In 2021, there really is an app for everything including parenting! From games, to habit tracking, to What3Words as a new way to find where you are, there are lots of ways to make your life easier. It’s no surprise that there are tonnes of apps out there for parents too!
In fact, there are so many parenting apps offering all sorts of assistance, that sometimes it can be difficult to find the app you actually need. To help you out, we’ve picked the best 5 parenting apps that we believe are essential for any new parent. Let’s go!
Pregnancy App & Baby Tracker; Week by Week - Bounty
When you're expecting, the Bounty App serves as a pregnancy tracker, and once you've given birth, it doubles as a baby log for new parents. It is a terrific software that soon-to-be parents can rely on, with a due date countdown for pregnancy and pregnancy tracking capabilities. With informative, bite-sized parenting day-by-day articles that guide you through your pregnancy journey, to practical advice and information on pregnancy health and wellbeing, baby names, feeding and weaning, and more, they have the answers.
You can even follow your child's growth week by week with their visual womb and foot size tracker. Using your baby checklist, determine what baby essentials you'll need. The ideal tool to accompany your pregnancy due date countdown.
Baby and child first aid - British Red Cross
This free baby and child first aid app helps you keep your little ones safe. The app is designed to support parents, grandparents and caregivers to learn 17 first aid skills to help in a first aid emergency. You can also find tips on how to prepare for emergencies both at home or while out and about.
The app is ideal for parents, grandparents, family members or anyone who wants to learn how to help babies or children in a range of first aid situations. The app features useful tips, animations and video clips, helping you learn what to do in a wide range of first aid situations, from choking to broken bones. You can test your knowledge using the app's built-in first aid quizzes, and there's also a handy device to record your child's medication needs and any allergies.
As the information you need is all hosted on the app itself, no internet connection is needed once it's been downloaded, making it fast and easy to access.
Mum and Baby
The Mum & Baby app provides you with all the information you need to make plans and decisions about your NHS maternity care. From the start of pregnancy to early parenthood, this app has been developed with the NHS to navigate your choices for maternity care in England. You can set your due date, explore maternity units near you, self-refer for care at your chosen maternity unit and access information for all stages of your maternity journey. The app also allows you to make personalised plans for your care during pregnancy, birth and beyond, keep track of your appointments and make notes, access local contacts and information in specific NHS areas while also using the content without specifying an NHS area.
ORCHA, the Organisation for the Review of Care & Health Applications, has awarded its prestigious kitemark to the Mum & Baby app. When reviewed against 180 different criteria the app achieved 86%, the highest rating of any pregnancy and birth app tested by ORCHA.
Childcare.co.uk, Free Childcare App
Used by both parents and childminders, the UK’s largest childcare website, providing a service to over 1,500,000 people, is where you’ll discover a plethora of babysitters, nannies, registered childminders and even private tutors. Simply register, create your free profile, search for local care, read reviews and then talk to the carers. Yes, it’s that easy! All you need to do is create your free advert and explain your childcare requirements and they'll notify local childcare providers and tutors matching your needs.
You can also search by entering your postcode and find local childcare providers and tutors and view their experience, qualifications, availability and fees. Reviews are available to read to find the perfect match and then you can use their safe and secure messaging system to communicate with childcare providers and tutors without disclosing your personal details.
The Lullaby Trust Baby Check App
The Lullaby Trust Baby Check includes 19 simple tests that check for various symptoms or symptoms of illness. Each check is assigned a score. Complete all of the checks; the scores will be added automatically. The higher the score, the more probable the baby is to be unwell. This app is intended to assist parents in determining whether their baby requires medical attention. Although it is usually correct, its guidance cannot be guaranteed. Consult a doctor if you are still concerned about your baby.
The Lullaby Trust Baby Check was made as a result of a four-year initiative that examined the signs and symptoms of sickness in over 1,000 newborns under the age of six months. There were 300 healthy newborns at home and 700 sick babies in the hospital. All indications and symptoms were examined to determine the best combination for determining the severity of a baby's illness. The 19 signs and symptoms now utilised in Baby Check were determined to be the most reliable.