Smartphone apps are finally putting female health out in front, helping women to take charge of their own emotional and physical wellbeing. You can now choose from mental health apps to period tracker apps to community apps that help moms connect with other moms (to name just a few). As technology makes more information available to us at the touch of a button, women gain more and more control over our bodies and, ultimately, our lives too.
Here are some of the best apps for women available today.
Boober
The brilliantly named Boober is your go-to app for breastfeeding. Lack of available information and support is one of the main reasons new moms stop breastfeeding, but now there’s Boober. This app lets you connect quickly with lactation professionals who can help you get past any mental, physical or social barriers to nursing your baby. Breastfeeding is another “mom thing” we’re expected to know how to do instinctively. But sometimes your milk doesn’t come or baby won’t latch or your breasts are too sore or there’s nowhere to breastfeed in the workplace. Download the app to get professional advice, find local support groups, connect with other moms and become a breastfeeding pro!
Clue
Of all the period tracker apps available, Clue is the top rated. It does so much more than tell you when your period is due. This female health app helps you understand all phases of your cycle, so you’ll get to know your body better too. This is essential after pregnancy when your hormones can be all over the place. Use Clue to find your own unique rhythm and plan your lifestyle around the physical and emotional changes you experience each month. Book a hot date with your partner when you’re ovulating or ring-fence those pre-menstrual days when you need downtime. Understand discharge, food cravings, fluctuations in weight, and never question that your body knows exactly what it’s doing.
Moment Health
Moment Health is making conversations about maternal mental health mainstream. The team that designed this mental health app tells us that 20 percent of women suffer from antenatal or postnatal anxiety and depression, while one in twenty-five moms leave their jobs for the same reasons. Until recently, new moms simply didn’t have access to the platforms they need to talk about this common problem. Whether you’re at home or in the workplace, moms suffering with anxiety or depression can feel very much alone, which is why Moment Health is literally a lifesaver. The app helps diagnose your condition, seek treatment and connect with others in the same position without shame.
Mush
Forget Facebook, Mush is where it’s at for moms. This is a social networking app designed by moms for moms. When baby comes along, it’s common to feel stressed, lonely and even bored if you’re stuck at home, but talking about these things with people who don’t get it can feel awkward, and even shameful. Mush gives you a platform to reach out to other moms in your area, and connect with women who know all about the lifestyle changes that motherhood brings. Build your own support network and keep each other sane—all the while helping each other become even better moms.
Pillow
What happens when there are three people in your relationship? Baby can take you away from your partner, which may negatively impact your family. Pillow provides a solution. This couple’s therapy app lets you press pause (ideally when baby is asleep) to reconnect and deepen intimacy. Timed “audio adventures” encourage you to try something new together, or something you used to do, such as dancing, bathing, kissing or complementing each other. Just a few minutes spent mindfully in each other’s company can make the world of difference. The happier mom and dad are together, the happier baby will be too. In fact, Pillow helps to reignite all relationships, even if there isn’t a baby in your life.
Squeezy
Squeezy is an easy-to-use female fitness app designed to strengthen some of your most important muscles—your pelvic floor. The app gives you a personalized workout programme based on expert advice from pelvic health physiotherapists. It also guides you through the exercises, and allows you to set timers and track your progress. Squeezy is great for all women, not just moms, since stronger pelvic floor muscles can improve bladder control and intensify your orgasms. Add extra power to your pelvic floor exercises with the Elvie Trainer, which gives biofeedback so you know you’re definitely doing your Kegels right.