How to use a smartwatch for pregnancy tracking: Because Baby Bumps Deserve Tech Too

Honestly, pregnancy brings more checklists than a NASA launch. Between doctor visits, vitamins, and trying to remember which side to sleep on, it gets overwhelming fast.

A smartwatch makes pregnancy tracking easier—we can keep an eye on our health and our baby’s progress right from our wrists.

Smartwatches do way more than count steps or nag us to stand up. With tools like symptom logs, hydration reminders, and weekly baby size updates, they help us stay organized—and maybe a bit less forgetful.

Garmin watches, for example, let us track pregnancy on the watch face and in the app, and they toss in educational tips for each stage. If you’re curious about getting the most out of these gadgets, let’s walk—or waddle—through it together.

Getting Started With Smartwatch Pregnancy Tracking

Before we jump into digital baby bump monitoring, let’s pick a smartwatch that actually helps. Setting it up should be easy enough that we won’t want to toss it out the window.

The right device and a simple setup can make tracking smooth instead of stressful.

Choosing The Right Smartwatch

We’ve got options, but not all smartwatches are created equal. Some smartwatches make pregnancy tracking simple, while others just complicate things.

Garmin smartwatches like Venu or Forerunner offer dedicated pregnancy tracking, including symptom and hydration tracking. That’s a big plus.

Apple Watch can do some tracking, but you’ll need third-party apps, since Apple’s Health app doesn’t really cover pregnancy yet. So, be ready to download an extra app or two.

Not all smartwatches let us log baby kicks or moods right on our wrist. It’s worth checking compatibility, app support, and whether pregnancy tracking features are built in before buying.

If you’re not sure, here’s a quick comparison table:

Smartwatch	Built-In Pregnancy Tracking	Third-Party Apps Needed	Daily Reminders
Garmin Venu	Yes	No	Yes
Forerunner Series	Yes	No	Yes
Apple Watch	No	Yes	Yes

Setting Up Your Device For Pregnancy Tracking

Once we’ve picked our new wrist buddy, it’s time to set it up. Honestly, it should be less stressful than building a crib.

For Garmin, just update the Garmin Connect app, go to User Settings, and add the pregnancy tracking widget. We can log symptoms, blood glucose, and even baby movements from the watch or the app.

Garmin has a pregnancy tracking guide if you want more details.

If you picked Apple Watch, download a pregnancy tracking app, then link it to Apple Health for the best results. Most apps let us set reminders and log daily changes, so we won’t forget important stuff—except maybe where we left our phone.

It’s smart to allow notifications and health data permissions, so everything syncs smoothly. Setup might take a few minutes, but hey, at least it doesn’t come with unsolicited advice from relatives.

Pairing With Apps And Devices

We want our smartwatch to do more than just look good or buzz every time someone emails us. Pairing it with the right app unlocks features for tracking pregnancy, syncing health data, and making smarter choices.

Using The Garmin Connect App

To track pregnancy with a Garmin watch, we need the Garmin Connect app. Open the app—assuming we remember our password—and tap on the profile menu.

Head to “User Settings,” find “Women’s Health,” and pick “Pregnancy Tracking.” Enter dates and daily notes as needed.

Once we set this up, our watch and app start working together. We get weekly baby growth updates, reminders, and handy graphs for hydration and sleep.

If we want more, we can browse Connect IQ, Garmin’s app store, for extra tools or custom features.

We can log symptoms and weight changes, making it easier to keep doctors in the loop without memorizing numbers. And if the watch buzzes at night? It might just be a gentle nudge to get some extra rest.

Syncing With Apple Health And Other Platforms

Apple Watch users can track pregnancy too. When we log a pregnancy in the Health app, our Apple Watch shows info like due date and gestational age.

We can track symptoms and appointments from our wrist, so we don’t have to shuffle through sticky notes again.

Syncing across platforms is usually straightforward. Smartwatches often share health data with apps like Google Fit or Samsung Health, so we’ve got options.

If we switch devices or phones, most apps let us back up or export our data, so we don’t lose our progress.

For more on how Garmin handles this, check out their pregnancy tracking features in Garmin Connect.

If our goal is less stress and more naps, a smartwatch that syncs with our favorite apps is a solid start.

Tracking Pregnancy Metrics On Your Smartwatch

Smartwatches let us keep tabs on pregnancy right from our wrists. We can track baby’s growth, set reminders, and log details—sometimes our favorite snacks get jealous of the attention.

