Hello Belly: Pregnancy Tracker

The layout is easy to navigate and not overwhelming. Lots of information on a variety of things. Also includes meditations and yoga moves. What I don’t like is it asks you to allow notifications every time you open the dang thing. But more importantly a lot of the blurbs come across as judgmental and shame-y which seems to be a thing in pregnancy world. A lot about what you need to be doing and what you should not be doing and not a lot validating that sometimes just getting through your work day and managing to eat anything is a miracle enough. A classic example “eat it without a twinge of consciousness but don’t forget it will not bring much benefit to you and the baby” …ok so that sound like a guilt trip to me. Just doesn’t make me feel good at a time when I already never feel good.

Tried this app since it was recommended in the app store and pregnancy websites. Unfortunately, many aspects of the app include high movement visuals which move automatically, such as the fast spinning baby on the landing page. The high movement visuals have been making me feel dizzy and disoriented. When I am trying to read something, these visuals pull my eyes and the jerky motion makes me feel dizzy. Sometimes the visuals pop out from the bottom of the screen and can catch me unprepared. Since I was tired of holding my hand over half my screen to cover the visuals and read something, I contacted support, who could not provide a solution beyond trying to skip among the pages to avoid the movements. Moving quickly among the pages to avoid these visuals does not seem to address my issue with high movement visuals, but rather potentially stimulate it with quick movements. I wouldn't be able to read if I can trying to quickly jump among the pages. The app does not have a way to reduce motion. Sure - this dizziness might be a symptom of pregnancy from seeing these fast moving visuals, but this is an app FOR pregnancy. Given this, I expected that the app might be better tailored to the variety of experiences during pregnancy. I'm already pass the first trimester. The app seemed to have a lot of potential, but I don't want to feel dizzy from an app.

Submitted an issue this weekend with not being able to adjust my due date after initial sign up on December. Their month/date “click roll” input for due date kept defaulting to Sept vs. Aug 2019. Took a few days to hear back - response was friendly. I was told you (and they?) cannot update this again until after 30 days. :( I then asked why my due date was showing/defaulting to 13 weeks vs. 12 weeks, 0 days. The app shows both the due date (incorrect) and also shows the (correct) weeks and days under settings - it’s off and *incorrect* by a week, causing everyone to default to the wrong week when you open the app. This is confusing, and frustrating- not a good user experience when all other apps + OB/GYNs confirm weeks/days based on the start date of your last period. I sent a screen shot and have not yet heard back. Lastly, there’s an AR update but with no explanation other than asking to access your camera. More explanation needed with demo, please.