the five best parenting apps
a roundup of the best apps out there that simplify a parent’s life
BY SARAH-JANE KURTINI*, FOUNDER OF TINYBEANS ON OCTOBER 5, 2015
Parenthood can sometimes feel overwhelming but we are a lucky generation to have technology on hand to help out when we need it most.
The best apps solve real problems and when we started Tinybeans we knew exactly which problems we were trying to solve. My dad and sister live far away and missed my children desperately. I wanted a way to safely and easily share photos with them. I also wanted to keep a record of precious moments and track developmental milestones in one place. And so the Tinybeans app was born 3 years ago, making it simple to keep daily photos, videos and notes in one place and to share them safely with JUST the people who care. (Free on iOS and Android).
In addition to Tinybeans, there are now dozens of parenting apps that can give you a helping hand. From clever ways to keep track of your little one’s sleep and feeding patterns to helping your baby fall asleep, there’s an app for it. Here is a roundup of the best apps out there that simplify a parent’s life.
Here is a roundup of the best apps out there that simplify a parent’s life:
+ best baby sleep app: white noise baby
There are ‘fan’ and ‘train ride’ soundtracks, classical music and even a human heartbeat so you can recreate the sanctuary of the womb. The clever team at White Noise Baby has also included an on-screen high contrast baby rattle to help distract a fussy baby.
£0.79 on iOS and free on Android
+ best app for baby’s mental development: The Wonder Weeks
A Wonder Week is one of 10 important developmental weeks in your baby’s first 20 months. This app helps you predict and prepare for these leaps in mental development that can often bewilder you and your baby.
£1.50 on iOS and Android
+ best baby medical and health app: First Opinion
We love that they say that no question is too small. Sometimes all you need is a little reassurance that everything is OK or an educated prompt to follow your instincts and see a doctor in person.
Free for basic subscription and £7/month for premium membership (incudes faster response times and ability to send pictures to doctors) on iOS only.
+ best app for newborn tracking: Total Baby
It contains 14 separate time-tracking and logging functions in a single app! There’s an easy-to-read dashboard so you can see at a glance the last time your little one ate, slept or was changed as well as the last side nursed. Total Baby also allows you to sync between parents and caregivers.
£3.70 on iOS. Feed Baby got lots of mentions as an alternative on Android (free with a £4.50 pro version)
+ best app for family organization: Cozi
In one account you can keep track of vaccination appointments, work schedules and weekend fun, all colour-coded so you know who is up to what and where they should be. You can set reminders for upcoming appointments for yourself and your partner and also sync shopping and to-do lists.
Free on iOS and Android
photo credit: © Blend Images Photography / Veer
