How often should a newborn eat?
Most newborns eat 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, which often means every 2 to 3 hours, day and night. The gaps get longer over the first weeks and months, and formula fed babies usually settle into a more regular rhythm than breastfed babies.
The short version:
Newborns, breastfed or formula fed: about 8 to 12 feeds in 24 hours (CDC).
The AAP recommends 8 feeds in 24 hours as the minimum for newborns.
Crying is a late hunger sign, so feeding on early cues keeps things calmer.
Feeding frequency at a glance
| Stage | Breastfed | Formula fed |
|---|---|---|
| First days and weeks | About 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, as often as every 1 to 3 hours | 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, starting around every 2 to 3 hours |
| First weeks and months | On average every 2 to 4 hours, sometimes every hour during cluster feeding | About every 3 to 4 hours |
| 6 to 12 months | Formula or solid foods about 5 to 6 times in 24 hours (CDC, formula fed babies) | |
Breastfed babies
In the first days, a breastfed baby's stomach is tiny, so they may want to eat as often as every 1 to 3 hours. The CDC notes that frequent feeding helps increase your milk supply. Over the first weeks and months the time between feeds gets longer, and on average most exclusively breastfed babies feed every 2 to 4 hours. Some babies feed as often as every hour at times, which is often called cluster feeding.
Formula fed babies
The American Academy of Pediatrics says formula fed babies typically feed on a more regular schedule, such as every 3 or 4 hours, because breastfed babies usually take smaller, more frequent feeds. By 6 months, the AAP describes 4 or 5 feeds a day. See how much formula by age for the amounts.
When do night feeds stop?
For formula fed babies, the AAP says that between 2 and 4 months of age, or when the baby weighs more than 12 pounds, most no longer need a middle of the night feed. For breastfed babies there is no single official age, so follow your baby and your pediatrician.
Common questions
How often should a newborn eat at night?
Newborns eat around the clock, 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, so night feeds are normal in the first weeks.
Should I wake my baby to eat?
In the early weeks, the CDC says you may need to wake a formula fed newborn to feed. Ask your pediatrician what is right for your baby, especially if they were born early or small.
How often does a 2 month old eat?
The official sources give ranges rather than a number per month: every 2 to 4 hours on average for exclusively breastfed babies, and about every 3 to 4 hours for formula fed babies after the newborn weeks.
Sources
- CDC, How Much and How Often to Breastfeed: cdc.gov
- CDC, How Much and How Often to Feed Infant Formula: cdc.gov
- American Academy of Pediatrics, How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat?: healthychildren.org
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Amount and Schedule of Formula Feedings: healthychildren.org
Written by the FeedEase team. Every number on this page is checked against the sources above. This is general information, not medical advice: every baby is different, so check with your pediatrician.
