This digital life

As she nears her due date, DOMINIQUE McMULLAN finds the number

of apps and gadgets being thrown at her a little overwhelming.

Part of me wonders how any babies were born at all two decades ago, without all the essential technology that’s advertised for expectant mothers. At the time of writing, I’m 32 weeks’ pregnant, and by the time you are reading this, we may very well have a baby. That means that between now and then (if I listen to every bit of advice I have been given), I will need to buy the following: a video and heat detection baby monitor, a humidifier, a white noise generator, a breast pump, an Epi-No childbirth trainer, a state-of-the-art outdoor carrier, a high-tech yet stylish (and safe) baby bouncer, an adaptable night light, and any number of other bits and bobs that I won’t bore you with. And that’s just for the first few weeks.

I have already purchased a fancy-pants stroller/car seat/ bassinet, and the experience was comparable to buying a car. The variety of add-ons and options available was overwhelming.

Here’s the truth, I’m a consumer. I fall hook, line and sinker for this kind of stuff. And as a first-time mum, I’m an easy target. I have no idea what I am doing, I am completely terrified, I have a bit of spare cash as I have yet to rear anything, and of course, I want the best for my unborn child. Anything that looks like it will make this whole experience easier goes straight into my online shopping cart. Self-warming bottle? Sounds useful. Buy. Pacifier thermometer? Didn’t realise that was something I had to worry about. But sure. Purchase. Baby translation app? Wow. Did not realise they could do that now. Better safe than sorry. Download.

The baby translation app is a real thing, by the way. You record your baby crying and it will tell you whether it is hungry, sleepy, stressed, bored, etc. It costs €4.49 in the app store. Don’t get me started.

Apps are a real specialist area for mothers-to-be. And there are many that are more useful than the baby translator. The intro app that most people will start with is some kind of ovulation tracker. I used Flo, and found it really helpful for knowing what days you were most fertile. The day I found out I was pregnant, I started using an app called 1 Second Everyday. The clue is in the name, but you record one second of video footage every day, which the app saves and eventually, after a year, merges together to create a 365-second-long video. Cute, right?

I am currently using an app called GENTLEBIRTH, which is designed by a midwife and teaches meditation and hypnobirthing techniques in the run-up to labour. It involves lots of breathing, mantras and visualisations of flowers opening. I have also downloaded a Baby Name Generator app, which is a most fun game to play just before bed.

Other apps that I have on my list to try include Kegel Trainer and Contraction Timer. And a little further down the line, for when I get back to work, I have my eye on the Milk Stash app – a handy tool that lets mothers record and track how much they pump and have refrigerated or frozen. The app will also notify you when stored milk is approaching expiration, so that nothing goes to waste.

The most fascinating app I have downloaded enables me listen to my baby’s heartbeat. Yup, you read that correctly. The app goes to great lengths to explain that it is not FDA-approved and you should always visit your doctor, but using only the microphone on your phone, placed against your bare skin, after 30 weeks, you can hear a little heartbeat. Technology, eh?

“I’m a consumer. I fall hook, line and sinker for this kind of stuff. And as a first-time mum, I’m an easy target. I have no idea what I’m

doing, and I want the best for my child.”