Newborns usually take about 30–90 ml (1–3 oz) per feed in the first weeks, but the right amount depends on age, weight, and hunger cues, not a single fixed number. Healthy babies will usually stop when they are full, so watching their signals matters just as much as counting milliliters.

Quick Scoop

  • In the first days, many newborns take around 5–45 ml (1 teaspoon to about 1.5 oz) per feed as their tiny stomach adjusts.
  • By the end of the first week to first month, many are closer to about 30–90 ml (1–3 oz) per feed every 2–3 hours.
  • A common average is about 45–90 ml (1.5–3 oz) every 2–3 hours for a newborn in the first weeks, whether breast milk or formula.

Typical ml by age (first weeks)

These are general ranges; your baby may be a bit above or below and still be normal.

  • First 1–2 days: often just a few ml at a time (colostrum), up to ~15–30 ml per feed.
  • Days 3–7: roughly 30–60 ml (1–2 oz) per feed, every 2–3 hours.
  • Weeks 2–4: around 60–90 ml (2–3 oz) per feed, spacing out to every 3 hours or so.

A rough daily guideline for formula-fed babies is about 75 ml per kg of body weight per day (about 2.5 oz per pound), spread over the whole day.

Formula vs breast milk

The number of ml can look different depending on how you feed, but the principle is similar: small, frequent feeds that increase over time.

  • Breastfed babies:
    • First days: tiny amounts of colostrum, often less than 30 ml per feed but very frequent.
* After milk “comes in”: commonly 45–90 ml (1.5–3 oz) per feed, but harder to measure unless pumped.
  • Formula-fed babies:
    • Newborn: many take around 30–60 ml (1–2 oz) per feed at first, then move toward 60–90 ml (2–3 oz).
* Pediatric groups advise not routinely exceeding about 960 ml (32 oz) of formula per day without checking with a doctor.

Hunger and fullness cues

Because every baby is unique, cues are as important as ml.

Signs baby is hungry:

  • Rooting (turning head, searching for nipple), sucking on hands, smacking lips.
  • Becoming more alert, fussy, or crying (a late sign).

Signs baby is full:

  • Slowing down or stopping sucking, letting the nipple fall out of the mouth.
  • Turning head away, pushing the bottle or breast away, seeming relaxed or sleepy.

If baby is giving “full” signals, it is okay if they do not finish the measured amount in the bottle.

When to call the doctor

Even with guideline numbers, professional advice is important if something feels off.

You should contact a pediatrician or midwife promptly if:

  1. Baby has fewer than 4–6 wet diapers per day after day 4, or very dry mouth or sunken soft spot on the head.
  1. Baby is very sleepy, hard to wake for feeds, or too tired to suck effectively most of the time.
  1. There is persistent vomiting (not just small spit-ups) or strong worry that baby is not gaining weight.

Forum & “trending” parent talk

Recent parenting forum threads show many new parents worrying whether 30 ml vs 45 ml vs 60 ml is “right,” and getting reassurance that babies can be a bit above or below charts and still be fine. Some parents report newborns happily taking 45–60 ml when guidelines said 30 ml, with no spit-up and good weight gain, while others are told strict caps like 10–15 ml in the very first hours and feel confused until they check with their own doctor. The shared theme in these discussions is to use charts as a rough guide, but let your baby and your pediatric provider have the final say.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.

If you share your baby’s age (in days), weight, and whether you’re using breast milk or formula, a more tailored ml range can be sketched—though this never replaces in-person pediatric guidance.