Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Stages
  3. Evergreens

NewFolks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

These tools can help if you want to self-monitor your pregnancy

By

If you want to keep an additional eye on your pregnancy, we have some tools that you can use. In between your normal prenatal checkups, you can download these apps and grab these gadgets for some home-style checkups on that belly. Sometimes it’s just nice to hear the heartbeat while sitting on the couch or not feel rushed in the doctor’s office and forget your questions.

You only have so many doctor’s visits during your pregnancy. Between all of the routine checks, steps, and questions, you might not get to fully embrace the little parts of being pregnant. That’s why we found these pregnancy tools to help you enjoy and monitor your bump at home.

A pregnant woman checking on her pregnancy using a phone app.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Bump pregnancy tracker app

  • For iPhone and Android
  • Free app
  • Daily updates and weekly 3D images
Recommended Videos

If you want to enjoy the journey, but are also excited about the end of pregnancy, The Bump app can help you along your way. Not only will you get daily developmental updates on how the baby is growing, but you’ll get to see it with a weekly 3D interactive model.

Put in your questions so you never forget what you wanted to ask the doctor at your checkup. Then look through all of the baby gear you might need and read countless articles to help you prepare for the baby.

Full Term contraction timer app

  • Help know when it’s time to get to the hospital
  • Monitors contractions and baby kicks

If you’ve had false labor with a previous child or it’s your first baby and you don’t know when it’s time to really go to the hospital, this app can help. You can track the start and end of your contractions with the Full Term contraction timer. You can even send data to your health care professional so they can let you know when it’s go time.

Full Term saves all of the information and any notes you want to make about the early stages of labor. This is also helpful when you want to look back and let your child know exactly how long you labored and how they owe you at least one hug for it.

Baby2Body app

  • Free basic app (premium costs extra)
  • Monitor your body’s health
  • Keep baby healthy through you

From mental health to physical health to nutritional health, the Baby2Body app will keep track of it all throughout your pregnancy, birth, and up to three years of your postpartum journey. Look up safe workouts, meal plans, recipes, and meditations to bring your stress down.

Monitoring your pregnancy isn’t only about measuring the size of your babe’s little feet. You want to make sure your personal and mental health is being taken care of as well. This app is there for you during your whole journey.

A pregnant woman monitoring her blood pressure at home in her kitchen.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Blood pressure monitor

  • Good for during and after pregnancy
  • Best if you’re already prone to high blood pressure

You get your blood pressure checked only when you are at the doctor, but really, your blood pressure should be a weekly check. It’s a way to look out for preeclampsia, which can occur during pregnancy and after childbirth.

It takes less than a minute to check your blood pressure and can help keep you and the baby healthy. The PARAMED Automatic Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor takes 30 seconds to let you know your numbers on a big LCD screen. It comes with a case so you can easily bring it while traveling.

Touchless thermometer

  • Should have all of the time
  • Will use for years to come

A thermometer should always be around your house. But if you are pregnant and feel a bit off, you should take your temperature. If you have other little ones in the house, you don’t want to share thermometers.

A touchless one, like the FLTR No Contact Infrared Digital Forehead Thermometer is what you’ll want. It’s for any age or situation and will read your temp from up to two inches away.

Urine test strips

  • Best for monitoring for preeclampsia
  • Can check for UTIs

How uncomfortable is it to always have to pee in the cup at the doctor’s office? It’s the worst. And all they tell you is that your urine is good or not good. But what does that really mean?

With something like the Life2O Urinalysis Testing Kit you’ll not only watch out for signs of preeclampsia or a UTI, but you can read all of the things the doctor checks for with your urine sample. You’ll also get enough practice that the doctor’s visits won’t be such a pain.

Two women listening to the baby's heartbeat of a pregnany woman.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Baby heart monitor

  • Good to use with siblings
  • Reassuring to hear the heartbeat

If you want to hear your baby’s heartbeat more often than at the doctor’s office, get a Sonoline B Fetal Doppler. Not only will you be able to listen to your baby’s beating heart, but you can track those little kicks from 32 weeks on. You’ll be able to share your baby’s progress with your loved ones, too. Get siblings excited about the new addition by letting them have a listen.

Some of us are worriers. Some of us want to get more out of our doctor visits. Some of us want to watch our bodies more closely. Some of us had a rough first pregnancy and don’t want a repeat. Whatever the reason, there’s nothing wrong with additional precautions during your pregnancy.

Your doctor is your first line of defense when it comes to keeping track of your pregnancy. But for extra monitoring at home that can include the whole family, make sure you use these tools for expecting moms.

Topics
Is your newborn eating too much? What to know about overfeeding
Cues to watch out for to let you know if you're overfeeding a newborn
Mother holding baby in nursery

Every parent knows the excitement and anxiety that comes when it's time to bring their baby home from the hospital for the first time. Besides the sleep schedule, many new parents may be worried about whether their infant is getting enough to eat. But is going the other direction something parents should also worry about? Is there such a thing as overfeeding a newborn? The short answer is yes. Overfeeding a newborn is a possibility, but it doesn't happen often.

Every newborn has differences in appetite where one might drink a bottle or breastfeed longer than another. Before you stress, don't worry. There are signs to be on the lookout for when it comes to giving your little one too much food. Whether it's your first or third child, if you are concerned about overfeeding your newborn, we have the information you need to know.
Why overfeeding a newborn is something you don't want to do

Read more
Recognizing early autism signs in toddlers: 6 things to know
Which toddler behaviors are quirky and which are red flags for autism?
Toddler boys playing a party game

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that about 1 in every 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder. If your child is on the spectrum, the initial diagnosis can be upsetting, but early intervention following a diagnosis is vital. The early signs of autism in toddlers, though, can be easy to overlook. If you have a child you think might be on the spectrum, it's best to know the early signs as your toddler develops.

There is a long list of possible signs as the autism spectrum is wide and diverse. One sign may appear in one child, but not in another. Certain early signs of autism are more common than others, which is why knowing the red flags is important. The earlier a child receives a diagnosis, the better the support system will be for them.
Understanding autism

Read more
Can you use a heating pad while pregnant? Here’s what you should know
Heat pads and pregnancy work together, just follow some precautions
Pregnant woman using heating pad hot water bottle

Pregnancy is an exciting time filled with awe and wonder, but it's also painful and uncomfortable. Experiencing all. the changes your body goes through as your baby grows is magical, but it's also kind of a pain. As pregnancy progresses throughout the trimesters, so, too, does the discomfort. From backaches to sore feet and sciatica to insomnia, pregnancy can be very hard on a person's body.
Often, a heating pad can provide some much-needed relief from those pregnancy-induced aches and pains, but many wonder if it's safe to use a heating pads while pregnant. Using heating pads during pregnancy can be an understandable concern.
Despite the relief they may give, many pregnant people are hesitant to use them out of fear the heat they produce may harm their baby. Fortunately, using a heating pad while pregnant can be very safe as long as you do so carefully and take proper precautions.

Why would you need a heating pad?

Read more