Baby Formula Calculator

If you are a new parent or are about to be, you've probably wondered, "How much milk should my baby drink?" — and the baby formula calculator has got you covered!

We all know that every baby is special and has their own eating needs; still, it's good to get an idea of where your baby should be with baby formula feeding charts. The calculator finds the amount of infant formula to be given per day so that you can spend more time with your newborn. 👶

We try our best to make our Omni Calculators as precise and reliable as possible. However, this tool can never replace a professional doctor's assessment. If any health condition bothers you, consult a physician.

Although pediatricians recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the newborn's first six months, there are situations where you may have to give baby formula to your child.

Baby formula (or just formula) is a special dietary product meant for feeding babies. It is usually made from cow's milk, although you can find goat milk-based baby milk. The animal milk is first treated so that it is suitable for babies. You should not feed your baby regular cow's milk instead of infant formula - small babies (up to one year old) cannot digest untreated cow milk properly, which can lead to health problems. Cow's milk also lacks the right amount of important nutrients, like vitamin C and iron, which can lead to iron-deficiency anemia. Formulas, on the other hand, are often enriched with iron together with DHA and ARA (docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids), fatty acids that support baby brain development.

There are more formula types available on the market — like soy, sheep's milk, and almond 'milk'. You can also find baby milk for special tasks, such as extensively hydrolyzed formulas (meaning the proteins have already been broken down), formulas for premature babies, or formulas that help those who suffer from acid reflux. You should only use special formulas if your pediatrician has recommended them to you. If you think the formula you are currently using is not suitable, talk to your doctor or midwife, and only after that should you try changing the formula.

Our baby milk calculator is based on the Australian and American recommendations on infant feeding in the first year of their life. We present these recommendations as simple charts so that you can quickly get an idea of how much and how often your baby should be fed.

How much milk should a baby drink per day?

*Some infants may require 180-200ml/kg (6-8oz/kg).

Baby formula feeding chart — how often they should be fed?

*Introduction of solid foods.

If you're still asking yourself how much milk should a baby drink, our calculator has got you covered. It will count the amount of infant formula that your child should drink per whole day (24 hours), based on their age and weight, and also provide you with suggestions of the volume of one portion and the frequency of feeding. Let's see how it works!

1. Input the baby's age. Months are the default age unit, but if you've got a newborn at home, switch it to Days. You can also use other time units.
2. Provide the child's weight. You can switch freely between kg , lb, and smaller units. Make sure you check the baby's percentile in the weight percentile calculator, too.
3. You get your results at the bottom of the baby formula calculator. You'll see the amount of baby milk to give per day, (approximately) how much formula the baby will drink in a sitting, and how many times a day the baby should be fed.
4. Remember, the results are approximate and give you a general overview of the baby's feeding. Every baby is unique, and so are their feeding needs.

There is one important thing to note — the baby formula calculator is not an oracle. The tool should give you an idea of the amounts of baby milk your child should eat, but there are no strict ranges. You may want to use the baby's milk intake calculatorto get an estimate of your baby's requirements. Most children will change the amount they eat from feeding to feeding so they always get enough.

So, learn to understand your baby's body language. When they become distracted during bottle-feeding and start to fidget — they've probably had enough. On the other hand, if the bottle is finished and your baby is still smacking their lips, sticking their tongue out, or sucking everything they can get their mouth on, they might still be hungry. Learning these signs takes time, but it strengthens the bonds between the two of you. ❤️

Too much food?
If your child seems hungry and is craving baby formula all the time, you should discuss it with your pediatrician or midwife. You should also pay attention to your feeding habits, as overfeeding can lead to obesity in the future (check out the BMI percentile calculator for kids for more info). Sometimes pacifiers are used to soothe babies after a proper feeding.

Important — This doesn't apply to newborns. In their case, it's best to feed them on demand, even if it's ten or fifteen times a day. As they grow up, newborns will develop their own infant formula eating scheme.

Too little food?
If your child never meets the 'goals' of the baby formula feeding chart, you should seek medical advice as well. It might be that your baby is just like that, but it could also be some kind of health disorder. A particular red flag arises if a baby has trouble gaining weight. Typically, a child should double their birth weight by 5 months old and triple it by a year old. If this doesn't happen, always talk to a pediatrician, as it might be a sign of an underlying condition. To help babies grow, doctors often recommend frequent feeding, even if that means waking up a sleeping child.

Signs of a well-fed child:

1. Meets the growing-up goals and progresses proportionately on their pediatric infant growth charts;
2. Develops properly — neither you nor the pediatrician, who sees baby regularly, notice anything out of the ordinary;
3. Drinks the infant formula gladly but doesn't always act hungry; and
4. Wet diapers — a newborn should have 2-3 wet diapers daily up to 5 days old. After that, they should have 5-6 diapers. Wet diapers are a good indicator of the baby's nutrition state.

Always seek medical advice if anything in your baby's eating habits or their behavior concerns you.