Baby Connect, a cross-platform app for managing and tracking your baby's needs (Hidden Gems)

Our Windows Phones are fantastic tools for keeping up with our day-to-day activities from reminding us of appointments, providing access to email, managing finances and more all while on the go. With the Windows Phone app Baby Connect, you can now keep track of and manage a wide range of childcare needs. To date, Baby Connect has logged over 350 million events since the service launched in 2009.

Baby Connect lets you record feedings, nursings, naps, diaper changes, milestones, your baby's mood and more. Being available on Windows Phone, Android, iOS and from the web, the app allows you to exchange information in real time with your spouse, baby sitter or daycare service.

The app is a comprehensive way to chart your baby's daily activities and while Baby Connect may not be for every Windows Phone user in the crowd, it definitely qualifies as a Hidden Gem. Being such, remember that in leaving a comment below you will be automatically entered into our daily Hidden Gems contest to win a new tablet or phone.

Baby Book of the future

I'm sure the practice continues today but one of the gifts many new parents received was a Baby Book where they could record milestones and achievements their child makes during the early years. In many respects, Baby Connect acts as a Baby Book of the future.

Your first order of business when you launch Baby Book is to create an account with baby-connect.com. Membership is free and will allow you to exchange information with others on the network and access your account through Baby Connect's web portal.

Once membership is established, you will need to create a profile for your baby that includes the child's name, any allergies, blood type, sex and add a profile picture.

The main page for Baby Connect has tile button to record all your baby activities that include:

• Bottle: Record your child's feeding times, how much was fed to the baby and how long the feeding took.
• Diaper: One of the more glamorous jobs of caring for a baby is the diaper change. I was constantly amazed at what such a small person can produce. This tool lets you record the diaper change and the condition of the diaper (BM, wet or dry). You can even note that an open-air accident (a fart) caused you to change the diaper.
• Sleep: Here you can record when and for how long your baby has slept. Additionally, you can record the manner of the sleep (in crib, on their back, with pacifier, etc.)

• Nursing: Much like the bottle entries, this feature lets you record the time, duration and break things down as to how much time was spent on each nipple.
• Message: This is more or less a free-form note for you to record your child's activities.
• Activity: This will cover playtime, crawling, sitting, standing, and other basic activities a baby may experience.
• Solid: Eventually your baby will graduate to solid food such as cereal, blended food and other solids. This tool will note the time, duration and what type solid food eaten.
• Mood: Babies can be moody and this feature lets you record the daily (if not hourly) mood changes your baby may experience.
• Milestones: Need to remember when you baby first rolled over? When their first tooth came in? What their first words were? This tool will let you record those milestones and many more.

Each of the above tools includes a free-form notes section to add more information on your baby's activities. If your baby does not like a certain brand of baby food, you can note that for future reference. Maybe your baby likes a certain kind of toy over another. All can be noted in these areas.

Baby Connect's Network

While Baby Connect gives you the ability to record just about every aspect of your baby's daily (and nightly) activities, the app's strength comes in the form of the network you are a part of.

All the information you enter on your baby is synchronized with Baby Connect's network and accessible to authorized caregiver. This allows babysitters, nannies and daycare services to record the activities and then synchronize them to Baby Connect for you to monitor and review. In addition, being a cross platform app, you won't have to worry if your babysitter has a Windows Phone or an iPhone. Should a smartphone not be available, there's always the web interface available.

Synchronization can be set to automatic (after every entry) or low (every few entries). Being on the Baby Connect network will also give your spouse the opportunity to monitor activities while they are away.

Overall Impression

While it has been over thirteen years since I cared for a newborn baby, I remember trying to keep track with feedings, diaper changes, mood swings and everything else my daughter was doing. A lot of my tracking was done with paper and pen, which wasn't always convenient.

Baby Connect is an easy to use Windows Phone app that makes recording your baby's activities simple. Add the network aspect and Baby Connect takes the guesswork out of trying to find out what your baby has done in your absence.

I wouldn't mind seeing a photo or video gallery and toast notifications on activities being added to the mix but as is, Baby Connect is a solid Windows Phone app. It may not be useful to some but the app is definitely a Hidden Gem for those faced with diaper changes and discovering the joy of Gerber's baby food.

• Baby Connect - Windows Phone 8 - Free* - Store Link

*In celebrating the release of the Windows Phone version of the Baby Connect app, the app will be offered free for a limited time. Regular pricing is in the neighborhood of $4.99.