As the saying goes nowadays, “There’s an app for that.” This
is even true when it comes to diapers.
Pampers recently announced the launch of Lumi monitoring system, a phone app,
video monitor and activity sensor that helps track your baby’s needs (including
diaper changes). The sensor attaches to the diaper and not only will track
things like sleep, but will alert you via app if baby has peed or pooped.
Currently accepting sign-ups to their waiting list, Pampers
developed Lumi in a partnership with Verily and Logitech to revolutionize baby
care the same way they did 60 years ago with the disposable diaper. By tracking their baby, parents can get a better sense of sleeping, eating and diapering routine, all with the simple touch of a button.
Smartifying baby basics has definitely become a trend over the
past few years. Just look at the BabyNes formula system or the Snoo Bassinet.
From changing tables to night lights, everything is now connected to our
personal devices.
But do we really want this much tech in our lives? One baby-tracking app is great to log baby’s feeding and changing schedule, especially
in those bleary-eyed newborn days. When my kids were that young, I used to lug a
notebook with me from room to room to make sure the input and output were what
they were supposed to be, but now having it on something already attached to
your hip simplifies and streamlines everything.
Conversely, though, parents arguably already spend too much time on their phones. So all these apps spent tracking your baby might be taking away uninterrupted
face-to-face time. What happened to the
patented diaper check in which you can figure out if a baby’s wet or dry by
given a swollen diaper a little poke, sniff test or hooking a finger in to get a
little peek on the situation?
Still, the Lumi system could be revolutionary, especially if these many apps are one day integrated into a mega-app that can control the nursery lights while mixing formula, while setting a reminder to call the pediatrician. As with everything else, I think the key might be moderation as well as some judiciousness of what you really need versus what you don’t. Maybe a diaper-tracking app isn’t high on your list of priorities, but if you could just remember which boob you last fed the baby with, that’s a start!