SMARTPHONE APPS THAT SAVE THE DAY!

When you’re a first-time parent, you need all the help you can get. Blessed breaks from grandma and grandpa and casseroles from the neighbors are surely welcomed, but they’re not the only place you can turn for guidance. Your phone is also full of tools to get you through the crazy first year with your little one, and we’re here to highlight some of the best ones!

4 Best Apps for New Parents
If you’re only using your smartphone to zone out in your pediatrician’s waiting room and send SOS texts to your postpartum doula, you’re not making the most of the miniature computer in your pocket.​

As a side note, take care to keep your phone charged and your data on point. You don't want to run out of power when your little one is mysteriously crying up a storm and you’re looking for answers, and you certainly don't want to rack up overage charges because you've been frantically Googling croup symptoms all afternoon. Keep a device charger handy in your diaper bag, and look to prepaid mobile plans so you always have data and have one less thing to worry about

Milk Maid
This app is a must-have for breastfeeding moms, especially when your maternity leave runs out and it’s time to head back to work. Milk Maid is a pumping app that lets you easily manage your breastmilk stash by recording pumping volume, expiration dates, and usage. You can even track your fresh and frozen breastmilk inventory across multiple locations so you know exactly how much to drop off the next time Grandma babysits. The Milk Maid app is only available for iOS users, but Romper notes there are other pumping apps you can try if you’re on Android.

Baby Tracker - Nursing
Milk Maid is great for pumping mamas, but what if you’re exclusively nursing? That’s where the Baby Tracker Nursing app comes in! Mom Junction points out this app lets you track breastfeeding details like the length of your nursing sessions and which side you nursed on last. It even has formula feeding features for mothers who are supplementing with formula.
 
The best part? This app has a handy night mode that dims the screen so you can track nighttime nursing data without disturbing your little one.

Glow Baby
Glow started out as a fertility app, but these days it’s so much more. If you’re in search of a full-featured tracking app, Fortune says Glow Baby is a must-try. In addition to breastfeeding data, Glow Baby lets new mothers and fathers track their baby’s height, weight, and developmental milestones, as well as less-glamorous data points like bowel movements and body temperature.
 
With a $3.99 a month premium membership, users gain access to tools that let them compare their baby’s data to others and connect with fellow new parents using the app.

Sleep Baby Sleep
​Tracking apps are great for parents who want cold, hard data on their baby’s development, but what if you just want some help getting your baby to sleep? Whether you’re trying to lull your infant into a midday nap or desperate to get your baby back to sleep in the middle of the night, Sleep Baby Sleep is here to save the day. With six white noise options designed just for infants and one-click functioning, this is exactly the app you need when you’re half asleep and wishing your baby were too.
 
The first months as a new parent can be utterly anxiety-inducing. From wondering if you’re producing enough breastmilk to whether your baby’s diaper contents are normal, there are a ton of questions your smartphone can help you answer without pestering your pediatrician every few hours. While you’re sure to feel like Wonder Mom eventually, these apps will get you through the early days with grace.
 
Image via Unsplash

​Josh created diaperdads (diaperdads.org) to not only give credit to all the superhero dads out there, but give them some helpful tips to navigate fatherhood, diapers and all.