Going into week 3, you’ve really gotten used to feeding your little bundle of joy. Yes, it’s rather relentless and their feeding pattern is definitely random, which means you’re often up in the middle of the night, but you feel you’ve gotten the hang of things now. That being said, you sometimes feel a little anxious about your baby’s milk intake. Are they definitely getting enough? Are they having too much?

Pretty much all parents worry about whether or not their baby gets enough milk, so let’s find out what the feeding expectations are for week 3.

What are the feeding expectations in week 3?

At this point in time, your baby will take in about 600 to 750 ml of milk a day, spread over 7 to 10 feeds. So that’s up to 120 ml or 4 oz per feed.

At this stage in their young life, some babies will begin to fall into a fairly regular 3-hour feeding pattern, but don’t worry if this isn't the case with your little one – they’re still very young. Frankly, their weight is much more important.

Your newborn will need a few visits to the clinic during these early months to make sure their height and weight are on track but do try not to worry and become too obsessed with their growth. If your baby seems happy, they’re more than likely to be healthy.

Now, if you are looking for more concrete figures, know that most babies will put on around 113 to 170 g/4-6 oz a week for the first 6 months. Just bear in mind that few babies grow at a consistent pace.

But are there any instances that justify worrying about your baby’s weight?

When should I be concerned about my baby’s weight?

Not enough weight gain. It’s actually quite common for a baby to go through a couple of weeks of little weight gain and once it’s over they’ll guzzle extra milk for a time. However, should your baby drop down two centiles on their growth chart, it’s worth speaking to a medical professional.

No weight gain. If your baby goes more than 2 weeks without gaining weight, speak to a doctor immediately. With an expert’s help it’s typically easy enough to rectify, so try not to worry!

Weight loss. Sudden weight loss and gradual weight loss both justify taking your baby to see a medical professional.

Too much weight gain. A baby will sometimes gain up to 340 grams over a single fortnight, and this is typically nothing to worry about. However, if your baby is consistently putting on excessive weight and also seems unwell, take them to see a doctor.

Now, whether you’re feeding your little one at your breast and are looking to introduce the bottle, too, or you’ve been bottle feeding all along and you just want to make sure they aren't getting too much, you may have a few bottle-feeding questions.

Let’s explore these common 3-week topics and get you the answers you’re looking for!

How do I introduce bottle feeding and make sure my baby isn’t drinking too much?

It’s a good idea to introduce the bottle now your baby’s heading into week 3. The odd night off to see your friends or even just a full night of sleep without getting up to feed is probably sounding pretty good round about now. And introducing bottle feeds makes this possible. Now is a great time to introduce it because your baby will accept it without much fuss and any later could see them refuse it entirely. So offer a couple of ounces of either expressed milk or formula in a bottle every third day to keep up the habit.

Check your baby’s weight chart. You’ve very likely been feeding your baby on demand up to this point and should continue to do so. But you might worry that they’re getting too much. If they jump from one centile to the next twice in a row in a short span, then it’s worth speaking to your baby’s doctor.

Watch them as they feed. You can also monitor their milk intake by watching and responding as they feed. If they turn their head away during feeds, this indicates that they’ve had enough, so don’t push them to finish the bottle. Similarly, if they seem to fall asleep mid-feed but continue to suck, remove the bottle. By this point, they’re just sucking for comfort. Let them suck on your finger if they complain.

What does feeding my baby look like? (Week 3)

Another week, another useful Unii piece on feeding your newborn.