Swaddle
Formula amounts by age
| Age | Per feed | Feeds per day | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| First days | 1-2 oz (30-60 mL) | 8-12 | Builds up daily |
| 1-4 weeks | 2-4 oz (60-120 mL) | 7-8 | 16-24 oz |
| 1-2 months | 4-5 oz (120-150 mL) | 6-8 | 24-32 oz |
| 2-4 months | 4-6 oz (120-180 mL) | 6-7 | 24-32 oz |
| 4-6 months | 6-8 oz (180-240 mL) | 5-6 | 24-32 oz |
| 6-12 months | 6-8 oz (180-240 mL) | 4-5 | 24-32 oz, alongside solids |
These are typical ranges, not targets. Many babies take more at some feeds and less at others, and growth spurts bring hungrier days.
How the calculator works
The American Academy of Pediatrics gives a rule of thumb: on average, a baby takes about 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight per day (about 150 mL per kg), and usually not more than about 32 ounces (950 mL) in 24 hours. The calculator multiplies your baby's weight by that, caps it at 32 ounces, and divides by a typical number of feeds for the age. Under one week old it shows the small first-days amounts instead.
After about 6 months, solid foods start to provide some of your baby's nutrition, so the weight rule fits less well. Formula usually stays the main drink until 12 months.
Follow your baby, not the bottle
- Hunger cues: rooting, sucking on hands, smacking lips, fussing. Crying is a late sign.
- Fullness cues: turning away, closing the mouth, slowing down, relaxed hands, falling asleep.
- Pace the feed: hold the bottle more level and give breaks, so your baby can control the flow.
- Never add extra powder or water to change the strength. Always mix formula exactly as the label says.
Call your pediatrician if your baby has fewer wet diapers than usual, often refuses feeds, vomits forcefully, seems very sleepy and hard to wake for feeds, or you are worried about weight gain.