Do you keep track of what time feeds happen, how long etc?

[ElmMum]

Since DD was born 4 weeks ago, we've been jotting down what time feeds start, how long they last and which side she fed from.

Without it I can never remember when her next feed is due or how many we've done in a day.

Does anyone else do this?? And will we ever get to a stage when we don't feel we need to any more?

All seems a bit anal, but without it, I really do get lost!

I did this with DS1, and although I haven't with DS2, it's been utterly invaluable in getting an idea of feed numbers and how they compare (they were born 3 years apart, almost to the day). Their birth dates are 2 days apart so I can easily check how DS2 is getting on in comparison...I know, you're not supposed to compare your children!

This time round, I do this thing that my brother said looks like "The Les Dawson Check", where I shove each breast to check which is heaviest!! Apart from that, it's every 3 hours unless he's happy to play for longer.

I am not BF however I have been keeping a record of feed times and how much he has taken it just makes me feel better, so i think it is just down to the individual and if you want to do it then that is up to you.

I kept a note in my mobile with the time and side of each feed and when DS had a nappy change (and whether it was poo or just pee!). I have only just stopped this as I upgraded my mobile so couldn't be bothered to continue (he is now 8 months old!). I also started a weaning diary but stopped that after we went on holiday. I figured I couldn't keep recording things until he was a teenager LOL. It did help me loads in the early days though )

To the OP - I did this religiously until dd stopped bf at 5 months! I found it invaluable for working out a routine and for remembering which side I last fed from. I had trouble remembering my name in the early days!!!

happynappies - wow! Am mega impressed (you must have a bit of organisation - I would probably leave the notebook far out of reach or forget the pencil or somerthing and then forget what to write down when I finally find the notebook - which would probably be under a pile of crap pending things to tidy away )

Actually ds (nearly 4 mnths) often 'tells' me which side to feed from as I'll put him to the one side, he'll fuss and turn his head, so I'll offer the other side and he feeds, and often will feed from the first (rejected) side afterwards - anyone else had this?

I must admit to being a bit of a control freak. I didn't want to /couldn't impose a routine on my little one at first, so writing down times of feeds and which side helped me feel there was some sort of order. Now that she's nearly 7 months and starting solids I put feeds and sleeps into my diary on the computer and I can see at a glance what her own routine is and I can plan around it. I can also see how much milk, now that she's ff. Nerdy, but really helpful to my frazzled brain.