Must-Have Apps for a Healthy Pregnancy

Cost: $3.99

This updated, comprehensive app for moms-to-be, developed by doctors, has been consistently rated one of the best pregnancy apps on the market. It includes fetal developmental charts and timelines, to-do lists, a kick counter, and a contraction timer and helps you keep track of all your pregnancy health needs with a doctor visit planner, a weight tracker, and more.

One of the best features is the customizable lifelike fetal imagery that shows you a 3-D image of what your baby looks like at each stage. Sprout is easy to use, and it can be personalized with your due date, baby's gender, or even a name for your baby-to-be. The app even allows you to capture all your special pregnancy moments in a Pregnancy Journal, and then export it as an eBook. -- Written by Corinne Garcia

Cost: $2.99

Pregnancy is supposed to be a happy time, right? Yet you may feel as though you're on an emotional roller coaster, worrying about everything and anything from your developing baby's health to nursery decor. This app aims to help you maintain a healthy mind-set during pregnancy, offering tools for calming your hormonally charged nerves, and realigning your perspective. The not-too-cheesy relaxation techniques, visualizations, affirmations, and meditations are easy enough for anyone to follow and focus on exactly what a mom-to-be needs: to relieve discomfort, boost energy during the day, connect with the baby in your belly, and sleep, relax, and de-stress. Ahhh... -- Written by Corinne Garcia

Cost: Free

CineMama, created by March of Dimes, helps you take the best bump photo possible with the help of a belly grid and photo editor. You can even share your pregnancy progress by turning photos into a video with its own soundtrack. The app also offers weekly tips and week-by-week info about the development of your baby. Plus, you can record memories in the diary feature and monitor weight gain with a tracker. -- Written by Caitlin St. John

Cost: $2.99

This app was written by men, for men, to guide first-time dads-to-be through the pregnancy process. Who's Your Daddy? offers daily tips and weekly updates using humorous, lighthearted language. There's even a countdown to your baby's due date, a contraction counter, and a to-do list feature to keep all first-timers on track.
-- Written by Caitlin St. John

Cost: $3.99

Never wonder again if your prescription or over-the-counter drugs are safe to use while you're pregnant or breastfeeding. This easy-to-use app allows you to either search for a specific medication or scan one for quick information on drug safety and ingredients. With over 20,000 listed drugs and medications, you'll be able to rest easy once you know that what you're putting into your body is also safe for your baby. -- Written by Cheryl Lock

Cost: $0.99

Not the most creative name, but a pretty handy guide to exactly that: foods you may want to avoid. If you're craving a California roll or blue cheese, you can check the app to see whether it falls on the unsafe lists of cheeses, sauces, deli meats, and other edibles you must skip until your baby arrives. In addition, this app gives you guidelines for foods that need to be cooked to proper temperatures and/or pasteurized for prenatal consumption. Foods are broken down into categories (meat and eggs, cheese and dairy, vegetables, etc.) and sub-categories that make it easy to do a quick search on your phone while you're at the grocery store or at a restaurant. -- Written by Corinne Garcia

Cost: $0.99

If there's a particularly good time to start eating more organic foods, it's probably when you're pregnant. A recent study by the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health in New York discovered a link between pesticides and impaired fetal growth. Although other studies have been somewhat inconclusive about the effects of pesticides, it can't hurt to make the switch with at least a portion of your diet. Because the cost of eating organic can be hard on your budget, the Soleil Organics app breaks down foods into categories (fruits, vegetables, grains, etc.) and lists the best ones to buy organic (those with more pesticides), and the ones you can skip (those with less or no pesticides). -- Written by Corinne Garcia

Cost: $3.99

You may think you know what you're eating, but much of our food today, especially processed food, is pumped with coloring agents and other preservatives that can be harmful to you and your fetus' health in a variety of ways. Disturbing? Yes. But here's a handy app to help you wade through the nastiest food additives.

