How to Tell How Much Formula a Baby Needs

Pay attention to your baby's hunger cues.

Knowing how much formula to feed your baby can be confusing. Take your cues from your baby. Pay attention to how she behaves after she eats. Every baby is different but you can also use her age and weight to follow general feeding guidelines. Read on for some general rules for determining how much formula your baby needs.

Instructions

1. Pay attention to your baby's behavior. Your baby's appetite will change from day to day. When she is hungry she will eat. When she is full, she will stop. Common hunger cues are crying, lip smacking, sucking, rooting and putting her hand in her mouth. If your baby finishes her bottle quickly, and uses any of the above cues, chances are that she is still hungry and needs more formula.

2. Consider your baby's weight. If your baby is not eating solids, multiply his weight by 2.5 ounces. In other words, for every pound he weighs, he should drink about 2.5 ounces of formula per day. If your baby weighs ten pounds, he will probably eat about 25 ounces of formula in a 24 hour period.

3. Consider your baby's age. Most newborns will eat every two to three hours. Start by giving your new baby 1 to 2 ounces at eat feeding. As your baby gets older, her tummy will get bigger. She will begin to eat less often but eat more formula at each feeding.

4. Count your baby's diapers. If you are using cloth diapers, he should have six to eight wet diapers a day. If you use disposable diapers, it should be five to six due to the fact that they hold more liquid.

5. Refrain from over feeding your baby. If she vomits after her bottle, you may have overfed her. Tummy pain is also a sign of over feedings. If she cries and draws her knees up, her tummy may be too full.

Tips & Warnings

• Your baby will probably eat more during growth spurts. These typically take place at three weeks, six weeks, three months and six months. If you are concerned that your baby is eating too much or not enough, talk with her doctor. As a basic rule, a two month-old baby may take six to eight bottles a day and eat 4 to 6 ounces per feeding. At four months old, he will probably only take five bottles but he will eat 6 to 7 ounces per feeding.

• The most common hunger cue is crying. However, do not try to feed your baby every time that he cries. Especially if you just fed him. He may be crying because he needs to have his diaper changed, because he is tired or cold or simply because he wants to be cuddled and held.

Resources

• Read sample feeding, sleeping and play schedules
• Keep track of your baby's schedule online