The New Parents’ Formula Feeding Chart For The First Six Months

Confession time – I’m on my second infant and I’m still not sure how much formula I should be giving my child. There is no shortage of information on this subject, the problem is – infant feeding guides are really confusing. I see now why I never quite tried to figure it out. Since I am no longer a sleep-deprived new mom, I was able to look at all of the information and formulate an easy chart for you to refer to.

Let me preface the chart by saying that brand new babies usually want to eat every few hours. With newborns, you should start with 1.5 to 2 ounces at each feeding for about the first week, then you can work up to 2 to 3 ounces every three to four hours.

After that, there is a simple equation you can follow as a guide, based on how much your baby weighs and how often he eats. The basic rule of thumb is 2.5 ounces of formula per pound your baby weighs in a 24 hour period. So, if your baby weighs 10 pounds, you’ll be aiming for 25 oz of formula in 24 hours. So here is a little equation to figure out what that amounts to per bottle:

weight in pounds x 2.5 ÷ # times your child eats a day = ounces per bottle

formula-feeding-chart

I put the numbers into a chart for easy reference. I rounded up and down to make it easier, as I don’t think anyone really wants to figure out where 3.3276 ounces is on a bottle.

Once you start introducing solids, you may find your child wants less formula. Also, by that time you will have a better idea of how much your child eats and how often he’s hungry. The chart is just a simple guide for new moms who are as confused as I was.

After six months when you start introducing solids, you can refer to this guide to see what foods are okay at what stages. This is the point where you stop worrying about whether he’s getting enough formula and start worrying about him choking on everything he eats. Welcome to parenthood!

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