Newborn Feeding Schedule by Week: How Often and How Much

How often should a newborn eat?

Most newborns eat every 2 to 3 hours, which adds up to 8–12 feeds in 24 hours, including at night.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says breastfed newborns usually nurse about every 2 hours, and 10–12 sessions a day is the norm. Formula-fed newborns eat every 2 to 3 hours, with 8 feeds as the generally recommended minimum.¹ The NHS gives the same rough guide: at least 8–12 feeds, or more, every 24 hours during the first few weeks.³

One detail that confused us at first: the interval is counted from the start of one feed to the start of the next. If a feed starts at 1:00 and lasts 40 minutes, “every 2 hours” means the next one starts around 3:00 — not 3:40.

Newborn feeding chart by age

Breastfed babies feed more often in smaller amounts; formula-fed babies settle into a more regular rhythm of every 3–4 hours by the end of the first month.

How much formula does a newborn need?

A common rule of thumb is about 165 ml of formula per day for every kilogram of body weight (2½ oz per pound), up to roughly 960 ml (32 oz) a day.²

So a 4 kg baby would drink around 650 ml a day — for example, 8 feeds of about 80 ml. Babies regulate their own intake from day to day, so treat this as a sanity check, not a quota. If your baby gets fidgety or distracted during a feed, they are probably done. If they finish the bottle and keep smacking their lips, they may still be hungry.² Full amounts by age and weight are in our formula feeding chart.

What to expect, week by week

Days 1–3

Tiny, frequent feeds. A breastfed baby may want to feed every hour to begin with.³ Formula-fed babies may take only about 15 ml per feed for the first day or two.¹ Expect 2–3 wet diapers a day.¹

Days 4–14

Feeds get a bit longer and more effective as milk comes in. Formula feeds grow to 30–60 ml. Look for at least 5–6 wet diapers a day from day 5.¹ This is also when evenings can turn into one long feed — see cluster feeding below.

Weeks 3–4

A rhythm starts to show up. Formula-fed babies move towards 90–120 ml every 3–4 hours by the end of the first month.² Breastfed babies space out more slowly — that is normal.¹

Months 2–4

Bigger tummy, longer gaps — sometimes up to 4–5 hours during the day. Between 2 and 4 months (or above about 5.4 kg), most formula-fed babies no longer need a middle-of-the-night feed, though this varies a lot.² More in our guide to night feeds.

Around 6 months

WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, then adding solid foods while breastfeeding continues.⁴ Formula-fed babies typically take 180–240 ml at each of 4–5 feeds.¹

What are newborn hunger cues?

Rooting, hands to the mouth, and sucking movements are early hunger cues. Crying is a late cue — by then a baby can be too upset to latch or settle.¹

• Early: stirring, turning the head and opening the mouth in search of the breast (rooting).
• Active: putting hands to the mouth again and again, sucking on fists, more wriggling.
• Late: crying, getting red and frantic.

Not every cry or suck means hunger — babies also suck for comfort, and sometimes they just need a cuddle or a diaper change.¹ It took us a couple of weeks to tell the difference. More in our guide to newborn hunger cues.

Should you wake a newborn to feed?

In the first weeks, yes, if your baby sleeps much longer than usual and starts missing feeds.

The AAP advises waking a formula-fed newborn who sleeps longer than 4–5 hours in the first few weeks and offering a bottle.² Babies who were born early or have trouble gaining weight should not go too long between feeds either, even if that means waking them — your pediatrician will tell you what interval to aim for.¹

How do I know my baby is getting enough?

Count wet diapers: 2–3 a day in the first days, then at least 5–6 a day after day 4–5.¹

Steady weight gain on your pediatrician’s growth chart is the other big signal. Babies who stay in a healthy percentile range are getting enough food.¹

Why does the schedule suddenly fall apart?

Usually because of cluster feeding: several feeds bunched close together, often in the evening. It is common in the first weeks and doesn’t mean something is wrong.

This was the part nobody warned us about. You finally see a 2–3 hour pattern, and then one evening the baby wants to feed every 30–60 minutes for hours. It feels like you are doing something wrong. You are not. Phases like this usually pass in a few days, and the rhythm comes back — often with slightly longer gaps than before. More on this in cluster feeding: what it is and how to survive it.

Seeing the pattern on a timeline helps a lot more than trying to remember it. That is exactly why we built Bamly: to see “ah, this is a cluster, not a problem” at a glance.

FAQ

How long should a newborn go between feeds at night?

In the first weeks, about the same as during the day: every 2–3 hours. Night feeds are important for breastfeeding because more prolactin is produced at night.³ Many formula-fed babies drop the middle-of-the-night feed between 2 and 4 months.²

Is feeding on demand or on a schedule better?

For most healthy full-term babies, the AAP recommends feeding on demand — watching the baby, not the clock.¹ WHO also recommends breastfeeding on demand, day and night.⁴ A predictable rhythm usually appears on its own after the first weeks.

Can you overfeed a newborn with a bottle?

It is possible, because drinking from a bottle is faster and takes less effort. Babies may keep sucking even when full. It is better to offer a little less and give more if your baby still shows hunger cues.¹

Sources

1. American Academy of Pediatrics. How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat? HealthyChildren.org, 2024.
2. American Academy of Pediatrics. Amount and Schedule of Baby Formula Feedings. HealthyChildren.org.
3. NHS. Breastfeeding: the first few days.
4. World Health Organization. Breastfeeding.

This article shares parents’ experience and summarizes public guidance from the AAP, NHS and WHO. It is not medical advice. Always talk to your pediatrician about your baby’s feeding.