Here's How Much Formula Your Baby Needs

One of the most nerve-wracking things for a new parent to figure out is how often and how much to feed a baby. You want to make sure your baby is full and satisfied, but you don't want to overdo it and make them sick. When you're formula feeding, you also have the added issue of not wanting to make more bottles than you need to (because that stuff is expensive). So how much formula do babies need, exactly?

There's no one size fits all answer to that question, but there are some general guidelines that you can follow. Baby Center suggested that while your little one is exclusively on formula, your baby should be drinking two and a half ounces per one pound. By that rule, if your baby weights 10 pounds, they'd most likely drink about 25 ounces of formula daily.

As far as how often to feed your baby, that'll most likely change over time. According to Kids Health, a newborn will typically want to eat every two or three hours. But as they get older, their stomach will grow and they'll be able to take in more per feeding. At that point, you'll probably be able to offer larger bottles spaced out to three and four hours apart.

But no matter how many ounces you've already given or how long it's been since the last feeding, it's important to monitor your baby's hunger cues to see if they're satisfied. Smacking their lips, opening and closing their mouth, fussing, or full blown crying are all signs that your baby might want more to eat according to Belly Belly. If your baby suddenly seems like they constantly want to be eating, it could be because they're going through a growth spurt according to Parents.

Although no parents want to deprive their child of a bottle if they're crying from hunger, you also don't necessarily want to offer them a bottle every single time they cry and end up feeding them too much. According to Healthy Children, your baby shouldn't need more than 32 ounces of formula a day. If they're eating so much that they're constantly spitting up or their weight is increasing much faster than their height, they may be drinking too much formula according to What To Expect.

Ultimately, it may take a bit of trial and error to find the right amount of formula for your baby. Enfamil noted that as long as they're producing enough dirty diapers every day, you can probably rest assured that you're doing just fine.