How much breast milk is enough for a baby?

My baby has not started eating solid foods yet and is exclusively breastfed. How much breast milk should my baby drink per feeding to be enough and healthy? (Kim Ngan, Ho Chi Minh City)

Reply:

The milk needs of children under 6 months of age vary greatly, increasing or decreasing depending on the age of the month or the needs of each child. You did not provide the specific age of your child, so you can refer to the general information below.

On the first day after birth, the baby's stomach is very small, about the size of a pea or a marble, and can only accommodate 5-7 ml of milk (about 1-2 teaspoons). From the second to the seventh day after birth, the amount of milk can gradually increase to 15 ml in one feeding. From the seventh to the 14th day, the baby can supplement 15-30 ml at a time. From the 14th to the 28th day after birth, the baby needs about 30 ml of milk at a time.

When the baby is 1-2 months old, the baby's stomach has stabilized and gradually grown, the amount of milk for the baby is at least 60 ml per feeding, the baby can drink more and can drink up to 90 ml. When the baby is 2-4 months old, the baby can consume 60-90 ml per feeding.

At 4-6 months old, babies start to move more. The energy they need to expend is also significantly greater. The amount of milk a baby drinks needs to reach an average of at least 90-120 ml per feeding, some babies drink more than about 150 ml.

However, babies with slower metabolisms only need to drink 90 ml at a time to gain weight better than babies who drink a lot of milk but have a fast metabolism. In addition, the exact amount of milk for each child is different and needs to change from day to day, depending on the weight, age, development ability and other factors of each child.

Parents should not force their children to drink too much milk. If children drink more than they can absorb, they are at risk of gastric reflux, vomiting and respiratory infections. On the contrary, children who do not breastfeed enough are at risk of being underweight, malnourished, stunted and slower to develop than their peers.

You can refer to the general milestones according to the standard amount of milk for children at each stage mentioned above. However, it is best to take your child to a nutritionist for specific advice for each case.

Master, Doctor Nguyen Anh Duy Tung
Nutrihome Nutrition Clinic System

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