Breastfeeding Diary
You may find it helpful to record your baby’s feedings, wet diapers, and stools for the first few weeks after he is born. Babies often lose weight in the hospital or in the first few days after discharge. Once your baby has regained his weight, is above birth weight and gaining regularly, you no longer need to use this log.
Breastfeeding hints
- Massage breasts before and during breastfeeding or pumping to help with milk removal.
- If your baby breastfeeds on only one breast or you feel he did not breastfeed well on both breasts, pump your breasts after feeding.
- If you have to give your baby extra milk after breastfeeding, make sure to pump your breasts to increase milk supply.
- Allow your baby to breastfeed as long as he wants to on the first breast before offering the other breast.
- Not all babies always feed from both breasts at every feeding session.
- It is normal for your baby to want to breastfeed as often as every hour in the beginning and during growth spurts.
- Your baby will eat 8-12 times per day (or more) and should have at least six wet diapers and 3-4 yellow stools a day after he is 5 days old.
DAY: _________________________________________
Record your total numbers for the day for each column.
| Time of day |
Time -right breast |
Time - left breast |
Wet diapers |
Stools (note color) |
Other notes (i.e. amount of pumped breast milk, amount supplemented, etc.) |
| Midnight | |||||
| 1 a.m. | |||||
| 2 a.m. | |||||
| 3 a.m. | |||||
| 4 a.m. | |||||
| 5 a.m. | |||||
| 6 a.m. | |||||
| 7 a.m. | |||||
| 8 a.m. | |||||
| 9 a.m. | |||||
| 10 a.m. | |||||
| 11 a.m. | |||||
| Noon | |||||
| 1 p.m. | |||||
| 2 p.m. | |||||
| 3 p.m. | |||||
| 4 p.m. | |||||
| 5 p.m. | |||||
| 6 p.m. | |||||
| 7 p.m. | |||||
| 8 p.m. | |||||
| 9 p.m. | |||||
| 10 p.m. | |||||
| 11 p.m. | |||||
| TOTAL |
The Breastfeeding Diary can be downloaded and printed out in pdf form.
Contact us
For more information or to schedule an appointment with a lactation specialist at CHOP, call 215-590-4442 or contact us online.
Reviewed by: Diane L. Spatz, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN
Date: August 2012
Contact Us
- 215-590-4442
- Contact Us Online