This database of more than 450 additives listed by name and classification number includes uses and other info. For a quick search you can check the additive and look at the bottom of the screen, where there's a list of color-coded risks, ranging from red (danger) to green (safe). If you're into learning more about each additive, there's a ton of additional information -- almost too much -- from which countries outlawed different additives to maximum intake levels. And if you want even more info, each additive has a Wikipedia link as well. -- Written by Corinne Garcia

Cost: Free

There are more comprehensive food guide apps available, but if you're a diehard seafood fan, this app will help you navigate safe fish consumption. Seafood is listed in categories and alphabetically for quick searches when you're dining out or at the grocery store. It will also track how much fish you eat per week, estimating your intake of omega-3 fatty acids and mercury. Plus, you can read all you want about eating fish, from how much is safe to the health benefits for you and your babe. This app is helpful into the nursing stages and addresses healthy seafood for young children as well. -- Written by Corinne Garcia

Cost: $1.99

Just because you can't have a real cocktail doesn't mean you can't have fun with your drinks during pregnancy. Choose from a large selection of drink recipes in four categories: fruity, citrus, creamy, and special occasion. You'll never feel left out of any event again when you go prepared with the mocktail(s) of your choosing. -- Written by Cheryl Lock

Cost: Free

With Full Term, you can record the length and intensity of your contractions, and review your entire labor and contraction history. It also includes a graph feature to better monitor the progression of your labor. And every time Baby kicks, you can record the moment using the Kick Counter and share your recorded contractions and kick information via e-mail. -- Written by Caitlin St. John

Cost: $1.99

With all the changes that are happening in your body, you may find it hard to sleep from time to time. This is where Noisli can help you get some proper sleep. With multiple sounds to pick from (rain, thunderstorm, wind, forest, leaves, bonfire, white noise, etc.) and a sound-layering function, you can put your wandering mind at ease to get the rest you need. A timer also allows you to set preferred sounds for as long as you like, and the app automatically shuts off after you fall asleep.
-- Written by Cheryl Lock

Cost: $3.35

Did you know that when you're pregnant, you're more flexible because of the hormone relaxin? Unfortunately, that doesn't mean your yoga skills will soar; it means you have to be careful not to overdo it during certain poses. Yoga Mama offers safe, guided prenatal yoga workouts that include breathing and relaxation exercises.

This app is broken down into chapters, so you can go right into a particular area within the workout -- like the seated or standing poses -- or you can do a complete series. This allows you to do a short or long practice (up to an hour), depending on how much time you have in your schedule that day. The exercises have easy-to-understand explanations alongside large photos of the pose, so you can model them after the instructor. This app is easy to use and understand, and a smart way to work out during pregnancy, readying your body for the upcoming labor. -- Written by Corinne Garcia

Cost: $9.99

Gently strengthening the core is a great way to make it through the aches and pains that can be associated with an expanding belly. Plus, it can help during labor and later on, when you're toting your baby around. This app has three workouts designed specifically for each trimester, developed by certified Pilates instructor Sarah Picot who is known for training many famous athletes and specializes in pregnancy Pilates. There's a photo and description of each move, along with a explanation of the exercise's purpose, such as improving posture or stretching your back. This app features other pregnancy planning elements, like a to-do list, a photo book, and so on, but it's much better used for the exercise routines. -- Written by Corinne Garcia

Cost: $2.99 (iPad only)

Stress during pregnancy isn't good for you, your blood pressure, or your developing baby, and this app is designed to add some peace to your busy life. This updated version offers guided meditations by multiple teachers, as well as sounds to meditate or do yoga to; choices range from the gentle humming of a Tibetan singing bowl to ringing bells.

These sounds are helpful in grounding your meditation, acting as a focal point to help you let go of daily stresses. You can also keep a journal through this app and log your meditation time to keep track in a graph format, which may be fun to look at after the nine months is up. During pregnancy, it's important to take a few moments for you and your baby to reset your breathing, connect to each other, and clear your mind of the daily clutter. -- Written by Cheryl Lock

Cost: Free

You've thought of every last detail for your new baby, from the nursery to what outfit baby will wear home from the hospital. But now...it's time to pick a name! With 50,000 Baby Names you can search, sort, and filter names by origin, meaning, popularity, and other criteria. It'll be impossible not to come up with the perfect name for your new family member. -- Written by Cheryl Lock

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