diff --git a/.github/workflows/post-release-version-bump.yml b/.github/workflows/post-release-version-bump.yml
index d1f4b180b..04fa0ae18 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/post-release-version-bump.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/post-release-version-bump.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ on:
       version:
         description: 'Version number (e.g., 1.0.1)'
         required: true
+      is_patch:
+        description: 'Is this a patch? (true or false)'
+        required: true
+        default: 'false'
 
 env:
   AWS_DEFAULT_REGION: us-east-1
@@ -100,8 +104,22 @@ jobs:
           sed -i 's/__version__ = ".*"/__version__ = "'$DEV_VERSION'"/' aws-opentelemetry-distro/src/amazon/opentelemetry/distro/version.py
           VERSION="${{ github.event.inputs.version }}"
           sed -i 's/python:v.*"/python:v'$VERSION'"/' .github/workflows/daily-scan.yml
+          
+          # for patch releases, avoid merge conflict by manually resolving CHANGELOG with main
+          if [[ "${{ github.event.inputs.is_patch }}" == "true" ]]; then
+            # Copy the patch release entries
+            sed -n "/^## v${VERSION}/,/^## v[0-9]/p" CHANGELOG.md | sed '$d' > /tmp/patch_release_section.txt
+
+            git fetch origin main
+            git show origin/main:CHANGELOG.md > CHANGELOG.md
+
+            # Insert the patch release entries after Unreleased
+            awk -i inplace '/^## v[0-9]/ && !inserted { system("cat /tmp/patch_release_section.txt"); inserted=1 } {print}' CHANGELOG.md
+          fi
+          
           git add aws-opentelemetry-distro/src/amazon/opentelemetry/distro/version.py
           git add .github/workflows/daily-scan.yml
+          git add CHANGELOG.md
           git commit -m "Prepare main for next development cycle: Update version to $DEV_VERSION"
           git push --set-upstream origin "prepare-main-for-next-dev-cycle-${VERSION}"
 
@@ -118,3 +136,13 @@ jobs:
           By submitting this pull request, I confirm that you can use, modify, copy, and redistribute this contribution, under the terms of your choice." \
                        --head prepare-main-for-next-dev-cycle-${VERSION} \
                        --base main
+
+      - name: Force our CHANGELOG to override merge conflicts
+        run: |
+          git merge origin/main || true
+          git checkout --ours CHANGELOG.md
+          git add CHANGELOG.md
+          if ! git diff --quiet --cached; then
+            git commit -m "Force our CHANGELOG to override merge conflicts"
+            git push origin "post-release-${VERSION}"
+          fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-build.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-build.yml
index fbd265f50..1c607c326 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-build.yml
@@ -10,6 +10,42 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 
 jobs:
+  changelog-check:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          
+      - name: Check CHANGELOG
+        run: |
+          # Check if PR is from workflows bot or dependabot
+          if [[ "${{ github.event.pull_request.user.login }}" == "aws-application-signals-bot" ]]; then
+            echo "Skipping check: PR from aws-application-signals-bot"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          
+          if [[ "${{ github.event.pull_request.user.login }}" == "dependabot[bot]" ]]; then
+            echo "Skipping check: PR from dependabot"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          
+          # Check for skip changelog label
+          if echo '${{ toJSON(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name) }}' | jq -r '.[]' | grep -q "skip changelog"; then
+            echo "Skipping check: skip changelog label found"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          
+          # Fetch base branch and check for CHANGELOG modifications
+          git fetch origin ${{ github.base_ref }}
+          if git diff --name-only origin/${{ github.base_ref }}..HEAD | grep -q "CHANGELOG.md"; then
+            echo "CHANGELOG.md entry found - check passed"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          
+          echo "It looks like you didn't add an entry to CHANGELOG.md. If this change affects the SDK behavior, please update CHANGELOG.md and link this PR in your entry. If this PR does not need a CHANGELOG entry, you can add the 'Skip Changelog' label to this PR."
+          exit 1
+
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-release-prepare.yml b/.github/workflows/pre-release-prepare.yml
index a6f83cc73..1a36ebfcd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pre-release-prepare.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-release-prepare.yml
@@ -94,6 +94,13 @@ jobs:
           git commit -am "Update version to ${VERSION}"
           git push origin "v${VERSION}_release"
 
+      - name: Update CHANGELOG for release
+        run: |
+          sed -i "s/## Unreleased/## Unreleased\n\n## v${VERSION} - $(date +%Y-%m-%d)/" CHANGELOG.md
+          git add CHANGELOG.md
+          git commit -m "Update CHANGELOG for version ${VERSION}"
+          git push origin "v${VERSION}_release"
+
       - name: Create pull request against the release branch
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ env.BOT_TOKEN_GITHUB_RW_PATOKEN }}
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d39093671
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Changelog
+
+All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
+
+> **Note:** This CHANGELOG was created starting from version 0.12.0. Earlier changes are not documented here.
+
+For any change that affects end users of this package, please add an entry under the **Unreleased** section. Briefly summarize the change and provide the link to the PR. Example:
+- add GenAI attribute support for Amazon Bedrock models
+  ([#300](https://github.com/aws-observability/aws-otel-python-instrumentation/pull/300))
+
+If your change does not need a CHANGELOG entry, add the "skip changelog" label to your PR.
+
+## Unreleased