DISCLOSURE: This post is in no way sponsored or affiliated.

Whether you’re a new parent or you’ve done it all before, settling into life with a newborn is a crazy time for anyone. With new routines and a little one to get acquainted with, sometimes we need life to cut some slack – and there’s an app for that.

When I was pregnant and then a new mum, phone apps were my new best friends. I could follow my pregnancy, chat with other parenting newbies and even track my baby’s feeds. Baby brain is such a thing that without some of these apps, I’d frankly have failed at parenthood (probably).

This is my top 10 essential apps I’d recommend to any new parent. I’ve used them all and swear by them. Plus they’re all free so get downloading!

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1 Babycentre

Babycentre was my most used app during my pregnancy and beyond. The app is home to some really useful features such as your digital pregnancy timeline, cataloguing ‘bumpies’ (selfies of you and your growing bump) and a “birth club” to talk to other expectant mums with similar due dates. Personally I loved this feature and lived in this group!

>> GET THE APP <<

2 Baby Tracker

You’d think remembering when you last fed your newborn and what they actually took wouldn’t be the most difficult of tasks but with baby brain and no sleep, you’d be surprised. Baby Tracker is an easy to use app for those early days, especially when midwives are asking you for fine details on timing and amounts per feeds. This works for breast feeding, expressing and formula feeding, and also allows you to record nappy changes.

>> GET THE APP <<

3 Bounty

The Bounty app was a good one to have on my phone from the start not least because of the famous ‘Bounty Bags’, containing handy vouchers and sample size goodies. They also frequently run really good deals for Bounty customers, and we actually bought our car seat for the best price through the app.

>> GET THE APP <<

4 Emma’s Diary

Similar to Bounty, with the Emma’s Diary app you can claim pregnancy and new baby goodie bags full of vouchers and product samples, while the app provides access to the swish features such as ‘bumpies’, pregnancy updates and lots of helpful content.

>> GET THE APP <<

5 FreePrints

As parent of a shiny new baby you’ll be surprised how many pics you’ll soon fill your phone with. These days we’re pretty rubbish at printing off photos like we used to, so this app makes it super easy and a no brainer to do. You can claim 45 free 6×4 prints each month (p&p about £3.99) with low price options for alternative sizes, which still works out pretty cheap.

>> GET THE APP <<

6 NHS

Dr Google tends to be our first port of call when we feel ill so it’s always best to stick to sites of authority. The NHS app is a simplified digital version of the website that offers solid advice and professional contact at the touch of a button.

>> GET THE APP <<

7 NCT Babychange

Only when you begin changing nappies do you realise the nightmare of looking for public baby change facilities. Thankfully the NCT considered it and developed this interactive user friendly app, allowing you to add facilities and rate them, helping you locate that safe place to change your baby’s nappy.

>> GET THE APP <<

8 Lullabies

You don’t need to invest in a musical mobile if you have a tablet or can spare your phone – the Lullabies app can do it all for you. This simple application contains 10 of the most loved nursery rhymes and lullabies, composed in a gently soft style to help send your little one off to dream land. Additional handy functions include a timer and the option to tone down screen light. And it’s all free to use.

>> GET THE APP <<

9 Boots

If you’re buying tons of nappies, wipes and baby wash, you may as well make it pay. The Boots app is a handy way to access all of Boot’s offers and exclusive deals for parents, with the occasional odd freebie (we claimed a Mam bottle and dummy and there was an option for nipple pads too). Also if you have an Advantage card you can sign up to the Boots Parenting Club which earns a huge 10 points for every £1 spent on baby shopping and that can quickly tot up to a nice treat.

>> GET THE APP <<

10 Peanut

If there’s ever a time in your life that you need friends it’s when you’re a mum. Whether you’re expecting your first or now have older kids, mum friends are indispensable. Great mum friends know exactly what you’re going through, listen to your parenting woes and get you out of the house when it’s too easy to wallow hibernate. With the Peanut app you can make that first contact with potential new friends from your phone – with chat groups, a swipe up to say “hi” or instant message and discovery settings to search by distance and child’s age, your new mum friend could literally be just around the corner.

>> GET THE APP <<

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Did you have a go-to app in the early days of parenting? What phone apps would you add to this list?

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