Having a new baby is a pretty intimidating experience. Since babies don’t come with an instruction manual, it can be difficult to know what to do in certain scenarios, and how to find a new normal. Thankfully, technology has provided us with many mobile apps to help you as you raise your little one. With so many to choose from, we’ve selected eight of the best apps, all designed to make your life as a parent easier.
Owlet Baby Care
Free (sock purchase required for app to function properly); iPhoneand Android
The Owlet Baby Care app works in tandem with your Owlet Smart Sock to measure your baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels and relay that information to your smart phone. If your baby’s heart rate or oxygen levels fall outside the preset range, Owlet is designed to send you a notification via your smartphone and the Owlet Base Station.
Cozi Family Organizer
This amazing app helps you manage and organize family life. You can create a profile for each family member, and see everyone’s schedule. You can keep track of all appointments, work schedules and other life events, which are all color-coded so you know who needs to be where and when. You can set reminders for upcoming events and sync shopping and to-do lists with your partner.
Baby Connect
$4.99; iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone, Kindle Fire
Baby Connect provides a centralized location for tracking everything from daily feedings, pumping and baby milestones to immunization records and medications. It can also chart your child’s progression, based upon the input you provide. You can also share the account with your child’s caregiver to check in while you’re away.
First Opinion
Free (premium membership $9/month); iPhone and iPad
This great app provides you with 24/7 access to a qualified doctor via text message. Every text is answered in less than 24 hours if you enroll in the free membership (though often much shorter than that) and within three minutes if you upgrade to the premium membership. With the premium membership, you can also send pictures to the doctor.
Mama Bear
Free (in-app purchases available); iPhone and Android
While this app doesn’t necessarily apply to your brand new baby, it’s a family safety app that provides you with news about your child’s physical and virtual activities. (Which will become important sooner that you think.) Families can send each other messages, and parents can monitor their child’s social media accounts, location and speed while driving. You can also be notified when your child gets to school.
Total Baby Pro
$4.99; iPhone and iPad
Total Baby Pro streamlines 14 separate timing and tracking functions (everything from nursing to bath time) to help you log and time all aspects of your child’s care. You can also compare your baby’s growth with percentiles from the World Health Organization, and monitor up to six children at a time. The daily diary is also a great function.
smart-ICE4family
$2.99; iPhone
This app consolidates and stores all of your family’s medical information, including medical history and insurance material. In the event of an emergency, the app can call emergency services and provide them with a prerecorded message and your location.
The Wonder Weeks
$1.99; iPhone, iPad and Android
A “Wonder Week” is one of 10 important developmental weeks in your baby’s first 20 months. This app helps you prepare for and predict these leaps in mental development that can often perplex you and your baby. It provides a personalized daily.
