Newborn feeding schedule: how much, how often, by age
Updated 24 August 2026 · by Josh, Pipkin's developer
In the first days a newborn takes roughly 30–60 ml (1–2 oz) every 2–3 hours, which is 8 to 12 feeds a day. By six months that's typically 180–230 ml (6–8 oz) four or five times a day. Below are the typical amounts by age, and what actually matters more than hitting them.
Feeding amounts by age
These ranges describe formula or expressed-milk bottles, where amounts are visible. Breastfed babies self-regulate at the breast, so for them the numbers that count are feeds and wet diapers.
| Age | Per feed | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| First week | 30–60 ml (1–2 oz) | Every 2–3 h, 8–12 feeds/day |
| 2–4 weeks | 60–90 ml (2–3 oz) | Every 2–4 h |
| 1–2 months | 90–120 ml (3–4 oz) | Every 3–4 h |
| 2–4 months | 120–150 ml (4–5 oz) | Every 3–4 h |
| 4–6 months | 120–180 ml (4–6 oz) | 4–6 feeds/day |
| 6–12 months | 180–230 ml (6–8 oz) | 3–5 feeds/day + solids |
Two babies the same age can differ by a third and both be thriving. Weight gain, wet diapers and a content baby between feeds are the real markers, not the exact millilitre count.
On demand vs on a schedule
For the first weeks, feed on demand. Rooting, hand-sucking and stirring all come before crying, which is a late hunger cue. Newborns who haven't regained their birth weight shouldn't go longer than about 3–4 hours without a feed, nights included; ask your midwife or paediatrician when it's fine to let them sleep longer. A predictable pattern usually emerges on its own around 2–3 months, a rhythm you'll spot in the log before you feel it in the fog.
Breast, bottle, and the messy middle
- Breastfeeding: 8–12 feeds per 24 hours is normal for a newborn. Track which side and how long, and expect cluster feeding in the evenings.
- Bottle: let the baby call it. Turning away, splaying fingers and milk dribbling out mean done. A finished bottle isn't a goal.
- Combination feeding: completely valid, and the hardest to hold in your head, which is exactly where a shared log between parents earns its keep.
In Pipkin
Every feed is one tap in Pipkin: bottle with volume, breast left/right with a timer that lives in the Dynamic Island, or the quick-add box, where you type or say "120ml bottle" and it's logged. Pipkin then learns your baby's own feed spacing and predicts the next feed window with its reasoning shown, so the 3am question gets answered by the app: "likely 3:40". Both parents see the same log, so nobody double-feeds after a handover.
When to check with your paediatrician
- Fewer wet diapers than expected for their age (see the diaper guide), dark urine, or a dry mouth.
- Consistently refusing feeds, or feeding taking longer than ~45 minutes every time.
- Not regaining birth weight by around two weeks, or weight-gain worries at any point.
- Forceful (projectile) vomiting after feeds, or fewer feeds than 8 in 24 hours in the early weeks.
Bring the log, not your memory of it: a week of feeds with times, sides and volumes turns a vague "she's feeding less, I think?" into a five-second conversation.
Quick answers
How much milk should a newborn drink per feed?
In the first week, about 30–60 ml (1–2 oz) per feed, rising to 60–90 ml by weeks 2–4 and 90–120 ml by month two. Breastfed babies self-regulate, so count feeds and wet diapers instead of millilitres.
How often should a newborn feed?
Every 2–3 hours in the first days, which is 8 to 12 feeds per 24 hours, nights included, until they've regained their birth weight. It stretches toward every 3–4 hours over the first couple of months.
Should I wake my newborn to feed?
In the early weeks, usually yes. Most paediatricians advise not letting a newborn who hasn't regained their birth weight go beyond 3–4 hours without a feed. Once weight gain is established, ask your doctor before letting longer night stretches run.
A note on medical advice: this guide is general information, not medical advice, and Pipkin is a tracking tool, not a medical device. Every baby is different. For anything that worries you, talk to your paediatrician, health visitor or midwife.
