🍼 Baby Feeding Calculator
Enter your baby's weight to see the American Academy of Pediatrics' published daily formula average, for comparison only. Your baby's doctor and your baby's hunger and fullness cues set the amount.
🍼 Compare With AAP's Average
Please note:this calculator is informational only and is not medical advice. Follow the guidance of your baby's doctor and your baby's feeding cues.
What is a Baby Feeding Calculator?
It shows the American Academy of Pediatrics' published average for a formula-fed baby of your baby's weight, so you have a reference when you talk with your baby's doctor. It does not tell you how much to put in a bottle.
Babies regulate their own intake from day to day. Offer feeds when your baby shows hunger, stop when your baby shows fullness, prepare formula exactly as the label says, and ask your baby's doctor whenever you are unsure.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much formula does my baby need?
Your baby's doctor and your baby decide that. The American Academy of Pediatrics publishes an average of about 2.5 oz of formula a day for every pound of body weight, and says babies regulate their own intake from day to day, so let your baby tell you when they have had enough. This tool shows that average for comparison only, never an amount to give.
Why does this tool not give an amount per feeding?
Because a fixed amount per bottle can push a baby to take more or less than they want. AAP says that in the first week after birth babies take no more than about 1 to 2 oz a feed, and that amounts grow with age, so a weight-based figure divided by a feed count can be wrong for your baby. Watch for hunger and fullness cues and ask your baby's doctor.
Does this work for breastfed babies?
No. Breastfed babies feed on demand and there is no ounce count to hit. Watch for hunger and fullness cues, and ask your baby's doctor if you have questions about how feeding is going.
Can I make formula at home, or add extra water to make it last?
No. The FDA advises parents and caregivers not to make or feed homemade infant formula, and CDC says to use the amount of water listed on the formula container: too much water may leave your baby without enough nutrition, too little can make your baby dehydrated. AAP says babies under 6 months should only drink breast milk or formula, so do not give water unless your baby's doctor tells you to. If you cannot get formula, call your baby's doctor or your local WIC office.
How do I know my baby is getting enough?
Ask your baby's doctor, who checks weight gain at every visit. If you are worried that your baby is not feeding or drinking enough, call your baby's doctor right away.