3 - 4 month old baby feeding schedule: How much should a 3 - 4 month old eat?

At 3 - 4 months old, many parents see a shift in their baby’s behavior. Infants at this age are often more alert, enjoy kicking and playing around, and start to babble and mimic facial expressions. When it comes to feeding, they eat breast milk, formula, or a combination of both. Feedings are still frequent throughout the day, but babies may be able to go longer stretches overnight without eating. 

This article will cover everything you need to know about feeding a 3 - 4 month old baby including recommended schedules, amounts, and nighttime feeding. 

IN THIS ARTICLE:

3 to 4 month old baby sample feeding schedule

According to doctors at Johns Hopkins Medicine [], most 3 - 4 month old babies should still be fed based on their hunger and fullness cues (“on demand”) rather than required to eat on a schedule. However, at this age, your baby may naturally start following a more regular schedule for eating, sleeping, and playing. An example of what this may look like in terms of feeding is below, but the optimal schedule can vary from baby to baby!

How much to feed a 3 to 4 month old: Food chart

Breastfed babies at this age will typically eat every 2 to 3 hours during the day and every 2 to 6 hours overnight, and consume roughly 3 to 4 ounces [] at each feeding. Formula-fed babies will usually eat every 3 hours during the day and every 3 to 8 hours overnight, consuming about 4 to 6 ounces of formula [] at each feeding. Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and your baby may eat more or less than this. If you have concerns about your baby’s eating, reach out to their healthcare provider.

Although every baby is different, many babies experience a growth spurt around 3 - 4 months old []. During this time, they will likely want to eat more often as well as may drink more breast milk or formula during feeding. Following your baby’s hunger cues and feeding on demand will ensure they get enough to eat during a growth spurt. 

At this age, breast milk, formula, or a combination of both will continue to meet all of your baby's nutritional needs. There is no need to add rice cereal or otherwise fortify a bottle, unless your child’s doctor recommends it. Previously, recommendations stated babies could start eating solid foods around 4 months of age. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) currently recommends waiting until about 6 months of age []. 

3 tips for feeding your 3 to 4 month old baby

Tip #1: Watch for signs of teething

Signs of teething can begin around 4 months, so watch out for symptoms such as irritability, drooling, red or swollen gums, and a strong desire to chew on things. Any of these symptoms may disrupt feeding [] due to discomfort, so be prepared for baby to eat a bit less during this time. On the flip side, some babies may want to feed more during this time because it is soothing. 

Tip #2: Don’t rush to start solids

The advice for starting solids has changed a bit over the years. The AAP [] currently recommends waiting to start solids until around 6 months. Some babies may show signs of readiness [] earlier (good head and neck control, for example), but typically most babies benefit from waiting a bit longer. 

Tip #3: Offer more milk or formula during the day to help curb hunger overnight 

Around 3 - 4 months, your baby may be going through a and/or waking more frequently overnight due to a biological change that occurs in the way your baby sleeps (often called the “”). To help curb true hunger overnight and possibly reduce night wakings, consider offering more formula or milk during the day. This may look like longer or more frequent feeds during the day or perhaps a before your bedtime. 

Night feedings at 3 to 4 months old

At 3 - 4 months old, babies may begin sleeping for longer stretches at night without needing to eat. However, at this age, most babies still need one or more feedings throughout the night. As they become more capable of eating larger amounts during the day, night feedings may decrease. 

Takeaway

• At 3 - 4 months old babies still spend a good amount of their day feeding to support their rapid growth and development. Babies at this age will eat roughly 4 to 6 times during a 24-hour period. 

• Feeding on demand is recommended at this age, but many babies will begin to naturally fall into a schedule as a more predictable 24-hour cycle of eating and sleeping develops. 

• Breast milk and formula still provide your baby’s main source of nutrition at this age. There’s no need to add anything to your baby’s bottle and expert guidelines recommend waiting until 6 months to introduce solid foods.