We knew shopping was big around the holidays, but app-buying? We gotta admit, that one caught us by surprise! Still, it’s true – the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are some of the biggest “download” weeks of the year! I guess you can count a new app as a holiday gift to yourself, right? 😉
Because we never want to leave you in the dark, we thought this would be the perfect time to jump on the holiday app-downloading bandwagon and share with you some of our favorite baby apps. We’ve written a post like this before (check out 7 of our favorite baby sleep apps in this past post), but we thought it was high time we did another. The apps featured below are designed to help busy parents with everything from sleep, to tracking feeds, to organizing health information (like vaccinations), to managing your grocery lists…and more!
10 Awesome Apps For Parents: Baby Sleep, Baby Tracking, and More!
Baby Shusher – (Apple and Android)
Ever “shushed” a baby to sleep? I have. And I’ll bet those of you who read even a little bit of The Happiest Baby on the Block have tried it, too! Contrary to appearances, shushing isn’t a desperate attempt by parents to get a baby to stop crying; the rhythmic shushing noise actually re-creates a womb sound that young babies find comforting (and sleep-inducing).
Here’s the catch, though — you may have to shush for quite a while before it begins to affect your baby. And you have to shush LOUDLY, over the sound of your baby’s crying. And that can make for some painful, hoarse shushing after awhile.
Thank goodness for the Baby Shusher app (available for use on both Android and iPhones). Not only does the app create the rhythmic shushing noise your newborn needs to relax; it also comes with a timer feature (you can shush for hours) and a sound equalizer (when your baby gets louder, so does the shush). Fancy!
Sprout Baby – (Apple)
There are about a million baby tracking apps out there, and we couldn’t possibly test them all! But this one is top notch! Track feedings, diaper changes, medication, sleep cycles, milestones, growth and development, and more! And this isn’t just a simple logging app — it’s a great health tracker and you can generate on-demand doctor reports to share with your healthcare providers. It also has an Apple Watch app for ease using on-the-go. We’ll bet that you’ll find this app super-helpful and an easy way to track your pertinent baby care details.
Eat Sleep – FREE (Apple)
Looking for something simple? And free? We get it. In that case, why not try Eat Sleep: Simple Baby Tracking App? This is a very simple and easy-to-use tracking app that lets you track the important info. Quickly track your baby’s feeds, naps and night sleep, and of course, pottying!
Baby Monitor 3G – (Apple and Android)
It’s the next generation of baby monitoring – turn your smartphone or tablet into a full-fledged baby monitor! With Baby Monitor 3G, you can turn one device into a video camera and then watch (and listen to) your baby from another device. The Baby Monitor 3G lets you talk to your baby, meaning you can soothe with your voice, even if you’re not present in the room. And the vibration feature is especially genius – if your baby cries, your phone will vibrate, ensuring that you can “hear” your baby cry even if you’re in a noisy setting.
While this one doesn’t necessarily have to replace a traditional at-home monitor, it would make a genius on-the-go baby monitor for those times you’re traveling.
Cozi Family Organizer – FREE (for Apple and Android)
Having this app on your phone is basically like having a personal assistant you can carry around in your purse all day. You can use the Cozi Family Organizer to keep track of ALL your kids’ schedules (perfect for you moms with multiple little ones at home), to manage your grocery and to-do lists, and to jot down sweet memories or milestones when you’re out and about. What’s great about Cozi is that your whole family has one account, so your partner (and your big kids, if applicable) all share the same information – and you can access your family account from a huge range of devices, including your desktop computer!
Here’s what sold me on it, though…have you heard of the Fly Lady? You know, the internet’s Goddess of Home Organization? This is the only app she’s ever endorsed. Enough said, in my opinion!
Nicole’s Note:
“I use this app myself, and I LOVE it!! Don’t think I could live without it, actually.” 😉
White Noise Ambiance – (for Apple and Android)
White Noise Ambiance includes more than 100 relaxing sounds that can be mixed together to create a personalized soothing symphony for your baby! This is not your average lullaby app! Another great perk is that they offer a free “lite” version for both Apple and Android!
WebMD Baby – FREE (Apple and Android)
We’re pretty big WebMD fans around here – and we really love the app version! It’s baby-focused, for one thing (no more hunting around WebMD for baby-specific info – that’s all the app provides), and it beautifully organizes a ton of pertinent, useful baby care information. Use it to search basic baby info, or use the ‘Ask a Pediatrician’ feature to get more expert answers to your medical questions.
There’s even a really cute Baby Book feature that allows you to easily keep track of all those baby and toddler ‘firsts’. I love that feature – nice to have something handy to track the sweet moments in the midst of all of the technical info. 🙂
Pump Log – FREE (Apple)
If you’re a pumping mom, you know first-hand how tough it can be to juggle regular pumping with all the other zillion things you have to do in a day. Enter Pump Log – the app that helps you manage all your pumping info! Track your breastmilk production, set automatic reminders so that you don’t forget to pump, track what times of day your milk production is at its highest, make notes about pumping sessions – and more!
The app also helps you count down when you can stop pumping, based on when you plan to stop nursing and what kind of supply you have stashed in your freezer. That’s such a great feature for you moms who are committed to pumping but are still eager to know when you can stop with the constant pumping!
Long story short, we think this app is destined to become the EP (Exclusively Pumping) mom’s best friend.
LactMed – FREE (Apple and Android)
Full disclosure – there is nothing (repeat: nothing) fancy about this app. It’s super basic. But the info it provides is so helpful, if you’re a breastfeeding mom. So what does LactMed do, exactly? Simple – it contains an index of just about every medication known to man, as well as information about exactly how each medication affects your breastmilk (and, by extension, your child). Not sure if a medication you’re taking is safe to use while breastfeeding? Consult LactMed! About to buy an OTC medication? Look it up in LactMed first, to see up-to-date recommendations about whether or not it’s safe for nursing moms.
Of course, this is absolutely no substitute for care from a healthcare provider, but it makes a great supplemental tool for breastfeeding moms.
Day One – (Apple only)
We’ll admit, this has nothing at all to do with baby care or baby sleep – but it has everything to do with capturing precious moments with your little one! Day One is a clean, elegant, and downright beautiful app that serves as a digital journal. Quickly make a note of a funny moment, a cute little thing your toddler says, or a major milestone. Capture pictures alongside your entries, and access old entries easily (since everything’s organized by date). Choose what you want to keep private, and what you want to share with family and friends.
We all know that in the hustle and bustle of caring for a little one, it can be so easy to forget about capturing precious, lovely moments with your family. The Day One app is designed to make it easy not only to capture those moments but also to save and share them.