Bringing a new life into the world is incredibly daunting. But thanks to the wonders of modern technology, there are fewer stresses that you need to concern yourself with as part of that whole raising-a-child process. You can watch your child sleep, grow, and learn, and know that kiddo is healthy and happy.If, this Valentine's Day, you or a loved one are a new parent, such products may be well appreciated. Whether it's ensuring your daughter is safe during car trips, or capturing every notable moment as your son grows up (without stuffing a smartphone in his face), there are new gadgets out there that will help you be a parent, and forget about all that other stuff.
We've rounded up eight products that promise to make the challenge of parenting a tiny bit easier. Read on for our picks, and share your thoughts in the comments.
Owlet Baby Monitor
Price: $250
Sudden infant death syndrome is a frightening, inexplicable cause of death in infants less than a year old. All any parent wants is peace of mind that their children are safe and sound — and some might find that reassurance by using additional monitoring of the little ones as they sleep. The Owlet baby monitor is a smart slipper that senses your child's vitals, and if her breathing or heart rate changes suddenly, you'll be alerted on your phone ASAP. Consider it a (very pricey) alternative to waking a sleeping baby to see if she's breathing.
Kiba
Price: $200
Every day there are happy, sweet moments that slip by relatively unnoticed. Kiba is a connected home camera that captures those little events. It automatically snaps photos and video of notable, joyous interactions between you and your family during the day — seriously, its algorithm looks for smiles — and then turns them into a short clip you can watch or share. It's a little Big Brother-esque, but think about it: How nice would it be to capture your child's wobbly first steps, and not need to run for your phone? If you don't want it watching all the time, you can also give it voice commands for when to record, or to turn itself off.
Kinsa Smart Ear Thermometer
Price: $60
Kinsa's connected thermometer is a step up from what you'd find over-the-counter. It takes a reading in roughly one second (perfect for a fussy newborn or wriggling preschooler) and is made extra friendly for tired, groggy parents. If the temperature is fever-level, the screen lights up to let you know. It also records temperature readings via the app — and you know the pediatrician will love to see all the data you've collected at your next appointment.
Freemie Freedom Pump
Price: $200
To some, pumping feels like a chore to be done in secret. If you want to get that milk and get on with your life, Freemie's Freedom Pump helps bring the task (only slightly) out in the open — you can use it with your shirt on. This means you can pump discreetly, almost anywhere; the company's novel collection cups simply slip into your bra. When you're done, remove the cups (which you can buy alone for $60) and pour into a bottle for storage.
Fisher-Price Think & Learn Code-A-Pillar
Price: $50
This isn't just a cute-looking toy. It teaches young children the most basic concepts of coding, things such as problem solving, patterning, and sequencing. Code-A-Pillar comes with eight segments. Depending on the order these are attached in, the mechanical caterpillar executes different actions, like moving straight forward, glowing, or turning.
4Moms Self-Installing Car Seat
Price: $500
$500 for a car seat? Yeah, maybe if we were part of the 1%. Still, 4Moms' self-installing car seat does go above and beyond your average tot transport. It aims to solve the (big) problem of incorrect car seat installation, automatically installing itself perfectly in your vehicle, and continuing to stay properly positioned as weeks and months go by. With setup this simple, it's a lot less hassle to swap the seat from one car to another. Maybe Grandma can foot the bill?
VersaMe Starling
Price: $130
If you've got your heart set on a mini-wordsmith in the family, you'd be smart to stop it with the baby talk. In fact, chat full-on conversations with Tiny, and you'll be setting her up for a higher IQ, better vocabulary, and greater emotional well-being — according to VersaMe, which makes this device to track exactly how many words are spoken to your baby. Made of medical-grade plastic, it can be strapped right onto your baby's clothing, or affixed to a crib or car seat.
Amazon Echo
Price: $180
You, new parent, are too damn busy to do a lot of things; barking commands at an Amazon Echo isn't one of them. Tell Alexa, its AI personality, to play your favorite Spotify playlist so you can wind down at the end of the day, or ask it to order you Domino's when you just cannot dinner. If it only changed diapers, too.
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