How to count time between baby feeds: start to start
Tell a feeding session's duration apart from the time between feeds, with a worked example and a blank printable record.
Three times, three different questions
A session's duration is the time from its start to its finish. A start-to-start interval is the time from the beginning of one feed to the beginning of the next. The gap after the first feed finishes is a third number. Label them separately so everyone reading the record knows what you counted.
Nemours uses start-to-start timing when explaining breastfeeding frequency. This explains a counting convention; it does not set a feeding schedule for your baby. A record should describe what happened, not make a baby wait for a clock.
Keep the date beside the time
A feed beginning at 11:50 p.m. and the next beginning at 1:10 a.m. the following day are 1 hour and 20 minutes apart when the clock has not changed. Write both dates. During travel or a daylight-saving change, keep the time zone or the actual elapsed time with the record rather than subtracting bare clock times.
If you missed the start, mark it approximate. Leave an unknown finish as not recorded. A precise-looking guess can make the next calculation misleading.
Describe side changes without changing the question
A side change can be noted within the same nursing session. If your care team asks for each breast or a different kind of count, use its convention and write that label beside the number. Ask what to do with pauses instead of silently counting them as new sessions.
Nuzzle · How to count time between baby feeds: start to start
Start, finish and next-start record
Use one row for one pair of feeds. Keep dates and units visible; leave missing times clearly marked. The sheet does not calculate a next feeding time.
On a small screen, scroll the blank table horizontally. The printout includes the whole table.
| First start (date/time) | First finish (date/time) | Next start (date/time) | Session duration (minutes) | Start-to-start interval | Approximate or missing details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- Use the same time zone, or note a clock change.
- Label duration and start-to-start interval separately.
- Keep your care team's individual instructions beside the record.
Questions to keep beside the record
- Which start and finish should I record when there is a pause?
- How would you like me to count side changes?
This sheet records observations. It does not set feeding amounts, schedules or a medical plan. For questions about your baby's health, contact your care team.
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The examples and blank worksheet are original Nuzzle resources, not a clinical feeding schedule.