Every baby may get hungry on their own unique schedule. That said, in the first months of life, most infants will eat every 2–4 hours, depending on whether they are consuming breast milk or formula. Once your baby eats solids, they’ll gradually drink less.
Eat, sleep, pee, poop, repeat — those are the highlights of a new baby’s day. It’s the eating part that may be the source of many questions and worries if you’re a new parent.
How many ounces should your baby take? Do you wake a sleeping baby to eat? Why do they seem hungry all the time? When can your child start eating solid foods?
Questions abound, and despite Grandma’s insistence, the answers have changed since you were a tot. It’s now
On day 1 of life, your baby’s stomach is the size of a marble and can hold only 1–2 teaspoons of liquid at a time. As baby gets older, their stomach stretches and grows.
It’s hard — impossible, really — to know how much milk your baby is taking in while nursing. If you’re bottle feeding, it’s a bit easier to measure.
Here’s a typical feeding schedule for bottle-fed babies, shared by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):
| Age | Ounces (oz) per feeding | Solid foods |
|---|---|---|
| up to 2 weeks | 0.5 oz in the first days, then 1–3 oz | No. |
| 2 weeks to 2 months | 2–4 oz | No. |
| 2–4 months | 4-6 oz | No. |
| 4–6 months | 4–8 oz | Possibly, if your baby can hold their head up and is at least 13 pounds. But you don’t need to introduce solid foods yet. |
| 6–12 months | 8 oz | Yes. Start with soft foods, like one-grain cereals and pureed vegetables, meats, and fruits, progressing to mashed and well-chopped finger foods. Give your baby one new food at a time. Continue supplementing with breast milk or formula. |
Every baby is unique — but one thing that’s pretty consistent is that babies who are fed breast milk eat more frequently than babies who consume formula. This is because breast milk is more easily digested and empties from the stomach a lot quicker than formula.
Breast milk
According to La Leche League International, you should begin nursing your baby within 1 hour of birth and provide about 8–12 feedings daily in the first few weeks of life.
At first, it’s important not to let your baby go more than 4 hours without feeding. You’ll likely need to wake them up if necessary, at least until nursing is well established and they’re gaining weight appropriately.
As your baby grows and your milk supply amps up, your baby will be able to take in more milk in less time during one feeding. That’s when you might start to notice a more predictable pattern. For example:
- 1–3 months: Your baby will feed 7–9 times per 24 hours.
- 3 months: Feedings take place 6–8 times in 24 hours.
- 6 months: Your baby will feed around 6 times per day.
- 12 months: Nursing may drop to about 4 times per day. The introduction of solids at about 6 months helps to fuel your baby’s additional nutritional needs.
Keep in mind that this pattern is just one example. Different babies have different paces and preferences, along with other factors that influence the frequency of feedings.
Formula
Formula-fed newborns should also eat on demand. On average, that’s about every 2–3 hours. A typical feeding schedule may look like this:
- Newborn: Your baby will feed every 2–3 hours.
- At 2 months: Feedings take place every 3–4 hours.
- At 4 to 6 months: Your baby will feed about every 4–5 hours.
- At 6 months and over: Feeding will happen every 4–5 hours.
For both breast milk and formula-fed babies
Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Do not give liquids other than formula or breast milk to babies under 1 year old: That includes juices and cow’s milk. They don’t provide the nutrients babies need and can upset your baby’s tummy. Water can be introduced around 6 months, when you start offering a cup.
- Do not add baby cereal to a bottle: It can create a choking hazard.
- Do not give your baby any form of honey until after their first birthday: Honey can be dangerous for a baby, occasionally causing what’s called infant botulism.
- Do adjust your expectations based on your baby and their unique needs: Premature babies are likely to follow feeding patterns according to their adjusted age. If your baby has challenges like reflux or failure to thrive, you may need to work with a pediatrician on the appropriate feeding schedule and the amount your baby should be eating.
Your child can start to fall into a feeding pattern as their tummy grows, which allows them to take in more breast milk or formula in one sitting.
For now, though, focus on learning your baby’s hunger cues, such as:
- rooting around your chest, looking for a nipple.
- putting their fist in their mouth
- smacking or licking their lips
- fussing that can escalate quickly
Once your baby is a few months old, you may be able to introduce a sleeping and feeding schedule that works for you.
Let’s say, for example, your 4-month-old baby wakes every 5 hours for a feeding. That means if you feed at 9 p.m., your baby will wake around 2 a.m. But if you wake and feed the baby at 11 p.m., just before you go to bed, they may not rouse until 4 a.m., giving you a decent chunk of nighttime sleep.
In general, if your baby seems hungry, feed them. Your baby will naturally eat more frequently during growth spurts, which typically occur around 3 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age.
Some babies will also cluster feed, meaning they’ll feed more frequently during certain periods and less at others. For example, your baby may cluster feed during the late afternoon and evening, then sleep longer at night. This is more common in babies who are fed breast milk than those who are fed formula.
Worried about overfeeding? While this isn’t really possible to do with an exclusively nursing baby, you can overfeed a baby who’s taking a bottle — especially if they’re sucking on the bottle for comfort. Follow their hunger cues, but talk with your pediatrician if you’re worried your little one may be overeating.
Your baby is probably ready for solids if they’re 4–6 months old and:
- have good head control
- seem interested in what you’re eating
- reach for food
- weigh 13 or more pounds
Does it matter which foods you start with?
According to the AAP, the order you introduce foods doesn’t really matter. The only real rule: Stick with one food for 3–5 days before offering another. If your baby has an allergic reaction (rash, diarrhea, and vomiting are common first signs), you’ll know which food is causing it.
As your baby grows, move from pureed baby food to ones that have more texture (for example, mashed banana, scrambled egg, or well-cooked, chopped pasta). This generally happens around 8–10 months of age.
Supermarkets often offer a variety of baby food products. You can also make your own, but avoid adding sugar or salt.
Additionally, at this stage, don’t feed your baby anything that could be a choking hazard, including:
- hard foods, such as popcorn or nuts
- hard, fresh fruits, like apples (cook to soften or chop into very small pieces)
- any meat that isn’t well cooked and very well chopped (this includes hot dogs)
- cheese cubes
- peanut butter (talk with your pediatrician about the benefits of introducing diluted peanut butter before age 1)
As your baby nears their first birthday, they should be eating a variety of foods and taking in about 4 ounces of solids at each meal, the AAP advises. Continue to offer breast milk or formula. By 8 months, babies are drinking about 30 ounces per day.
Some babies will gain weight easily, while others may gain more slowly. Things that can affect a baby’s weight gain include:
- certain developmental issues, like a cleft lip or palate, which lead to difficulties with feeding
- having a milk protein intolerance
- being premature
- being fed with a bottle versus the breast
A
Your baby’s doctor is the best one to advise you on a healthy weight range for your baby.
How, when, and what to feed a baby are top concerns of every parent. But most babies are pretty good judges of when they’re hungry and when they’re full — and they’ll let you know it.
You just need to try to present them with the right choices at the right time and pay attention to their cues. If you have any questions or concerns, your pediatrician is there to help you along the way.