@ranked I was told to feed every 2-3 hours in the first few weeks (didn’t matter if it was breast milk or formula) and to basically feed on demand. My son would wake up on his own to eat before the 3 hour mark, but if he didn’t, we would wake him up. I think we were feeding on average 10x a day in the first few weeks; by the second week, he was taking in about 45-60 mL per feed. He would also cluster feed in the evenings and needed to be fed every 1 hour for a few hours. By the end of the first month, he was taking in about 3 oz at each feed. I think you want to feed on demand and watch hunger cues, etc. and make sure they aren’t going too long in between feeds because their tummy is tiny.
Is my baby getting enough?
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@ranked You’re welcome! It’s so hard to figure this stuff out. We had a bunch of nights in the second week of our son’s life when he was very fussy/crying in the evening/overnight until about 2 am. We would just feed him and sometimes he would still cry until he got fed again an hour later. We realized later on that he was cluster feeding and that’s why he was fussy. Hope this helps!
ruslanishe
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himynameislorn
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@ranked I'm in the UK and do my amounts in ml rather than oz, and my daughter's weight in kg, so this might not be too helpful, but the NHS website for formula feeding suggests doing babies weight in kg x 150-200, and that's how many ml a baby should have a day.
So say the baby is 4kg, the calculation would be:
4 x 150 = 600 and 4 x 200 = 800
So the ideal range would be 600-800ml.
Appreciate in the US this might not be helpful though as it's in metric, and it requires you to know the babies weight but it's how I calculated how much to feed mine.
Also I took it as a rough guide - my daughter was in the 1st percentile when she was born, so couldn't eat as much as was suggested in the first few months. It was helpful to have a general target though. Eventually she caught up and was able to land in the middle of the recommended amount.
(Link for reference: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/...eeding/bottle-feeding/formula-milk-questions/)
So say the baby is 4kg, the calculation would be:
4 x 150 = 600 and 4 x 200 = 800
So the ideal range would be 600-800ml.
Appreciate in the US this might not be helpful though as it's in metric, and it requires you to know the babies weight but it's how I calculated how much to feed mine.
Also I took it as a rough guide - my daughter was in the 1st percentile when she was born, so couldn't eat as much as was suggested in the first few months. It was helpful to have a general target though. Eventually she caught up and was able to land in the middle of the recommended amount.
(Link for reference: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/...eeding/bottle-feeding/formula-milk-questions/)
samslionskull
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@ranked When my baby was that young, my midwives also said to feed every 3 hours. The amount to feed was based in the baby’s body weight though. 2.5ounces/lb of body weight. So if your baby is 6lbs then should eat 15 ounces a day. Do you know your baby’s weight? If so can use this formula to be a general gauge. Of course also pay attention to their cues, you may have to feed them a little more or a little less sometimes.
https://www.healthychildren.org/english/ages-stages/baby/formula-feeding/pages/amount-and-schedule-of-formula-feedings.aspx#:~:text=On%20average%2C%20your%20baby%20should,when%20they've%20had%20enough.
https://www.healthychildren.org/english/ages-stages/baby/formula-feeding/pages/amount-and-schedule-of-formula-feedings.aspx#:~:text=On%20average%2C%20your%20baby%20should,when%20they've%20had%20enough.
@ranked Just chiming in to say that it is EXTREMELY common for babies to lose weight after birth. I think 12% is the threshold where doctor's start to really worry, but 8% is really within the realm of normal and it will take some time to get his weight back up. This is such a stressful time trust your baby, and trust yourself.
katrina2017
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sarahcarmela
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@sarahcarmela Makes sense, thank you!
@ranked My baby lost 9.4% of weight at first week check up, we were told to supplement as I was trying to nurse at the time, since then we've moved to bottle feeding half formula and half pumped milk. I started out with 1oz every 2hrs, then when we stopped attempting nursing, we upped it to 1.5oz following his lead of if he finished the bottles without issue.
He gained 4 ounces 2 days later at his second check up. He is now 12 days old and on 2oz roughly every 3 hrs, sometimes we have to wake him, sometimes he wakes up himself. Sometimes he doesn't finish the whole thing.
I read it should be 2-2.5oz per pound in the first two weeks. So he was 6.5lbs last dr visit so he gets 13-15oz per day. We took it slow as we didn't want to upset his stomach and gradually increased and if he was hungrier faster than expected we knew he was ready for more per feed.
He gained 4 ounces 2 days later at his second check up. He is now 12 days old and on 2oz roughly every 3 hrs, sometimes we have to wake him, sometimes he wakes up himself. Sometimes he doesn't finish the whole thing.
