The best thing for your baby is breast milk. But you may choose to formula feed for personal, health, or social reasons—that is completely up to you. Whatever your reason when breastfeeding is not possible, a good formula can help a baby grow and thrive. With monitoring and knowledge about formula usage, your baby can grow up healthy and well nourished.
Formula fed infants generally should eat two to two-and-a-half ounces of formula per pound of body weight per day. Newborns, because of their small stomach capacity, can eat only one or two ounces at a sitting. A good indicator that your baby is getting sufficient nutrition is weight gain. After the initial weight loss after birth, your baby should be gaining an average of four to seven ounces per week for the first few weeks, thereafter an average of one to two pounds per month for the first six months, and one pound per month from six months to a year. Below you will find the suggested amounts for formula feeding and the average infant growth:
| Weight | Ounces per day |
| 6 pounds | 12-15 ounces |
| 7 pounds | 14-17.5 ounces |
| 8 pounds | 16-20 ounces |
| 9 pounds | 18-22.5 ounces |
| 10 pounds | 20-25 ounces |
| 11 pounds | 22-27.5 ounces |
| 12 pounds | 24-30 ounces |
| 13 pounds
14 pounds 15 pounds |
26-32.5 ounces
28-35 ounces 30-37.5 ounces |
| Weeks 1-4 | 4-7 ounces per week |
| Months 2-6 | 1-2 pounds per month |
| Months 6-12 | 1 pound per month |
The Women’s Center-Dayton is a pregnancy resource center that offers support and solutions for unexpected pregnancies for women in Dayton, Trotwood, Englewood, Clayton and Vandalia, Ohio. Women’s Center-Dayton provides women with free pregnancy tests, ultrasound scans, consulting on pregnancy decisions, and a material assistance program. To contact the Women’s Center-Dayton call (937) 228-2222 or email info@womenscenterohio.com. You can schedule an appointment by phone or on line by visiting our website www.womenscenterohio.com .
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