How much should a small baby eat per feed. How much should a newborn baby eat. How to understand that a newborn is full

How much should a small baby eat per feed. How much should a newborn baby eat. How to understand that a newborn is full
How much should a small baby eat per feed. How much should a newborn baby eat. How to understand that a newborn is full
07.05.2022

Hi friends! With you Lena Zhabinskaya! Good nutrition is the key to health and longevity. And if it comes to a newborn, then this is also a guarantee of strong immunity and timely development. That's just how to find a middle ground in matters of eating babies and not overfeed, but also not leave them hungry?

In view of the fact that these thoughts appear in all young mothers, without exception, today we will talk about how much a newborn eats in one feeding. Get comfortable, we're about to start.

Immediately after the birth of the baby in the mother's breast there is only colostrum. A fatty, nutritious, clear liquid that is considered incredibly healthy. It is applied to the chest, and he begins to eat. How much should he eat at the first feeding? It seems to mom that the more the better, but in fact - about 7 - 9 ml. Simply because on the first day of life, the volume of his ventricle does not exceed 10 ml.

The situation is aggravated by the inexperience of the crumbs. His sucking reflex is not yet developed as well as we would like, as a result, he will be saturated for a long time. But in view of the fact that he will be fed at least 10-12 times a day, he will eat about 100 ml of colostrum and will be satisfied.

The main thing is not to worry about trifles, as stress worsens lactation, and monitor the correctness of breast capture by the baby.

Every day, the amount of colostrum, and from the fourth day of milk, will grow in proportion to the volume of the newborn's ventricle.

The norm of milk for a newborn for one feeding and per day:

  • on the second day of life, the baby is about 20 ml at a time, the daily dose is up to 200 - 240 ml;
  • on the third - about 30 ml with a daily dose of 300 - 340 ml;
  • on the fourth - about 40 ml with a daily dose of 400 - 440 ml and so on.

By the tenth day, the process of increasing lactation will be established, thereby adjusting the appetite of the crumbs. Hence the existing formula for the nutritional norm of newborns in the first 10 days. According to her, his age (how many days old) is multiplied by 10 ml, which is a one-time nutritional allowance at one stage or another of his development. But this is ideal.

How to determine how much milk a newborn has eaten

In practice, you can accurately determine how much a newborn baby drinks breast milk at a time using scales. He is placed on them before and after feeding, and the difference in the results is considered the volume of milk he drank.

Doctors recommend doing such procedures several times a week. And not only in the first days after the birth of a child, but also in the first months, in order to understand in time that the mother does not have enough milk and the baby has to starve.

Thus, it is possible to understand whether the baby is eating up and sucking out its norm, especially when it comes to feeding by the hour, and not on demand. After all, it is undesirable to force-feed children, and to take them from the breast ahead of time too.

Is there a middle ground here? Yes, it turns out that the process of active breast sucking, on average, stretches for 10 to 30 minutes. For some, it even reaches 40 minutes, but the last 5-10 most often take children to establish psychological comfort. They are so calm.

For example:

  • diet. You need to feed the crumbs at least 8 times a day;
  • feeding frequency. The volume of the tummy in all babies is the same immediately after birth. Therefore, with the first volume of the mixture, everything is clear. However, if the baby eats less often, the rate should be increased;
  • don't overfeed. It is easier to suck from the nipple, so the feeling of fullness comes earlier.

There are many formulas for artificial babies of different ages (depending on the number of days or weeks that have passed since their birth). But doctors do not recommend complicating everything, especially when there is a special table of nutritional norms for such children up to a year old. Everything is simple there:

How to use it? Very easy. For example, the initial data: age - 2 months, weight - 4800 kg. In order to understand how much food a newborn needs per day, it is enough to divide 4800 by 6. It turns out 800 ml. Next, you should divide these 800 ml by the number of feedings (here you need to look at the baby, but on average it is 6-8). Total, 100 - 130 ml, depending on the frequency of meals.

Features of feeding artificial animals.


How to understand that the baby is full

Experienced mothers rarely pay special attention to various tables. Of course, they look at them, analyze them, perhaps even compare something, but they never blindly follow them.

Simply because the data is idealized there, and each child is an individual. In addition, they feel their children and can determine by their behavior whether they are full or full. How? Thanks for the helpful hints.