I read it should be 2-2.5oz per pound in the first two weeks. So he was 6.5lbs last dr visit so he gets 13-15oz per day. We took it slow as we didn't want to upset his stomach and gradually increased and if he was hungrier faster than expected we knew he was ready for more per feed.
@bdnelso87 This is very helpful, thank you! Sounds a lot like my bub, he was born 7 lbs even and was 6 lbs 8.6 oz at this 1 week checkup. So I’m aiming for around the same daily amount you’re stating. I’ve been feeding him every 2-2.5 hours instead of every 3 hours today, with one small feeding 1.5 hours from the previous based on his cues. He has been taking less at each feeding. But I think he’s definitely fuller and happier. I got projectile pooped on for the first time today. 
@ranked Follow baby’s lead. 45 mL sounds okay for one week old, but if LO is continuing to show hunger cues after finishing the bottle, offer another ounce*. This is what we watched for. If he kept asking for more after each feed, we would try making bigger bottles to see how consistently he’d finish those. If he did, that was the new norm.
At that stage, we were told to feed 2-3 hours even overnight. We got LO just above birth weight in the first week with following hunger cues but also feeding with that frequency. He’s 7 weeks now and three pounds heavier than he was at birth.
*Dunno what method you use, but we use the pitcher method. It’s been great for bottle top-offs and bottle prep.
At that stage, we were told to feed 2-3 hours even overnight. We got LO just above birth weight in the first week with following hunger cues but also feeding with that frequency. He’s 7 weeks now and three pounds heavier than he was at birth.
*Dunno what method you use, but we use the pitcher method. It’s been great for bottle top-offs and bottle prep.
@sarnmere We use the pitcher method!
Since I made this post, we upped his feedings to 50-60 mL every 2.5 hours if he would take it. He did for each feeding and his spit up has not gotten worse! If anything it’s gotten better. He was a much happier, sleepier baby last night. It breaks my heart that we were basically starving him for a few days. I feel like an awful mom, but just trying to learn from it.
Since I made this post, we upped his feedings to 50-60 mL every 2.5 hours if he would take it. He did for each feeding and his spit up has not gotten worse! If anything it’s gotten better. He was a much happier, sleepier baby last night. It breaks my heart that we were basically starving him for a few days. I feel like an awful mom, but just trying to learn from it.
@ranked You’re not an awful mom! It’s such a learning process. It also doesn’t help that we fear wasting formula because of the shortage and the price, but sometimes it is necessary to risk the waste.
At 7 weeks, we’re offering him 3 oz. bottles almost every time (unless he just feed an hour ago, for example, then I’ll give a smaller bottle). He does spit up, but it’s mostly only happens if I lay him down too soon after he’s eaten. He’ll even ask for more after he finished a regular bottle, but I don’t think he’s ready for his bottles to be increased to 4 oz. His intake isn’t consistent enough, and this is where I run into the fear of wasting trap.
At 7 weeks, we’re offering him 3 oz. bottles almost every time (unless he just feed an hour ago, for example, then I’ll give a smaller bottle). He does spit up, but it’s mostly only happens if I lay him down too soon after he’s eaten. He’ll even ask for more after he finished a regular bottle, but I don’t think he’s ready for his bottles to be increased to 4 oz. His intake isn’t consistent enough, and this is where I run into the fear of wasting trap.
@sarnmere Thank you for acknowledging this! It is scary to worry about the shortage. I’ve also been so afraid to feed him because of his reflux the first 5 days of life. I woke up from a nap at the hospital to him covered in vomit and crying with more in his mouth. I feel almost traumatized by it and am terrified to overfeed him and cause him pain or discomfort. Thank god his reflux is turning into more normal baby spit-up in both quantity and frequency.
@ranked That would be scary and hard to forget as you learn to follow his cues. Also, you’ll start to learn LO is no longer hungry when they start rejecting the bottle. I’ll try feeding baby, and he’ll push the nipple out with his tongue, move his head back and forth, and has even started to push at it with his hand.
Also, my pediatrician did say he’d rather have an over fed baby than a hungry one. It’s hard to forget the experience you had in the hospital, but just keep baby upright for 20-30 minutes before putting them down makes a big difference. After night feeds, I’ll rock him in my arms on his left side as I’ve read it helps with digestion.
So much to learn, so try not to be too hard on yourself! You’re doing great!
Also, my pediatrician did say he’d rather have an over fed baby than a hungry one. It’s hard to forget the experience you had in the hospital, but just keep baby upright for 20-30 minutes before putting them down makes a big difference. After night feeds, I’ll rock him in my arms on his left side as I’ve read it helps with digestion.
So much to learn, so try not to be too hard on yourself! You’re doing great!