Track feedings with a simple log to spot patterns

Keep a basic feeding log noting the time, duration (breastfeeding) or volume (bottle feeding), and which side you nursed on. This helps you confirm your baby is eating enough, identify patterns, and gives your pediatrician useful data at checkups. A simple notebook works, or use a free app like Huckleberry, Baby Tracker, or the CDC's Milestone Tracker.

Why It Works

In the sleep-deprived early weeks, it is easy to lose track of when the last feeding was or whether both breasts were used. A log provides an objective record. If your pediatrician has concerns about weight gain, a feeding log is one of the first things they will ask for. Tracking also helps you see that feeding frequency is normal even when it feels relentless.

Tips

• Track wet and dirty diapers alongside feedings — 6+ wet diapers per day by day 4 is a key adequacy indicator
• A hair tie or bracelet switched between wrists is a low-tech way to remember which breast you last nursed on
• Keep it simple — logging should take seconds, not minutes, or you will stop doing it
• Most parents can stop detailed tracking after 4-6 weeks once feeding is well established and weight gain is steady
• Share the log with your pediatrician at well-child visits, especially the 2-week and 1-month checkups