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These days you can get apps for just about anything for your iPhone or
Android. On my phone, I have apps for things that range from social media to
comic books as my phone is one of the few things that I have on me at all
times.
When it comes to caring for children, it makes sense that there are
apps that you as a parent or as a child care educator may have on your phone to
make it easier to keep track of things or to have reminders easily on hand. With
a few of the families that I have worked for, I had access to a tablet that worked
as a communication book between me and the parents so they could keep as informed
as possible regarding what was happening with their children.
As a new Mum, I had a number of apps in mind that I was planning on
downloading to keep on my own phone. Some of them are simple tracking apps
while others hold a more educational focus, but they all allow me to ensure
that I have the information that I need on hand should I ever need it and there
have been times when having it on hand has helped me a lot.
Arlo
Price: Free (excluding the monitor which we bought for $250)
Available: iPhone and Android
When we were looking at camera’s to use with AJ I knew what I wanted as
I have used a number of them over the years. I wanted something that allowed me
to play music, check the temperature and talk to AJ – everything else would be
a bonus. The Arlo Baby camera allowed me to do that and more, plus I had a bit
of experience using it as it was a camera that I had used with a family. What
really sold me on the Arlo was that I would be able to just download an app
onto my or T’s phone and have access to the camera wherever I was. Add onto
that that Arlo is a security camera company and should we ever decide to get security
cameras we can easily add them to the app as well.
The app is very easy to use and set up but you are unable to use it
without the camera. The baby monitor that we bought cost us $250 dollars and
came with a free bunny skin that attaches to the camera. In the app you’re able
to adjust the lullabies that are being played and the colour of the night light,
while being able to talk to your baby if you need to and to check the temperature
of the room to ensure that your baby is dressed warm or cool enough to sleep
comfortably. The camera can also send you notifications that tells you when it
picks up on audio and movement so that if you need to use your phone to lookup
a recipe or send a text message, you do not have to worry about your baby
waking up and being upset as you will be told very quickly that this is
happening.
If you’re interested in learning more you can check out the Amazon
listing here.
Baby Plus
Price: Free
Available: iPhone and Android
I used Pregnancy Plus throughout my pregnancy with AJ, so when I found
out they had a version for babies that allowed me to track things and be
reminded of milestones that AJ would hit, I instantly downloaded it. The app is
fantastic as not only does it allow you to track your baby’s growth, how much
they are eating, anything health-wise and nappy changes, it also gives you a
timeline of milestones that your baby will eventually hit so you have a general
idea and it gives you daily information such as why you lose hair after having
your baby and how to tell if your baby is eating enough.
I personally use this app mainly to track AJ’s growth, as it puts
everything on the percentile chart so I have a visual idea of where she stands
next to other babies, and to keep track of milestones that she has coming up. I
personally have nothing against everything else that the app has on offer, I
just personally prefer a different app to keep track of her food intake and
everything like that.
Baby Sparks
Price: Free (can pay a subscription for more content)
Available: iPhone and Android
You maybe wondering why I would have an app that focuses solely on
developmental activities on my phone when I have been caring for children as
long as I have. That is a simple question to answer – I’m not one to turn away
an app or a blog that has great activities that I can use to help the
development of a child. Plus having it on my phone makes it really easy to
access so regardless of where we are I’m able to look at the videos. What is
also great about the app is there is a developmental checklist so you’re able
to get a deeper view of the developmental milestones your baby will meet and
keep track of them.
Baby Tracker
Price: Free
Available: iPhone and Android
This is an app that I have a lot of experience with. It was the app
that I exclusively used to track everything for one of my most recent families
and it was a great way for me to let my bosses know how their daughter’s day
went even if I have to leave very quickly at the end of the day. This app covers
everything that you would need to track; food (breastfeed, express feeding, formula
feeding and solids), nappy output (wet, dirty, mixed, dry), sleep time (how
often they slept and for how long), pumping (so you can have a record of how
much you have stashed in your freezer or fridge) and other activities such as
growth, milestones, temperature, medication, and vaccinations. What I also love
about this app is that everything that is put into it is then graphed so you
have a visual representation of the data you have put in.
What I love about this part the most is that I’m able to look at the
past few weeks with AJ and see how she is going and then use that to bring up
any concerns I have with our doctor at her next appointment.
Baby Weather
Price: Free
Available: iPhone and Android
We all have that problem when we have to take the baby out for a little
while regarding what they are going to wear. You don’t want them to be too hot
or too cold and it can sometimes be hard to decide. I was told by my midwives
and the nurses while we were in special care nursery that you want to dress
them in one layer more than what you are currently wearing. This is great
advice except I feel the cold really easily and T hates the heat so we have two
different opinions on how AJ should be dressed sometimes.
Baby Weather takes all the hassle out of it as it gives you outfit
suggestions based on the weather predictions. For example at the time I’m
writing this it is 21°C outside, I’m currently wearing a t-shirt and long
leggings and T is wearing a t-shirt and shorts. The app suggests that if we were
going out that AJ should wear a sleeveless bodysuit, long-sleeved jumpsuit and to
bring with us a jacket and blanket. While it’s not helpful to work out what to
dress for inside the house, it does make going out a lot easier to ensure that
AJ is comfortable if I’m ever in doubt.
Save the Date to Vaccinate NSW
Price: Free
Available: iPhone and Android
This is an app that Facebook actually suggested to me and I’m glad that
it did. This app was developed by NSW Health to allow parents to have the
vaccination schedule on hand and to get reminders of when they are due. You fill
out a profile for your child and the app then tells you what vaccinations they
are to have, including information on the number of vaccinations and what they
are for, and when they are due. You can then easily book your child in for
their shots and then mark them off when they’re done so you have a record of it
on you at all times.
For first time parents or any parents who just want to keep track of
their child’s shots, this app is amazing to keep you informed and UpToDate.
From what I understand, other states in Australia also have their own version
of this app so if you don’t live in NSW then you should be able to find one for
your state.
Wonder Weeks
Price: $5.99
Available: iPhone and Android
The Wonder Weeks started off as a book that parents were able to use to
help predict when their child goes through developmental leaps. This app is
essentially the book in a more portable form, only it allows you to put
reminders in your calendar and to have the information pertaining to each leap
on hand at all times.
I’ve used to Wonder Weeks with a few of my families and have found that
it is a great source to help you understand why your child might be out of
sorts at certain times during their early life. However, like many different
programs, this isn’t going to work for all babies. I’ve talked with a few
parents who have said that it was completely off for their child and didn’t
help them in the slightest, so that is worth mentioning. If you are curious to
see if the Wonder Weeks works for your child, you can easily access the chart
that the book has online and use that as a test before buying the app if you
don’t want to spend $6. I already bought the app to use for work so it wasn’t
much of an expense for me.
One thing worth noting if you’re going to use the chart before buying
the book or the app is that the leaps go off your child’s due date, not the
date that they were born. So in term’s of AJ, while the book may say she’s due
for a leap between 4 weeks and 5 weeks because she was born at 36 weeks and 6
days, she’s not expected to hit her first leap until she is seven-and-a-half
weeks old. For my friend’s baby who was a week late, they will go through the
leap between 3 weeks and 4 weeks.
Do you have any apps that you use for
your baby that you love?
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