Signs that a newborn is getting enough milk:

  1. he is not naughty and does not cry constantly;
  2. during feeding behaves calmly, sucks the breast and swallows;
  3. there is no such thing that the child sucks, but does not swallow, cries while at the breast;
  4. after feeding it is noticeably more cheerful, more peaceful, usually falls asleep immediately;
  5. you feel that the chest is empty after the little one eats;
  6. from time to time excess milk;
  7. the diaper becomes wet 15-20 times a day;
  8. noticeable weight gain every day.

At the same time, do not forget about situations where excessive observation does not hurt. You need to check the formulas and feed under the close supervision of doctors:

  1. in the first days of a baby's life;
  2. with the first child. Inexperience affects, so once again making sure that the mixture is enough does not hurt;
  3. if the newborn has problems, including prematurity.

Signs of overeating in children

Along with malnutrition, overeating is also undesirable. In the case of newborns, this is not only overweight, but also digestive problems that lead to increased gas formation and constant whims.

The fact that the child overeats is evidenced, in particular, by excessive weight gain, increased gas formation, colic, and excessive capriciousness of the crumbs.

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Lyudmila Sergeevna Sokolova

Reading time: 6 minutes

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Article last updated: 04/29/2019

Since the modern approach to breastfeeding has changed dramatically recently, modern experts in their advice are based not only on the only criterion for underweight newborns. If it seems to the mother that the baby is malnourished, then there is no need to rush to include artificial mixtures in the diet, first you need to reconsider how well the breastfeeding process is organized, and be sure to take into account the following.

Different food needs in children

How much a child eats is influenced by many indicators:
  1. weight at the time of birth;
  2. well-being and condition of the body;
  3. Times of Day;
  4. individual needs.

If a mother gives a baby a breast, then the modern feeding technique is based solely on instinct, that is, he himself will eat as much as his norm. And milk from a nursing mother after birth and the right approach to organizing the process begins to be produced in the volume necessary for the cub, with a tendency to increase it.

The dynamics of appetite growth only in the first month has four changes:

  1. In the first three to four days, it is enough to eat up to 300 g in 24 hours, approximately 30-40 g at a time on average.
  2. By the end of the first week, up to 400 g is already needed; the average single serving is 70 grams.
  3. For the next couple of weeks, the need for food is 20% of body weight, on average once 80 g.
  4. Until the end of the month, the baby should eat daily up to 600 g, up to 110 g at a time.

These figures are given according to one of the calculation methods and are only indicative, in each case there will be its own table and its required amount of mixture, milk.
If you need a combined or unnatural diet for babies up to a year, there are various methods of counting to determine the optimal amount of food.

How much should a baby eat with artificial feeding

As a rule, experts do not recommend trusting the information on the volume of use on the packages of mixtures, since they allow the presence of commercial interest at the expense of proper nutrition of children.
For artificial feeding, of course, the question of how much a newborn should eat is of paramount importance.
Consider ways to independently correctly calculate the amount .

Counting a single portion

You can find out what the norm is in several ways:

  1. Multiply the number of days corresponding to the age of the baby by ten and get the number of milliliters for a single dose. For example, a 3-day-old child needs to eat 30 g;
  2. Divide the baby's body weight in grams by the height in centimeters. For example, a calf with a mass of 3500 grams and a height of 56 cm can be satisfied with 60 grams.
  3. Divide one-fifth of the body weight of a 14-day-old or older infant by 8.

Calculation of the daily norm of the mixture

  1. For a baby weighing less than 3200 grams, we multiply the number corresponding to how many days the child is aged by 70. And for a baby larger than 3200, we multiply the same figure by 80 (Finkelstein's formula).
  2. By the age of two months, the newborn already has a need for 800 ml. daily, with each subsequent month, he will eat 50 ml. more, that is, at 9 months in 24 hours, the amount eaten is approximately 1160 ml.
  3. There may be a correction according to the personal needs of the cub. For example, two different crumbs can eat different amounts, but feel equally great, develop well and gain weight. This is the most important thing for determining satiety. The main guide should be in the behavior and sensations of the baby during the process of eating and after. Weight gain on average weekly at least 150-200 g.
  4. Upon reaching 14 days of age, the calculation is as follows. We divide the body weight of the newborn by five, and we get the daily required dose.

