Must-have labor and newborn care apps

MamaFantastic

Give 'em to me, ladies! I didn't have an iPhone when my son was born, so I want to hear from you all with suggestions for things like:

- contraction timer
- BFing and wet/poopy diaper tracker
- anything else amazing I should consider downloading

mandiroo

The only app I used was Breast Feeding Friend (BFF) and it was a lifesaver because I was always too tired to remember which boob she last fed off of. It's a simple app, but gets the job done!

AggieFroggie

With DD I used Baby ESP to keep track of everything. I still use it and DD is almost 3.

RedDawnsRevenge

Baby Connect was a great baby care app and it's multi user.

mrscrcalli

I downloaded "mamababy" it was recommended to me. Seems good.

adheaton1387

I have friends that swear by the wonder weeks app- predicts growth spurts and cognitive leaps. I'm a ftm so no experience but plan on using it myself.

Taz84

Sprout Pregnancy is great and then they also have Sprout Baby for things like keeping track of baby feeds and wet/ pooey nappies

DemoDoll

I downloaded a couple and the only one I ever used was Baby Bump Pro. It has a contraction timer and I had DH operate it. I didn't like running it because I didn't want a stopwatch going and being able to watch time. It worked well for us.

All the BFing, diaper changer, nap apps, I didn't use at all. I tried to and it honeslty stressed me out if I forgot to turn the timer off on the BFing app and what not. I ended up not being a charted at all. I just fed baby when she was hungry and changed her when she was wet. I could tell which side I nursed on last because it would be smaller than the other side.

smushi

I'm a FTM so I can't attest to these, but in case anyone else might chime in that's tried them:

https://prebabyblog.com/2012/06/10-best-apps-for-a-new-mom/

LEIGHLOVE09

I loooved Total Baby. It was multiuser to so if my DH was home with my baby he could log the feedings or diaper changes and it would update to my phone. Also it kept track of my pumping and how much milk I had in fridge and freezer. It also keeps track of baby's growth, vaccines, doc appts etc. It did everything you could possibly need it to. It also allows for more than 1 kid. I'm constantly looking back at my DD info to see when she started eating or sleeping more. I will be using it again with this baby.

nycgirlkat

I didn't even think of using an app for stuff like this! Thanks for all the good suggestions!!! After all is is 2014!!!!

spocker

Contraction Master is great for tracking contractions.

JamiesWife2010

AggieFroggie said:

With DD I used Baby ESP to keep track of everything. I still use it and DD is almost 3.

This! DH & I have used Baby ESP.
Since DS turned 2, I've only used it to track meds & weight/height.

We'll be using it for DS2 for sure.

fourthnlast

None of these existed when my youngest was born, time to start exploring

momofmanyinthemitten

Full term for contrax, eat sleep for nursing

Emily041285

My prenatal yoga teacher suggested ibirth and it seems pretty good. It has a bunch of stuff besides the contraction counter that may not be necessary for STM but I like it.

MamaFantastic

@PanamaPineapple  - do tell...   why was this post worthy of a spam flagging?

I'm hoping/assuming it was a mistake, but hey...   figured I'd ask you outright about it.

(I do give credit to you, though, for popping my spam cherry!!)

AcaAwkward

RedDawnsRevenge said:

Baby Connect was a great baby care app and it's multi user.

This one. You can even create graphs with the info you plug in and email it to yourself if you're really OCD (coughcoughMEcough). It became a running joke in our household that I couldn't do anything with the baby until I started my BC app.

katiedidthat

I used iBabyLog for DS and loved it.  I tracked everything.  It was nice because it could sync between devices and backed up to a server so I could see what was going on diaper and bottle wise when he was with my mom and I was at school.  It was also pretty cool to look back once he weaned and see just how long total he had spent on my boob and how much I had pumped. 

PanamaPineapple

MamaFantastic said:

@PanamaPineapple  - do tell...   why was this post worthy of a spam flagging?

I'm hoping/assuming it was a mistake, but hey...   figured I'd ask you outright about it.

(I do give credit to you, though, for popping my spam cherry!!)

It was a total mistake I'm so sorry. Is there a way to unflag? I'm not great with this app I'm so sorry.

MamaFantastic

PanamaPineapple said: It was a total mistake I'm so sorry. Is there a way to unflag? I'm not great with this app I'm so sorry.
------------------------------------------------- (stupid formatting)
no prob, that's what i figured!!  when i accidentally click on the wrong button at the bottom of the post (the love it, spam or abuse buttons, i mean), i can just undo the action by clicking the same button again.  i believe that's the same protocol for the app and the desktop version, though i access the board from my phone via the regular safari link, not the actual bump app.  i've had that happen a few times when my fat fingers will "love it" some awful, offensive post, and i'm like "NOOOOO!!!  i DON'T love it!!!  undo, undo, undo!"

MamaFantastic

my doula timed my contractions on her phone app so i had the benefit of knowing the information without having to actually monitor myself in the moment.

i wrote down my feeding and diaper schedule for about 2-3 weeks in a paper journal, which i could totally use again...  but i have a feeling i'll be much more attached to the phone than the journal this time around  i would only use the BFing tracking until i got the clearance to stop waking at night and stop worrying about weight gain so much...  which for us was just those first few weeks before.

but hey - in that first month, ANYTHING that helps is worthwhile to pursue, even if it's short-lived.

lcoddens

I also used the similac app, I loved it. It was really helpful to see how long her nursing session were, especially when I had to bring DD into the doctor when she was diagnosed with reflux.