How can I remember which breast to start with?
A small note can help you remember where the last feed began. Keep it simple and follow any individual advice from your care team.
The short answer
If remembering the last side is useful to you, write down where a feed began or use a reminder you will notice. NHS guidance says to offer both breasts and alternate which one you start with, while letting your baby finish the first side before offering the other. Follow any individual plan from your care team.
Keep the reminder small
The early weeks can blur together, especially when feeds happen overnight. If you want to remember where a feed began, choose one easy reminder: note the starting side in a phone or paper log, or use a tracking app that records left and right separately.
You do not need to time every feed for this reminder to work. Record only the detail you want to recall. If you forget, it is fine to make your best guess or skip the entry rather than turning the log into another source of pressure.
Follow your baby's cues and your care plan
The NHS recommends offering both breasts and alternating which side you start with. Let your baby finish the first breast, then offer the second. A baby may not want both sides at every feed, and families may have an individual plan from a midwife, doctor or lactation professional. Follow that plan if it differs from general information.
A note about which side you started with is only a memory aid. It cannot show how much milk your baby took. If you are worried about feeding, latch, pain, weight gain or your baby's nappies, contact your care team or a breastfeeding specialist for advice about your situation.
Use a reminder that travels with you
A note on a particular chair works only when you always feed there. A phone log can be easier to keep with you, while a simple paper mark may suit someone who wants less screen time. Pick the option you can use without interrupting a feed, then change it if it becomes inconvenient.
In BabyDays, a breastfeeding entry keeps left and right side times separate, and the Today screen suggests a starting side from the latest logged breastfeeding session. Check that suggestion against your own care plan and your baby's cues.
Keep the rest of the log optional
You can record one detail without tracking the whole day. If a clinician has asked you to keep a fuller record, ask which details matter and when to review them. Otherwise, keep only what helps you remember or share care.
For related questions, read how often newborns feed and whether a newborn tracking app is useful.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked 11 October 2026. This page is not a substitute for individual medical advice.