How much should a baby eat a mixture with a mixed diet

Breastfeeding professionals are sure that the baby will not get more mother's milk than it should be in the body, but overfeeding with a mixture is quite likely to be quite dangerous for fragile digestive organs. In order not to damage fragile health, you should seriously consider the calculation of the dose of supplementary feeding when organizing combined feeding.
For the most accurate definition of the problem of malnutrition, in order to make an informed decision on the introduction of a mixed diet, the following measurements and calculations should be done:

  • weigh the cub before and after eating, as described above, by calculating the difference, you will get the size of what was eaten. And by adding up the data on all meals, you will determine the volume for 24 hours;
  • for a newborn up to 10 days old, multiply 2% of his weight by the exact number of days corresponding to age. For crumbs from 10 days to two months, we count one fifth of the weight.

By comparing these two indicators, you can determine whether your child needs supplementary feeding and, if so, how much. It is necessary to divide them into daytime feedings, and at night give only breast milk. If the difference is more than 50%, then the child needs artificial nutrition.

While in the maternity hospital, nurses and doctors are constant assistants to a young mother, giving advice on proper feeding and caring for a newborn baby. Going beyond the maternity hospital, most, even experienced women, face problems with the correct distribution of breast milk during attachment to the breast so that the baby does not suffer from a lack or excess of food.

Medical specialists calculated and deduced the optimal amount of food eaten by the child for months, as well as the required frequency of breastfeeding. One of the main indicators of proper feeding are. These indicators are informed during scheduled medical examinations or patronage.

Feeding up to 1 month

After the baby is born, the nurse or midwife should bring it to the mother's breast for the first application. There is no breast milk during this period, but the colostrum produced provides the newborn with essential nutrients.

On the 2nd day after birth, the baby begins to show signs of hunger every 3 hours. Each attachment to the breast in terms of the amount of food eaten is from 10 to 20 ml. A baby can eat up to 100 ml per day.

On the 3rd day after childbirth, a nursing woman significantly increases the production of breast milk. By this time, the child fully masters the technique of breast sucking, and the amount of food eaten increases. On average, a baby can eat from 120 to 180 ml per day, or about 30 ml at a time.

By the end of the first week after birth, the baby can eat from 50 to 70 ml per breastfeed. The daily volume in this case is up to 400 ml. For 2 weeks per day, the baby consumes up to 500 ml of milk.

When the baby is one month old, the normal indicators are the frequency of applications from 6 to 8 per day, and the amount of breast milk eaten is 90-100 per application to the breast.

Of course, these statistics are generalized, and the indicators can be individual for each newborn.

Nutrition for 1-2 months

At birth with a normal body weight, a full-term baby should eat about 700 ml of breast milk daily, or about 120 ml of breast milk per feeding.

Nutrition for 2-4 months

At this age, the baby should eat about 150 ml for one attachment to the breast. The frequency of application should not exceed 7 times a day, otherwise the baby may face the problem of overeating.

Nutrition for 4-6 months

At this age, food intake equal to 1/6 of the baby's body weight is considered normal. In milliliters, this is defined as 180-210 ml at a time. If the behavior of the child indicates a lack of milk, then the mother is recommended to give the baby freshly squeezed apple juice or drinking water. From six months it is necessary, the composition and amount of which is calculated by the pediatrician.

Nutrition for 6-12 months

From 6 months to the first year of life, the baby should eat daily from 170 to 250 ml of milk or formula once. In this period, 1 or 2 feedings are replaced by complementary foods (cereals, purees, juices).

If the child is on artificial nutrition, then the required amount of the finished mixture can be found on the package of baby food. Formula manufacturers indicate in detail the volume of dry mixture and liquid needed to prepare ready-made meals, as well as the rate of its consumption for children of different ages.

How to determine nutritional adequacy

Knowing the required amount of food consumed according to age, each woman can use the methods of determining nutritional adequacy. To determine the recommended use of the following tips:

  • Pumping before feeding. The accuracy of this method remains in doubt, but it can be used to find out the approximate amount of breast milk eaten. It is recommended to express carefully and thoroughly, immediately before feeding. Even the right approach cannot ensure complete emptying of the mammary glands. With normal attachment to the breast, the baby eats 15-20 ml more than the expressed volume. This is important to take into account when making calculations.
  • Use of household scales. To determine the amount of food eaten, it is necessary to weigh the baby before feeding, and immediately after feeding. The difference in weight will be equal to the amount of food eaten. Before weighing, the child must be completely undressed and free from diapers and diapers, which can give extra weight.
  • The behavior of the crumbs can tell a lot. If the newborn is calm, occasionally crying, not naughty, benevolent, gaining weight according to age and norm, then we can say with confidence that he is getting enough food.


