If you used an app to track feedings/diapers etc, when did you stop?

chillmama1518 · February 2016

I've been using FeedBaby app to track my baby boy's feedings (BF and bottles of pumped BM), pumping, diapers and growth measurements. I'm going to keep up with growth (it charts it against percentiles which is kind of cool) and we stopped tracking diapers after about 2 weeks (couldn't keep up with him and we had zero concern he wasn't dirtying/wetting enough diapers) but I'm still religiously tracking feedings and pumping. I feel like I've become a little obsessive with doing it and kind of want to stop,but at the same time it helps me organize my day (I know if I have time to do something before he'll likely need to eat again) and helps me predict if he is fussing in the night because he's hungry or if it's just a diaper issue or gas.
Anyone else use a tracking app like this and then stop, and how did you feel once you did?
Baby boy has gained plenty of weight so I'm no longer concerning myself if it's "been too long" since he ate and letting him sleep until he wakes up etc.
Just trying to see if maybe stopping tracking would make the whole BF experience feel less regimented...

Gingermom15 · February 2016

I never tracked anything. It seemed unnecessary to add to the stress of breastfeeding. He has plenty of output and his pediatrican says he is growing well, that's good enough for me.

misamima · February 2016

I only track feedings/ounces and daytime naps. But only because I'm trying to see what her natural pattern is. This way I can work on a schedule for when I go back to work, to make it somewhat easier for the babysitter.

taysun · February 2016

I stopped tracking once her jaundice cleared up but started again when I was finally able to breastfeed at 5 weeks. I only tracked for a few days to make sure she was actually getting enough.
I'd already figured out her natural schedule by that point. It varies but follows a kind of pattern and I found tracking it just made me anxious.

mperotti220 · February 2016

I stopped at 2 weeks because it was so tedious...now I'm going to start with daytime feeds and naps like PP said so I can help the nanny with some kind of timeline....because now it's really on DDs terms and I don't even note the time

Fdpolla92 · February 2016

I use to track all of that until about 5 weeks when we had more of a routine for feedings and I learned her cues. If it helps you stay organized there really isn't anything wrong with tracking. Now I just look at the clock when I feed her so I know what time it was and that is good enough for me now.

Mizuiro007 · February 2016

I stopped tracking pretty quickly with my first but this time I'm still tracking feedings with DD at 11 weeks. I use the same feed baby app but only track feedings with it. It gives me an idea of her patterns but mostly helps me keep track with block feeding so I can remember which side she fed on last and if it's soon enough that I need to feed again on that same side and switch. There's enough going on that I'm trying to remember that I need the extra help.

There's no harm how you do it, if you stop or keep tracking, as long as it's what works for you.

Court11152325 · February 2016

I still track nursing sessions using an app. Mostly because it helps me remember which side I need to start on.

ATolentino89 · February 2016

I feel so disorganized. The only reason I track right now is because LO has a cold. Otherwise, nothing. Probably because he has different routines on different days. I only work part time and have daycare 3 days a week.

rmarie13 · February 2016

DD is 8 weeks tomorrow and I still use the app Nursing Timer. The diaper thing is too tedious but I love the breastfeeding tracker and pumping one too. The pumping one helps me to keep track of the extra milk in the fridge.

ramfam2507 · February 2016

I still track. Reminds me which boob I last used and it also times his feedings.

angelicac06 · February 2016

I still use it 10 weeks later. It's been a life saver to remember when was the last time he nursed, for how long and which breast we did last. I try to keep up with diapers but its the least accurate. I'm assuming it will end when I return to work.

jenEP · February 2016

I only track feedings, mostly to remember what side to start on and to see if any patterns are developing. I might track naps once she starts taking only a few per day. Right now she's still cap-napping a lot and it seems tedious to track every time she falls asleep.

jkloeppel · February 2016

DD is 11 weeks and I still use it for breastfeeding and diapers. We cloth diaper, so no handy color-changing strip (and it is harder to smell if it is dirty).

tesary · February 2016

I only tracked because DS had jaundice. I used a chart that home health care brought and a timer on my phone. I stopped tracking as soon as his jaundice cleared up.

breezypip · February 2016

I'm still tracking feedings, sleep and diapers at 9 1/2 weeks. I try to predict when she might get hungry next, but really she eats constantly so I think it's more to have hard numbers to back up my suffering. I also feel better knowing diaper output is good since I'm BFing and have no other way of making sure she's getting enough. Bonus is I can see how many diapers we went through each month.

grkgdss00 · February 2016

I stopped tracking diapers about a week ago (she's 5w) cause she's always had plenty. I still track feeds but only to see time last fed and side

groovylocks · February 2016

I'm so pathetic. I used a field notes book (i get literally thousands of them from work) to track her feedings and changes.

