What to track in your baby’s first year and why it helps

You don’t need to log everything to be a good parent. But a few well-chosen records make the first year easier: they settle 3am debates, help everyone who looks after your baby stay in sync, and turn “I think he’s been feeding more?” into something you can show a health visitor. Here’s what’s worth tracking, and how to choose a tool that helps rather than nags.

What should I track for my baby?

• Feeds: breastfeeds (time, side, roughly how long), bottles (breast milk or formula, amount), pumping, and later, solids.
• Nappies: wet, dirty or both.
• Sleep: naps and night sleep, with start and end times.
• Growth: weight and length when measured at appointments.
• Temperature: readings with the time, when your baby seems unwell.
• Medicine: name and dose as on the label, and the time given.
• Health notes: anything you want to mention to a professional.
• Moments: firsts and funny days, because they go by fast.

Why track feeds and nappies in the first weeks?

In the first weeks, feeds and nappies are what midwives ask about most. For breastfed babies, the NHS says:

And nappies add up quickly:

With that many events each day, memory isn’t reliable. A log is. For the NHS numbers on wet and dirty nappies, see how many wet nappies a newborn should have.

Why track sleep?

Sleep is easier to understand over a week than over a night. WHO gives ranges by age:

Logging naps and nights lets you see your baby’s total sleep against those ranges. More on that in how much sleep a baby needs.

How a baby log helps at check-ups

In England, the NHS describes a schedule of reviews:

Outside England, check-up schedules depend on where you live, so ask your own health service. Wherever you are, a log helps at every appointment:

1. A 7-day summary of feeds, nappies and sleep answers the usual questions in seconds.
2. Questions saved as they come up, so you don’t forget them in the room.
3. Growth and temperature readings with dates, ready to show.
4. Notes in your own words about anything that worried you.

Tracking a premature baby

If your baby was born early, their age is counted a little differently. The NHS says:

That’s worth remembering when you read any age-based guidance. A good tracker should do this for you automatically.

How to choose a baby tracker app

There are many baby tracker apps. A few questions help separate the useful from the noisy:

• Is it shared in real time? Your partner, grandparents and nanny should log into the same record and see each other’s entries straight away.
• Does it work offline? Night feeds don’t wait for Wi-Fi.
• Where does its health information come from? Look for named sources, such as the NHS or WHO, not anonymous tips.
• What does it do with your data? Prefer no ads and no tracking, and the option to export or delete everything.
• Does it work on iPhone and Android? Families rarely all use the same phone.
• Is the pricing fair for families? Check whether every caregiver has to pay, or whether one subscription covers everyone.
• Is it quick at 3am? Big buttons, one-tap logging, and the last feed on the first screen.

How BabyLifeLog fits the checklist

BabyLifeLog runs on iPhone and Android and logs breastfeeds (with a left/right timer and the next side suggested), bottles, pumping, solids, nappies, sleep, growth, temperature, medicine, health notes and moments. It works offline and syncs to the whole family. Every entry shows who logged it.

Guidance cards for your baby’s exact week, using corrected age for premature babies, come with NHS and WHO sources. Lumi writes a morning note about yesterday and answers questions from your family’s records and approved sources, and it never diagnoses. Plan keeps appointments, questions for the doctor and a 7-day summary for visits. There are no ads or tracking SDKs, data is stored in the EU, and you can export or delete it at any time.

One subscription covers the family: €49.99 a year with a 7-day free trial, or €7.99 a month. Everyone you invite joins free. For how families split the work, read sharing baby care with your partner, grandparents and nanny.