Feeding Guide

How much milk might your baby need?

Get a simple estimate for expressed breast milk or formula based on your baby's age and feeding pattern. Hunger and fullness cues always come first.

What are you feeding?

What is expressed breast milk?

It is breast milk that has been removed from the breast using a pump or by hand, then offered to the baby in a bottle or cup. Because the amount can be measured, this guide can estimate a daily and per-feed volume. If your baby feeds directly at the breast, feeds are usually guided by hunger and fullness cues rather than by millilitres or ounces. CDC · Pumping breast milk

3months
Birth6 months1 year

Start with the number of feeds your baby usually has in a day, then adjust it to match your routine.

Estimated daily amount

per day

Per feeding

Reference used

A guide, not a target

  • Follow your baby's hunger and fullness cues, and do not force a bottle to be finished. CDC · Responsive feeding
  • Prepare infant formula exactly as directed on the pack. Do not add extra water to stretch it. CDC · Formula preparation
  • Newborn and premature babies can have different feeding needs. If you are unsure about intake, weight gain, feeding difficulty or hydration, speak with your baby's doctor.

Your baby's doctor is your go-to for anything about feeding. They can read all of this in the context of your own baby. You are also welcome to reach us.

For this age

Now that you know the feeding range, take a look at useful things we have put together for this age.

See 3–6 month options