Until recently, for most expectant mothers ‘pregnancy guidebooks were the only sources of reliable information on what to expect when you are expecting. Now with the internet and smartphone evolution, moms-to-be have a choice of myriad apps, Youtube channels and websites providing useful and interactive information and videos detailing the ups and downs of pregnancy. Indulekha S. presents a shortlist of the best.

The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy — Discovery Channel
This YouTube channel helps expectant parents visualise whats going on inside the womb. From the moment of conception, the videos show the development of the foetus, growth of its body organs, etc. The videos also explain the physical changes experienced by pregnant women. Knowing and understanding what is going on inside the womb helps make the period of waiting less anxious and stressful for expecting moms and dads.

Pregnancy Music Collection 200
This mobile app offers a collection of music to help soothe nine months of physical and emotional stress. Several studies have concluded that unborn babies are influenced by what they hear. While the mother and fathers voices are the best sounds for a babysears, music can stimulate brain development and have a calming effect on both mother and baby. The app comes with beautiful background pictures and a handy sleep timer.

280 days: Pregnancy Diary
Most pregnant women tend to experience food cravings, physical and emotional highs and lows. This app helps you record every small and big milestone of the nine months, including experiencing your babys first kick, daily food cravings and details of health check-ups. Expectant fathers and mothers can both share the diary. The app will help create a pregnancy record you and your children can cherish and reminisce about years later.

www.babycenter.in
Tired of old wives fables and superstitious pregnancy advice? Babycenter.in — promoted by the US-based medical and pharma multinational Johnson & Johnson — offers customised pregnancy advice and information. After an expectant mom signs up on the website, she gets a customised page and updates based on every week of the pregnancy. The week-by-week updates detail fetal growth, as well as how the mother-to-be feels. The website also features excellent in-utero videos highlighting the different stages of fetal development. Other useful tools include Baby Names Finder, Due Date Calculator and Pregnancy Diet Charts customised for the Indian palate. Moreover post- delivery, the website provides useful guidance about baby care, weaning, breastfeeding, vaccinations and more.

The article was published in the print version of ParentsWorld January 2018 issue.

Also Read: Kalki Koechlin on pregnancy: Will encourage a gender-neutral atmosphere