Establishing a feeding schedule with infant formula is uncomplicated. In the beginning, due to the tiny size of their bellies, the baby's feedings will start out small but frequent (around every three to four hours). As their belly grows and they can take in more per feeding, the schedule will change and there will be longer individual feeding sessions further apart.
The following is a good guideline of how much formula to feed an infant in the first year:
Month
Formula in Ounces
0 to 1 month
18-24 ounces
1 to 2 months
22-28 ounces
2 to 3 months
24-32 ounces
4 to 5 months
25-40 ounces
5 to 6 months
25-45 ounces
6 to 8 months
24-32 ounces; offer cup
8 to 10 months
24-32 ounces; offer cup
10 to 12 months
16-24 ounces; offer cup
Never will a person go through more changes in their diet than they do in their first year of life. By the end of the first year, 50 percent of an infant's nutritional needs will be met through complementary foods; the rest from breast milk or formula.
(Click Infant Feeding Schedule and Baby Formula Feeding for more information about infant formula feeding, to learn about the different types of formulas currently available, and to find out what solid foods you should incorporate into your baby's diet at four to six months of age.)
