Baby formula amounts.

Not medical advice. This tool gives general feeding information, not medical advice. Babies differ. Follow your baby’s hunger and fullness cues and ask your doctor, nurse or public health nurse before changing how you feed your baby, and call them right away if your baby feeds poorly, vomits often, has fewer wet diapers than usual or seems unwell.

Worked example

An 8 lb baby fed 8 times a day: 8 lb x 2.5 oz = 20 oz (about 591 mL) a day, or 2.5 oz (about 74 mL) per bottle. A 16 lb baby would work out to 40 oz, which is over the 32 oz ceiling, so the calculator shows 32 oz and says it was capped.

How it works

The American Academy of Pediatrics says a formula-fed baby should take in about 2.5 fl oz (75 mL) of formula per pound of body weight per day, and on average no more than about 32 fl oz (960 mL) in 24 hours. The calculator multiplies your baby’s weight in pounds by 2.5, caps the result at 32 oz, then divides by the number of feeds you enter. Kilograms are converted at 2.2046 lb per kg and ounces to mL at 29.57.

If you enter an age, it also shows the AAP reference amounts: 1 to 2 oz (30 to 60 mL) per feed in the first week, 3 to 4 oz (90 to 120 mL) per feed by about one month, and 6 to 8 oz (180 to 240 mL) at 4 or 5 feedings a day by 6 months. The result is a guide, not a target; many babies take a little more or less and growth is checked by a health professional.

Sources and basis: American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, Amount and Schedule of Formula Feedings (page last updated 2022-05-16; checked 2026-10-05). The 2.5 oz per pound rule, 32 oz ceiling and the per-feed reference amounts are taken from that page. Canadian parents can compare with Health Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society’s Caring for Kids guidance and their public health nurse.

FAQ

How much formula should a baby drink per day?

The AAP gives about 2.5 oz (75 mL) of formula per pound of body weight per day, up to an average of about 32 oz (960 mL) a day. An 8 lb baby works out to about 20 oz a day.

How many ounces of formula per feed?

Divide the daily amount by the number of feeds. The AAP reference is 1 to 2 oz per feed in week one, 3 to 4 oz by about a month and 6 to 8 oz at 4 or 5 feeds a day by six months.

Why does the calculator cap at 32 oz?

The AAP advises that babies drink no more than an average of about 32 oz of formula in 24 hours. Heavier babies who are also eating solids usually need less formula than the weight rule suggests.

Does this work for newborns?

Newborns in the first days feed small amounts often and should be fed on hunger cues, so treat the figure as a rough guide only and follow your care team’s advice.

Does it work for breastfed or mixed-fed babies?

No. The rule is for babies fed formula only. Breast milk intake is not measured the same way.