Monitoring Gestational Age And Due Date

Our smartwatches act like tiny pocket calendars, but way cooler. By entering the start date of pregnancy, we can track gestational age and see how far along we are.

The watch counts down the days to the due date, so we’re not relying on a wrinkled sticky note.

Many watches, especially Garmin, let us set and adjust these dates in the app. We can check what week we’re in anytime, even if we’re hiding in the pantry for a snack.

Gestational age and due date tracking help us remember doctor visits and big milestones. The fridge can finally relax.

Feature	What It Does
Due Date Countdown	Shows days left until baby
Week Tracker	Displays current week
Custom Reminders	Reminds us of appointments

Logging Baby Movement

Nothing says “hello, real parenthood” like counting baby kicks in the middle of the night. We can log baby movements straight from the watch, no pen required.

Some watches let us quickly record every jab or roll, making it pretty painless.

Logs of baby movement help us spot patterns and give us something to mention at OB appointments. Plus, we get instant graphs and stats to obsess over.

If baby’s dance routine changes, these logs make it easy to notice and decide if we should call the doctor or just change the playlist.

Recording Weekly Updates

Weekly updates let us journal the highlights—or lowlights—of pregnancy without actually needing a journal. We can record symptoms, moods, cravings, or even how many times we’ve napped under our desk.

Most smartwatch apps let us log updates with just a tap or two. We can look back and see changes, from first trimester exhaustion to third trimester “can’t see our feet” moments.

These updates help us spot trends, stay organized, and maybe even laugh at ourselves a little. For more info on using specific smartwatch apps for pregnancy, check out Garmin’s pregnancy tracking.

Keeping An Eye On Your Health Metrics

We’re not superheroes, but with a smartwatch on our wrist, we can feel like we’ve got a superpower or two. Watching our health metrics helps us stay calm and make better choices.

Checking Heart Rate And Heart Rate Alerts

If there’s one thing smartwatches love, it’s tracking our heart rate. These little devices measure our pulse all day and flag anything unusual.

For example, many models send heart rate alerts if our heart beats too fast or too slow when we’re resting.

This comes in handy if we’re lounging and suddenly feel like we ran a marathon. Heart rate zones show us how hard our body is working—whether we’re on the couch or braving another fridge run.

The Garmin pregnancy tracking app highlights patterns over time.

By checking those trends, we can spot anything odd and talk to our doctor if needed. Some watches also track resting heart rate, so if it spikes or drops, we know to pay attention (or at least look it up before asking the doctor).

Tracking Blood Glucose Levels

Let’s talk about sugar for a second. Some smartwatches sync with compatible devices to monitor blood glucose.

This is especially useful if we’re keeping an eye on gestational diabetes or just curious about how breakfast is treating us.

We can check daily blood glucose readings from the watch, no app juggling required. Seeing the numbers in real time helps us spot changes—and maybe question that third donut.

Not all watches track glucose natively, but many pair with external monitors, so we can keep all our health metrics in one place.

We can share trends with our doctor, saving time and maybe sparing us a few awkward snack confessions.

Monitoring Fatigue And Stress

Pregnancy comes with legendary tiredness, and no, we’re not imagining it. Our watch tracks fatigue signs using sleep data, heart rate variability, and even how long we lounge around.

Most smartwatches give daily stress scores based on heart rate and other signals. When numbers spike, it’s probably time to pause, breathe, or just log off for a bit.

We can set reminders for stretching or walks if our stress score says we’ve hit peak cranky. Tracking these numbers helps us spot bad days early and maybe explain why we’re fussy.

It’s a little self-care mixed with tech—plus, it’s a great excuse to put our feet up and blame the data.

Managing Sleep And Body Battery

Getting enough rest and understanding our energy levels matter even more when we’re pregnant. Smartwatches can give us a surprisingly good look at sleep and something called Body Battery, even if they can’t deliver snacks at 2 a.m.

Using Sleep Tracking Features

We all know sleep gets a little wild when there’s a baby on board. Goodbye, eight hours in a row. Our smartwatches track when we fall asleep, how long we stay out, how often we wake up, and whether we’re light or deep in dreamland.

It’s like having a roommate who never judges but always notices how many times we sneak to the bathroom at night. Most smartwatches collect this data on their own, but sometimes we need to wear the watch snugly and double-check that heart rate and motion tracking are actually on.

