How much breastmilk?  Intake Chart
Milk Intake: How much breastmilk does my baby need? This is the questions that should go in the FAQ section of any breastfeeding informational website because it is the question we get asked most often when moms are transitioning from breast to bottle or even when trying to diagnose their milk supply.  The question comes in many forms such as how much breastmilk does my newborn need, how much breastmilk does my two week old or two month old need?  But the question should be how much breastmilk does my baby need for their age and weight. Breast milk intake depends on both the age and weight of that baby. Since it takes approximately 20 minutes of swallowing for an infant to take in enough milk for proper growth, that is the amount you are needing to calculate. The chart pictured here is for babies under six months.  Use these numbers if you are expressing a bottle for work or other times away from baby. Divide the second number below by the number of feedings your baby takes if it is a number other than 8. This is only an average amount. You may adjust to the next ounce, but usually not more than that. Babies over six months who are on solid foods three times daily still need 24-32 oz per day which is either five or six ounces. 

If you want to be precise, the mathematical formula for infants under six months is weight (rounded up to the nearest 1/4 lb) x 2.5 = number of ounces per day  ÷ number of feeding per day = number of oz needed for a bottle.  For those of you who don't do math, feel free to use the chart!

 Happy calculating, Tanya
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