Sample Newborn Formula Feeding Schedule for Day and Night

Formula feeding your newborn can feel overwhelming at first. Knowing how often and how much to feed your baby can help new parents create a predictable routine and ensure their little one is getting the nutrition they need.

As a mom of 3, who formula fed my twins, I know how helpful it is to understand what your schedule should look like. In this post, I am sharing a simple newborn formula feeding schedule to guide you through those early weeks.

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Sample Newborn Formula Feeding Schedule

When your baby is a newborn, you will feed him or her on demand. During the newborn stage, your baby will need to formula feed 8-12 times per day! To get a better understanding of what this will look like, check out the sample formula feeding schedule for a newborn below.

Related: This bundle of printable Baby’s First Year Schedules & Logs helps reduce new parent overwhelm and includes a newborn formula feeding schedule. It contains many different sample schedules and trackers from newborn through the first year.

How Long Are Newborn Bottle Feeding Sessions?

In the first week or two of life, you can expect bottle feeding sessions to take approximately 20-30 minutes. As your baby grows and gets stronger the time to drink a bottle will slowly decrease.

How To Count the Time Between Formula Feeding Sessions

The time between feeding sessions starts when your baby begins drinking their bottle. It is NOT when your baby is finished.

With a newborn baby needing to drink formula every 2-3 hours, this means if your baby takes 30 minutes to drink a bottle and then needs to eat again after 2 hours, you might only have a 90 minute break before you need to bottle feed again.

How Much Do Newborns Drink Per Feeding Session?

In the first week you can expect your newborn baby to drink approximately 1-2 oz per session. After a week this amount will increase to 1.5-3 oz per feeding.

In general, your baby should be drinking 2.5 oz of formula per pound of body weight per day, up to 32 oz max. For example, if your baby is 12 lbs, then the total ounces of formula for the day is around 30. If your baby has 10 feedings per day, they will drink about 3 oz per feed.

Related: Use this printable Formula Storage Chart for a quick reference on how long formula lasts in all forms.

Newborn Formula Feeding Schedule Tips

Below is some advice to help you stay on schedule and bottle feed your newborn as efficiently as possible.

1 – Track Feedings

Track feeding times, amount ate, and duration to stay organized. Use this printable Bottle Feeding Log, so you never lose track.

2 – Understand the Routine

You can follow a feeding schedule for newborns by watching for hunger cues like sucking on hands or fingers, opening and closing the mouth, becoming more active, and turning head side to side searching for milk.

At night, it’s okay to let your newborn sleep longer if it happens. But, I don’t recommend going more than 5-6 hours.

Check with your pediatrician for more guidance though. Following a loose schedule gets your newborn into a rhythm sooner rather than later. 

3 – Be Efficient at Night Feeds

Learning how to quickly care for your newborn baby at night will help you both get more sleep. Learn the details on preparing and feeding bottles for night feeds here.

Related: For more detailed formula feeding advice, check out this complete and comprehensive guide on bottle feeding a newborn and this general overview of formula feeding tips.

Establishing a newborn formula feeding schedule can bring comfort and structure to your baby’s day.

While every baby is different, a consistent routine helps you stay on track and respond to your baby’s hunger cues with confidence. Trust your instincts and adjust as needed – you got this!