Free breastfeeding tracker
Breastfeeding tracker: which side was last?
Log each feed in a few taps, or time it live. See which side to offer next and how long since the last feed.
Tap the side you start on
Which side?Pick one side
Fewer than 8 feeds logged in the last 24 hours. Newborns usually feed 8 to 12 times a day. If that is what really happened, call your pediatrician.
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History
Educational guidance based on AAP, CDC and WHO recommendations. Reviewed by our dietitians. It’s written for healthy, full-term babies and doesn’t replace your pediatrician, who knows your baby. If your baby was born early or has a medical condition, feeding difficulty or known allergy, check with them first (medical disclaimer).
In the first weeks, feeds blur together, especially at 3 a.m. This breastfeeding tracker remembers for you. Log a feed after it ends with the side and the minutes, or switch to the timer and tap Left or Right as your baby feeds. Either way, it tells you which side to start on next and how long it has been since the last feed started.
How to use the tracker
- Log a feed (the default). After a feed, pick the side, set the minutes with + and −, check the start time and tap Save feed. If you used both sides, choose the side your baby ended on.
- Or use the timer. Switch to Timer and tap the side your baby starts on. Tap the other side when you switch, the same side to pause, and Done at the end.
- Log bottles and diapers with one tap. Wet and dirty diaper counts show up in the 24-hour totals. Fix any entry with the pencil icon, or use Add missed feed for an earlier one.
- Bring the log to checkups. Print a 7-day summary or download a CSV file for your pediatrician or lactation consultant.
How often do newborns breastfeed?
Most newborns breastfeed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours.1,6 The AAP describes about every 2 hours, counted from the start of one feed to the start of the next, as typical for breastfed newborns.1 This is why the tracker measures the gap from start to start.
| Age | What is typical |
|---|---|
| First days | Small, frequent feeds, as often as every 1 to 3 hours. Colostrum is all most babies need at first, and milk usually comes in by about day 3.6,7 |
| First weeks | 8 to 12 feeds in 24 hours. Newborns should not go longer than about 2 to 3 hours during the day or 4 hours at night without a feed, even if you have to wake them.2 |
| Weeks to months | Feeds slowly space out. Most exclusively breastfed babies feed every 2 to 4 hours on average, with some longer sleep stretches.6 |
Feed on cue rather than by the clock: as often as your baby wants, day and night.8 Early hunger cues include rooting, lip smacking, sucking on hands and fussing. Crying is a late sign.1 Babies born early or with medical conditions may need a feeding schedule from their pediatrician.1
Which side should you start on?
Switch the side you offer first at each feed, even if your baby prefers one side. This keeps the milk supply going in both breasts and empties each one well.5 The AAP suggests moving a safety pin on your bra to remember. This tracker does the same: it suggests the side opposite to the one you started on last time. Later, many parents can feel which breast is fuller and start there.5
Cluster feeding
Some babies feed as often as every hour for a stretch, often in the evening. This is called cluster feeding, and it is normal.6 Some feeds are long and others short, and that is fine too.6 On the tracker, a cluster looks like several short gaps in a row. Log each feed as it happens: the 24-hour totals stay accurate.
Signs your baby is getting enough milk
You can’t see how much milk a breastfed baby drinks, but you can watch for these signs of a well-fed newborn:3
- At least 8 to 12 feeds every 24 hours, and your baby seems content for 1 to 3 hours between feeds.
- 6 or more wet diapers a day by day 5 to 7, with pale or nearly colorless urine.
- Stools that change by day 5 to 7: from dark and tarry on days 1 and 2, to greenish-yellow on days 3 and 4, then at least 3 to 4 yellow, loose stools a day.
- Weight back on track. Babies lose no more than 8% to 10% of their birth weight in the first few days before they start gaining again. Weight checks at the pediatrician are the most precise sign.
- Swallowing you can hear once your milk has come in.4
The first checkup should be no more than 48 hours after you leave the hospital.3 Bring your log: wet and dirty diaper counts help your pediatrician see how feeding is going.4
When to call your pediatrician
Feeding problems can get worse quickly, so get help early. Call your baby’s pediatrician if:4
- Feeds are often very short or very long: usually shorter than about 10 minutes or longer than about 50 minutes in the first months.
- Your baby still seems hungry after most feeds.
- Your newborn often misses feeds or sleeps through the night. Wake a newborn who sleeps longer than 4 hours.
- You don’t hear frequent swallowing once your milk has come in.
- After day 7, fewer than 6 wet diapers and 4 stools a day, dark yellow urine or urine with red specks, or stools that are still dark.
- At 2 weeks your baby is still under birth weight, or isn’t gaining at least 5 to 7 ounces a week since your milk came in.
- Your milk hasn’t come in after 5 days, or breastfeeding is very painful.
Breastfeeding tracking: questions parents ask
How often should a newborn breastfeed?
Most newborns breastfeed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, about every 2 to 3 hours counted from the start of one feed to the start of the next. In the first weeks, a newborn should not go longer than about 2 to 3 hours during the day or 4 hours at night without a feed.
Which side should I breastfeed on next?
Start each feed on the other side from the one you started on last time. The AAP advises switching the side you offer first at every feed, so both breasts keep making milk. This tracker shows the side to offer next at the top.
How long should each breastfeed last?
Feeds vary, and some are long and others short. Let your baby feed while actively sucking and swallowing. If feeds are usually shorter than about 10 minutes or longer than about 50 minutes in the first months, talk to your pediatrician.
What is cluster feeding?
Cluster feeding is when a baby feeds very often, sometimes every hour, for a few hours at a time, often in the evening. It is normal. Log each feed as it happens, and the tracker keeps the 24-hour totals right.
How do I know my breastfed baby is getting enough milk?
Look for 8 to 12 feeds a day, 6 or more wet diapers a day with pale urine by day 5 to 7, at least 3 to 4 yellow stools a day by then, and steady weight gain after the first few days. Weight checks at the pediatrician are the most precise sign.
Where is my feeding log saved?
Only on this device, in your browser’s storage. There is no account and nothing is sent to us. Clearing your browser data deletes the log, so download a CSV file now and then if you want a backup.
- AAP (HealthyChildren.org): How often and how much should your baby eat?
- AAP (HealthyChildren.org): How often to breastfeed
- AAP (HealthyChildren.org): How to tell if your breastfed baby is getting enough milk
- AAP (HealthyChildren.org): Warning signs of breastfeeding problems
- AAP (HealthyChildren.org): Settling in, the first few weeks of breastfeeding
- CDC: How much and how often to breastfeed
- CDC: What to expect while breastfeeding
- WHO: Infant and young child feeding (fact sheet)
Solids come next, around 6 months
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