"One of the trickiest parts of new parenting is getting used to your new sleeping pattern. "
Baby Thingz
Welcoming a new baby into the family is a wonderful and unforgettable experience — but it’s not always plain-sailing. Knowing what to do and when to do it to look after your little one can be tricky, especially if you’re a new parent.
But don’t worry, there’s help out there. Using just your smartphone, you can get advice and guidance on everything to do with being a new parent — from feeding tips to nearby play groups. Check out this guide to the top new parent apps and make life as a new mum or dad a little easier…
Ovia Parenting — Baby Tracker
This is a one-stop app for all things ‘new baby’. With the Ovia Parenting app, you can track your child’s development using a checklist, share precious photos of your newborn with family and read new articles on paediatric health to keep up-to-date with the latest in children’s welfare.
More personal and private than Facebook or Instagram, new parents love being able to invite friends and family to follow their babies’ updates and videos! Plus, you get a family calendar where you can log all those key development dates and check-up appointments. Being a customisable app, Ovia Parenting feels completely personal to you and your baby. If you’re feeling unsure about anything, you also have the option of asking anonymous questions to a community of other parents and children carers via the app.
Sound Sleeper: White Noise
One of the trickiest parts of new parenting is getting used to your new sleeping pattern. While some babies drift off easily, others need extra help and getting newborns back off to sleep after waking up in the early hours is exhausting for mums and dads. That’s where the Sound Sleeper: White Noise app comes in.
With this, you can choose from a wide range of soothing sounds to make falling asleep simpler for your little one — including modern and traditional lullabies, as well as white noises such as ‘rain’, ‘womb’, ‘fan’, and others. You also have a handy sleep tracker mode that will monitor your baby’s downtime and help you develop and maintain good sleeping habits.
Developed by new parents, this app is designed with first-hand experience of tackling the issue of bedtime. It turns on at the sound of your baby’s first cry — meaning you don’t even have to switch it on in the middle of the night — and you can even record your own sounds if you know there’s a special tune or noise that helps your baby sleep.
DadPad
Many apps are aimed at new mothers, but fathers are just as in need of help and guidance when it comes to taking care of a newborn. If you’re a new dad and are feeling unsure or apprehensive, download DadPad for tips and peace of mind!
Here, you can scroll through and select the concern you’re most worried about or just get a refresher on key, baby-caring activities — like bathing and holding your newborn. There are also plenty of advice articles, including ones to help you support your partner and look after yourself, as well as tips on bonding with your new addition to the family. Since parents, midwives and healthcare professionals have all been involved in creating content for this app, you can rest assured that what you learn is useful, relevant and accurate.
The best part is that DadPad is part of the Maternity Transformation Programme’s Better Births strategy, so information you receive via the app will relate to your local health authority or NHS Trust.
Baby Monitor 3G
Being able to watch over your baby without creeping into their nursery and disturbing them sounds like an ideal scenario for many new parents — and it’s possible with the Baby Monitor 3G app.
Delivering quality audio and video, the Baby Monitor 3G app is available on phone, tablet and desktop, letting you keep track of every noise and movement your baby makes for your peace of mind. Taking less than a minute to set up, just place one device in your child’s room and keep the other near you to start watching over your little one via live HD video. From your office to your bedroom, this app works from anywhere. Not only that, you have the option to talk to your baby, too — ideal when they need soothing back to sleep by the recognisable tone of your voice.
Millions of parents have already downloaded Baby Monitor 3G, which has also won the AppStore Best of the Year award in several European countries, and you can even create an activity log for your baby’s sleeping habits and play lullabies to them via your device’s music library.
Mush
Referred to as the ‘number one app for mums’, Mush is a godsend for new mothers who are keen to find support and friendship from other local parents. Having a baby can sometimes feel isolating, as your whole day seems to revolve around taking care of your newborn — but it doesn’t need to. with Mush, you can make a profile in just a minute before scrolling to find nearby mothers that you can connect with and arrange a get-together.
If you have a question or concern, chances are many of the other new mums on Mush do, too! From what double buggy to buy to fit your family, to how to make the transition from milk to baby food; this app lets you ask questions and get first-hand advice from other users. Or you can simply browse the range of advice articles to help ease your concerns.
Hoop
If you have children aged between 0 and 11 years, the Hoop app is for you. Keeping babies entertained is one thing, but if you have older kids, finding the perfect activity is even more difficult!
Using Hoop, you can find everything from toddler groups and dance workshops, to messy play venues and soft play fun for all ages. Bringing together all the kid-friendly activities in your area and separated into recommended ages, you can scroll through more than 70,000 listed venues until you land on the perfect one for your family. There are also plenty of free options listed on this app, too.
Already used by around 750,000 families, this app is a must for busy parents who need child-friendly entertainment fast!
Get downloading today and make life as a new parent s little simpler!
