Mom of two, Shilpi Gupta talks to us about how she used technology and made it a part of her life from pregnancy and child birth to bringing up her toddlers. Most connected women these days use technology as a means to know more about the precious nine months. Technology has become a part of everyday lives. This is especially true for pregnancy and childbirth when the internet acts as a friend, guide, and to some extent a doctor. These thoughts took centerstage during my pregnancy days. If it was not for niche apps along with the plethora of information available on the Internet, I may not have sailed through those joyous yet testing times. Apps like Pregnancy Tracker, My Pregnancy Today and What to Expect gave me daily tips on what to eat, what to do, what not to do. They opened me up to all stages of pregnancy at every step of the way. They suggest our daily exercise routine, foods to eat and everything about and how the body will change in months to come. Advice on common pregnancy issues are easy to locate with these apps. Household cures provided for problems of morning sickness, swelling in the feet or how to prevent acidity. Interestingly, most of the apps are reliable and share relevant information. They help users to take wise decisions for a safe delivery and healthy baby. As women get busy with their lives and have little time to seek help, technology comes as a rescue. After I gave birth to my little one, my partner and me were anxious as to how we will raise him. There was immense curiosity about breastfeeding, vaccination and health of the baby. Again, I took shelter under a series of apps which helped me set reminders and provided useful tips. I joined groups like breastfeeding support and babywearing on Facebook. This gave me a chance to speak to other expectant mothers. Shopping also becomes easy with the online shopping options available. Now that my little baby boy has grown up, I shop for all his needs from clothes and games to school paraphernalia from e-commerce websites. Everything is simply a click away and the world has become a digital oyster. (As told to Sonam Malik)