How to solve the problem of malnutrition

If for some reason the newborn does not receive the proper amount of food, then his behavior speaks for itself. When malnourished, children become capricious, whiny and irritable. In addition, poor weight gain is a strong indicator of malnutrition.

You can solve it with these tips:

  • Increased frequency of breastfeeding. This method is very effective, and allows you to solve the problem of malnutrition in a matter of days. Increasing the frequency of feeding stimulates the production of milk, thereby providing the child with the necessary volume.
  • The minimum duration of feeding should be at least 20-25 minutes. Artificial shortening of the duration often lead to malnutrition.
  • Increasing the amount of fluid you drink. We are talking about a lactating woman who must consume at least 2 liters of fluid daily to ensure normal lactation.
  • A nursing woman is not recommended to artificially increase the fat content of breast milk through the use of fatty foods. These actions will not contribute to the speedy saturation of the baby in the process of feeding.
  • Only a pediatrician can determine the required amount of food, taking into account the individual characteristics of the child.


The first time a baby is breastfed in the hospital, he will receive very little - just a few precious drops of colostrum. This is due to the fact that the child does not yet know how to breastfeed, he quickly gets tired, in addition, colostrum is very concentrated. It is enough to meet the nutritional needs. The volume of his stomach is only 7 ml.
Further, the child begins to apply to the breast more often and longer. The increase in the amount of milk eaten (from colostrum to transitional milk, then to mature milk) is quite fast.

For the first day, the baby will drink only 10 ml of colostrum per application. On the second day, the volume of daily colostrum will increase to 90 ml (10-30 ml at a time). Milk comes on the third day, now the child can eat up to 190 ml of milk per day (30 ml per feeding). On the fourth day, the total amount of milk eaten will increase to 300 ml (40 ml per feeding). On the fifth day, the newborn will eat 350 ml of milk (50 ml at a time).

On the sixth day, the baby will cope with 400 ml of mother's milk or mixture (60 ml at a time). On the seventh day, the volume of each application will be 70 ml, and on the eighth - 80 ml. On the ninth and tenth days at a time, the child will suck out 80-90 ml of breast milk or formula from a bottle.

By one month, the volume of the baby's stomach will increase to 100 ml.

How to calculate the feeding norms for a child up to 10 days

All calculations for determining the volume of the required amount of nutrition for the baby can be divided into two: the calculation for the first ten days of life (), and the second calculation for the baby from ten days of life to one year.

The formula for determining the volume of nutrition of a child in the first 10 days of his life:
N (number of days of life) x 10 \u003d one-time amount of food for the child.

Daily amount of food in the first 10 days of life:
If a child was born weighing up to 3200 grams, then the formula is: age in days (N) x 70.
Example: a child of 5 days old with a weight of 2800 grams should receive per day: 5 x 70 = 350 ml of milk.

If a child was born with a weight of 3200 grams, then the formula is: age in days (N) x 80.
Example: a child of 5 days old with a weight of 3800 grams should receive per day: 5 x 80 = 400 ml of milk.

How to calculate feeding rates for a child from 10 days to 1 year

The formula for determining the daily amount of food for a child from the first 10 days of his life to 1 year:
From 10 days to 6 weeks - 1/5 of body weight;
From 6 weeks to 4 months - 1/6 of body weight;
From 4 months to 6 months - 1/7 of body weight;
From 6 months to 8 months - 1/8 of body weight;
From 8 months to 12 months - 1/9 of body weight.

Example: child (4 weeks), weight 4000 gr. The calculation of the daily volume of milk for him is as follows: 4000/5 = 800 ml.
Remember that up to one year old child, the daily food intake should not exceed 1200 ml per day.

How to tell if a baby is getting enough milk

On breastfeeding, a weekly weight gain of 150 - 200 grams is considered normal, if less than 100 grams, then you should worry and take action. Babies eat up to 12 times a day, in order to control the amount of milk eaten by a child at one time, use baby scales: weigh in the same clothes with a diaper before and after one feeding. Write down the difference, show the pediatrician at the reception.

There is also a way to monitor urination: after the first three days of life, there should be at least 5-6 wet diapers per day. Watch the behavior of the baby, if he is restless, sleeps poorly, and looks for breasts with his mouth - conclude that the child is malnourished. A well-fed and satisfied child will be cheerful, cheerful, sleep well and for a long time, not show anxiety for no apparent reason.