The Garmin pregnancy tracking app lets us log naps, which is a relief since sometimes the best sleep happens at 2 p.m., not 2 a.m. For more on this, check out pregnancy tracking with Garmin.

If we peek at our sleep records every day, we can spot patterns—maybe even figure out when we sleep best, and when we’re just wandering to the fridge half-awake.

Understanding Your Sleep Score

Our watches hand us a sleep score every night. Think of it as a grade for how well we snoozed—except nobody’s handing out gold stars or pop quizzes.

The score combines how long we slept, how restful it was, and how much we tossed and turned. Usually, a higher sleep score means we’ll feel more rested.

If that number dips lower than our motivation to fold laundry, it’s worth checking the details. Are we waking up a lot? Did we even get any deep sleep last night? The score isn’t a final judgment; it’s more like a gentle nudge.

Some watches toss in personalized tips. Maybe we need to hit the pillow earlier or skip that extra episode at midnight. Following these small suggestions really can boost our sleep quality—and maybe even our mood during the day.

Interpreting Body Battery Data

Body Battery is the smartwatch’s way of telling us if we’re ready to conquer the day or if we should just curl up for a nap. It tracks our stress, rest, and activity all day and shows how “charged up” we are.

It’s kind of like being a smartphone, except, annoyingly, we can’t just plug ourselves into a wall. When our Body Battery is full, we know it’s a good time to tackle important stuff—doctor visits, grocery runs, or even that puzzle we keep putting off.

If the number’s low, maybe it’s time for a break or some deep breathing. Pregnant users especially can see how extra stress or restless nights really drain us.

If we want some tips for managing stress or sleep with our smartwatch, there’s a helpful guide on managing stress with Garmin smartwatches that’s worth a look.

Women’s Health And Cycle Tracking

When we get into pregnancy tracking with a smartwatch, we’re not just logging baby kicks or strange cravings. We’re watching how our bodies change—especially with cycles and symptoms.

Our watch becomes a personal assistant for women’s health. It helps us spot patterns, remember key dates, and maybe even notice early symptoms we’d otherwise miss.

Monitoring The Menstrual Cycle During Pregnancy

First things first: our menstrual cycle doesn’t exactly take a vacation during pregnancy, but it does hit pause. Smartwatches like Garmin’s let us set our cycle type to “Pregnant” in the women’s health settings.

This way, the app stops reminding us about missing periods when, honestly, it’s a good thing. We can still track symptoms like mood swings, headaches, or nausea—all that fun stuff nobody warned us about.

Many smartwatches offer symptom logs, hydration reminders, and space to record how we’re feeling. It’s like a digital diary, minus the doodles and snack distractions.

Check out Garmin Women’s Health for more details on their approach.

Integrating Cycle Tracking With Pregnancy Data

Here’s where things get interesting. Our smartwatches and apps can combine cycle tracking with pregnancy tracking.

We open the app, update our status to “Pregnant,” and suddenly the dashboard focuses on pregnancy milestones instead of cycle phases. This makes it easier to log cravings, track weight, and monitor symptoms—no more wondering when our next period might show up (spoiler: not soon).

In Garmin Connect, we go to the women’s health features, update settings, and start seeing pregnancy-specific graphs. The dashboard offers weekly updates, reminders, and even tips for self-care.

If we miss a day, we get a gentle nudge—not a scolding—to keep up with our logs. Setup instructions are at Garmin Connect pregnancy tracking, and honestly, it’s pretty easy—even if we’re deep in “pregnancy brain.”

Nutrition, Hydration, And Customized Reminders

Smartwatches do more than just tell time or count steps. By tracking what we eat, staying on top of drinks (water, not just coffee), and setting reminders, we can make healthy habits less of a chore—and maybe even a little fun.

Logging Nutrition Information

If we want to keep tabs on snacking or what’s actually for dinner, logging nutrition on our smartwatch is super handy. Many watches let us enter meals or snacks right from our wrist or by syncing with a phone app.

We get a look at daily calories and can check if we’re skipping the good stuff (yes, cookies count, but so do veggies). Some apps break down carbs, protein, and fats, so we don’t have to pretend we’re nutrition experts.

If we want to go further, our smartwatches can show if we’re getting enough vitamins and minerals, with simple charts and lists. We just have to be honest—those extra fries aren’t going to log themselves.

Setting Hydration Goals

We all know we should drink more water, but somehow it slips our minds the second we leave the kitchen. Hydration goals on our smartwatch can help.

