Baby Formula Milk Calculator

Baby Formula Calculator: Getting It Right

Parents have enough on their plate without fretting about numbers. Here is our baby formula calculator to make life easier.

When you have a newborn, feeding is a time for closeness, comfort and connection. This is true whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. It’s a time when you can scrap everything else off your plate. All you need to focus on is your baby, their happy little gurgles and their sleepy smile once they have filled their little bellies. There’s nothing cuddlier or sweeter than a baby who has just been fed!

Many mums decide not to breastfeed their babies — and some have to bottle feed for one reason or another. And that’s perfectly okay. It’s more than okay — all that matters is your baby, their happiness and their needs. As long as their stomachs have good-quality milk and enough of it, then that’s all there is to it.

But that isn’t to say it’s all smooth sailing. While breastfeeding mums have their share of problems, many allow their babies to feed when they like. They don’t have to worry about numbers. But bottle-feeding mums often fear that they are giving their baby too much, or too little, each day. If you’re worried about the amount of formula to give your little bundle of joy, here is our baby formula calculator — it is straightforward to use. Plug in the weight of your baby, and the calculator will do the rest.

How Much Does Your Baby Weigh?

How much formula milk your baby needs is based on how much they weigh. As young babies are weighed regularly with the health visitor, this should make your calculations reasonably accurate.

To use our formula milk calculator, simply input your baby’s weight in kilograms, and the calculator will give you a guide figure as to how much formula milk your baby needs over 24 hours.

The calculations for this guide are based on the recommended feeding amounts of 150 to 200ml of formula milk per kilo of body weight. See the NHS site here for the full recommendations. You can use our calculator for babies up to the age of 6 months.

How Often Should I Feed My Baby?

Before the one-month mark, babies should be fed up to 12 times a day, roughly once every 2-3 hours. At the age of one month, this will reduce to 6-8 times a day. At two months, your baby will feed between 6-7 times in 24 hours, and between that period and the age of six months, when most parents begin weaning babies onto solids, babies will feed between 5-6 times a day.

Signs Your Baby Is Hungry

Knowing the signs of a hungry baby is vital and something that will come with time. But keep an eye out for rooting. Your baby will open their mouth and turn their head toward your chest, looking for a source of food. You might also notice that your baby is making sucking motions or sucking their fingers to soothe themselves. Of course, we know that crying, too, is a feeding cue. But crying is usually a late sign of hunger, so try your best to feed your baby after noticing their other non-verbal feeding cues. However, don't beat yourself up if you miss them at first. We've all been there.

Signs Your Baby Is Full

As well as hunger cues, fullness cues also exist, which we should all be aware of. These include fidgeting or acting distracted, spitting up the formula, slowing down or falling asleep. If you notice these cues, it’s best to take a break and get back to feeding when your baby’s heart is in it!

How Much Milk Should My Baby Have a Day?

Baby formula calculators aside, here is a handy table for anyone curious about how much to feed their baby daily:

Talk to Your Health Visitor about Concerns

We love our baby formula calculator, but absolutely nothing can rival a mother’s instincts or a medical insight. Please do consult your health visitor or doctor if you are in any way concerned about your baby's feeding habits. This calculator should be used as a guide only.

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