5 apps that can make the early days of parenting easier

A study suggested that a switch to coal-fired power in a southern US state after a nuclear accident in 1979 led to a sharp fall in birthweight, a benchmark of health. © marctranvn/Istock.com

Newborns might not come with instruction manuals, but these days, there are plenty of apps that work almost as well.

Toronto-based tech expert Avery Swartz has compiled a list of her favourite five smartphone apps that she thinks can help make the early days of parenthood a little smoother.

Baby Connect – An app that acts like a logbook for your baby’s daily routines. Parents and caregivers can use separate devices to track their little one’s sleep, diaper changes, feeding schedules and more

WebMD Baby app – Great for checking whether your child’s symptoms or behaviours are worrisome or perfectly normal using information from reputable medical sources

Cloud Baby Monitor – A simple app for turning an old iPad or other Apple device into a safe video baby monitor

Qeepsake – Qeepsake helps parents create baby journals by texting questions, once a day, about how their little one is developing. It then collects the info to be assembled into a baby book of memories and milestones.

Chatbooks – Syncs to your Instagram feed and then automatically creates photobooks every time you’ve uploaded 60 photos. It then mails the books right to your door.