By Jeana Lee Tahnk
Back when I was pregnant for the first time, I relied heavily on
books and the Internet to gather information about "what to expect,"
pregnancy symptoms, newborn care and everything you want to know when
you're preparing to become a parent for the first time. There was no
such thing as a smartphone or apps back then.
How quickly it has moved from nothing to never-ending! In the span of
a few short years, there are now hundreds, perhaps thousands, of apps
at parents' disposal, chock full of information about every stage of
parenting.
Here are a few picks that are great for parents of babies:
Ready, Set, Baby! ($4.99, iOS)
This is the modern day equivalent to all those baby books I read
religiously with baby No. 1. Made for today's tech-savvy parents, this
app features tons of content, how-to videos, shopping guides and expert
recommendations on everything you need to know for baby's first year.
Baby Bundle (Free, iOS)
Created by a pediatrician, Baby Bundle is a great all-encompassing app
for so many things, from keeping track of growth, feedings and diaper
changes to monitoring the baby and recording health visits and
vaccinations. It also contains trusted health advice and a symptom
checker
Baby Monitor, (Free, Android)
There are a lot of expensive baby monitors on the market, but if you
have two Android phones, you can instantly have a baby monitor on your
devices. This eliminates the need to lug around a monitor anytime you
travel and it's right on your phone, so you can always keep an eye on
your baby.
BabyBook by CandoBaby (Free, iOS)
There are so many milestones during the baby's first year, it's
important to record them to treasure forever. BabyBook offers built-in
templates for you to simply plug in pictures and edit text as necessary,
for a seamless and easy way to create that memory book. You can also
get the book printed as a forever keepsake.
White Noise Baby (Free, Android)
Babies love to hear white noise because it reminds them of the time
they spent in the womb. And anything to help them sleep better is worth
checking out. White Noise Baby also features other sounds including
heartbeat, water, hair dryer and vacuum cleaner to help babies achieve
that deep slumber.
There are thousands of great apps for parents to choose from, but
these five are great for covering the basics of life with a baby.