Benefits of Drinking Enough Milk Every Day
Breastfeeding is an extremely nutritious and convenient method, as breast milk is the best source of nutrition for children and is always available. Providing enough milk for your baby each day helps eliminate unfavorable issues such as:
- Preventing stunting and malnutrition: If a child receives too little milk, over time they are at risk of developing diseases such as rickets and malnutrition. Therefore, when a child receives enough milk, the vitamin D in the milk will effectively help prevent rickets and malnutrition.
- Avoiding illnesses caused by external agents: Not providing enough essential nutrients and vitamins weakens the child’s physical condition, making them more susceptible to illnesses caused by external factors.
- Developing the child’s intelligence, cognitive abilities, and learning potential: Providing too little milk can also cause a child’s intellectual and cognitive development to lag behind their peers.
Therefore, the amount of milk a baby drinks each day needs to be sufficient to ensure their overall physical and intellectual development.
How to Calculate Formula Milk for Newborns Based on Weight
- Daily milk intake: Milk amount (ml) = weight (kg) x 150 ml. For example, if the baby weighs 6kg, then: 6 kg x 150 = 900 ml of milk/day.
- Milk amount per feeding: 2/3 x baby’s weight (kg) x 30 ml. For example, if the baby weighs 6kg, then: 2/3 x 6 kg x 30 = 120 ml of milk/feeding.
Standard Milk Intake Chart for Babies by Month
Milk Intake for Newborns by Day of Age
In the first few days, a baby’s stomach is small but grows rapidly. Mothers should pay attention to feeding their babies on schedule, every 2 hours for breastfed babies and every 3 hours for formula-fed babies.
In reality, there’s no specific number to determine the exact amount of milk for a baby, as each baby has their own developmental standards. Mothers need to understand the signs of fullness to adjust the milk intake according to the baby’s needs. If the baby cries for more, you can feed them more. If they spit up, you should reduce the amount.
Below is a milk intake chart for the first 7 days of a newborn’s life that mothers can refer to:
| Baby’s Age (Days) | Milk Amount per Feeding (ml) | Feedings per Day |
| Day 1, 2 | 5 – 7 ml | 8 – 12 feedings |
| Day 3, 4 | 22 – 27 ml | 8 – 12 feedings |
| Day 5, 6 | 30 ml | 8 – 12 feedings |
| Day 7 | 35 ml | 8 – 12 feedings |
| 2 – 3 weeks old | 35 – 60 ml | 6 – 8 feedings |
Milk Intake for Newborns by Month (Standard Milk Intake Chart from 1-12 Months)
After 3-4 weeks, the baby gradually adapts to the surrounding environment, their body develops quickly, and their stomach grows larger. At this point, the baby’s stomach has stabilized, can absorb well and hold more milk, and their body needs more nutrients, so mothers need to increase the amount of milk according to the following reference chart:
| Month | Milk Amount per Feeding (ml) | Feedings per Day |
| Month 1 | 60 – 70 ml | 6 – 8 feedings |
| Month 2 | 60 – 90 ml | 5 – 7 feedings |
| Month 3 | 60 – 120 ml | 5 – 6 feedings |
| Month 4 | 90 – 120 ml | 5 – 6 feedings |
| Month 5 | 90 – 120 ml | 5 – 6 feedings |
| Month 6 | 120 – 180 ml | 5 feedings |
| Month 7 | 160 – 220 ml | 3 – 4 feedings |
| Month 8 | 160 – 240 ml | 3 – 4 feedings |
| Month 9 | 240 ml | 3 – 4 feedings |
| Month 10 | 240 ml | 3 – 4 feedings |
| Month 11 | 240 ml | 3 feedings |
| Month 12 | 240 ml | 3 feedings |
Standard Milk Intake Chart for Babies by Weight
Below is a reference chart for infant milk intake by weight and feeding frequency based on weight:
| Weight (kg) | Milk Amount per Feeding (ml) | Feeding Frequency | Feedings per Day |
| 4.35 | ~87 | On demand | On demand |
| 5.35 | ~107 | Every 2-3 hours | On demand |
| 6.1 | ~122 | Every 2-3 hours | 8-10 |
| 6.7 | ~134 | Every 2-3 hours | 6-10 |
| 7.2 | ~144 | Every 2-3 hours | 6-10 |
| 7.6 | ~152 | Every 3 hours | 6-9 |
| 7.95 | ~159 | Every 3-4 hours | 5-8 |
| 8.25 | ~165 | Every 3-4 hours | 5-8 |
| 8.55 | ~171 | Every 3-4 hours | 5-8 |
| 8.85 | ~177 | Every 3-4 hours | 4-6 |
| 9.05 | ~181 | Every 3-4 hours | 4-6 |
| 9.25 | ~185 | Every 3-4 hours | 4-6 |
Frequently Asked Questions about Milk Intake for Newborns
1. Is the daily formula intake different from breast milk intake?
The answer is yes. The amount of milk a baby drinks each day will differ depending on whether they are breastfed or formula-fed. Specifically, babies tend to drink more formula than breast milk because bottle-fed milk has a more consistent flow and dosage, so they drink more.
2. How do I know if my newborn is drinking enough milk?
The first sign that a baby is getting enough milk is their bowel movements. Babies typically urinate 6-8 times a day; their urine is light yellow, odorless, and they have bowel movements 2-3 times a day.
Besides that, when they are full, they will release the nipple on their own without fussing or crying. Babies who receive enough milk per feeding will also achieve standard weight and height; they will also have pink, healthy skin and be more cheerful.
3. Signs that a baby is not getting enough milk
There are many signs that help mothers easily recognize if their baby isn’t getting enough milk. Here are the most common signs:
- Slow weight gain: Slow weight gain is a common sign if a baby isn’t getting enough milk. In the first week of life, if the baby shows signs of weight loss, this is completely normal as it could just be psychological weight loss.
- Too few wet diapers: Typically, a newborn will need an average of 6 diaper changes per day. However, if the baby wets fewer than that, it could also be because they aren’t getting enough milk.
- Feeding times are too short or too long: On average, each feeding will last 10-20 minutes. If the baby feeds for less or longer than this time, it could be due to a lack of milk. Therefore, if the baby breastfeeds for less than 10 minutes, they may not be getting enough milk.
- Other signs: In addition, other signs also indicate that the baby is experiencing a lack of milk, such as licking their lips, sticking out their tongue, sucking their fingers, turning their head from side to side as if searching for something, and fussing or crying.
4. Signs that a baby wants to feed
- Sticking out their tongue, licking their lips.
- Sucking on their fingers, hands, or toys.
- Searching for the mother’s nipple, pulling on the mother’s shirt.
- Fidgeting, crying.
Hopefully, the information shared in this article has answered some of your questions about how to easily and accurately calculate milk intake for newborns. If you have any questions or need to purchase products, please call our hotline at 1900.866.874 (8:00 – 21:30) or visit our website avakids.com for support, guidance, and advice!