In 2015 a report found that pregnancy apps were more common than fitness apps, and I personally don’t doubt this for one second, there are hundreds of them. However with so many to pick from, how can you choose what the best app for you is?

I have done a short round up of some of my preferred free apps in case this helps aid your decision on what to download.

1. Glow: I used this app whilst trying to conceive and also once I found out I was pregnant. It seems to do it all and is seriously easy to use. I love the way it tells you how big your baby is each week and approximately how much it weighs. It’s also got a cool photo time-lapse where you can see how your bump is growing. The chat forums on the app are ok. But some of the conversations are slightly strange. To be honest I steered clear of these as at the early stages of my pregnancy, as I had a few scares, and upon reading the forums I sent myself crazy reading other people’s horror stories. I would avoid if I were you.
2. Bumply: This app is your pregnancy social network and how I have met a really good friend in my area. It’s basically like Tinder for pregnant women and enables you to see other Bumply users nearby. I don’t think it’s amazing in the Oxfordshire area, but if you are in London or another big city then definitely give this a go. It’s a great way to meet new mums to be. Pregnancy and being a new mum can be a lonely time so create a network of likeminded people to share your experiences with.
3. BabyCentre: This app has proved useful mainly for downloading information and learning new things about my pregnancy step by step. Again this breaks down your pregnancy week by week and keeps you updated on what is going on in there. They post some decent videos on the app as well, which are simple and short. This is like the ‘What to expect’ book, but on a handy app.
4. BabyBuddy: This one was recommended to me by my midwife and, whilst it isn’t my favourite app, it is still pretty useful. This one also has the bump photo time-lapse too and information on the growth of baby. It also allows you to put in your partner’s name, which makes it slightly more familiar. For example, it might say something like ‘ask James to massage your lower back tonight’ etc. This personal element is just a nice touch I suppose. This app also allows you to input all your appointments into a calendar too, a useful tool if you don’t keep a diary of midwife and scan appointments.
5. Lifecake: OK so I admit, this one I haven’t used yet, but I have downloaded it upon recommendation from a friend. I just need to meet my little one first! This app allows you to share your baby pictures with your family and friends in a private and secure place without having to spam everyone on Facebook (which I am sure my friends who aren’t mums will thank me for!) It also allows you to print off a hardcopy book of all your baby pics as you go along. I guess this is more one for the grandparents and us as a couple, but very sweet all the same.
6. Baby Tracker: This is another app that needs your little bundle of joy to be present for before you enjoy the functionality. The app tracks everything, from sleeping to feeding to nappies at just the tap of a button. If, like me you are getting some serious baby brain, this app is invaluable to help keep on top of breastfeeding and the health of your baby.

So that’s it, those are my top apps so far. There are millions more and I’m sure many of you can recommend some great apps to me too. If so, please do share your thoughts in the comment box or send me a Tweet.

Oh and word of caution… personally I would recommend you steer well clear of the baby heart rate monitor apps. I tried a number of these and they were all pretty useless. Not only is the quality bad, but they all worried me when I used them because I couldn’t pick up a heartbeat or if I did pick it up I lost is again momentarily. Given you probably only try these apps out when you have a concern (i.e. baby hasn’t moved for a while) I believe they only serve to add more fuel to the worry fire!