In preparing for my little guy's arrival, I'll admit, I mocked those type A mothers who wrote down every tiny little thing their child did. Babies eat, sleep, and poop. It seemed pretty simple to me. Why would I need to write it down?
Needless to say, I realized it wasn'tthat simple during his first week at home. There was no way I could store all that information in my cluttered, sleep deprived postpartum mind. So I purchased a notebook to keep track of his daily activities. This bulky accessory cluttered the diaper bag, was difficult to write in during dark, middle-of-the-night feedings, and required visual scouring to figure out his so-called schedule. The notebook served it purpose, but I was happy to replace it with the Onaroo Personal Baby Assistant (PBA).
This handheld electronic device is an easy way to record baby's intake, output, and sleep schedule. With only four buttons and larger than normal font, the PBA is simplified for even the least technologically savvy. Once on, the PBA illuminates for ease of use in daylight or dark. The user selects the type of activity they want to record (eg. feeding, diaper change, sleeping, medicine). The PBA then prompts you for information regarding that activity (eg. what type of food, how much food, how long did the feeding last). Once entered, the information is stored and can be reviewed on the device or on your computer. From your computer, you can also analyze your babe's activities with spreadsheets and graphs. When we found out our little man had acid reflux and he was put on medicine, the PBA made it easy for use to work three daily doses into his schedule. It was also helpful to be able to print out his schedule to take with us to his monthly check-ups. Our pediatrician loved how thorough our information was and commented that most parents slip up and don't record as diligently as they could. I think that the PBA makes recording activities easy enough that it isn't a chore to do so. And because the device has such a simple design, it can easily be used one-handed while still tended to your little one.
Overall, if a comparable app isn't available to you on your phone, the PBA is an easy, small way to remember all the little details of your tot's day. And if your new mommy brain is half as clouded as mine, easy is a necessity.
Price: $50
To buy: americaninnovative.com
