Breastfeeding has portions built-in. When your baby is hungry, you feed them and when they are full they stop. Your body will produce just the right amount of milk to meet the demands of your little one. When you are feeding a baby European infant formula, knowing just how much to feed them can get complicated. All babies are different and they also will have different nutritional needs. It is important to pay attention to hunger cues during feeding times to create a customized schedule to meet their needs. Aside from their personal needs, there are still a few suggestions we can offer (like holle formula for infants) regarding how much your child should eat at different ages.

How To Know When Your Baby is Hungry

Paying attention to hunger cues will ensure your little one is getting the right amount of infant formula for their stage of development. Some cues to keep an eye are for are:

• Dry suckling
• Rooting around on your or in their bed
• Smacking lips
• Sucking on fingers or hands
• Opening their mouth

The late-stage sign of hunger is crying. If you have missed all other clues, your child will voice their desires loudly. Other things to pay attention to is if your infant is still hungry after they finished their bottle. If they start looking around or towards the bottle after a quick feeding session, chances are they are still hungry. Instead of preparing a full new bottle, consider making a quarter or half bottle instead to fill their belly. This will ensure they are satiated without letting any precious European infant formula, like holle formula, go to waste.

Uncommon Eating Habits

Well laid plans for a perfectly fed infant are easy to see on paper, but often don’t translate to real life. During growth spurts, infants tend to be hungrier than usual, but this excessive hunger will drop off as well. Many parents will increase the bottles they provide to accommodate but then grow worried when their usual eating habits return. Infants also tend to consume less infant formula when they are feeling unwell, fussy or are not comfortable in a new place. Just keep these in mind when calculating how much or how little your child has been eating.

Newborns

Newborns spend most of their time sleeping and eating. Their stomachs are very small, about the size of their own balled-up fist. Newborn babies won’t need very much European infant formula to feel satiated. It is a good idea to start out with one or two ounces of infant formula every two hours during the first days of their life. If they show signs of still being hungry, or if they want to feed more often, feel free to give them an additional one ounce at a time. 

The majority of newborn babies will eat nine to twelve times per day. The older your baby gets, the larger their stomach will grow. As your infant grows, they will also be able to consume more infant formula each feeding. The main reasons newborns feed so often is because their stomach is unable to hold much infant formula in the first few days. As they start to grow and consume more, the time between each feeding will also increase.

The First Couple of Months

Infants' feeding habits will change as they grow. Infants between the ages of 4 weeks and 2 months of age will usually drink four to five ounces every three to four hours each day. Once they hit four months of age up until they are six months old, expect them to consume between five and six ounces of infant formula every four hours. 

As your baby gets bigger, they will be able to consume a bigger bottle during feedings and the time between feedings will also shorten. In the first few weeks and months feeding your infant, every three to four hours is healthy. While they won’t drink the same amount of infant formula during each feeding, it is important that they consume at least 32 ounces a day. 

It is important to pay attention to how much your infant is drinking. Although the majority of European infant formulas are fortified, that only helps if they are drinking enough. Infants who consume less than 30 ounces daily will need to take additional vitamin D supplements. Infants usually will eat as long as they are hungry and refuse the bottle once they are feeling full or sleepy.

Six Months to One Year

Infants grow at a rapid pace and so do their appetites. By the time six months rolls around your baby will be taking full bottles every four to five hours. It is a good idea to make sure your infant has as least five but no more than seven bottles a day once they reach six months and on to a year old. Solids are usually introduced during this time period which will fill in a lot of their nutritional needs as they continue to grow.

One Year and Beyond 

Around the one-year mark, most infants will switch from infant formula to toddler milk, follow-on milk, or regular cow milk. In most cases the is done on a gradual basis. One or two bottles of infant formula a day is normal at this point in their lives. Most of their nutrition will be coming from solid foods as opposed to only infant formula. 

Every child has their own growth patterns and eating habits. If you are worried that your infant is not getting the nutrition they need, schedule an appointment with their doctor. They can compare their current growth to their past trends and let you know if any changes are required.

How Much Infant Formula Per Day By Weight

One way to ensure your infant is getting the right amount of European infant formula daily is to calculate it according to their weight. Once your child is as least three months old, you should be feeding them 2 ½ ounces of infant formula per pound. The maximum is 32 ounces each day. Of course, this is only a rough estimate and doesn’t apply once a child has started incorporating solids into their feeding routine.