Owlet, baby activity tracker
A month ago, MobiHealthNews put together a list of activity trackers for babies that launched this past summer. A few weeks later, an Iowa health department program that promotes healthy pregnancy went national with a web app and around the same time Pamela Johnson, Voxiva’s Chief Medical Officer, teased a new texting alerts program geared towards expectant women who were trying to quit smoking. With the rise of baby-targeted technology, a growth of baby-targeted apps isn't far off base.
The Apple App Store compiled a list of the top apps, free and paid, for new parents. While some aim to help parents navigate the world of new parenthood, others aim to help mothers take care of themselves before the baby has left the womb. Three apps listed are even connected to baby monitors, while only one of those markets itself as a standalone product. Here's the apps from that list that deal with health or tracking.
WebMD's Baby app offers access to baby health and wellness information. The tips are personalized for a baby’s specific age. In baby’s first year, parents will receive weekly multimedia packages and daily tips. In baby’s second year, parents will receive monthly monthly multimedia packages and 85 pre-programmed tips. Key features of the app include a growth tracker, diaper tracker, sleep tracker, and feeding tracker.
This app will guide parents through the stages of pregnancy. Features include information written by doctors, fetal development images, social media sharing options, visual pregnancy timeline, doctor visit planner, to-do list, customizable, but pre-made, hospital bag checklist, and kick counter. Finally, for delivery day, the app offers a contraction timer.
Pregnancy & New Parenthood by Howcast -- $2.99
Howcast offers tips on feeding, grooming, changing, and holding a new baby. The app has also included videos on exercise regimens and health tips for pregnant women, and remedies for "the most common baby ailments". Other offerings include tracking a pregnancy's progress, checking off viewed videos, and searching the content library for information.
Pink Pad Period Tracker Pro -- $1.99
While Pink Pad offers quantified self information for fertile women of any age, it also helps time ovulation for women who are trying to get pregnant. Pink Pad also offers a community in which women can discuss health issues like fitness, weight loss and getting pregnant. After entering a few months worth of information, the app will start offering charts that show progress.
Eat Sleep: Simple Baby Tracking -- Free
This app aims to keep things simple. The three main features included are tracking eating, like when and on which side the baby was breastfed last, sleeping, when the baby stopped sleeping and diaper changes, which includes information on what was in the diaper when it was changed.
My Pregnancy Today | BabyCenter -- Free
Enter the baby's due date and the rest will be generated shortly after. The app will offers mothers information on how their bodies are changing, what fetal developments are occurring, reminders about appointments and a nutrition guide. All information was approved by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board.
My Baby Today | BabyCenter -- Free
My Baby Today includes a personalized daily calendar of your baby’s development, a helpful checklist and reminders parents can update to fit your needs, and a photo album for chronicling the baby’s growth and special moments. The app also includes suggested activities for the baby to complete each week as he or she grows.
Kidfolio Parenting and Baby Book -- Free
By the makers of Pink Pad, Kidfolio is a social network come scrapbook for a child's first milestones. As parents take pictures, the app automatically puts together a timeline of events. Parents can customize pictures with filters and special effects and keep the albums private by only sharing it within a family group. The app's new feature is a curated store for parents and their kids.
Although this app is free, it works only through connectivity with a baby monitor available in the Withings store for $249.95. The app allows parents to watch their baby day or night on any iOS device and monitor noises, motion, temperature and humidity in baby’s room. The app also offers parents a way to talk to their child or sing lullabies even if they are not near the baby.
Unlike the previous app, Baby Monitor is an app that acts as a standalone baby monitor.
"Simply place the iPhone near your sleeping baby, if it detects noise, it places a phone call to the number of your choice, you can then listen in for activity from your baby."
The app description notes it is not meant to replace a traditional baby monitor.
Baby Connect (Activity Logger) -- $5.49
This app has graphical reports and trending charts, weekly averages, medicine, vaccine and growth tracking, timers, notifications, reminder alarms, emails, .csv export, an easy to use interface and unlimited data." It will also sync information with the mother's spouse, babysitter, nanny or daycare.
This app markets itself as a full-featured baby monitor. It offers data usage and WiFi for "unlimited reach," live video, vibration alerts to notify a parent when a baby is awake, and an app to incorporate a Mac as the parent station.
Dad's Guide to Newborns: The Video Guide -- $5.49
This is the only app dedicated specifically for fathers. Through the apps video lessons, Dad will learn how to get into the right mindset about having a baby, then he'll learn how to feed, hold, swaddle, bathe, and change a baby. Finally, he'll learn all about how to keep a baby healthy, including lessons on infant first aid.
