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Becoming a parent is the most beautiful and rewarding thing in the world, but it is also HARD. The first few months will test you and change you in ways you never thought possible.
The good news is that it is 2022 and there are several smart products available that can help make this time easier and more enjoyable for new parents. The bad news is that it is 2022 and there are TOO many unnecessary products available. Unfortunately, many companies use fear-based marketing to target new and expecting parents.
Below is a round-up of some of the most popular smart baby products for new parents, along with a pros and cons list to help you decide which ones are right for you.
What is a smart product for new parents?
The purpose of smart technology is to make life easier. To clarify, these smart products are not intended to replace parenting in any way. On the contrary, they are intended to help manage some of the daily tasks so you have more time and energy to enjoy your baby. Some of these products also offer peace of mind that your baby is safe...which is priceless!
As an experienced parent and a minimalist, the products that made this list are only the ones that made us think “wow, that actually would’ve been really useful”. We also conducted in depth research on the legitimacy of the company and the sentiments of customer reviews.
Smart Baby Products for New Parents 2022
1. Smart Baby Tracker
Newborn days are a blur of constant feeding, constant diaper changing, and constant stressing about every little move they make. One of the things I did not know before becoming a parent was that it is important to track all of these things in the first few weeks of life. It provides a lot of valuable insight to the doctor about how your baby is growing and adapting to life outside the womb.
This wearable smart tracker developed by Project Nursery is the “first of its kind.”
Pros:
- Wearable
- Water resistant
- Touchscreen
- Long battery life
- Easy to use and share data with Dr.
- Tracks everything from pregnancy fetal movement, to baby care, to your fitness and schedule
- Stylish
- You don’t have to track the old fashioned way (I think I brought in ripped notebook paper and post-its to my baby’s 2 week appt)
Cons:
- New to the market (may have some kinks to work out)
- Price
- Limited use after newborn days
- Can’t tell if you are able to share it with your partner
Pricing:$99.99
Our Take: It Depends
This is a nice-to-have product that would make life easier, but not a must-have. If you are a fitbit wearer and feel like you would use all the functions, it would certainly help with pregnancy and newborn tracking that you will have to do anyways. It would make a fun and unexpected gift for an expecting mom!
2. Smart Sound Machine
The womb is loud! Babies get used to a constant drone of sound and it helps soothe them. A good white noise sound machine will help you create a comfortable sleeping environment for you baby. Also, you won’t have to worry about other people in the house waking them up during their naps.
This Hatch Smart Sound machine provides a nightlight, sound machine, and time-to-rise function all in one.
Pros:
- Grows with baby and toddler
- Reputable brand
- Various colors and sounds depending on your baby’s preferences
- Sleep programs for naptime, bedtime and wake up
- Control from your phone app
- Toddler lock feature
Cons:
- Too many options that you probably won't use
Pricing: $69.99
Our Take: Get it!
Considering the price point and features, we recommend getting this. Personally I did not know about this option and instead bought a separate nightlight, sound machine, and time-to-rise clock which cost more than the all-in-one solution.
3. Smart Sock
It’s a known fact that sleep is hard to come by when you have a newborn baby. What I didn’t realize as a new parent is that even when the baby is sleeping, you may not be able to sleep just because you feel the need to watch over them. First and foremost, it is important to provide a safe sleeping environment. In addition to this, there are products on the market now that can give anxious parents that little bit of extra reassurance and peace of mind.
This Owlet Dream Sock is a sleep quality indicator for babies. It tracks sleep indicators such as oxygen levels, heart rate and movement.
Pros:
- Grows with baby and toddler
- Reputable brand
- FDA approved
- Minimal technical issues
- Control and view sleep data/stats on your phone app
- Peace of mind (and better sleep for the family!)
Cons:
- Price
- Technical difficulties
- False alarms
Pricing: $299.00
Our Take: Get it!
