How Much Should a Baby Eat at 10 Days Old?

Feed a 10-day-old baby only breast milk or formula, as this is the only form of his sustenance his body can handle. While it may seem as if your baby is constantly hungry, it's normal to feed a baby very frequently during the first weeks of life. Anticipate feeding him eight to 12 times per day, keeping an eye on his development to gauge whether he is getting enough food.

If you are using formula to feed your baby, BabyCenter.com reports that the general approach for exclusively formula-fed babies is to take your baby's weight and multiply it by 2.5 oz. This is the amount of formula your baby should eat over a 24-hour period. For example, if your baby weighs 8 lbs., then she needs approximately 20 oz. of formula over an entire day and night.

If you are breastfeeding, you don't have as clear a measure as the lines on the side of a bottle to know how much you're feeding your baby. However, there are a few methods to gauge whether your baby eats enough. Feed your baby every two to three hours at this young age, and use the frequent doctor's visits to gauge if he's gaining weight. Weight gain is one of the easiest ways to measure whether your baby is getting enough milk. In addition, listen for your baby's swallow to ensure he's ingesting milk, not just comforting himself by sucking on your breast. Feel also if your breasts are soft after a feeding, as this indicates that your baby has drained them of milk and is getting a full feeding.

If you are breastfeeding and your baby is fussy after every meal or isn't gaining enough weight, seek out the assistance of a lactation consultant. A lactation consultant observes you at a feeding, helps get your baby latched on properly and weighs your baby before and after a feeding. By doing this, you know exactly how much breast milk your baby has consumed.

Another easy method to gauge whether your baby is getting enough to eat is how much she fills her diaper. In the earliest weeks of life, your baby should have six to eight wet diapers each day. If there are fewer than that, she may need more to eat. In addition, she should have about five diapers each day that are filled with soft stool.