What is the stomach capacity of newborn in mL? Let’s talk about it.
A newborn eats many times throughout the day, which is an understatement. I’m talking AT LEAST 10 times. My baby generally ate around 11-12 times a day during the newborn stage.
(As a reference, this is about once every two hours. Some babies feed every hour, some feed after 3 hours. ***NEVER let your newborn go longer than 4 hours without a feeding, even if they are sleeping soundlessly!)
And honestly, if you decide to breastfeed like I am, you will feel more like a milk machine than a mother 🤣
Because they are feeding so often, it can seem like babies are drinking A TON of milk.
This is not the case. Newborns need very little amounts of milk, as their stomachs are quite small. But exactly how big are they?
This post is all about stomach capacity of newborn in mL.
STOMACH CAPACITY OF NEWBORN IN ML
As a new mom myself, here is what I have learned.
DAY 1: RED CHERRY
On the first day that your baby is born, their stomach can hold about 5-7 mL, which converts to 0.1-0.2 oz. This is about the size of a red cherry. Did you know that the walls of a newborn’s stomach stay firm and do not stretch? Because of this, any extra milk that they swallow comes out in the form of spit up.
A baby should be feeding on colostrum at this time, which is what is in the breast before the milk comes in. In the breastfeeding world, this is considered “liquid gold”.
DAY 3: WHOLE WALNUT
As your baby hits day three, their stomach has grown and is able to hold 22-27 mL, which is 0.8-1 oz. This is about the size of a full walnut. It is normal for your baby to be eating 10-12 times a day, which will also help boost your milk supply.
DAY 7: APRICOT
When day 7 comes around, the stomach capacity of newborn has increased to hold 45-60 mL, or 1.5-2 oz. This can be compared to the size of an apricot. Personally, I was breastfeeding my baby on demand to make sure he got whatever he needed. It helped increase my milk supply and also fueled my baby’s first growth spurt.
DAY 30: LARGE CHICKEN EGG
By one month, your newborns stomach capacity has reached a grand total of 80-150 mL, which is between 2.5-5 oz. It is also about the size of a large chicken egg.
From now until 6 months, the rate your baby is growing will slow down. They will eat somewhere between 80-150 mL pretty consistently, although daily nursing patterns will change and vary.
It is important to remember that babies can be very different from each other, so talk with your doctor or midwife about any feeding recommendations that fit your baby’s needs specifically.
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