Yes, it is expensive. No, it is not necessary. Babies have been fine for thousands of years without it. With that being said, if you are an anxious person, the peace of mind that this product gives you is priceless. Personally, I used it on both of my children until 1 year old and we all slept better because of it!
4. Smart Baby Monitor
One of the staples when you have a baby is a baby monitor. The baby monitor is intended to help you hear when your baby needs you from their room. Traditionally, baby monitors are portable and have sound/video capabilities.
This Nanit Smart Baby Monitor is the full package - video, sleep tracking, nightlight, white noise, and more.
Pros:
- High resolution video
- 2 way audio
- Adjustable night light
- Sound machine
- Real time sleep tracking and alerts
- Control and view from your phone
- FDA approved
- Nanit community
- Additional products/capabilities (like these cool smart sheets)
- Sleek design
Cons:
- Price
- Tries to do too much
- Temptation to check/obsess over monitor when you are not at home
Pricing: $299.00
Our Take: It Depends
This is a high quality product from a reputable company. I don’t think anyone would ever be disappointed to get one of these, however our parenting methods are a little more traditional and this would be overkill. A lot of parenting comes from “instinct” and this product can be a bit overwhelming with all the stats. You would also be putting a lot of your eggs in one basket. What if it has a technical difficulty? Then you don’t have a monitor, sound machine, or nightlight! With that said, there are a ton of pros in the functionality, the Nanit community looks pretty fun, and they make many other tech savvy products. If you have more of a modern parenting style - then go for it!
5. Smart Bassinet
Another staple when you are having a baby is a bassinet. Typically, the baby sleeps in the bassinet in your room for the first couple weeks or months of life because it is easier to feed them throughout the night. They also feel a little safer/cozier in a smaller space than in a big open crib.
Picture this. It’s 3am and you haven’t slept in 3 months because your baby constantly wants to be rocked to sleep. Enter the Snoo Smart Bassinet. This bassinet was created by Dr. Harvey Karp who wrote the “The Happiest Baby on the Block.”
Pros:
- Based on science, uses 5 S’s method for calming baby
- 5 levels of responsive rocking and sound to soothe baby and boost sleep
- Secure swaddle prevents rolling over
- Control from your phone
- Breathable mesh walls
- Premium motor for quiet and reliability
- Helps baby easily transition to crib
- Unlimited access to sleep consultants
- Rent or buy options
- 3 sizes of sleep sacks
Cons:
- Price
- Extra fees
- Doesn’t work for some babies
Pricing: $1,595 to Buy; $159 per month to Rent
Our Take: Rent it!
You know that scenario at 3am above? That was me. I had a newborn and a toddler and my newborn wanted to be rocked 24/7. As much as we would love to do that, everyone was sleep-deprived/miserable and it was getting unsafe. The Snoo bassinet is the safest bassinet on the market and is scientifically proven to help baby’s sleep. As your baby cries, the white noise and movement automatically increases and then decreases once they’ve calmed down. It uses 3 of the 5 S’s for calming a fussy baby: shush, swaddle, swing. Honestly, the concept is genius. It’s like an extra set of arms for you when you need it most. If you can afford to rent one for a couple months, it is definitely worth it.
6. Smart Seat
A baby seat or baby swing is key so that you have a safe place to put down baby whenever you need to do something. The floor doesn’t always work, especially if you have other small children or pets running around. Baby seats have straps to keep them safely in place. They usually have some sort of motion for soothing them and toys hanging above to play with. Not only are baby swings helpful for you - they are fun for them!
The 4Moms Mamaroo swing provides realistic rocking and swaying motions so you can choose the one that your baby likes best.
Pros:
- 5 rocking and swaying motions
- Seat reclines to multiple positions
- Comfortable seat material that is easy to clean
- Toys hanging above the seat
- Control from your phone app
- 4 built in sounds
Cons:
- Price
- Has to be plugged in
- Breaks occasionally
- Some babies don’t really care for it
Pricing: $239.99
Our Take: It Depends
While you will want some sort of baby seat or swing, it doesn’t have to be a smart seat. There are many seats that just bounce or swing manually for a smaller price tag. However, if you have an extremely fussy baby the smart seat may help calm them down since it mimics the motions of the womb.
