Browsing Category:

Pregnancy & Birth

  • 10 Must-Have Apps for New Parents

    As a mom let me just say: you can prepare yourself all you can for parenthood, but when it really comes down to it…we’re all just winging it, right? Even with my second child, there were times I felt left in the dark, googling WebMD or reaching out to fellow moms or my pediatrician for advice.

    Thankfully with today’s technology, there is a plethora of phone apps available at our fingertips to help make this whole parenting journey A LOT easier. And to make this easier on you, we’ve put together some of our favorite parenting apps that are worth checking out!

    See our list of our top 10 favorite parenting apps below!

    10 Must-Have Apps for New Parents | Rock It Mama | Sharing the best phone apps to help with daily parenting

    This post contains affiliate links. An affiliate link means we may earn advertising referral fees if you make a purchase at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

    Baby CenterFree

    Baby Center is actually the very first parenting app I ever downloaded. Initially, I used it to track my pregnancy, but as I was a first-time mom with barely any close mom-friends, I ended up using the community forums quite a bit and relied heavily on my birth groups for questions and advice. I used it again years later and found solace in the PCOS and TTC support groups I found. That being said, the Baby Center app is not just for pregnancy and labor! To this day, I frequently use the app as a source of guidance and insight on growth and development as my children get older.

    Baby TrackerFree

    Baby Tracker is a useful app for tracking your baby’s daily activities. You can log diaper changes, feedings (how many ounces they had, what side they nursed on, how often you pumped) and their sleeping habits; all great ways track your babies activity trends. There are even options for inputing all their medical information – like immunizations, wellness visits and more. An added feature is the ability to sync data across multiple devices – so getting updates from your partner or sitter is even easier!

    White NoiseFree

    You can’t deny the immediate effects of white noise! When we don’t have the ceiling fan on or we are traveling and need a soothing background noise, this app has been great! From the classic monotonous white noise, to nature sounds and lullabies, this app has a good history of calming down my boys and helping them get a good nights sleep.

    Tiny BeansFree, in-app subscriptions offered

    Do you love to share photos of your little ones? I do too! And with Tiny Beans, you can safely share your photos immediately with friends and family without having to post constantly to your Facebook or other social media, where everyone can see. Tiny Beans is also a great way of backing up all those photos you have of your littles and acts as a photo journal, tracking milestones, awarding stickers for special moments and allowing you to set up photo sharing and commenting. Also if you want hardcopies, you have the option to order prints or custom albums through the app – for an added fee of course!

    Cozi Family OrganizerFree

    I’m all about planning and organizing, but there are some things that can be so tedious with a physical planner, that it just does not suffice. The Cozi Family Organizer is helpful if your family has a lot going on. Personally, I have found it to be necessary as our family has grown and we are all over the place during the week. You can create to-do lists, shopping lists, add family member appointments and special dates using color codes to keep it easy to read. You can even designate family members involved in the activities you create in the organizer and sync all members devices to the app so they can keep track of everything themselves!

    WyzeFree, connect to camera $25.98

    So this is technically isn’t just an app – it works in conjunction with the Wyze Cam baby monitor! So while I recommend getting the app, I really mean the baby monitor for this one. We have used ours at family and friends places, hotels and even replaced our overpriced baby monitor with the Wzye Cam. Not only is it significantly cheaper, the photo quality is top-notch (1080 full HD), there is two-way audio and you are able to log-in and view the video footage from anywhere! Also – when your babies no longer need a monitor, consider using the Wyze Cam as an indoor home-security camera. You can find the Wyze Cam on Amazon here.

    Huckleberry Baby Sleep Tracker Free, in-app subscriptions offered

    With Huckleberry, you can track and monitor your baby’s sleep patterns and from there, predict their sleep schedule using expert algorithms. Huckleberry even let’s you know when baby is sleepy – but not overtired; that is a lifesaver.

    Fischer Price Laugh & LearnFree

    When your babies are a bit older, you will begin to find a tremendous amount of apps for your littles. And even though limiting screen time is very important (you can read our recent post here), there are those instances where digging out the iPhone to entertain your child is enough for you to snag some bites at a restaurant. The Fischer Price Laugh & Learn is one of my favorites because it’s educational – teaching colors, shapes and numbers through songs!

    Wonder Weeks$3.99

    Based off of the original Wonder Weeks book, the Wonder Weeks app keeps you informed about the 10 predictable and age-based “mental leaps” and bounds of your baby. Sometimes I have found myself wondering, What is going on? when my baby seems like he is not himself. With the Wonder Weeks app, I am able to refer to science-proven information about what developmental changes he might be going through.

    NetflixSubscription required starting at $8.99

    You might be scratching your head saying, “Why Netflix?”, but hear me out. There have been so many times where I needed to slip away from the crowd or find an empty room to nurse and just sat in silence. Until I started utilizing Netflix. Maternity leave provided a  lot of opportunities for sitting around and therefore left me with a good amount of time to binge a show or two; and in those moments of backseat nursing or late night rocking, Netflix proved to be really entertaining to pass the time.

    We hope these apps help you in your parenting journey, Mama! If there are any apps that you feel didn’t make the list, please share in the comments below!

    xo,

    5
  • 5 Tips for Planning Your Babymoon

    The babymoon is a new trend in pregnancy travel that focuses on parental bonding before the arrival of new baby. Whether its your first, second or fifth child, setting aside time to renew & revitalize the connection with your significant other is essential. When planning your babymoon, the destination doesn’t have to be extreme or extravagant – just a quality experience to savor the moment and concentrate on each other!

    5 Tips for Planning Your Babymoon | Rock It Mama | The babymoon is a new trend in pregnancy travel that focuses on parental bonding before the arrival of new baby.

    HERE ARE 5 TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR BABYMOON THAT WORKED FOR US

    1. Prepare

    First and foremost, clear any travel with your doctor (especially abroad) before departure. Ask the right questions & educate yourself on any potential risks. In addition, research nearby medical facilities in case of emergency & keep in touch with your insurance provider. Check restrictions (as we all know there are many for pregnant women) and minimize transportation time. Safety first!

    2. Consider Theme Type

    While planning your trip, consider what the theme of your getaway will be. For example, are you looking to relax and unwind or discover and explore? Remember, when planning your babymoon, selecting a destination that suits the kind of vacation you’re looking for is crucial. Whether you’re looking to spend a day at the spa or hike into the woods (or maybe both!) review the available amenities & book in advance.

    5 Tips to Plan Your Babymoon | Rock It Mama | The babymoon is a new trend in pregnancy travel that focuses on parental bonding before the arrival of new baby.

    WHEN PLANNING A BABYMOON, SELECTING A DESTINATION THAT SUITS THE KIND OF VACATION YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IS CRUCIAL

    3. Pick the Right Timing

    Be mindful of the size of the belly you’re willing to lug around, foreign sleeping chambers and the bodily cost of travel during the planning phase as well. I planned my babymoon during the glorious second trimester when the sickness had subsided, but before I felt uncomfortable. Obviously this varies from person to person so do what’s right for you!

    4. Be loud

    It helps that everyone loves a pregnant woman. Use pregnancy perks to your advantage! Let everyone know you’re there to unwind and reconnect. You may get a free upgrade or basket of goodies upon check-in. Also, due to the increase of babymooners, some resorts offer babymoon discounts & incentives to visit their facilities. Ask and you may receive!

    5. Enjoy

    Remember, diaper runs and late night feedings are on the horizon! Celebrate the dawn of a new era and soak in life as it is. Nothing is more exciting than the anticipation of your new bundle of joy, but cherish the time you have in this moment.

    0