If you’re introducing a bottle to your breastfed baby, you might be wondering how much milk they should be taking per feed. Unlike formula-fed babies — whose intake gradually increases over time — breastfed babies tend to regulate their intake a bit differently.

The key thing to know? Breast milk and formula contain nearly the same number of calories per ounce—about 19–20 calories—so bottle amounts should be the same whether your baby is breastfed or formula-fed.

If your baby consistently takes too little per bottle, they may not meet their caloric needs during the day, which can lead to frequent night wakings. While we always recommend feeding a hungry baby, the goal is to meet their caloric needs during daytime hours to help support consistent nighttime sleep. At full feedings®, we often see this become possible by 8–12 weeks old.

Let’s break it all down so you can confidently bottle-feed your breastfed baby—ensuring they get full, satisfying feeds that naturally lead to more consistent nighttime sleep.

How Many Ounces Should a Breastfed Baby Take Per Bottle?

Most breastfed babies need full feeds every 2–3 hours, and bottle amounts will gradually increase as they grow. In the first few months, bottles typically range from 3–5 ounces, with most babies taking closer to 6–7 ounces per bottle by 4–6 months of age.

A full feeding® is a paced feed over 30 minutes (including burp time). This ensures your baby gets the calories they need without overfeeding.

As a general guideline:

✔️ Newborns start with smaller amounts (1.5–3 oz per feed)
✔️ By 2–4 months, most babies take 4–6 oz per bottle
✔️ By 4–6 months, bottle amounts range from 6–7 oz per feed
✔️ Older babies (6–9 months) may take 7–9 oz per feed

Important: If your baby is still feeding at night, they may take smaller amounts during the day. The goal is to meet their caloric needs during the day so they don’t need to wake at night to eat.

Why Bottle Amounts Should Be the Same for Breast Milk & Formula

A common misconception is that breastfed babies need less milk from a bottle than formula-fed babies. But because the calorie content is virtually the same, breastfed babies should take the same amounts per feed.

Key Takeaways:

✔️ Formula & breast milk both provide ~20 calories per ounce
✔️ Breastfed babies need full bottle feeds, just like formula-fed babies
✔️ Underfeeding breast milk in bottles can lead to unnecessary night wakings

How to Ensure Your Baby Is Getting Enough Milk

Instead of focusing only on ounces, watch for these signs that your baby is getting enough milk:

• Steady weight gain (about 5-7 oz per week for newborns)
• 6-8 wet diapers per day
• Content and satisfied after feeds (not rooting or fussing shortly after finishing)
• Naturally stopping night feeds by 8 – 12 weeks old. If baby is over the age of 12 weeks old and still needing nighttime feeds, this is a sign they aren’t being fully fed during the day.

If your baby is still fussy after feeds, it could mean:

✔️ They need a slightly higher bottle amount
✔️ They are overtired, which can mimic hunger cues
✔️ They need better burping during the feed

Pro Tips:

✔️ If your baby finishes their usual bottle quickly (even when using paced feeding), it’s often a sign they’re ready for a slight volume increase.
✔️ If feeds are taking too long, the nipple flow may be too slow, which can lead to frustration and even bottle aversion. We always recommend using an age-appropriate bottle nipple to prevent feeding issues:

• Level 2 around 2 months
• Level 3 around 5 months
• Level 4 around 8 months

How Full Feedings® Supports Bottle Feeding & Sleep

At full feedings®, we focus on ensuring babies get full, quality feeds every 2-3 hours so they can meet their caloric needs during the day — which naturally leads to longer, uninterrupted sleep at night.

Here’s how to support bottle feeding using The Full Feedings Method®:

• Encourage full feeds every 2-3 hours (no snacking!)
• Use age-appropriate nipple flow rates to prevent frustration or overfeeding
• Pace the feed over 30 minutes, including burp time (we want the feed to take 30-minutes!!)
• Ensure the right daily intake to prevent unnecessary night wakings

By focusing on full feeds and balanced daytime intake, you can help your baby establish healthy feeding and sleep patterns — without stress!

Want to learn more about our approach to bottle feeding? Check out our Bottle Feeding Basics Online Program.

We also offer a Breastfeeding Basics Program and our best-selling NO CRY IT OUT Infant & Toddler Sleep Programs to support you every step of the way.

Let us help you feed and sleep well, fam!!!