A Keurig for Baby Formula + More Tech That Will Help New Parents Chill TFO
While connected homes, self-driving cars and virtual reality are all getting serious buzz at CES 2016, the world of parenting is also seeing some serious upgrades. New parents have a whole slew of smart gadgets that want to make the life-changing milestone of becoming a parent just a little bit more seamless. We recently saw Withing’s cool and super-hygienic thermometer, Thermo, but here are a few pieces of tech that might help take some of the guesswork out of being a new parent. Whew, thank goodness for the future.
1. 4Moms Self-Installing Car Seat ($500): One of the more common headaches related to being a first-time parent is figuring out the freakin’ carseat — and yet learning how to do it properly is critically important for your baby’s safety. You could always have someone at the hospital or even a fireman teach you how to do it correctly, or you could check out the new 4Moms Self-Installing Carseat. Yes, you do still have to loop it into the car yourself, but once you do that, the carseat base will actually self-tighten, then on a little display on the side, it will let you know whether the carseat is level. Each time you insert the carrier when you return to the car, the same base will notify you as to whether the carrier has been safely locked in. The carseat starts shipping in June. Sure, it’s a little pricey for a car seat, but peace of mind is priceless.
2. Owlet Infant Monitor Sock ($250): Utilizing pulse oximetry technology (the same stuff that monitors heart rates in hospitals), this little sock goes on your baby’s foot. It has a little velcro strap that helps ensure it stays on securely. The sensor can also track oxygen levels and help send all that info to an app on your smartphone. Also, in case of a drop in either heart rate or oxygen levels, the monitor alerts you via an independent base station that will sound and flash. According to Owlet an accelerometer lowers the rate of false alarms significantly. “On average, parents see a false red alert once every few months,” they state on their site. All in all, the sock isn’t intended to work as a primary form of monitoring or to prevent SIDs, but it is something that wants to help an exhausted, sleep-deprived parent breathe easier.
3. Gerber BabyNes Formula Dispenser ($249): Think of the BabyNes Dispenser as a Keurig for baby formula — only it’s WiFi-enabled and comes with an app that can send you feeding alerts and even help you track your child’s nutrition and growth. The formula pods are insanely cool — formula comes in nifty little capsules that are sealed to protect against contamination and work similarly to Keurig’s K Cups. Just pop them into the BabyNes and you’ll can get a bottle of formula milk at the perfect temp in no time. Additionally, each pod comes printed with its own barcode that allows the machine to identify the type of formula it’s making so it can adjust temps accordingly. The folks at Gerber have also thought of everything when it comes to designing the machine. There’s a non-slip surface that will keep the bottle standing upright when it’s filling — ideal for a parent who is carrying a hungry infant in one hand and trying to fill the bottle with the other. Also, the machine comes with LED lights that will help you see what you’re doing during night feedings when you don’t want to wake anyone up, and with a 27 fluid ounce water tank that will fill up multiple bottles. Seriously genius.
