There are a number of applications on the market geared towards parents of children of all ages.

 

And while they can definitely be a benefit, particularly in terms of organising your life and tracking your baby’s progress, as with everything, there are a number of pros and cons to relying on apps.

 

Pros:

1. More than one family member can log into the same app   

This is really handy especially if you have to return to work and your child is going to be cared for by a family member or friend. It will mean you won’t need to text or send reminders about food allergies or appointments - it will all be there. 

 

2. It can help to keep your life organised

Trying to stay organised, particularly in the early years is very, very hard, and there are plenty of apps that you can download that can help you with this. From reminding you about doctor appointments to letting you know the last time Baby was fed, they can really make your life a lot less stressful.

 

3. Information is right at your finger tips

When babies are small there is so much you need to remember: when they were last fed, how many naps they’ve taken or when they had their last vaccination. And an app can take the pressure off sleep-deprived mums, who will no doubt be struggling to remember to wash their face in the morning never mind how long their little one’s last sleep was.

 

 

Cons:

1. It is easy to become overly reliant on any particular application

We all know just how easy it is to become overly reliant on technology, to the point where we can’t function without it. And while they certainly have a number of benefits, the last thing you want to be doing in your baby’s early days is to have your neck bent over your phone – there is much to be said about using a pen and paper.  

 

2. It can turn into another stressful responsibility

The app won’t work if you don’t input the information, and this can take time - time that you are probably already short on. It is also easy to forget to set reminders or input information which means it won’t be as beneficial to you as it should be.

 

3.  Reduces interaction between you and others

If you and your partner have access to the same app, then it takes away from your need to discuss certain parenting things. While they can help keep you both up-to-date on what’s going on, they take away from your need to interact and communicate with each other on a one-on-one basis.

 

If you do decide that you would benefit from a particular app, remember the following things:

  1. Know when to put your phone away – try to input information when your little one is asleep.
  2. Be careful about which apps you use and know where your information is going.  
  3. An app should never be used to replace your own parenting instinct.
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