When our daughter was born on Christmas Eve, our lives transformed in an instant. Suddenly, our world revolved around feedings, diaper changes, and fleeting moments of rest. Amid the beauty and exhaustion of it all, I turned to something I know well: data.
A few close friends — also parents — recommended an app called Baby Tracker. They spoke of how it helped them stay organised and spot patterns they otherwise would’ve missed. As someone who works in data analytics, I was immediately intrigued. I started logging key daily events: feedings, diapers, supplements — even weight and height measurements. What began as a practical tool for remembering things soon became something more: a dataset that told the evolving story of our baby’s first few months.
The app allows both parents to log events in real time, from separate devices. Whether it was a middle-of-the-night feed or a quick diaper change while out for a walk, both mum and dad could contribute to the same shared timeline. This made the data more complete — and made us feel more connected as co-pilots in those intense early weeks.
Choosing What to Track (and What Not To)
From December 24th to March 23rd — the first 90 days — we tracked:
- 746 breastfeeding sessions, totalling 148.4 hours of nursing
- 494 diaper changes
- Daily supplements, like vitamin D and probiotics
- Growth milestones, including weight and height
The app also allows you to log naps, but we made a conscious choice not to. In those early weeks, life already felt like a whirlwind. We didn’t want tracking to become a burden. Instead, we focused on what we felt would help us understand her needs and give us peace of mind — without overwhelming ourselves.
What the Data Revealed
Once I exported and analysed the data from the first three months, patterns began to emerge from the haze:
- Breastfeeding sessions varied by day but generally fell between 8 to 10 daily.
- Diaper changes were constant — 5 to 10 per day — especially in the newborn phase.
- Some days showed lighter activity, others were intense, likely due to growth spurts or natural rhythms.
And beyond daily trends, the totals themselves invite reflection.
Topics for Reflection
- 148 hours of breastfeeding: That’s not just nearly a full week of continuous nursing — it also adds up to 18.6 full working days, or nearly four full weeks if we consider a standard 8-hour workday.
What does that tell us about the time, energy, and presence required in early parenthood? And how should we value this kind of unpaid labour — socially, professionally, and emotionally? - 494 diapers in 90 days: At an average cost of €0.20 per diaper, that’s nearly €98.80 spent — just on diapers. And beyond the financial cost, what’s the environmental impact of almost 500 disposable changes in such a short window?
These numbers are more than metrics. They represent time, care, exhaustion, love — and logistics. They invite us to reflect not just on how we parent, but on what it takes to support a parent, a family, and a system that respects the demands of this stage of life.
Analytics Beyond the Office
As someone used to building dashboards and running reports, I’ve always believed in the power of data to bring clarity. But using it in this context — with something as intimate and human as caring for a newborn — was eye-opening.
Tracking gave us clarity when our heads were foggy. It gave us reassurance when things felt uncertain. And above all, it reminded us that even in the most emotional, instinctive parts of life, data can support empathy, not replace it.
Not everything needs to be measured. But when used thoughtfully, tools like Baby Tracker can turn the chaos of early parenthood into something a little more navigable — one data point at a time.
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