The level of creativity and technological sophistication of emerging adults boggles the imagination. There’s no frontier that isn’t being reshaped by the innovative and intriguing implementation of new apps and devices. To call it a revolution would be an understatement. Really, it’s becoming part of the evolving experience of what it means to be a human in the modern era.

Pregnancy, for example. It’s where we all get our start. But, as you might imagine, the modern experience of pregnancy is radically changing. For generation after generation, having a baby was disconnected from technology. Only recently in human history did modern medicine start to shape the way we plan for bringing new life into the world.

Now, from before conception and onward, new arrivals are prepared for in ways that could have never been imagined, just few decades ago. And, over the past few years the pace of progress has raced even faster.

Enter the world of parenting apps. 

Many of us may remember the early days of the Baby Einstein products. Started back in 1996, just a few years before my daughter was born, the first wave of educational VHS tapes for kids emerged. Yep, VHS. Are you laughing or crying right now?!

Times have changed. Fast forward 20 years. We’ve blissfully moved on from tapes, CDs and such to the world of apps. At the basic level, music apps for the baby growing in mum’s tummy are a big hit. They come with funny names like Ritmo, Bellybuds, Lullabelly and Sound Beginnings.

But, we’ve been jamming out for our kids-to-be for ages. What else is on the modern menu as the next generation of babies are rocking out to their gestational grooves? Well, after baby hears one too many one-hit-wonders streaming into their ever-shrinking cocoon, at some point, they’re going to want to make their grand debut.

And there’s an app for that.

Bloomlife is a revolutionary app that monitors contractions – even the ones that might go unnoticed. Featured on ABC, CNN, WhattoExpect.com and beyond, this first of its kind wearable is an award-winning indication of where things might be headed for the future. Bloomlife helps you navigate to the big event.

What next? Well, there’s no app for that. There are some for right after, though. It’s not too long after the blessed arrival when you start to realize that “this thing’s a machine” – a diaper destroying machine, that is!

We all know parenting is a 24/7 adventure. No app can parent for us, but when technology, like TweetPee from Huggies, is able to help us monitor wet diapers, we might as well be willing to listen. Some diapers speak for themselves! No app needed!

Sleep is serious business for new parents and babies. So, apps that monitor baby’s sleep so that mom and dad can get some shut-eye themselves are nice options to explore. Angelcare, iBabyGuard and Sensible Baby’s Smart One have various levels of monitoring and sophistication for tracking baby’s nightly noddings.

Babies wake up at strange hours, and when they’re awake it’s often because they’re hungry. When you’re exhausted, it’s easy to forget what you were trying to remember about baby’s last frenetic feast. Apps like Lansinoh Baby help track feedings, so when you’re groggy and baby is hungry, the details you need are easily accessible.

As babies grow, they’re naturally going to experience the ups and downs of germs, viruses and just plain old ickiness of life. Owlet is a nifty little sock that baby can wear to measure heart rate and oxygen levels. So, when baby isn’t feeling well and you want some reassurance that his or her vitals are doing just fine, you have some solace that your under-the-weather little one is a fabulous little germ assassin.

Finally, after all the hard work of carrying, delivering and caring for baby, at some point you’re going to want a night out. No doubt you have an army of friends and family to help in that regard, but in today’s busy world, even they are sometimes spoken for. An app like Bambino might be just the answer. Bambino can help you find, book and even pay trusted neighborhood sitters. So, take a break. You deserve it.

As you might expect, we’re only skimming the surface of what’s available in the world of baby-to-be and baby tech. If you can imagine it, there’s likely someone providing that service. Be creative, seek out solutions and enter an exciting new world of options. What an adventure awaits you and your baby! af

Richard Singleton, MACE, MAMFC, LPC, is the executive director at STARRY in Round Rock.

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