Apps for pregnancy, parents and kids Parenting apps

Being a parent can be a stressful job, so anything that will make life easier is welcome. With that in mind, we asked parents to take a look at some parenting apps aimed at making life easier, and to tell us what they thought of them.

 

New parent? Take a look at our guide to the baby equipment you need, as well as advice and reviews from our lab tests on pushchairs, child car seats and baby monitors.

You can unlock all our reviews and find great prices online with a £1 trial subscription to Which?

My Baby Today - free

This app offers a range of daily advice guides and videos on your child's development and milestones, as well as allowing you to record photos and your baby's growth - but you'll have to register your details first. The app is connected to the Baby Centre website and forum which offer further information.

What to Expect Baby Tracker - free

Similar to the My Baby Today app, this app is packed with advice for new parents on everything from stages of development to activities for newborns, and you don't have to register. It links through to the What to Expect website where you can find additional information. There are also parenting group forums you can join, although a lot of them are based in the USA. 

Our parents found this app and the My Baby Today app really useful for reference, especially when out and about or looking for a quick answer. And if you're out and about with your baby a lot, take a look at our advice and reviews of baby carriers and slings.

iBaby Activity Tracker - around £1.30

The first of two baby tracking apps we've looked at, you can log when your baby eats, sleeps, uses their nappy and takes medicine, as well as recording their growth. This information can be shared by email with other caregivers or family members. 

Baby Connect - around £3

Also designed for logging your babies activities and growth, this more expensive app has more capabilities, such as recording and sharing photos, health information such as temperature and visits to the doctor, your baby's mood and extra activities. Again, this can all be shared by email or by logging in online - the app will sync information on all devices. 

Our parents said both apps were a very useful and nice way to keep a record of you babies early years, although some felt you could spend too much time on them! Essentially it's down to preference - as the Baby Connect app is more expensive compared to the iBaby Activity Tracker app, it's worth getting the free trial versions of both first.

Keep a close eye on your baby with the best baby monitor.

Breast Feeding Friend (iPhone) and Breast-feeding (android) - both free

If you're breastfeeding but are having difficulty keeping track of when you've fed, how much and from which breast, these apps will help you remember. We found these apps were easy to use, both at home and in public. 

If you are expressing milk, visit our breat pumps reviews to find the best  model and take a look at our advice on expressing milk.

Cozi Family Organizer - free

With a calendar, shopping list, to-do list and journal that can be updated by different family members, this organizer aims to streamline family life. An easy to use format, we found this app is a great way to keep on top of the whole family's comings and goings.

Baby First Aid - around £1.30

Parents found this app gave simple and concise information about what to do if you're in an emergency with easy-to-follow instructions. 

The British Red Cross also offers a free app giving tips and advice on first aid for babies and children, so its worth taking a look at that before buying this one. 

Make sure your baby is safe with our guide to baby safety equipment. 

Annabel Karmel's recipes - around £4

This app is easy to use and groups recipes by different ages. Parents found the ability to add ingredients to the shopping list and create a meal planner are useful features. However, Which? Nutritionist and food expert Shefalee Loth noted that although the recipes are on the whole good, the added salt and sugar listed in the ingredients are not necessary - so take these out when making these meals.

Childcare.co.uk - free

An add on from the website www.childcare.co.uk, this is a useful app for finding local childcare, from nurseries to babysitters. Including fees and contact information, it also has reviews for some service providers. One of our parent volunteers found the reviews to be quite limited, but still a useful starting point for research.

You can minimise the costs of childcare with childcare vouchers - make sure you claim what you're entitled to.

iReward Chart - around £2.50

As well as recording the usual good behaviours such as sharing, helping out and completing homework, you can also set your child specific tasks and rewards and keep track of them so you know what they should be doing and when. As this app isn't free, we recommend trying the free version first (although this offers very limited options) and watching the video of it being used to see whether it appeals to you.

All apps are available both on iPhonex from the iTunes store, and on Android smartphones from the Google Play store.

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