We may still be years away from a time when diaper-changing machines and breastfeeding bots bring a space age simplicity to parenting, but technology is still making moms' lives easier — especially the latest crop of ingenious items on the market designed to take the guesswork out of caring for your baby (and make it more convenient, too).
Whether you're looking for some high-tech reassurance when baby's under the weather, or some digital assistance in keeping your little one on schedule, there's something on our list for you. Temperature-controlled onesies? Check! Breast-milk alcohol gauge? Check! And oh yes, there's an app for that!
Image viaĀ owletcare.com
Hush Little Baby
Because exhausted new mamas can only say "Shhh, shhh" for so long:Ā Baby Shusher: The Sleep Miracle ($34.99, buybuybaby.com), recreates the rhythmic sound of the womb to soothe fussy newborns. It also comes with a timer, and because it's small and wireless, you can use it anywhere — even in the car!
On the Move
Perfect for parents who are worried about SIDS, theĀ Snuza Go! Baby Movement Monitor ($99.99, Target) clips directly on to a baby's diaperĀ Ā to detect the "slightest of movements"; if no movement is detected for a period of 20 seconds, an alarm goes off.
Pocket Poppins
When you've only slept approximately 4.2 hours per night for weeks on end (and those hours were in 20-minute increments), it can be tough to remember basic details like the last time you changed your baby's diaper or which side he nursed on last. Enter theĀ Pocket Nanny: Personal Baby Care Timer ($22.95, amazon.com), which has four separate timers to help keep you on schedule and a nightlight to help you get around baby's room in the dark without waking him up.
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Rest Easy
Another super high-tech device designed to alert parents if their baby stops breathing, theĀ Owlet Smart Sock Baby Monitor, Infant Heart Rate & Oxygen Monitor ($249.99, owletcare.com) uses pulse oximetry, the same technology used by hospitals to measure heart and oxygen rates.
Colic Buster
Gassy babies are very, very, very unhappy babies, as any parent can tell you. That's why Smart Control (the people behind the bite-regulating "smart fork") invented theĀ Baby Glgl Smart Baby Bottle (will reportedly retail for approximately $100, slowcontrol.com), whichĀ uses battery power and an inclinometer to calculate the weight and angle of your baby bottle and determine the "optimal degree of inclination" to stop baby from gulping down too much air with his milk. Sounds pricey, but if it really does prevent colic, it could be worth the money!
Good Vibrations
If you've ever had a baby who would only fall asleep in his vibrating bouncy seat, you'll understand the idea behind theĀ Munchkin Lulla-Vibe Vibrating Mattress Pad ($22.99, amazon.com). Buzzworthy!
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Just Right
Every parent worries about their sleeping baby's room being too hot or too cold at some point (especially when you're not sure if you chose the right pajamas!). TheĀ Gro-Egg Room Thermometer ($39.99, toysrus.com) helps to put you at ease by glowing yellow when room temperature is within recommended guidelines for safe sleep (61ā67Ā°F).
In Sync
Quite possibly THE most comprehensive baby-related app out there, theĀ WebMD Baby App (free, itunes.com) not only offers a tool for tracking baby's feeding, diaper changes, and the like, but it also lets you sync your phone to family and friends' devices so that you can share memorable moments "in real time." There's also a "baby book" tool for storing everything from sonogram photos to first words and a huge library of expert articles and videos on baby health and care — and it's now available for the Apple watch!
Hot Stuff
Taking a baby's temperature the old-fashioned way is unpleasant at best, particularly in the middle of the night (talk about a rude awakening)! An easier way: Tracking your sleeping baby's temp via your smartphone with theĀ Smarttemp Wireless Bluetooth Thermometer ($69.99, infanttech.com), which uses an adhesive pad to stay put under your baby's arm while he sleeps.Ā
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The Light Stuff
Standing over your baby's crib singing lullabies all night is an exhausting prospect. TheĀ Skip Hop Nightlight Soother Moonlight and Melodies ($39.95, amazon.com) plays up to 60 minutes of gentle melodies or nature sounds; it also projects a pattern of stars on the wall or ceiling to help your little one drift off to dreamland. Wait … we want one for our room!
Baby Moon
Want to put your little one on the fast track to becoming an astronaut? ThisĀ Temperature Controlled Onesie ($50.00, ahalife.com) uses the same "smart fabric" used by NASA to regulate your little one's body temperature while he sleeps. Next stop, the moon!
Paci Peace of Mind
The average baby's pacifier falls on the floor approximately 847 times per day (at least), and most of those times you'll be nowhere near running water. But no worries: theĀ Pipila Portable Pacifier Sterilizer ($79.83, amazon.com) is an ingenious way to de-germ pacifiers using nothing but the sun!
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Milk Maid
Every nursing mom needs a glass of wine now and then, but trying to figure out if/when your milk is alcohol free can be tricky. TheĀ Milkscreen: Home Test to Detect Alcohol in Breast Milk ($14.99, amazon.com) takes away the guesswork by letting you know if you're okay to feed or if you have to pump and dump. We'll drink to that!
Cry Baby
There's nothing more mind-numbingly frustrating than trying to figure out why a new baby is crying (is he hungry? cranky? wet?? WHY?!?!?). TheĀ "WhyCry Mini Baby Cry Analyzer"Ā ($85.99, amazon.com) analyzes a new baby's cry to give befuddled parents clues about what's really bugging their wee one (options include "annoyed," "bored," "sleepy," and "hungry").
Water Works
Just because you like your shower steaming hot doesn't mean your baby can take the heat. Instead of just hoping you get the temperature of your baby's bath right, know for sure with theĀ Aquatopia Deluxe Safety Bath Thermometer Alarm ($9.46, amazon.com), which floats in the water to give a constant readout (and beeps if the bath gets too hot or too cold).
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