Baby Tracker for DadsHow often should a newborn eat?
In the first month, most newborns eat every 2 to 3 hours, counted from the start of one feed to the start of the next. Breastfed newborns tend to nurse about every 2 hours, and bottle-fed newborns every 2 to 3 hours, at least 8 times in 24 hours.
| Feeding | Typical gap, start to start | In 24 hours | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breastfed | About every 2 hours | Not given on the quoted page | AAP |
| Bottle-fed (formula or expressed milk) | Every 2 to 3 hours | At least 8 feeds | AAP |
| Formula-fed | Not given in hours | 8 to 12 feeds | CDC |
What the sources say
Breastfed newborns usually nurse every 2 hours from the start of the feeding to the next feeding
If bottle-fed, most newborns eat every 2 to 3 hours; 8 times is generally recommended as the minimum every 24 hours.
Most infant formula-fed newborns will feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours.
At 3 AM
The gap is measured from the start of one feed to the start of the next. If the 2 AM feed started at 2:00 and the next one starts at 4:00, that is a 2-hour gap, even if the first feed took 40 minutes. So a newborn who finished eating not long ago can be due again sooner than it feels.
Log the start time, not the end. The start time is what tells you when the next feed is likely, and it is the number a pediatrician asks about. If you bottle-feed, add the amount. If you breastfeed, add how long it took.
These ranges describe what most newborns do, not what yours must do. Some bunch several feeds together in the evening and stretch a little longer later. After a few days, your own log shows your baby's rhythm better than any table can.
If your baby was born before 37 weeks, count age from the due date rather than the birth date. That is the corrected age, and it is the age this range is matched to.
If you take turns at night, the one number to hand over is the start time of the last feed. Whoever takes the next shift counts forward from it, and whoever just finished can go to sleep without being asked anything.
If you are asked at a checkup, have three numbers ready: how many feeds in the last 24 hours, the longest gap between two of them, and how many wet diapers. Those three say more than any single feed does.
Where the sources differ
The AAP gives a gap in hours for both breastfed and bottle-fed newborns. The CDC's formula page gives a count per day, 8 to 12, rather than a gap. They fit the same picture: in the first month a baby eats roughly every 2 to 3 hours, around the clock. From about 1 month the AAP's formula page describes a longer pattern, which is the next question.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you're worried, call your pediatrician.
Related questions
Baby Tracker for Dads shows this typical range beside your baby's own pattern, matched to their exact age and corrected if they came early.