Understanding Formula Milk: How Much is Enough for Your Baby?

Usually, new mothers are advised to feed their baby whenever he is hungry, whether he is consuming breast milk or formula milk. Most newborns who are given only powdered formula milk need to be fed every 2 to 3 hours. As the baby and his stomach grow, the baby needs to be fed every 3 to 4 hours.

If your baby is very small and is having trouble gaining weight, then you should not wait too long to feed the baby. For this, you may have to wake the baby up from sleep to feed him. In such cases, consult your doctor about how many times it is necessary to feed the baby.

(Read more: The Journey of Birth: How a Baby is Born)

Now the newborn baby will not be able to tell you by speaking that he is hungry, so you have to pay attention to his signals. When hungry, the newborn baby gives many types of signals, such as:

• Turning his head from one side to the other
• Opening his mouth
• Stretching out his tongue
• Putting his hand, finger or fist on his mouth
• Compressing the lips
• Starting to cry loudly
• Sticking to the mother's chest

If you think that crying is the only sign of hunger for the baby, then you are wrong. You should not wait for the baby to get upset due to hunger and cry so that it becomes difficult to calm him. Therefore, before crying, understand the signals given by the child and feed the child and fill his stomach.

(Read more: When Do Baby Movements Begin?)

It is also important to understand that every time the baby is crying, it does not mean that he is crying only because of hunger. He could be crying because of a wet diaper, because he is too hot or cold, because he is too tired, or because he wants to come to you.

A newborn baby needs very little formula milk in the beginning. By the end of the first week of birth, most newborns need 150ml to 200ml of milk daily according to their weight and this is not the same for all children. Different children may have different needs.

Prepare 2 to 3 ounces i.e. 60 to 90 ml of milk in the first few weeks after the birth of the baby and increase this quantity as you become familiar with the baby's appetite and milk drinking pattern. 

How much milk is needed for a baby at different stages:

• On an average, a newborn baby drinks 45 to 90 ml of milk every 2 to 3 hours. As the baby grows, develops and starts drinking more milk at one time, this quantity starts increasing.
• At around 2 months of age, the baby starts drinking milk every 3 to 4 hours and now his intake increases to around 120 to 150 ml of milk.
• By the age of 4 months, the baby drinks 120 to 180 ml of milk every time he drinks milk. How many times the baby should drink milk depends on the weight of the baby and his hunger demands.
• If we talk about a 6 month old baby, he drinks around 180 to 230 ml of milk every 4 to 5 hours. This amount of milk also depends on whether you have started feeding some solid food to your 6 month old baby or not.
• The baby should be fed milk when he is showing signs of hunger. The baby often does not finish the milk in his bottle in one go. He needs a little bit of milk again and again. Not only this, the amount of formula milk the baby is taking also changes when the baby is unwell, the baby is in pain due to teething or when the baby is growing rapidly.

(Read more: Baby development in the first month after birth)

Not all babies grow in the same way, but the rate of growth and development of every baby is different. In such a situation, many times this question must have come to your mind whether my baby is getting the proper nutrients to develop properly or not. In such a situation, the proof of whether your baby is getting enough formula milk or not is the weight gain of your baby and how many times he is peeing and pooping.

A few days after birth, your baby should urinate at least 6 times and poop 4 times a day. During this time, the color of the urine should be clear or light yellow. The poop of a newborn baby is tar-like in the beginning but gradually it starts becoming yellow or green. The poop of a formula-fed baby is harder than that of a breastfed baby.

(Read more: Tips to increase your baby's weight)

Usually the baby's weight is taken at birth and then on the 5th and 10th day. After this, if the baby is healthy, then his weight will be taken only once a month for 6 months. In such a situation, if your baby is not gaining weight or the baby seems dissatisfied even after feeding, then this may be a sign of getting less food than required. So contact your doctor immediately.

As the baby's weight increases, he starts drinking more milk during each feeding and the time of feeding increases. That is, the baby who used to drink milk 2-3 hours earlier, now starts drinking milk in 3-4 hours or 4-5 hours. Despite this, many times it seems as if your baby is more hungry than usual. The reason for this is the rapid increase in the growth of the baby. Although growth spurt can happen anytime, but in the first few months it is visible at these times:

• When the baby is between 7 to 14 days old
• When the baby is between 3 to 6 weeks old
• When the baby is 4 months old
• When the baby is 6 months old

During the rapid growth of the baby and whenever you feel that your baby is hungry, keep an eye on the signals given by the baby and feed the baby as per his demand. If you feel that the amount of milk you are feeding the baby is not filling his stomach, then you can also increase the amount of formula milk as per the need.

(Read more: Best foods for your six month old baby)

The amount and frequency of giving formula milk to a newborn baby depends on his age, weight, and hunger. Usually, a baby from birth to 6 months is given formula milk every 2-3 hours, which can be about 6-8 times a day. In the first few weeks, the baby needs about 60-90 ml of milk per feeding, which gradually increases. As the baby grows, the amount of milk and time interval also increase. It is important to pay attention to the baby's hunger signals and take care not to give more milk than required. Always take care of cleanliness and also consult a doctor.