Feeding by age · Week 1
How much should a 1-week-old eat?
Last reviewed November 2026 against AAP, CDC, NHS and WHO guidance · Sources
Quick answer
Most 1-week-olds take about 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) of formula or expressed breast milk per feed, 8–12 times in 24 hours, for roughly 8–20 oz (240–600 ml) a day. Breastfed babies usually nurse 8–12 times a day. Days 1 and 2 start smaller, around ½ oz (15 ml) per feed. Follow your baby's cues.
- Per feed
- 1–2 oz (30–60 ml)
- Feeds / 24h
- 8–12
- Daily formula
- 8–20 oz (240–600 ml)
On this page
How much should a 1-week-old eat?
| Formula | Breast milk | |
|---|---|---|
| Per feed | 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) | 0.5–2 oz (15–60 ml) per bottle of expressed milk; at the breast, your baby leads |
| Feeds in 24 hours | 8–12 | 8–12 breastfeeds |
| Daily total | 8–20 oz (240–600 ml) | Rises fast: HSE lists 0–123 ml on day 1 and 98–775 ml by day 3 |
| Typical gap | Every 2–3 hours | Every 1–3 hours |
What's happening at 1 week?
The first week is all about small, frequent feeds. The AAP notes that formula-fed babies often take about ½ oz (15 ml) per feed on days 1 and 2, then 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) once they get going. Ireland's HSE says most full-term babies take no more than 5–60 ml at a feed this week.
If you're breastfeeding, colostrum comes first, in teaspoons rather than ounces. Your milk usually comes in between day 2 and day 5, and feeds often get longer and more relaxed after that.
Losing some weight this week is expected. The AAP says a well-fed newborn loses no more than about 8–10% of birth weight in the first few days before gaining again. Your baby's first checkup should be within 48 hours of leaving the hospital.
Sample 1-week-old feeding schedule
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 12:00 am | Milk feed: 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) bottle, or a breastfeed |
| 2:30 am | Milk feed: 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) bottle, or a breastfeed |
| 5:00 am | Milk feed: 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) bottle, or a breastfeed |
| 7:00 am | Milk feed: 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) bottle, or a breastfeed |
| 9:30 am | Milk feed: 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) bottle, or a breastfeed |
| 12:00 pm | Milk feed: 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) bottle, or a breastfeed |
| 2:30 pm | Milk feed: 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) bottle, or a breastfeed |
| 5:00 pm | Milk feed: 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) bottle, or a breastfeed |
| 7:00 pm | Milk feed: 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) bottle, or a breastfeed |
| 9:30 pm | Milk feed: 1–2 oz (30–60 ml) bottle, or a breastfeed |
Newborns don't keep to a clock. Expect bunches of feeds and the odd longer sleep. In the first few weeks, the AAP suggests waking a baby who sleeps longer than 4–5 hours and offering a feed. Responsive feeding (offering milk when your baby shows hunger cues) matters more than the clock.
What are hunger and fullness cues at 1 week?
Hungry
- Stirring, stretching and turning the head to root
- Hands to mouth, sucking on fists or fingers
- Licking lips, tongue out, mouth opening
- Crying is a late cue: calm your baby first, then feed
Full
- Sucking slows and swallows space out
- Hands unclench and arms go loose
- Lets go of the nipple or turns away
- Falls asleep looking content (the milk-drunk face)
What changes next week?
In week 2 most bottle-fed babies take a little more per feed (around 2–3 oz, 60–90 ml), milk supply settles, and by about two weeks many babies are back to birth weight.
Read next: How much should a 2-week-old eat?
When to call your pediatrician
- A rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby 3 months or younger. The AAP says to call right away, even if your baby seems otherwise well.
- Fewer wet diapers than expected for their age (fewer than 6 a day from about day 5), or dark yellow urine.
- Very sleepy and hard to wake for feeds, floppy, or unusually quiet.
- Refusing feeds, or feeding poorly several times in a row.
- Signs of dehydration: dry mouth, no tears, or a sunken soft spot on the head.
- Forceful or green vomiting, or vomiting after most feeds.
- Red, black (after the first meconium poops) or white/pale gray poop.
- Yellow skin or eyes that spread or deepen, or any yellow color in the first 24 hours.
- Trouble breathing, blue or gray lips, or your baby is limp or very hard to wake: call 911 (or your local emergency number) now.
If something feels wrong, trust that feeling and call. You never need a reason beyond worry.
Questions parents ask
How much should a newborn eat on day 1?
Very little. Colostrum feeds are often a few drops to about a teaspoon (5 ml) on day 1, and formula-fed babies often take about ½ oz (15 ml) per feed for the first day or two. Frequent feeds matter more than big ones.
Should I wake my 1-week-old to feed?
Often, yes. In the first few weeks the AAP suggests waking a baby who sleeps longer than 4 to 5 hours and offering a feed. Your pediatrician may advise more often if there's jaundice or slow weight gain.
Is it normal for my 1-week-old to want to eat every hour?
Yes, for stretches of the day, especially while milk is coming in. The CDC says newborns may want to eat as often as every 1 to 3 hours. Diapers and weight checks tell you the feeds are working.
How do I know my 1-week-old is getting enough milk?
Look at diapers and growth more than ounces. Six or more wet diapers a day, regular poops, a baby who seems content after most feeds, and steady weight gain at checkups are the signs the AAP points to. If any of these slip, call your pediatrician.
Related guides
- Baby feeding chart by age: ounces and mlA baby feeding chart from week 1 to 12 months: ounces and ml per feed, feeds per day and daily totals for formula and breast milk, with sources.
- How to tell if your baby is getting enough breast milkSigns a breastfed baby is getting enough: wet and dirty diapers by day, weight gain, swallowing and contentment after feeds, plus the warning signs to act on.
- Cluster feeding: what's normal and how to get through itCluster feeding is feeds bunched together, often in the evening. When it happens, how long it lasts, how to tell it from low supply, and how to cope.
- How many wet diapers should a newborn have?Newborn wet and dirty diapers by day, from day 1 to week 2: how many to expect, poop color changes, and when fewer diapers mean it's time to call.
- Newborn feeding schedule: what a day really looks likeSample newborn feeding schedules for breastfed, formula-fed and combo-fed babies, from the first week to 3 months, with feeds per day and gaps between feeds.
- Formula vs breast milk amounts: why the numbers differWhy breastfed babies take smaller bottles than formula-fed babies: daily totals by age, the 25 oz (750 ml) breast milk guide, and combo-feeding bottle sizes.
Free tools
Sources
Last reviewed November 2026. Numbers are ranges from these public health sources; 1 oz ≈ 30 ml.
- AAP · HealthyChildren.org: How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat?
- AAP · HealthyChildren.org: Amount and Schedule of Formula Feedings
- AAP · HealthyChildren.org: How to Tell if Your Breastfed Baby is Getting Enough Milk
- AAP · HealthyChildren.org: Colostrum: Your Baby's First Meal
- HSE (Ireland's public health service): How much breast milk to express
- CDC: How Much and How Often to Breastfeed
- CDC: How Much and How Often to Feed Infant Formula
- AAP · HealthyChildren.org: Fever and Your Baby
Feedoo Baby shares general information, not medical advice. Every baby is different. If you're worried about feeding, weight gain, diapers or your baby's health, call your pediatrician, midwife or health visitor.