Digital parenting is a relatively new phenomenon, and doing it well is about finding balance

What makes a family is a gloriously open question, and it’s worth thinking about how much the digital world enmeshes with new families as early as possible.

Jun 15, 2026

4 min read

A silhouette of a child looking on their mobile phone (Image: AP/Fazry Ismail)

Over the past generation, the path to parenthood has increasingly come to involve digital technology.

Would-be parents, whether aiming to conceive “naturally” or through assisted reproductive technology, often choose conception apps to help track hormones and menstrual cycles to identify peak fertility. Once conception is achieved, the pregnancy apps kick in. Prospective parents can log their baby’s movements, along with doctor’s appointments, symptoms, sleep quality, physical activity and diet.

As the pregnancy progresses, the opportunities for technological engagement expand. An increasing number of parents have 4D ultrasounds to see lifelike images of their child in utero, often billed as a “unique bonding experience”, and are sent home with a collection of images on a USB.