How much formula milk does my baby need? (2024)

If you’re bottle-feeding it can be confusing trying to work out how much formula milk your baby needs every day. And there's no single answer. It depends on your baby’s age, weight, and whether you're feeding them only formula, or giving it alongside breastmilk or solid foods. The right amount of formula for a newborn is different if you’re breastfeeding too and different again to how much formula a six-month-old needs.

Formula-feeding: how will I know when my baby is hungry?

Your formula-fed baby’s appetite will vary from day to day and month to month, so try to let them set the pace. Your baby will feed as often as they need to, as long as you learn to spot their cues and respond to them.

When your baby’s hungry, they may start rooting, which means they will turn their head and open their mouth towards your chest (NHS 2019a). You may also notice your baby making sucking motions and bringing their hands to their mouth (NHS 2019a).

These are your baby’s hungry signs or feeding cues. Crying is a late sign of hunger and it can make feeding more difficult for both of you. So always try to feed your baby before they cry (NHS 2019a, PHA 2019).

It may take time before you’re aware of all your baby’s feeding cues. This is completely normal, so try not to worry if you miss them at first. Once you get to know your baby’s cues, you can respond to them quicker, making feeding much easier for both of you.

When you're feeding your baby, keep a watch for signs that they’ve had enough, such as slowing down or resting. These pauses give your baby time to feel whether or not they’re full.

How much infant formula should I give my baby based on their body weight?

There’s a rough guide based on your baby’s body weight that you can use to work out how much formula to give. This only applies though if you don't breastfeed as well as bottle-feed and your baby isn't eating solid foods yet.

Most full-term babies need between 150ml and 200ml of formula per kilogram of their body weight every day (BNFC 2020, NHS 2019a). So, if your baby weighs 3kg, they’ll probably need between 450ml and 600ml of formula over a 24-hour period to satisfy their hunger. However, they may want less than this in the first week or so, as they will only have a tiny tummy (Crawley and Westland 2020, NHS2019a).

These measurements are a rule of thumb. Just as your appetite varies with each meal, your baby isn't going to take exactly the same amount at each feed (NHS2019a). So don't force your baby to finish a bottle, even if there is only a little bit left (Crawley and Westland 2020, NHS 2018).

If your baby has been prescribed a specialised formula, check with your GP or health visitor on how much you should offer each day (NHS 2018).

How will formula feeding change as my baby grows?

How much formula your baby needs depends not only on their weight, but also on their age. As a rule of thumb though, here’s a rough guide to help you work out how much to give your baby:

• During the first couple of weeks, try giving your baby between 60ml and 70ml at each feed, with around seven to eight feeds in a 24-hour period (Crawley and Westland 2020). They won’t be able to manage much more than this in one go.
• From around two weeks to two months, your baby will probably want between 75ml and 105ml at each feed, with around six to seven feeds in 24 hours (Crawley and Westland 2020). They’ll have anywhere from 450ml to 735ml in one day (Crawley and Westland 2020). You'll soon sense if your baby needs more, as they’ll finish their feed quickly and then look around for second helpings!
• When your baby’s between two months and six months, they may want between 105ml and 210ml at a feed, with five to six feeds in 24 hours (Crawley and Westland 2020).
• Once your baby reaches six months, they may want between 210ml and 240ml at a feed, with around four feeds in 24 hours (Crawley and Westland 2020). Their total formula intake may be around 900ml to 1000ml a day (Crawley and Westland 2020).
• When you start giving your baby solids, their daily intake of formula milk is likely to gradually decrease (Crawley and Westland 2020).

• Formula-feeding and solid foods at six months

  When you introduce your baby to solids at about six months, they won’t be eating a wide enough variety of foods to give them all the nutrients they need. So it’s important to carry on giving your baby formula milk until they are a year old (NHS nd).

  From six months, it’s best to also give your baby a vitamin supplement, particularly if they’re drinking less than 500ml of formula per day (BNF 2019).Once your baby is fully established on solids, they’ll need about 600ml of formula every day alongside a varied diet (Crawley and Westland 2020). You may like to offer a feed at breakfast, lunch, dinner and just before bedtime. You can cut out one of these feeds once your baby is around 10 months or so (Crawley and Westland 2020). However, all babies are different. Try not to worry if your little one doesn’t want this amount of milk. You can always offer milky foods made from formula from six months instead, as part of a balanced diet. This could include custard, cheese sauce, rice pudding and natural yoghurt (NHS nd).

  When can I swap from formula milk to cow’s milk?

  After your baby's first birthday, they can move from drinking formula to full-fat cow's milk (Crawley and Westland 2020). Offer your baby around 350ml to 400ml of full-fat cow’s milk every day (Crawley and Westland 2020). This can be with meals, as a bedtime drink, or with cereal.

  Bear in mind that these are only rough guidelines, and your baby will let you know if they’re getting too much or too little milk. If you’re not sure, talk to your health visitor.

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