Parents often worry that their babies are not eating enough when feeding them formula milk, so they tend to make the formula thicker or feed more, even mistakenly believing that the thicker the formula, the higher the nutrition. In reality, a baby’s digestive system cannot fully absorb milk that is too concentrated, especially with an excessive amount of protein.
For the amount of formula feeding for newborns, it should be adjusted based on the baby’s weight in the early stages. Usually, 100 to 200 milliliters of formula milk is given per day, fed every 3 to 3.5 hours, about 7 to 8 times a day. In terms of ratio, within the first half month after birth, around 9 grams of formula per 100 milliliters of milk is appropriate; it increases to 12 grams within two months, and not exceeding 15 grams within three months. For example, a 3-kilogram baby needs about 450 to 480 milliliters of milk per day, divided into 7 to 8 feedings, about 60 to 70 milliliters each time, gradually increasing the amount as they grow.
After the baby is a month old, if their digestion is good, they can be given 100 to 150 milliliters of milk per kilogram of body weight, about 60 to 100 milliliters per feed. By the time they are two months old, feeding 6 to 7 times a day, with intervals of 3.5 to 4 hours, the milk amount increases to 80 to 120 milliliters, up to a maximum of 150 milliliters. Between three to six months, gradually adjust to feeding 5 times a day, with 4-hour intervals, controlling the milk amount between 150 to 250 milliliters per feed, not exceeding a total of 1000 milliliters in a day, while also introducing complementary foods. As the baby grows, starting from six months, gradually reduce the number of formula feedings and increase the proportion of complementary foods, until reaching nine to twelve months when it can be reduced to two formula feedings a day, with other meals mainly consisting of complementary foods, ensuring water is given between feedings.
It’s important to note that overfeeding can lead to loss of appetite or obesity in babies, affecting their normal development. Therefore, parents should avoid excessively reinforcing the baby’s food intake, follow the feeding amount principles that match the baby’s age, to prevent increasing their gastrointestinal burden and causing digestion issues. In fact, as long as the baby is fed reasonably according to their actual needs, there’s no need to overly worry about them not getting enough nutrition.
