3 Reasons to Collect Baby Data (or rather, data on your baby)
Okay, I admit that “baby data” is not a real term. But for the purposes of this blog, let’s forget that.
By collecting baby data, I mean keeping track of your baby’s feeding and sleeping patterns using a daily log; something straightforward and user-friendly, like the Peter Pauper’s Press, “The Daily Baby Logbook,” is a great option.
I know, I know. Extensive record keeping of your baby’s eating habits isn’t your idea of fun. But trust me when I say there is a method to this madness.
A daily log will make it easier to establish a consistent feeding schedule that works best for your family (and a consistent feeding schedule makes a nap schedule all that much more possible). Jotting down when and how much your baby eats each day also comes in handy if you decide to night wean your baby; you will be able to use this information to systematically decrease their feedings at night and then account for those lost ounces during the day.
If you thought tracking how much formula your baby consumed Tuesday at 4:00 pm wasn’t interesting enough, I also recommend tracking their sleeping habits (SNOOZE alert!). By keeping track of when they are sleeping and how they are sleeping, you will begin to notice patterns and be able to make adjustments when necessary.
Let’s say for example, your baby starts fighting that last nap of the day. Just last week they were practically begging to go to sleep! You read somewhere that sometime between 6 and 9 months, most babies go from 3 to 2 naps a day.
Your baby is 7 months old, so there’s a good chance it’s time to make the nap transition. But before jumping to conclusions, you decide to use the daily log and track your baby’s sleep habits for a week. You see that every day, it takes her longer and longer to fall asleep for that last nap. This is all the evidence you need- time to drop that nap!
If you think I am passionate about baby data, you haven’t seen anything yet. Along with accountability, keeping a log during the sleep training process is one of the keys to success!
No matter the method you choose, using a log will enable you to keep track of your baby’s progress and troubleshoot as needed. The data you collect will also help you view sleep training as a learning process, rather than solely an outcome to be achieved.
The last in-home sleep training client I worked with in Boston was a huge fan of keeping a daily log. Needless to say, she was more than enthusiastic when I brought my own stack of sleep training logs to keep track of her son’s progress throughout the week. We used this information to adjust our approach when necessary, and by the end of the 5 nights, the little guy was sleeping 12 hours straight through!
All this being said, I never thought of myself as a data-minded person until it came to babies. Now? I can’t seem to get enough of it.
To anyone who stayed with me, well done. At the next gathering you attend, you can discuss the importance of data mining when it comes to infants. No doubt you will be the life of the party!
