Example feeding guide for formula fed babies⁴

*Approximate weight based on WHO 50th percentile weight for full term babies from birth to 12 months¹⁰.  

Our baby feeding chart is just a guide, giving you a rough idea of how much baby formula milk infants drink, including how many scoops of formula they need. If you’re concerned about your baby’s weight, or how much formula milk they’re getting, be sure to contact your healthcare provider. Always make sure that you follow the manufacturer's instructions and feeding guide for the correct amount and preparation of your baby’s feeds.

Read more about prepping your baby’s bottle. 

There’s no way to pinpoint exactly how often your newborn will need to be fed, or the exact amount of formula milk they’ll need. This is particularly true if you have a newborn baby who is feeding on demand.

Your newborn baby will likely want to feed every 2-3 hours. Because their tummy is still very tiny and unable to hold large amounts of baby formula milk, they’ll only require very small amounts– around 90ml of formula milk¹. As your baby grows, they’ll be able to hold more formula milk at each feed. Soon enough, you may find that they start to settle into a regular feeding pattern, but this won’t be the same for each baby.

Your baby might want to drink more of their usual milk more often if they⁵:

• Are going through a growth spurt.
• Feel unwell.
• Start teething. 

Additionally, you’ll be given specific feeding guidance from your healthcare provider if your baby was premature or had a low birth weight. If you’ve got any concerns at all about how your baby is feeding, always speak to your doctor or midwife for advice. 

Because newborn babies tend to feed little and often, healthcare professionals advise that you follow your baby’s hunger cues and feed them on demand as opposed to following a set baby feeding chart or schedule².

Feeding your baby more formula milk during a feed won’t mean that your baby will go for a longer period of time before their next feed, so don’t worry if your baby doesn’t finish all of the milk in the bottle and never force them to do so¹. This can result in your little one bringing their formula milk back up, and lead to overfeeding³. You could try the paced bottle-feeding technique, as this can help you to more effectively follow your baby’s lead and avoid overfeeding.

At around 6 months old, your little one will likely be ready to move to the next stage of their feeding journey and start trying solid foods⁶. But that doesn’t mean they’re ready to stop bottle-feeding. While your baby might need a little less baby formula less often as they start to eat more and more solid foods, formula milk will still be their main source of nutrients until around their first birthday. Continue to follow their lead when it comes to how often your infant should be fed but can expect your 12-month-old to be drinking around a pint of formula milk a day⁷.

When formula feeding your baby on demand, timing feeds can be tricky to work out, but as a general guide, tine your baby’s feed from the start of one until the start of the next.

It’s not unusual for your baby’s feeds to take up to an hour, especially in those early days and weeks when your little one is getting the hang of things. You’ll also be spending some of this time winding your baby and changing their nappy if they need it.

The important thing to remember is that feeding your baby (however, you choose to do it) is an opportunity for you to spend time together, be close, and bond. Rest assured that with a little help, your baby will become more efficient when it comes to feeding which will result in them feeding more quickly. 

This is a common question for new parents. The good news is that there are several ways you can tell if your baby is getting the amount of formula that they need. Perhaps the most obvious being your baby’s weight.

Your baby will be weighed very soon after they’re born, and then again in their first week of life. As long as your baby is healthy and gaining weight, they’ll then be weighed at 8, 12 and 16 weeks, and again at the end of their first year¹. If there are any concerns about your baby’s weight, or they’re not gaining weight as expected, your baby might be weighed more frequently. If you have any concerns at all about your baby’s weight gain, always speak to your doctor, midwife or health visitor for advice. 

Your baby’s nappies are also a good indicator that your baby is getting the right amount of formula milk. Keep an eye on the amount of wet and dirty nappies you’re required to change. On average, your baby should be producing around 6 wet nappies a day by the time they’re a few days old. They should feel heavy, and your little one’s urine should be pale or clear¹. 

In the first couple of days following your baby’s birth, they’ll pass a substance known as meconium, which is dark and quite sticky. In their first week, they’ll then start to have at least one poo a day (although again, remember that every baby is different), and these should be pale yellow or yellowish brown in colour¹ – welcome to the joys of parenthood! 

Our handy baby poo chart is a really useful tool to help you keep an eye on your baby’s toilet habits.  

There are a number of things to look out for if you’re worried about overfeeding your baby. For example⁸:

• Your baby being sick and bringing up lots of formula milk. 
• Crying due to discomfort – overfeeding may lead to your baby experiencing stomach pains.  
• Excessive weight gain – your baby’s body weight is generally a good indicator as to whether your baby is getting the right amount of formula milk.  
• Your baby has an upset tummy and displaying symptoms similar to those of colic or reflux. 

To avoid overfeeding your baby³:

• Never force them to finish all the formula milk in the bottle – always follow their lead and hunger cues.  
• Let your baby take regular breaks from feeding and take time to wind and burp them when they do.  
• Follow their lead and use the paced feeding technique to allow your baby to let you know when they’re full². 

However your baby is fed, they won’t usually waste any time in telling when they’re hungry! If you’re in any doubt, look out for your little one giving you some of these common hunger cues²:

• ‘Rooting’ for the teat of a bottle.
• Looking for something to suck - this may be their fingers and hands.
• Opening and closing their mouth. 
• Becoming restless and wriggly, and moving their eyes around. 
• Crying - a likely hunger cue if your baby hasn’t recently been fed.

It’s perfectly natural to worry about how often you’re feeding your baby and whether they’re getting enough formula milk, but once you get into a rhythm and become familiar with their feeding habits, you’ll both soon get the hang of it.

As your baby gets bigger, so does their appetite. Sometimes, your baby will be hungrier than usual, and if that’s the case, it might all be down to a growth spurt. A growth spurt can result in your baby needing more formula milk than they normally would for a period of time⁹. During their first year, your baby will have plenty of growth spurts, and they are in fact a good and reliable indicator that your baby is growing as they should.

Feeding your baby on demand can really help if your baby has a growth spurt and is hungrier than usual. Simply follow their lead, look out for those all-important hunger cues, and feed your baby as and when they want to be fed.