Little Henrik gives a clear message, and it is ready for a little nap in the pram outside the home in Bodø. But giving the little ones good sleep routines in the first year can be demanding for the parents. Many new parents download mobile apps, which are supposed to give advice on everything from sleeping routines to parenting. – It especially helps when I am alone with both children. This is what the mother of two, Kaja Melå Imøy, says about the mobile app Napper, which will help parents understand when their children should sleep. She heard about the app from other parents of young children she knows, who had good experiences. Two months after she had her second child in April, she downloaded the mobile app. – He was so small when I started using it, and then I didn’t feel that it was such a good help. But lately, we feel that it can hit very well. Kaja admits that the app can have a placebo effect, but that that effect should not be underestimated. Photo: Matilde Mørk / news Using artificial intelligence Imøy has entered information about, among other things, Henrik’s date of birth, weight, height, how many times the child should sleep and whether he is breastfed or receives formula. – After around two weeks, the app gives suggestions for when he should go to bed next and approximately how long he should sleep, says Imøy. The app then gives advice to help find the optimal sleep rhythm, using artificial intelligence. Imøy learns that the app is continuously improved as she records the sleeping pattern. The family has used the Napper app for their son Henrik. Photo: Matilde Mørk / news – But could it be a placebo? – Yes, I think so. Placebo is a very important effect, which should not be underestimated. – It’s a bit silly with the app. You try to be on the mobile as little as possible together with the baby, says Melå Imøy. She doesn’t think she’ll be using the app that long. – It is mostly for half a year that I feel it has something to do with it, she says. 80,000 daily users news has tried to get in touch with the company behind the app, without success. The Swedish developer behind the app claims it has helped millions of families to have well-rested children. To the Swedish website Breakit, the founder of the app, Espen Janson, says that they have approximately 80,000 daily users, and that nearly a quarter of all Norwegian parents with children between 0 and 18 months have downloaded the app. When asked if it is necessary for all parenting apps that are now available, Janson replies: – There is an enormous digitization of parenting now, because it is only now that the first generation that has grown up with smartphones and is used to the app is starting to have children. He denies that the app leads to increased screen use around the children. – We and other players who develop this type of solution want to make it easier for parents, not fight over their screen time, says Janson to the website. Midwives’ Association skeptical The Midwives’ Association does not like the development, and believes that the most important thing parents can do is to get to know their child the natural way, by interpreting the baby’s own signals. – The most important advice we midwives give is to pay attention to the child’s signals and meet the children’s needs as early as possible. In particular, the child should get enough food and physical contact when needed. Then they tend to sleep longer and for good periods. The Midwives’ Association does not like the development, and believes that the most important thing parents can do is to get to know their child the natural way, by interpreting the baby’s own signals, says Hanne Charlotte Schjelderup. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk This is what Hanne Charlotte Schjelderup, leader of the NSF Midwives Association, tells us. They know of many parents who use various apps for their children, but say that they have not heard of this app. The association knows that it can be a challenge to read the sleep needs of a newborn, but asks parents to be patient and not expect good sleep routines until the child is many months old. – If there are some parents who find out that they get help from this app and it works well for them, then they would very much like to use that app, but it will also work well without such tools, says Schjelderup. The Midwives Association is concerned that parents should have as little screen time as possible when they are around their children. – It is about the fact that you might lose this interaction which is necessary for the child to calm down. New parents like to spend some time and try their hand at reading the sounds and signals the child gives, she says. And adds: – The child requires a lot of focus for secure attachment. Too much screen use is harmful to secure connection. Therefore, pay attention to your baby, it is much more important than anything you find on a mobile phone or PC, says Schjelderup. Published 12.08.2024, at 21.21
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The app Napper helps parents understand when the child should sleep – news Nordland
