How many calories does a baby need a day?

How many calories a baby needs

A baby needs roughly 440 to 570 calories a day at 1 to 3 months, 510 to 645 at 4 to 6 months, and 720 to 845 at 10 to 12 months, according to USDA estimates published by the National Institutes of Health.¹ “Calories” here means kilocalories, the same unit as on a food label. The range at each age depends on your baby’s sex, size and length.¹

In real life, that is milk. A bottle-fed newborn usually takes 1 to 2 oz per feeding, most babies manage 3 to 4 oz by the end of the first month, and around 6 months they may take 6 to 8 oz at 4 or 5 feedings a day.²

These are estimates, not targets. A bigger or smaller baby will differ, and that’s normal. The NIH notes the ranges rise as babies get older.¹

How many calories does a 6-month-old need?

Between about 510 and 645 calories a day at 4 to 6 months, and roughly 610 to 745 at 7 to 9 months, depending on sex and size.¹ Most of that is still breast milk or formula. The AAP recommends breast milk alone for the first six months, and says that when solids begin, your baby still gets most of their nutrition from breast milk, formula or both.⁴

So at 6 months, a few spoonfuls of food are for learning, not for hitting a calorie target. For ideas on what to offer, see our 6-month-old food ideas and how much solid food a baby should eat.

Why the daily total rises but the per-kilo number falls

Your baby’s total calories climb through the first year because they keep getting bigger. Measured per kilogram of body weight, though, the picture reverses early on. One analysis of doubly labelled water studies found requirements falling from 473 kJ per kg a day for boys and 447 for girls at 1 month to 337 and 341 at 6 months.⁵

Babies grow fastest in the first weeks, and growth is expensive: the share of energy going into new tissue falls from 40% at 1 month to 3% at 12 months.⁵ It’s one reason newborns feed so often.

How many calories does a 1-year-old baby need?

Babies aged 10 to 12 months need roughly 717 to 844 calories a day, and by 2 to 3 years, daily needs are 1,000 to 1,400 calories depending on activity.¹ By a first birthday, milk is one part of a day that also includes meals and snacks. Our guide on how much a 1-year-old should eat covers the toddler stage, and how many calories a child needs takes the numbers further up the ages.

Don’t offer honey before 12 months, and don’t give cow’s milk as a main drink before then either. Keep textures safe: serve soft, mashed or very small pieces, and avoid whole nuts, whole grapes, popcorn and hard raw chunks. Always seat your baby upright and stay with them while they eat.

Do you need to count?

Not really. The table is a way to understand your baby’s needs, not a target to hit each day. Feeding when your baby shows hunger and stopping when they’re done is the usual approach, and the numbers vary between healthy babies.

Better signs that your baby is eating enough:³

• 6 or more wet diapers a day by 5 to 7 days old
• Nursing at least 8 to 12 times every 24 hours (for breastfed babies)
• Seeming satisfied and happy for about 1 to 3 hours between feeds

Breastfed babies usually nurse 10 to 12 times in 24 hours, and early feeds are small, about 1 oz.² Your pediatrician plots weight and length at each visit, which is the real check on whether your baby gets enough.

What if my baby eats less or more than the table?

Day-to-day appetite swings are common, and the ranges above are wide on purpose. If your baby is feeding often, seems content between feeds and is making plenty of wet diapers, those are the signs of enough milk.³ A smaller day on its own is worth mentioning at your next check-up. If you’re worried either way, bring a rough note of feeds and diapers to your pediatrician rather than adjusting amounts yourself.

When to talk to your pediatrician

Never add anything to a bottle, or give a supplement, unless your pediatrician has told you to.

Common questions