Leave that tattered baby book on your nightstand and instead turn to this all-encompassing app/e-book, which is a great resource for every parent to have during the first year. With a mix of helpful text, photos, interactive tours and videos (how do you install a car seat?), Ready, Set, Baby! provides new and veteran parents with expert advice on feeding, sleeping, bathing, swaddling, infant development and much more.
Price: $9.99 for iOS
Exactly how many diapers do babies go through when they’re newborns? It might seem mundane to be tracking diapers, but what you’re really tracking is output (and intake). Weight gain is crucial, and for nursing moms, especially, dirty and wet diapers are the only indication that babies are eating enough. Eat Sleep Tracker not only keeps tabs on diaper changes, but feeding times and sleep patterns, too.
Price: Free for iOS; Feed Baby is similar for Android
If you have an extra iOS device lying around, you can create an insta-baby monitor using this app. With one device in the nursery and one as the parent unit, Best Baby Monitor provides real-time video and audio of your baby using the same Wi-Fi network. You can even record those cute gurgles and coos and talk to your baby through the phone to shhh her back to a sound slumber.
Price: $3.99 for iOS
Speaking of sleep, any magical tips to actually get a baby to fall asleep are always welcomed by parents. People assume that the house has to be museum quiet when baby is sleeping, but in reality, the womb was quite noisy. Sound Sleeper is a great app to fill the silence with options such as ocean waves, white noise, hair dryer, vacuum and more.
Price: Free for Android
Babies go through so many firsts, each more exciting than the last. BabyBook is a terrific app that lets you document all these milestones and preserve memories from your baby’s everyday life. With easy-to-use templates, you can seamlessly fill up a book of moments from your mobile device that you can share with family and friends, and even print into a hardcover book.
Price: Free for iOS (in-app purchases are available for additional designs/milestones); Peekaboo Moments is a good baby book app for Android
The first year is filled with immunizations that are important for your baby’s wellbeing. With several shots given at various pediatric appointments, it can be difficult to keep track of when your baby gets what. iVaccine keeps a handy log for your child (or multiple children), provides helpful information on each vaccine administered and even sends reminders of your child’s upcoming vaccines.
Price: Free for iOS and Android
With a baby in the house, nearly every moment seems worth recording. But that two minute-long video of your baby adorably trying to roll over is too long to send -- or is it? With Joya, there is no video clip too large to send to family, friends, relatives and anyone else who would be interested. The app sends the video via email or text, and recipients can view the clip with a private link. Now, everyone can marvel at how your baby rolls.
Price: Free for iOS; coming soon to Google Play
In addition to those videos, Grandma and Grandpa are probably asking for photos on a daily basis, too. Shuttersong lets you do that, but with a very fun twist. You can record audio to accompany any photo and bundle them in a little package to share via social media, email or text. It’s perfect for pairing those sweet little baby coos with that sweet baby face.
Price: Free for iOS
Personally, this is the app that I use the most (sometimes multiple times a day) and it still occupies me during those middle-of-the-night feedings. Whether it’s purchasing diapers, wipes, mattress covers, pacifiers, warmer sleepers, teethers or bottles, anything you need for baby you’ll find on Amazon. Some of your best shopping can be done at 2 a.m., and with a Prime membership, it’s at your door two days later.
Price: Free for iOS, Android, Kindle and Windows 8
With a new baby in the house, it can be difficult to find time to read for pleasure, let alone stay on top of current headlines. With Umano, the app that actually reads the news to you, you can still be feeding, burping, changing or bathing the baby while keeping up with current events. And with its use of professional voice actors, you’ll feel like it’s your own personal story time.
Price: Free for iOS and Android
The first months of having a baby are rough, regardless of whether you are a repeat parent, like me, or a rookie just entering the exhilarating and exhausting fray.
In those newborn months and even through the first year, most weary-eyed parents go into survival mode, yet miraculously adapt to all of the challenges that come with the transition.
See also: 10 Must-Have Apps for Conception and Pregnancy
While there isn’t any technology to get your baby to start sleeping through the night at eight weeks (yet!), there are plenty of great apps that can help you in one way or another during that foggy and fantastic first year. We've compiled 10 of them in the gallery above.
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