7. Smart Changing Pad & Scale
The first few weeks and months of baby’s life will be all about their weight gain. It is a gauge for you and the doctor to ensure baby is healthy, eating well, and growing at the appropriate rate. This can be a very stressful time for new parents!
The Hatch Smart changing pad and scale is a changing pad and a baby scale all in one. It is an easy way to weigh a squiggly baby.
Pros:
- Comfortable changing pad
- Safety strap
- Sleek design
- Nice neutral colors
- Control and track from your phone app
Cons:
- Price
Pricing: $149.99
Our Take: It Depends
This was another situation where we ended up having to get a changing pad (that looked just like this) and a baby scale separately. While a baby scale is not necessary to have at home, it helps to track their weight in between doctor’s appointments. This can be especially helpful for babies who have jaundice or are having some issues eating/gaining weight. If your baby doesn't seem to be having any issues gaining weight, then a scale at home probably isn't necessary.
8. Smart Bottle Warmer
Have we mentioned that babies like to eat? If it feels like you are feeding them all day long, you are probably doing something right. Babies typically prefer their food to be warm (not too hot, not too cold). For those planning to bottle feed, there are a few different methods for warming up milk from the fridge/freezer or formula.
The Baby Brezza Smart Bottle Warmer heats milk to the optimal temperature with the touch of a button.
Pros:
- Heats milk, formula, baby food
- Optimal temperature every time
- Quick (2-4 minutes)
- 2 temperature settings: steady warm for breastmilk to preserve nutrients and quick warm for formula and baby food
- Auto shut off
- Fits all brands, sizes, shapes of bottles, milk storage bags, and baby food containers
- Control from your phone app
Cons:
- Price
- Not portable
Pricing: $79.99
Our Take: It Depends
As a minimalist, we honestly just used good old fashioned hot water in a mug and put the bottle in it. It took less than 5 mins to warm it up. However, there are downsides to this method. There were times we forgot about it and then it was too hot, and there were times the baby was screaming his head off and 5 minutes felt like 5 hours. The Baby Brezza is like the “Keurig” of baby bottles. It’s nice that it is quick, consistent, and can heat up many different things. It’s probably a bit unnecessary for heating formula or breastmilk from the fridge, but it seems like it would be very useful for thawing frozen breastmilk (this was a pain and took forever).
9. Smart Humidifier
Babies breathe out of their little noses for their first few months of life. If they get a cold or virus that causes a stuffy nose, one of the first things your doctor may recommend is putting a humidifier in their room. If you live in a dry climate, it may not be a bad idea to have one in there more often.
The Levoit Smart Humidifier allows you to set schedules based on your family’s routine, set an optimal humidity level and control from your smartphone.
Pros:
- Set schedules to match your routine
- Voice commands
- Set target level of humidity for your space
- Rooms up to 290 sq ft
- Built in, washable water filter
- Control from your phone app
Cons:
- Loud
- Phone app issues
Pricing: $54.99
Our Take: It Depends
Consider what type of climate you live in. We live in a naturally humid climate so we don’t have a need for a humidifier on a regular basis. We’ve used it probably a handful of times when they have a stuffy nose, so we don’t need a smart humidifier for this. However, if you live in a naturally dry climate it could definitely be worth it.
What is Smart Technology?
S.M.A.R.T. stands for “self monitoring, assessing, and reporting technology.” It basically means that it has the ability to self regulate or monitor something and react accordingly. I also consider something smart technology if you can control it from a phone app.
Final Thoughts
Becoming a new parent is daunting. We hope this post helps you better understand the smart products for new parents that can help make your life easier. You'll just need to determine which of these are worth it to you and make sense for your family. Thanks for reading!
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