Parenting 101
Joan Craven, Calgary Sun, April 17, 2006

You can't reboot your baby like Windows XP or scan your toddler for
viruses. But a Kelowna mom figures technology can help make the parenting
job a whole lot easier.

The Baby Nanny was developed when Kim Appelt and her husband, Greg,
decided that the bits of paper they were using, just weren't working.

"Aspen was born premature," said Kim Appelt in a recent phone interview,
"so when my husband and I were trading off shifts, we had all these scraps
of paper and we weren't getting the information we needed. We needed to
keep track of feedings and diapers and there wasn't anything to help us
get organized."

Westdal-Appelt said that the parenting books all recommended keeping
track of a baby's patterns as a way for parents to set up a schedule and
help the mother's feeling of success.

She tried different software programs and nothing really served her
needs. So she began to work with a software company to develop a product
for parents.

The Baby Nanny tracks everything from the baby's diaper changes to
naptimes, feedings and fussiness, so it allows parents to get to know
their baby faster and better.

The software program summarizes the information in to easy-to-read reports
and graphs.

"I'm finding that parents are looking for something like this," said
Westdal-Appelt. "We are getting orders from all over Canada and the United
States."

The Baby Nanny lets parents, who are often too tired to figure out patterns,
examine some real data and understand why the baby is crying or waking up.

"I kept the information on my lap top so was able to input anytime," said
Westdal-Appelt. "Parents who have their computer in another location will
want to make it a priority to take the time to track their baby's
patterns as it can really help them establish a routine."

Westdal-Appelt said she was inspired by the book Secrets of the Baby
Whisper: How To Calm, Connect and Communicate With Your Baby by Tracy
Hogg. She wanted to produce something that was easy for computer savvy
parents to use.

"I went from having an incredibly fussy baby to having a contented one,
who was on her own schedule, all because I was able to accurately track
her patterns and then set a schedule. We were both much, much happier."

The Baby Nanny is available online (www.thebabynanny.com) and in select
stores.

Joan Craven is a parenting specialist. Her new book, What Can I Do Today?
is a colourful resource of more than 365 suggestions for parents and
caregivers looking for the perfect activity. It's available at many local
bookstores or online at www.joancraven.com

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