Being a new mum is stressful. Very stressful. Thankfully, we’re here to help and have rounded up the 10 best apps that promise to make you the most time-efficient, dedicated mother out there. From feeding time to falling asleep to Brahm’s lullaby, there’s plenty here to get your teeth into. Who knows – with these in your life you might even get the odd (dare we say it) break…
Sanity-saving apps for new mums
First Year
If looking after your new baby’s wellbeing and keeping your sanity in check feel mutually exclusive, you need FirstYear app, which is the easiest way to track your baby’s daily activities as they develop. With no need for typing and no fussing with alarms, all events can be logged with just two simple taps on your iPhone or iPad. All apps should be this uncomplicated.
Ready, Set, Baby!
Leave that tattered baby book to yesteryear and turn instead to this all-encompassing app-cum-e-book, which will prove a lifesaving resource during your first year of motherhood. With a helpful mix of text, photos, interactive tours and videos including ‘how to install a car seat’, Ready, Set, Baby! provides just the sort of expert advice you need on feeding, sleeping, bathing and infant development.
Baby Soother
When it comes to sleep, any magical tips that get your little one to fall asleep are welcomed like old friends. But while you might assume that the house should be like a library when your baby is sleeping, in actual fact the womb was quite a noisy place to live. Baby Soother is a delightful app that will fill the silence of your newborn’s room with everything from ocean waves to Brahm’s lullaby and running streams. All together now: aaah…
BabyBook
‘Blink and you’ll miss it’ is what many a seasoned mother will tell you about the magical ‘first’ experiences you’re going through nearly every day with your baby. BabyBook is an app that lets you keep track of every milestone, preserving memories via photos and easy-to-use templates. The most dedicated of mothers can even have their memories printed into a hardback book once your baby turns toddler. Check that for print/digital synergy.
Mothercare
Perfect for busy mums on the go, Mothercare is the online shopping app with a difference. Baby spilt food all down his bib or t-shirt? Order your essentials online directly from this app and have them delivered to you by the next day. You can also locate your nearest mecca (sorry, store) and check the prices of items with Mothercare’s handy barcode scanner. If this isn’t in your life yet, get involved.
Meet Mums Now
If you didn’t feel a little daunted when you first became a mother you wouldn’t be human. Enter Meet Mums Now, which allows you to chat about your experiences with other mothers who are going through the same thing, either online or in your local area. Click the ‘nearby’ button to see mums near you, and use the ‘places’ button to find a child-friendly venue to meet.
iBaby Feed
This app helps you keep track of how long and how often your baby feeds, which is often useful in the early days as it helps you keep track of which breast to start feeding from. But the best part of it is the ‘analysis’ screen, which tells you your average feed length, the median time between feeds, and the total feed time by day, week or month. Screw Flappy Bird, you’ll be addicted to iBaby Feed in no time.
NCT Babychange
Get this: an app that maps the nearest nappy and baby-changing facilities near you, meaning you’ll never be caught on the hoof again. Each place is rated on cleanliness, so you know your baby's bum will only come into contact with the sparkliest of surfaces.
Baby Pack & Go Packing List
Where once you skipped out of the door with merely your keys, your purse and your favourite red lipstick, leaving the house is now a lengthy and complicated process. Make it less so with Baby Pack & Go Packing List, which lets you catalogue and tick off everything you need for something as simple as a playdate. Download now, and you’ll never forget the nappies again.
WebMD Baby
This free app is one of the best resources for baby health information we’ve come across. Containing close to 400 articles, 70 videos and 600 tips from paediatricians, parents can search for health information based on their baby’s age and also log all-important growth developments.