Any woman who’s experienced pregnancy will tell you that it’s never easy to go through. There are so many inconveniences that pregnancy can cause, but there are also now ways in which technology can help ease the process and make it a little more manageable.
Here are five great apps you can use if you are expecting.
1. Pregnancy +
The Pregnancy + app is great for tracking the progress of your pregnancy over time, through each trimester. It is best if you know your due date, or approximate due date, when signing up for the app, as that will allow the app to more accurately track your pregnancy.
The app also features a calendar with daily tips, tricks, and facts on just about everything surrounding pregnancy. You can read up about the most important things to do, or to avoid, and can learn about the changes that will be taking place in your body through each trimester.
You can also write out a birth plan for the inevitable day of labor, as well as keep track of appointments, and other important factors, such as your weight. There are even guides available that will aid you along the way.
Download: Pregnancy + (Free, in-app purchases available)
2. Pregnancy Week by Week
Pregnancy Week by Week allows you to learn all about your body and your baby as the weeks and months of your pregnancy pass. Each week, the app will tell you how your uterus is growing, as well as your baby, by giving you comparative examples. You will receive daily updates on your pregnancy, each of which will give you a little fact about your baby.
The app will also give you the approximate length and width of your baby, even when you’re just a few weeks pregnant. It will notify you of key phases, such as reaching each trimester, and when your little one develops from embryo to fetus.
The app offers some other beneficial features on top of tracking, including a Braxton Hicks contractions tracker, and a tracker for your own body weight through your pregnancy.
Download: Pregnancy Week by Week (Free, in-app purchases available)
3. YogiBirth
The YogiBirth app has a specific focus on practicing yoga during pregnancy. It offers a wide selection of classes that you can take free of charge. You can choose from balance yoga, intuition yoga, fatigue yoga, and more. There are even classes that help you connect with your baby. You can even find some useful yoga classes and tips for the weeks and months after giving birth.
On top of yoga, the app also offers an array of meditation classes, including those which help with alternative nostril breath, bee breath, and bonding with your baby. You can even take a class that will aid you in keeping birth affirmations. You can also take a birth visualization class, which may help in easing your worries about going into labor.
Lastly, the app offers a selection of educational videos that cover many areas of pregnancy. You can learn about caffeine intake during pregnancy, changing hormones, your pelvic floor, and more. There is also a class that helps you find useful body positions for birth, which may help in the labor process.
On top of all these educational videos, you can learn about some more sensitive topics that you may have questions about, such as sex during pregnancy, and the formation of stretch marks. The app has some great features that will help you through each trimester.
Download: YogiBirth (Free, in-app purchases available)
4. GLOW
The GLOW app combines a multitude of different features that will make pregnancy far more convenient for you. Like some of the other apps mentioned here, GLOW allows you to track your pregnancy day by day. However, it also provides a ‘Scoop of the Day’ section, that allows you to read all about your exact stage in pregnancy.
The app also has a pregnancy community, where mothers and expecting mothers alike can come together. You can talk about your experiences, ask for, or give advice, and take a look at what other moms are going through. You can personalize your community settings to show you posts from specific categories, such as mom clubs, health and fitness, entertainment, and mental health.
One of the app’s best features is the option to make your own baby registry. You can add products from all around the web, including from Amazon, Phillips, Dove, and more. You can even transfer your registry if you have one existing elsewhere to the GLOW app.
To access additional features and more personalized settings, you can upgrade to the app’s premium version, which costs a couple of dollars per month. Alternatively, you can pay for a lifetime subscription to the app for around 40 dollars.
Download: GLOW (Free, premium version available)
5. Ovia Pregnancy Tracker
Ovia, like many of the other apps mentioned here, allows you to track your pregnancy, keeping you informed on how far along you are, and what trimester you are in. However, this app has more of a focus on your own health as an expecting mother.
The app has a special conditions feature, that allows you to log any specific health conditions you may have, as well as a prenatal vitamin reminder, and a weight tracker, all of which can help you log your health, and the changes that may happen to your body throughout your pregnancy journey.
The app also allows you to read up about a number of topics surrounding your pregnancy, including nutrients that are important for you, and things you can do to still enjoy yourself during your pregnancy, like making mocktails. It also allows you to read up about your baby at the specific stage of your pregnancy you may be in.
The app also has a health feature, which advises you about female health and pregnancy health based upon a set of specific questions you are requested to answer. Of course, if you do not feel comfortable answering certain questions, the app allows you to skip them.
Lastly, the app has a community feature, where you can talk to other mothers, and expecting mothers. You can ask, or answer, questions about pregnancy, and see what other women are experiencing.
Download: Ovia Pregnancy Tracker (Free)
Allow These Apps to Take Some of the Pressure off Your Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a hard and emotional journey, and, though there is nothing that can make it stress-free, these apps can help you keep on top of everything by tracking and monitoring your own journey. Who knows, these apps may even allow you to learn something interesting about being a mother-to-be!