How much milk does a baby need?
I wanted to write this blog to help make it as simple as possible for new parents to work out the questions often asked,
“How much milk does my baby need?” and “Is my baby getting enough”?
The first 24 Hours (Day 1)
For the fully breastfed baby, because you can’t see the amounts taken in during a feed, you will need to use your powers of observation.
For most babies, going skin to skin with their mothers immediately following their worldly arrival will have them finding the breast (breast crawl), attaching, and effectively, suckling in a relatively short time.
Minimal disturbance to the mother and baby will contribute to a successful first feed for most babies, imprinting this information into their system for the following feeds.
Watch for the signs of your baby wanting to feed (seeking, searching, mouth opening, hand to mouth). Ideally, the first breast feed occurs in the first hour or two.
The stomach is small (cherry size) in the beginning therefore the quantity needed by the baby in the first few days is very small. The stomach increases in size over the following days as the appetite increases and the quantities taken in increases.
A baby will want at least four or many more feeds in this first 24-hour period. After the initial feed(s), a baby often needs recovery sleep time of many hours and once awake from this may want to feed more frequently.
If you listen carefully when feeding, you might be able to hear swallowing after some sucks. This is not always easy to hear in the beginning as the quantity is small, however, if you do, it will give you confidence to know that everything is working.
Note If during labour you chose to take medications such as morphine, pethidine or epidurals, these can influence your baby’s ability to feed. Recognizing this gives you the opportunity to be proactive especially if your baby is very sleepy. Offer more frequent skin to skin and breast attachment or give expressed colostrum. Extra guidance with attachment maybe required.
If your baby continues to be unable to feed at the breast offer ½- 1teaspoon of colostrum (per feed).
Urine and bowel output are good indicators of what a baby is taking in.
In Summary- You will know that your baby has had enough if:
In the first 24 hours, there has been at least one wet nappy and one thick, black/green bowel movement (meconium).
The attachment is deep onto the breast.
You may be able to hear swallows when feeding at the breast.
Further information:
Moher and Baby- Working in Harmony:
page 72 Baby language chart
page 75 Stomach size chart
page 54 Breastfeeding your baby.
Video on the website, breast attachment, Hand expressing.
The Next 24-48 hours (day 2)
In this period a baby is often more active and awake. It’s not unusual for your baby to be more unsettled especially during the night, settling when cuddled or lying skin-to-skin. Be prepared with extra support available if you are becoming very tired.
A baby might average 6-8 feeds in this 24-hour period. Sometimes with short gaps and sometimes with long gaps between feeds.
If little or no effective sucking on the breast, offer 1-2 teaspoons of colostrum each feed. Sometimes giving this colostrum wakes a sleepy baby who will then go on to have a good feed.
In summary, you will know your baby has had enough if:
On this second day of life, there have been at least 2 wet nappies and at least 2 black/green bowel motions which are less sticky than the previous day.
The attachment is deep and comfortable, and you may be able to hear the swallowing of the colostrum.
48-72 hours (Day 3)
In this next 24 hours, you will notice changes in the breast from soft to fuller and firmer. The milk will be changing in colour and consistency, from the thicker yellow colostrum to a whiter colour.
Many babies feed often and especially in the night. (Get plenty of rest in the daytime to prepare for this)
Some babies sleep longer between feeds. There are many variations.
On average there may be 8-12 feeds in this 24-hour period., some feeds are shorter, and some are longer. You are working around your baby’s appetite. I hope this makes sense why for a normal healthy baby who is thriving that scheduling the times of feeds according to a clock does not take into account your individual baby’s needs.
In summary, You will know your baby has had enough if:
There are at least 2-3 wet nappies (observe the increase in quantity at each nappy change from the previous days)
At least 3 bowel actions that are green/brown in colour and softer.
Comfortable, deep attachment
May be able to hear sucking and swallowing more clearly now and observe the baby swallowing.
72 hours old (Day 4) and beyond
The milk has really started to increase in quantity and even though the breasts are full and firm this firmness will settle in the days that come to be firm before a feed and softer after the feed especially as your baby becomes stronger and better able to suck, swallow and empty the breast. Breastfeeding on demand allows your body to make as much milk as your baby needs. Follow your baby’s feeding cues noting not to be confused with when a baby has an unsettled stomach with some pain and discomfort. They may go for the fists in the mouth to comfort themselves but will look uncomfortable and draw their legs up to help relieve the discomfort. Feeding may not be the best thing for them at this time but supporting them in different positions and giving them comfort to help pass wind will help.
Urine output increases daily from 3-4 pale wet nappies (feeling lighter) to nappies feeling heavier.
By day 7 there will be at least six obvious wet and heavy nappies in 24 hours with frequent bowel actions turning from brown/yellow on day 4 to more runny or pasty yellow at day 7 and beyond.
By this time (day 7) 8-12 feeds on average with more frequent feeding in the afternoon or evening (cluster feeding)
In summary: You will know if your baby is getting enough if
Each day the amount of urine increases. (More nappy changes, feeling heavier)
If by day 7 there are at least six heavier nappies (urine)
Bowel actions are soft, runny and a mustard colour.
It’s easier to hear and see sucking and swallowing
The milk colour has changed to a white colour by day 7.
General Information
Babies will commonly loose weight in the early days of life however should start to regain this weight as the milk quantities and their efficiency in feeding increase. If you are observing your baby’s nappies, their suck and swallowing as per the guidelines above then most babies will be back to their birth weight by two weeks of age and up to 3 months of age will have an average weekly weight gain of 150-200 grams All babies are different and will therefore have different patterns of weight gain.
Weighing babies is helpful however as they get older look at the overall picture of weighs over several weeks to work out if there are any concerns as well as the general health and wellbeing of the baby.
If you have any concerns seek out a health care provider who is experienced with mother and babies. You need to feel comfortable to be able to ask any questions and to feel supported.
General guidance of quantities of milk required by a baby if they are not able to feed at the breast and need a full quota of milk.
Full Term Baby- Full quota
Day 1 (0-24 hours)
30mls/kg/day
Day 2 (24-48hours)
60ml/kg/day
Day 3 (48-72 hours)
80mls/kg/day
Day 4 (72-96 hours)
100mls/kg/day
Day 5 (96-120 hours)
120mls/kg/day
Day 6 (120-144 hours)
150mls/kg/day
Working it out
Example 1
Baby’s current weight: 3500 grams and is 6 days old.
This baby feeds regularly every 3 hours
3500 x 150 divided by 8 = 65
Therefore, in this example, this baby would need 65mls each feed every three hours.
(Eight is for the number of feeds a baby having 3hourly feeds would require in 24 hours. A baby having four hourly feeds would have six feeds in 24 hours, a baby having 2 hourly feeds would have 12 feeds in 24 hours)
Example 2
Baby’s current weight: 4000grams feeding every four hours and 2 weeks old.
4000 x 150 divided by 6 = 100
Therefore, in this example this baby would require 100mls per feed every four hours.
Further information:
My book: Mother and Baby- Working in Harmony:
page 72 Baby language chart
page 75 Stomach size chart
page 54 Breastfeeding your baby.
Videos on my website- Breast attachment, Hand expressing, Using a Breast Pump