Your newborn will feed at least 8-12 times a day based on their tummy size. Follow your baby’s hunger cues to know when baby is hungry. Frequent feedings early on are exactly what your baby and your milk supply needs.
Day 1: Your baby’s stomach holds 5-7 ml (1 teaspoon) at a time. This is the size of a cherry. You will produce about 30 ml (1 oz) of early milk/colostrum in the first 24 hours.
Day 3: Your baby’s stomach holds about 22-27 ml at a time. This is about the size of a ping pong ball or a walnut.
One Week: Your baby’s stomach can hold 45-60 ml (1 ½-2 oz) at a feeding and is the size of an apricot.
One month: Your baby will now be taking between 80-150 ml (3-5 oz) per feeding. The baby’s stomach is now about the size of a large chicken egg.
At one month most parents will be producing nearly as much milk as their baby will ever need. Because the rate of growth slows as babies get older they continue to need about the same amount of breastmilk per day from one month to six months of age.
