Becoming a new parent is a beautiful, life-changing experience – but constant attention, 2 a.m. feedings, and a lack of sleep can still be overwhelming. Fortunately, there’s an app for just about anything these days, including parenting. Among the multitude of apps for new mothers, the following five lead the neonatal pack.
1. Total Baby
Changing diapers, midnight feedings, and doctor appointments are overwhelming. Selected by Apple as a “Staff Favorite,” Total Baby is a must-have app for new parents. It is an all-in-one solution for managing your baby’s well-being, and provides tools to help you organize your life as a new parent.
Using its sleek and modern interface, you can manage all aspects of your child’s care by letting you record and track diaper changes, nursing sessions, pumping sessions, bottle consumption, solids, sleep cycles, bathing sessions, and medications.
The app offers complete control over the data you record, including monthly, weekly, and daily averages and reports. Plus, you can export data in CSV or HTML format for your child’s physician or support staff. Data is also synchronized across your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch using Apple’s new iCloud service.
2. White Noise
Do you have difficulty putting your baby down for a nap? Help your little one drift off to sleep faster with White Noise. With over 40 ambient noises to choose from, your baby will be sound asleep within minutes. Create custom playlists or mix sounds together to create a harmonious track of raindrops, purring cats, and waves beating against the coastline.
Plus, you can record your favorite ambient noises and use them within the app. Does your baby instantly fall asleep in the car? Record a track while driving to give your baby the illusion he or she is in the backseat on a road trip.
It’s not just for your baby, either. White Noise is perfect for when you need a power nap or to let your mind drift off.
3. Baby Monitor
Baby monitors are bulky and take up considerable room in your luggage when traveling. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could turn your iPhone into a baby monitor? You can with the Baby Monitor app. Place the iPhone near your sleeping baby. When the app detects noise it places a phone call to the number of your choice. Unlike traditional monitors, you have unlimited range. Baby Monitor is also compatible with FaceTime, allowing you to see your child once he or she wakes up.
4. Mom Maps
Mom Maps allows you to find kid-friendly venues wherever you go. Whether you need an indoor playground for rainy-day play, or you’re looking for the perfect park for tummy time, Mom Maps has you covered.
Mom Maps features 28,000 locations in 28 metropolitan areas. Using your phone’s built-in GPS, find nearby parks, playgrounds, restaurants, museums, and indoor play areas. Mom Maps partners with parent bloggers and family travel experts to deliver you a curated list for parents by parents.
5. Baby Tracker: Nursing and Diapers
Keeping track of your baby can be a daunting task when your physician asks you to log activity. Baby Tracker: Nursing allows you to input nursing sessions and bottle feedings while logging a variety of personal attributes. The app archives past nursing sessions and feedings for a high-level daily or weekly overview. You can also view the specifics of past feedings, such as volume and output.
Baby Tracker: Diapers use a similar interface, but allows you to monitor and track your baby’s diapers. You can input the type, volume, and visual appearance of your baby’s waste. It may seem gross, but it’s especially handy if your doctor asks you to monitor your child’s output.
Being an iParent comes with tremendous responsibility. Apps are not a replacement for spending quality time with your little one, but they can be an effective way to enhance that time. Whether you’re monitoring a sick baby’s bodily functions or just trying to help them sleep, these apps can keep any new mother ahead of the parenting game.
About elli
Elli is a writer for YourLocalSecurity.com. She was born and raised in Colorado and now enjoys skiing, playing tennis, and hiking in the mountains of Salt Lake City, Utah.
