How Much Breastmilk Should My Baby Get? A Guide for New Moms

With all of the amazing physical and emotional benefits of breastfeeding we now know about, you can feel confident about making the choice to nurse your baby. But even after the breastfeeding and parenting classes, many nursing moms are still full of questions about feeding. Like, how much breastmilk should my newborn get? Or, how often should you feed a newborn?

Measuring breastmilk intake isn’t as straightforward as bottle feeding, but there are some guidelines that can help you ensure your baby is getting the nutrients they need. This breastfeeding guide for new moms will walk you through it stage by stage.

Understanding Your Baby’s Nutritional Needs

Breast milk or formula should be your baby’s primary source of nutrition in the first several months of life. Your baby does a lot of growing in that time, and your breast milk is full of all of those important nutrients your baby needs to thrive. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months for the best health outcomes, which is why it’s important to understand your baby’s breastmilk intake needs.

Here’s the thing: The only way to really know how much milk your baby is getting is to pump and bottle feed—but thankfully, that isn’t necessary. Babies often know exactly how much milk they need, which is why experts recommend following your baby’s cues rather than following a strict feeding schedule.

That said, having a general idea about newborn milk intake amounts and breastfeeding frequency can be helpful for new moms, especially in those early days when you’re still learning your baby’s different cries and hunger cues.

Breastmilk Needs by Age

How much breast milk your baby needs generally depends on their age, but this doesn’t mean every baby follows the exact same timeline. Your baby’s growth and development is just as unique as they are, which means their nutritional needs are too. Use these stages as a general guideline, but always talk to your child’s pediatrician if you have any concerns about breastfeeding.

The First Week

In the first few days after birth, your baby nurses frequently around the clock, though they’re only getting between 2 and 15 milliliters of colostrum at each feeding during this stage. This early stage of breast milk is packed with even more nutrients than regular breast milk, so they don’t need much—which is good since their tummies are so tiny! But don’t be surprised if your baby is hungry as often as every hour or two.

After the first few days, when your milk comes in, your baby will begin taking in more breast milk at each feeding. Experts at the Cleveland Clinic state that newborn breast milk intake generally increases to 1 ounce by the end of the first week.

Weeks 2–4

As your baby grows and learns how to nurse more efficiently, they’ll start taking in about 2–3 ounces of breast milk at each feeding. This is great news for you, because their feedings will become less frequent too. During the remainder of your baby’s first month, you can generally expect to feed them every 2 to 4 hours, or about 8 to 12 times per day. If you have a particularly sleepy baby who is sleeping for longer stretches, the CDC recommends waking them to feed at this age.

Keep in mind, though, that as your baby goes through growth spurts and developmental changes, they may sometimes go back to nursing as often as every hour, also known as cluster feeding. This is totally normal (although challenging!) and shouldn’t last more than a few days at a time.

1–3 Months

After the first month, hopefully you and your baby have gotten the hang of nursing. Things tend to even out a bit at this point—meaning your milk supply has been established and your baby’s feeding schedule is a bit more predictable. Breastfeeding every 2 to 4 hours is still typical at this stage, but the occasional 5 hour stretch isn’t unheard of. By now, most newborns take in 24–30 ounces of breastmilk each day, or 3 to 4 ounces per feeding.

4–6 Months

Once you get through the newborn stage, your 4 month old’s breastmilk intake begins to increase to about 3 to 4 ounces at each feeding. This means you continue to get longer stretches between feedings—and maybe even longer stretches of sleep at night. (Yay!) While your baby is still getting up to 32 ounces of breast milk throughout the day, they may only be nursing around 6 to 8 times per day.

Most babies are not ready for weaning until about 6 months of age, so continue to offer breast milk or formula exclusively unless advised otherwise by their pediatrician.

6 Months and Up

Most babies are ready to begin solid foods after 6 months, but it’s important to continue breastfeeding or supplementing with formula throughout the first year. Because your baby is now filling up on other foods, they may take in less breast milk. However, the Mayo Clinic recommends continuing to offer as much as 32 ounces of breast milk each day. Follow your baby’s cues, but try offering breast milk before meals if they become less interested in nursing.

Baby Feeding Chart

By no means do you need to memorize breastmilk quantity by age in order to successfully nurse. But having a general idea of what to expect can be helpful in those early months, especially if you plan on pumping and bottle feeding at some point.

Use this baby feeding guide as a cheat sheet for remembering how much breastmilk baby needs by age:

Trusting Your Body and Your Baby

While using a baby feeding chart and tracking newborn milk intake has a time and place, it’s important to remember that all babies are different and have different nutritional needs. If you have concerns about your baby’s feeding frequency or breast milk intake, the best thing to do is contact your pediatrician or a lactation consultant for guidance.

If your baby is gaining weight and generally content after nursing, these are signs that they’re likely feeding well. Continue to follow your baby’s cues and trust in your body’s amazing ability to produce just the right amount of breastmilk that your baby needs. Your body was made to do this!

Frequently Asked Questions 

How often should I feed my baby at night?

In the first few weeks of your baby’s life, they should be feeding every 2–3 hours, which may mean you need to wake them up to nurse. Once breastfeeding is established and your baby is gaining weight well, their pediatrician may give you the OK to let them sleep longer between feedings.

Can I overfeed my baby with breastmilk?

Some babies may continue nursing for comfort after they’ve filled their tummies. If this happens, they might experience pain, gas, spitting up, or vomiting after a feeding. Pay attention to fullness cues, such as relaxed hands or turning away from the breast.