Parenting is hard. Luckily though, we are not alone. Many other people have embarked on this journey before us, and some of them created mobile apps to make our lives just a little bit easier! Here are some of my favorites:
During Pregnancy, and beyond
What to Expect – The What to Expect App took me through each stage of my pregnancy and told me What to Expect. I also loved that it grouped me with other moms due during the same month and created a forum for us to post questions/discussions and help each other along the way. Now, into our toddler phase, the app has continued to track based on my baby’s age and offer articles and advice along the way.
The Bump – Similar to What to Expect, I was able to track progress all through my pregnancy and receive articles and help for my gestational age and now through to the toddler stage, I continue to reference articles and posts based on my baby’s age.
Baby’s Development The Wonder Weeks – This app really is a wonder! It tracks your baby’s age and tells you when they are going through changes in their mental development which affects their mood, health, intelligence, sleeping patterns and what they refer to as the Three C’s (crying, clinging and crankiness). I started as a skeptic on this concept but have been blown away by the accuracy of this app. To almost the exact day, anytime my baby has begun to change his behavior or acts uncharacteristically fussy, I open this app and find out he is going through a mental leap! Then, I proceed to read almost every behavior and reaction my son has been exhibiting. It is almost scary! But, also comforting. It helps to know that there is a reason for the change in behavior, that we are not alone, and that there is an end in sight!
Kinedu – This app helps you to encourage your baby’s development through meaningful play and activities. There is a free version that allows you to access a limited number of activities for your child’s age group, which encourages them to work towards each new milestone. If you upgrade to the paid version, the activities become more personalized based on your child’s age and milestones they have achieved. It also has the option to add multiple children and track each one’s progress separately. Also, you are able to add multiple caregivers and sync the progress and activities with only 1 subscription. So, mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, even nannies, and babysitters can be added to the app and use this for educational games and activities to engage in with your Little One.
Schedules/Routine
MOC Scheduler – As a first-time mom, it can be difficult to know what a “normal” schedule or routine is for your baby’s age. I utilized a lot of different blogs and resources to determine the method I would use for our play and sleep routines, but what I struggled with was how long each stage should be by age. Enter the Moms on Call Scheduler. I did not do the full Moms on Call program but I utilized the app as a base for our Eat, Play, Sleep routine. It helped me to have a starting point and I changed the schedule to what worked for us.
Amazon Alexa – Ok, for this one to work, yes, you need an Echo Dot or other Amazon device. But, this has helped us a lot. I use Alexa in the baby’s room to play lullabies and nap time and bedtime. So, why is the app so important? I can start the lullabies remotely from another room. Come 1 am, the baby is fussy and starts to stir, I can restart the lullabies from my bed to help soothe him back to sleep. Every baby is different, but my son would actually get more upset if we entered the room to soothe him! He would just get angrier once we left the room and end up more awake so Alexa was a lifesaver! Also, we noticed that during the week, with our alarms and the movement of the morning, our son was waking up earlier giving him less rest and making it more difficult for us to get ready for work. We now programmed Alexa to turn on the lullabies 30 minutes before our alarms go off to help block out the noise. This has helped him sleep at least an extra hour during the week!
With so many options out there, it can be hard to narrow down which apps are worth it and which can be the most helpful. What are some apps that have helped make your life as a parent a little easier? Tell us in the comments below.