Hello dear parents! All mothers are concerned about the main question - is there enough food for a newborn baby? At the same time, it is important to know exactly how much mixture a newborn should eat at a time and per day, so as not to remain hungry. We will deal with these calculations today.

The amount of milk for a newborn at a time and per day depends on:

  • Type of feeding;
  • The child's condition at birth (health, weight, height);
  • The individual characteristics of the child;
  • Time of day;
  • age.

So, babies who are breastfed and formula-fed eat a different number of times a day, which means they eat different amounts of milk at a time. How many times to feed the baby? It is recommended to feed an artificial child about 8 times a day, since the interval between feedings should be at least 3 hours. This is done so that the mixture has time to be digested, and this takes more time than for the digestion of breast milk.

A baby on breastfeeding is fed on demand, that is, as many times as he wants, and this is about 12 times a day. Therefore, how many grams are eaten per feeding depends on what you feed your baby.

With each week, and then the month, the need for food increases. Starting from 3 months, a nursing mother produces the amount of milk that meets the needs of her baby. Milk is produced as much as the baby is used to eating at a time and per day:

2. Artificial feeding

If the mother was unable to establish lactation in the first month, there may be little or no breast milk. At the moment, there is a large selection of artificial mixtures for newborns, the composition of which is as close as possible to the composition of mother's milk. It is up to the pediatrician to decide which mixture to choose. Having picked up the right mixture, you need to figure out the dosage.

How much time should a newborn eat? The duration of feeding varies, depending on the age of the child. In the early days, babies eat very little, gradually increasing the amount of milk and, accordingly, the duration of feeding. The main thing is that the baby eats the entire portion at a time. This ensures that the mixture does not spoil and the baby receives the portion that he is entitled to in one feeding, in its entirety.

The number of feedings decreases with the age of the baby, because from 5 months he will begin to receive complementary foods.

3. How much mixture should the baby eat at a time and per day

Feeding a child with an artificial mixture, you yourself determine how much he will eat it, so you need to correctly calculate the dosage. Each child is different, so the portion that is set by WHO or eaten by a neighbor's baby may not be suitable for yours. How to determine a single portion? If the pediatrician has not told you about this, you can calculate the dosage using known formulas.

The formulas take into account the weight and age of the child, so the result will be more accurate than the average in the table.

3.1. Formulas for calculating the daily portion of the mixture for newborns in the first 10 days of life

  • For babies with birth weight below normal, that is, less than 3200 g:

Daily value \u003d Age in days * 70

  • For babies weighing at birth over 3200 g:

Daily value \u003d Age in days * 80

3.2. Formula for calculating a single portion of the mixture for newborns of the first 10 days of life

One-time rate \u003d Age in days * 10

For example, a child is 7 days old, he was born with a weight of 4000 g, the calculation will be as follows:

  • Daily rate: 7*80 = 560 ml
  • Single rate: 7*10 = 70 ml

Or divide the daily allowance by the number of feedings per day, get how much the child should eat in one feeding.

3.3. Calculation of the daily norm of the mixture for children from 10 days to a year

  • Up to 6 weeks: Daily value = weight (g) / 5
  • 6 weeks - 4 months: Daily value = weight (g) / 6
  • 4-6 months: Daily Value = Weight (g) / 7
  • 6-8 months: Daily Value = Weight (g) / 8
  • 8-12 months: Daily value = weight (g) / 9

3.4. Calculation of a single norm of the mixture for children from 10 days to a year

Single rate \u003d daily rate / number of feedings per day

For example, if your child is 2.5 months old, weighs 4500 g, and you feed him 8 times a day, calculate as follows:

  • Daily rate: 4500 / 6 = 750 ml
  • Single rate: 750 / 8 = 93 ml:

All calculations are simple, you will quickly figure it out. Remember that having determined the daily and single dosage of the mixture for the baby initially, you can adjust them, depending on how much the baby adds per month. If the weight gain is stable, the dosage is correct. If your baby is underweight or overweight, check with your pediatrician to review the dosage or select a different formula.

Weight gain in children up to a year is described in the table:

Also find out how much mixture to give to a newborn. you can from this video:

Good luck with feeding your babies! Don't forget to subscribe to our updates. See you later!