The first big shop for a new baby often feels less like a list and more like a test. You stand in front of shelves of baby milk formula and bottles, trying to guess how much to buy, which size to start with, and how long each tin lasts. You want enough for calm nights, but not a cupboard full of unused stock. This starter buying plan breaks the first year into four clear stages and turns each one into a simple shopping list. You use it alongside your midwife, health visitor, or GP’s advice, so your home feeding kit always matches your baby’s real needs, not guesswork.

How this starter buying plan works

• The plan focuses solely on baby milk formula and bottles. Other items—such as sterilisers, pumps, and weaning bowls—fall outside this guide.
• It assumes you use a formula for some or all feeds. If you exclusively breastfeed and a professional does not suggest top‑ups, you usually buy far fewer bottles and no formula.
• The year splits into four stages:
  • 0–3 months (newborn)
  • 3–6 months
  • 6–9 months
  • 9–12 months
• Each stage includes:
  • How many bottles and teats should you keep at home?
  • How much baby milk formula should you buy at once?
  • One short example basket you can copy or adapt.
• You always follow your health professional on how much your baby drinks and which formula to use; the buying plan only shows how to turn that advice into a practical shopping plan.​

0–3 months: newborn formula and bottle checklist

• Bottles and teats to buy
  • Start with 6–8 small bottles (120–150 ml). This set lets you feed a formula‑fed newborn 8–12 times in 24 hours without washing after every feed.​
  • Use slow‑flow teats on every bottle. A slow flow helps newborns suck, swallow, and breathe in rhythm and lowers the risk of gulping and coughing.​
  • Keep 2 spare slow‑flow teats sealed in a drawer so you can swap quickly if one splits in the night.
• Baby milk formula amounts
  • Newborns often start at 30–60 ml per feed and move towards 90–120 ml by the end of the first month; total per day often sits around 450–700 ml, depending on weight and whether you also breastfeed.​
  • For a mostly formula‑fed newborn, keep 2 full‑size tins or tubs of first infant formula plus 1 unopened spare. This stock usually covers 1–2 weeks and gives a buffer if deliveries run late.​
  • Buy only standard first infant formula at this stage unless your doctor or specialist suggests a specific product.
• Newborn example basket
  • 6–8 small bottles with slow‑flow teats
  • 2 spare slow‑flow teats
  • 2 tins of first infant formula for daily use
  • 1 extra tin as an “always there” spare

3–6 months: adjust quantities, not your whole kit

• Bottles and teats to buy or keep
  • Keep 6–8 bottles in use. If you always wash midday, add 1–2 more so you move to one wash in the evening.
  • Most babies now take 120–180 ml per feed, sometimes more, so it helps to move to medium bottles (around 240 ml) even if you still use slow‑flow teats.​
  • Watch feeding cues. If your baby pulls off, seems frustrated, or takes very long feeds yet still gulps, speak to your health visitor about trialling a medium‑flow teat on one or two bottles.
• Baby milk formula amounts
  • By 3–4 months, many babies drink about 700–950 ml per day, split across fewer feeds.​
  • In this stage, many families use roughly 2–3 tins per week, depending on brand, weight, and any breastfeeding. Track how long one tin lasts in your home, then multiply to see how many tins you need for 2 or 4 weeks.
  • Keep your spare‑tin rule. When you open the last unopened tin, add formula to your next shop so you never drop below one full tin in the cupboard.
• 3–6 month example basket (per 2 weeks)
  • 6–8 medium bottles (you can keep some small bottles for water later)
  • Mix of slow‑ and medium‑flow teats if a professional agrees
  • Number of tins that match 2 weeks’ real use plus 1 spare tin

6–9 months: solids start, but bottles still matter

• Bottles and teats to buy or replace
  • Many babies now feed 4–6 times per day and take 150–210 ml at each feed.​
  • Most families manage well with 5–7 medium bottles. If you prefer one big evening wash, keep 7–8.
  • By now, many babies use medium‑flow teats; some move to fast‑flow with professional guidance. Replace any teat that looks cloudy, cracked, or flattened, as these changes affect flow and hygiene.
• Baby milk formula amounts
  • When solids begin, the total daily formula may drop a little, even if the feed size rises. You often finish tins more slowly.​
  • Count how many tins you used in the last 4 weeks; if one or more tins reached expiry part‑used, cut your next order by 1 tin and review again.
  • Unless your GP or health visitor says otherwise, continue with the first infant formula; you do not need to switch stage formula purely because of age.
• 6–9 month example basket (per month)
  • 5–7 medium bottles with current teat flow
  • 1 pack of replacement teats
  • Number of tins that matched last month’s use minus 1 if you had waste
  • 1–2 small ready‑to‑feed cartons or bottles for travel days

9–12 months: fewer bottles, lighter formula orders

• Bottles and cups to keep
  • Many babies now drink formula 3–4 times per day, with more calories coming from solid meals.​
  • Four to six bottles usually cover all feeds with a single daily wash. You keep a couple of extra bottles only if they still fit your routine.
  • Introduce an open cup or beaker for water and, later, for some milk feeds; this naturally reduces the number of bottles you need to replace.
• Baby milk formula amounts
  • The total formula needed rarely exceeds about 950 ml per day, and often reduces further as your baby nears 12 months.​
  • In the final quarter of the year, aim to hold only 2–3 tins at a time, including your spare, and run those down before any planned change to cow’s milk or other drinks on professional advice.
  • Each time you reorder, ask yourself: “Will my baby still take this much formula by the time every tin reaches its expiry date?” If not, lower the quantity.
• 9–12 month example basket (per 3–4 weeks)
  • 4–6 bottles in good condition
  • 1–2 cups or beakers
  • 2 tins of formula plus 1 spare, adjusted each month as intake falls

Smart ways to buy baby milk formula and bottles without waste

• Track exactly how long one tin lasts in your home at each stage. Write the open date on the lid, note the finish date, and use that gap to plan how many tins you need for 2, 3, or 4 weeks.
• Use short buying cycles. For newborns, shop for roughly 2 weeks at a time; from 6 months onwards, move to 3–4-week cycles if your usage stays steady.​
• Look at offers with a calculator, not just your heart. A 4‑pack of formula or thickener only works if you know you finish every pack within the safe “use within X weeks of opening” window on the label.​
• Keep all formula, bottles, teats, and any thickening products in one cupboard so you can see stock levels at a glance. Line tins up by expiry date and keep the one that expires soonest at the front.
• Once a month, do a five‑minute audit: count full tins, check open dates, inspect teats and bottles for wear, and adjust your next order instead of repeating the last one.

Plan Your First‑Year Feeding Shop

Turn this starter buying plan into a real basket, not just a note on your phone. Use the age blocks to decide how many bottles, which teat flows, and how much baby milk formula you need for the next 2–4 weeks. Browse through our baby nursing and feeding range to choose products that fit that list—first infant formulas, bottles, teats, and any feed‑thickening products your health professional recommends—while you check pack sizes and expiry dates. Review your stock once a month, adjust your order up or down, and keep one steady spare tin, so your first year of feeding feels planned rather than panicked.