What i liked about the book as opposed to an app was that there was no risk of my phone getting peed on. I also got to add random things. For example, i know exactly what day she lost her umbillical stump. Big day for Elizabeth and Olive!

I stopped tracking feedings about the time we went from pumping to EBF. My method for tracking feedings was to track the time, the duration of feeding and the amount. With EBF, the amount is a mystery so when she started nursing, I kind of gave up. Looking back, i could have devised a new system but she was eating so well at that point and gaining in leaps and bounds so i gave myself a break.

Similarly i stopped tracking diapers when i realized she was consistently "normal" and have just been keeping an eye on things for signs of deviation from that.

sharonholck28 · February 2016

I don't track diapers anymore. I track feedings just to look for patterns and to make sure im not taking her off too fast. Sometimes I feel like I'm feeding forever and that's she's just sucking for comfort when it's only been 5 mins or so. But I won't be surprised if I stop tracking sometime soon as I'm getting quite used to it now

Mizuiro007 · February 2016

@breezypip I think I'm going to try to start tracking DD's diapers now after reading your post. We're planning to try cloth diapering soon and it would be nice to have a better idea of how many we'll need.

chodge29 · February 2016

I've been tracking with a book I've gotten off Amazon. It's more of a habit now but I figured it is a 3 month book so I'll probably just keep tracking it and have it as a keepsake. It is cool to see how his patterns are changing though and helps me keep track of his medicine doses (little man still has a touch of thrush).

mperotti220 · February 2016

What app does everyone use? I was using the Medela one in the beginning but I didn't really like it.

breezypip · February 2016

mperotti220 said:

What app does everyone use? I was using the Medela one in the beginning but I didn't really like it.

The one I use is called BabyNursing

celainev · February 2016

Yea, I stopped tracking when he was no longer jaundice and was waking up on his own for feedings. That was about at 2 weeks. Now he has been very firm at being hungry every 3 hours and is just starting to go 4-5 hours for certain feeds. I can plan my day by just counting the hours myself. Now he is on formula during the day so I am more comfortable feeding anywhere.

preggoandglowing · February 2016

DD is almost 8 weeks and I still use the Baby Tracker app. DH went back to work 2 weeks ago and up until then feedings and naps were all over the place. Now that it's just me I'm trying to set a routine so use the app religiously. Also I have the worst memory and can never remember how long it's been since last diaper change.

Court11152325 · February 2016

I'm also using BabyNursing like @breezypip

12815AEEA · February 2016

I just started tracking at 8 weeks! I like it because it helps me feel organized. Totally type A here

I use baby tracker.

ColoradoHiker · February 2016

I track pumping to make sure my output isn't tanking (EPing), and I've really just stopped with feed tracking this past week. I only kept it up this long bc I was having trouble remembering when his previous feed had been.

TomekiaB · February 2016

I use feed baby (pro version). I still track diapers, pumping, bottles and BFing time.

I also found the medication alarms helpful (I used it to keep track of my medications the first 10 days which was great since they all were on different schedules, for DS I used it for his oral thrush and the yeast diaper rash that followed).

The alarms help me figure out quickly why DS is getting fussy or how much longer I have before he will need something done (it makes things like walking the dog easier when I know I have 45 minutes until a feed or change). I like to see my pumped volume versus his intake in bottles. I also guess-estimate how much he's eaten while BFing based on how much I'd get pumping a similar amount of time.

RSB1982 · February 2016

We used baby connect to track feelings, diapers and weight. We did this for about 3 weeks. We found we just couldn't keep up with everything, we were forgetting to input things and had to try and 'guess' when the last activity was. The tracking was also making me neurotic. I was worrying about every little thing. It was a relief to stop tracking everything. We still track weight but that's it.

Bubbz · February 2016

I gave up on tracking about 5 weeks in because I'd fall asleep during the night feedings, leaving the feed timer running for hours. Oops.

BethP321 · February 2016

I use the mymedela app. I started tracking because I've been slacking on BF and want to give him less formula (hopefully go back to EBF but I doubt it). It even gives me a notice that says there is a 5 hours or more gap between pumping/BF sessions or when I don't track at least 8 pumping/BF sessions in a day.

i also keep a mini notepad in the kitchen cabinet where the formula and bottles are so anyone who feeds him can track when he was fed last, etc. Then I just calculate the weekly average intake of formula. Hopefully it decreases week by week.

JulieK79 · February 2016

I track her feedings and which side she started eating on the previous time. With my first, I tracked everything for a long time. It helps me organize my day. Do whatever works for you!

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