Although the amount of milk your baby consumes will usually vary from feeding to feeding, it can be helpful to know how much breast milk or formula an infant typically drinks at 3- to 4-months-old. Even those mothers that exclusively breastfeed their babies on demand might need to leave a bottle with a sitter while they go out. Knowing how much the "average" baby eats can also provide reassurance for parents who worry that their baby eats too much or too little.
Significance
In contrast to newborns who often eat small amounts eight to 12 times a day, 3- to 4-month-old babies usually decrease the frequency of feedings and increase the amount consumed at a feeding. The typical baby at this age drinks between 19 to 30 ounces of milk a day, according to lactation consultant Kelly Bonyata, owner of the breastfeeding advice site Kellymom.com. The actual amount your baby will need depends upon his size, appetite and whether he drinks breast milk or formula.
Breastfed Babies
Breastfed babies rapidly increase the amount of milk they drink between birth and 1 month of age; then tend to drink about the same amount from 1 to 6 months. By the time your baby turns 4-months-old, Medline Plus suggests that she will probably nurse 4 to 6 times a day. She will probably add to the amount of breast milk she drinks at each feeding until she reaches 25 ounces a day---the average amount consumed by exclusively breastfed babies, according to Bonyata.
Formula-Fed Babies
Newborn formula-fed infants, like their breastfed counterparts, often want to eat every two to three hours. As their stomachs grow larger, they usually need fewer feedings than breastfed babies do since formula takes longer to digest than breast milk. Babycenter.com suggests that 4-month-old formula-fed babies usually drink four to five bottles of 6 to 7 ounces each.
Considerations
All infants--whether breastfed or formula-fed--go through several growth spurts during the first year. One of these growth spurts typically occurs around 4 months. Let his hunger guide how often you breastfeed or offer a bottle. When you nurse your baby on demand, your body will respond by making more milk to meet his demands. Increase the amount of formula at each feeding if he still appears hungry after finishing his normal amount.
Warning
Since it takes less effort to drink from a bottle than from a breast, it is possible to overfeed bottle-fed infants. To guard against overfeeding, Dr. Steven Dowshen, a medical editor at the Kids Health from Nemours website, suggests making sure the bottle nipple is the right size---watch to make sure the liquid drips out of the hole instead of pouring out. Avoid pushing your baby to finish his entire bottle even after he shows signs of being full.
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