Newborn Feeds Per Day Calculator
How often and how much a newborn typically feeds by day of life and weight — feeds per 24 hours, hours between feeds, mL and fl oz per feed and per day for formula, breastfeeding or expressed milk, with first-week colostrum amounts, wet and dirty nappy checks, weight change since birth and a sample feeding schedule.
How it works
daily intake ≈ 60/80/100/120 mL per kg on days 0–3, 140 by day 6, then 150 mL/kg/day (editable, ~80% of it from 3 months, max ~1 L); breastfed days 0–3 ≈ 6/10/22/45 mL per feed; per feed = daily ÷ feeds; interval = 24 h ÷ feeds; weight change = (now − birth) ÷ birth × 100
A newborn’s stomach is tiny — the size of a cherry on day one — so intake climbs in steps over the first week as it stretches and milk supply comes in. Formula-fed babies are usually offered about 60 mL per kilogram on the first day, rising to 140 by the end of the week; breastfed babies take colostrum a few millilitres at a time, which the calculator shows as typical amounts per feed for days 1 to 4. From about a week old the standard guide is 150 mL per kilogram per day (you can change it under More options), split across 8–12 feeds, easing to 5–6 larger feeds and about 120 mL per kg by three to six months. Enter your own number of feeds to see how much each one should be, and a birth weight to see how far your baby has come back. Breastfed babies regulate their own intake; the numbers describe what they typically take rather than a target. Steady weight gain and enough wet and dirty nappies are the real checks.
Worked example
A 3.6 kg formula-fed baby at 10 days: 150 × 3.6 = 540 mL a day, about 8 feeds of 68 mL (2.3 fl oz) every 3 hours — for example 06:00, 09:00, 12:00 and so on. If the baby weighed 3.8 kg at birth, 3.6 kg is a 5.3% drop, inside the normal range, but it is worth checking the baby is back to birth weight by two weeks.
Sources: CDC — How much and how often to breastfeed · CDC — How much and how often to feed infant formula · NHS — Formula milk: common questions
Frequently asked questions
How often does a newborn feed?
Every 2–3 hours in the first weeks — 8 to 12 times in 24 hours if breastfed and about 7 to 10 times if bottle-fed. Feeds space out to every 3–4 hours by two to three months.
Should I wake my baby to feed?
In the first two weeks, yes if more than 3–4 hours pass, until birth weight is regained. After that most healthy babies can be fed on demand.
How much does a breastfed baby take in the first days?
Very little: roughly 2–10 mL a feed on day one, 5–15 mL on day two, 15–30 mL on day three and 30–60 mL by day four as milk comes in. Frequent feeding is normal and helps supply.
How much weight loss is normal?
Most babies lose 5–7% of birth weight in the first few days, and up to 10% can be normal. They are usually back to birth weight by 10–14 days. A bigger loss, or not regaining by two weeks, needs a feeding check.
My baby takes more than this — is that OK?
Appetite varies and growth spurts happen. Persistent intake well above 1 L a day or very frequent large vomits are worth mentioning to your health visitor or paediatrician.
Related calculators
Educational estimate only — your midwife, doctor or paediatrician will confirm dates and advice for your pregnancy or baby.