 103
5.0 kg	850 - 900	106 - 113

 *100mL approximately equals to 3.3 Oz

2 to 4 months: 

Once formula-fed infants reach the 5 kg mark, usually between months 2 and 4, they no longer need middle-of-the night feeding (which means better night's sleep!). Your angel will be taking in more during the day, about 120 to 180 ml a feed, and her sleep patterns will be more regular. Her stomach capacity would have also increased, which means she will averaged five to six hours between feedings.

 

Once solids are added to the mix, the number and/or quantity of formula feeds should be scaled back. At this stage of development, your baby may be drinking 180 to 240 ml of formula every five to six hours, but do limit the total intake to no more than 900 to 1050 ml per 24-hour day. That is the upper daily intake for babies 6 months and younger, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). If your baby consistently seems to want more than that, do discuss it with your doctor.

 

Baby's weight (kg)	24 hour intake need (mL)	mL per feeding (6 feeds per day)
3 months onwards
5 kg	~ 825	~ 140
6 kg	~ 985	~ 165
7 kg	~ 1150	~ 190
8 kg	~ 1320	~ 220

 *100mL approximately equals to 3.3 Oz

 

What to do about overeating

Healthy babies will grow at a the rate that's normal for them when allowed to drink and eat to their appetites without parental prodding, . If cutie's weight is rising steadily, there's no need to worry that he or she is overeating. 

Here are signs that indicate your baby is drinking in more than she needs:

• Frequent throw-ups. Overfeeding can lead to overflow in the form of frequent throw-ups. Excessive milk is bound to come back up.
  
  
• Excessive weight gain. If your baby's weight is consistently expanding faster than her height, check with the doctor. 

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

• Feed for the right reason ... and that is because he/she is hungry. Not because your baby is unhappy, bored, or because he/she is needs attention. If your angel has just been fed but still fussing, offer comfort with a cuddle, not an extra feed. Or try burping him/her first, instead of a second serving. Too busy to play with him/her? Place her in front of an activity bar instead of giving her a bottle of milk. 
  
  
• Make sure the formula is not over-concentrated. Always check the label when mixing the formula to make sure you are not over-concentrating the feed, which subconsciously increases the calories per serving.

 

Suggested Readings

Choosing the Best Milk Bottle Material for your Baby, click here.
The benefits of breastfeeding. click here.
The right way to clean and sterilise baby bottles, click here.
How to Choose the Best Milk Bottle for your newborn, click here.