We can set daily targets, like 8-10 cups, and track every glass right from our wrist. Some devices buzz us if we’re falling behind, which is both helpful and, sometimes, a little pushy.

Staying hydrated keeps us energetic—nobody wants to feel like a wilted plant. Hydration tracking is especially useful during pregnancy when our bodies need more fluids. For more, check out setting hydration goals with a smartwatch.

Using Customized Reminders For Health Habits

Customized reminders are like having a tiny, tireless assistant on our wrist—no tipping required. We can set reminders for just about anything: drinking water, logging meals, breathing exercises, or Kegels.

If we forget to move or stretch, our watch gives us a nudge. The best part? We can adjust these reminders to fit what we care about most.

Want to walk every hour? Set it. Need a reminder for vitamins? Just a few taps. During pregnancy, these reminders are especially handy for tracking supplements, prenatal appointments, or remembering to practice Kegels. Sticky notes have nothing on this.

Safe Activities And Exercise Monitoring

We can use our smartwatches to keep tabs on what we’re doing and how active we are—even when growing a tiny human makes us crave snacks and naps. With a smartwatch, we can track stretching, walking, and exercise, plus get warnings if we’re trying to out-squat a professional athlete (not a great idea).

Tracking Activities During Pregnancy

Most smartwatches track a bunch of activities, from walking to yoga to gentle swimming. We can set step goals that actually make sense for our energy levels—no marathons required.

Our devices log the length and intensity of each activity. The results show up in easy charts and graphs, which is perfect for proving that folding laundry totally counts as cardio.

Some watch apps remind us to move if we’ve been lounging too long. Here’s what we can track:

• Step Count: See how much we walk without needing our phones.
• Heart Rate: Get alerts if things get too exciting.
• Sleep: Naps included!

For more ways to track your changing body, check out this guide on using a smartwatch during pregnancy.

Monitoring Exercise And Training Status

Keeping an eye on our exercise level is easy with a smartwatch. We can set daily or weekly goals that sound ambitious but are easy to adjust if we’re just not feeling it (or if our favorite pants suddenly stop fitting).

Many watches give us a “training status” update. This lets us know if we’re recovering, maintaining, or maybe pushing a little too hard.

Personalized alerts warn us if our heart rate spikes, making it easier to stay in a safe zone. Some devices let us log wellness metrics like stress, hydration, and even prenatal symptoms right on our wrist.

Apps made for pregnancy, like Garmin’s, add special features for our new daily “workout routine”—which sometimes just means walking to get a midnight snack. See more about pregnancy tracking with Garmin smartwatches.

What Happens After Delivery? Post-Pregnancy Tracking

When the baby arrives, our smartwatch doesn’t just give up. It shifts into a new mode, helping us track different things for health and recovery.

We can use it to keep an eye on ourselves as we adjust to life with a newborn.

Transitioning To Postpartum Features

After delivery, many smartwatch apps let us switch from pregnancy tracking to postpartum or recovery features. In apps like Garmin Connect, we mark our pregnancy as complete, and the app logs it for us.

Now, we move into a new stage, shifting from tracking a bump to tracking our bounce-back (or slow crawl) to full strength. Our watches help us follow sleep patterns—even those three random hours count.

They also make it easier to track steps, hydration, and activity. Some models remind us to move, which can be both helpful and mildly annoying after a sleepless night, but it’s meant to keep us healthy.

We can spot unusual patterns, like a really fast heart rate, which is great since our memory is probably as fuzzy as our baby’s bedtime routine. In higher-risk births, some wearables track key health stats during the early postpartum time.

This tech helps catch postpartum problems early.

Adjusting Your Smartwatch Settings

If you really want to get the most out of post-pregnancy health tracking, you’ll need to tweak a few settings. First, end pregnancy mode or log your delivery in the app.

That move unlocks new options—like sleep tracking, steps, and activity reminders. Honestly, most of us probably ignored those while just trying to make it to the bathroom on time.

Now’s a good time to set new wellness goals that actually fit your life. Maybe it’s drinking more water, or just tracking if you managed to wear matching socks two days in a row.

Some smartwatches, like those from Garmin, let you check out a history of your pregnancies. You might end up marveling at your past achievements—or at least your survival.

Check your notification settings, too. Nobody wants a “You haven’t moved in an hour” buzz to go off while the baby’s finally napping.

Last thing: sync your smartwatch with your phone. That way, you can track everything in one spot and pretend you’re a little more organized than you probably feel.