What to track for a newborn, and when to stop

In the first fortnight, someone will ask you how many wet nappies the baby had yesterday, and you will not know. That is the whole case for tracking: a tired brain is a poor record.

The three things worth logging

1. Feeds

The NHS says that, as a rough guide, babies feed at least 8 to 12 times, or more, every 24 hours during the first few weeks. Responsive feeding means feeding whenever your baby shows signs of hunger, for as long as they want, so the log is there to count, not to schedule.

Note the time, the side if you are breastfeeding, and the amount if you are using a bottle.

2. Nappies

Nappies are the best everyday sign that milk is going in.

Age	What the NHS says to expect
First 48 hours	Likely only 2 or 3 wet nappies
From day 4	At least 2 soft, yellow poos a day (breastfed baby)
From day 5	At least 6 heavy, wet nappies every 24 hours

See today’s numbers for your baby with the newborn nappy chart.

3. Sleep

WHO guidance describes 14 to 17 hours of sleep in 24 hours for babies up to 3 months, in pieces. The NHS is clear that babies’ sleep varies a lot, so log it to see your own baby’s pattern, not to grade it.

Worth adding later

• Weight and length, on the days they are measured.
• Temperature, when your baby is unwell.
• Medicines, with the name and dose exactly as written on the label.
• Questions for the next appointment, because they vanish the moment you sit down.

When to stop

Tracking is a tool for the weeks when you have no instincts yet. When the numbers stop changing what you do, stop collecting them. Some families keep a light log for handovers with a nanny or grandparents, which is a different job: see sharing night feeds and handovers.

Choosing a tracker

The apps differ less in what they log than in who can use them and what they do with your data. We compare eight in the best baby tracker apps.