It can be super scary the first night (and the remainder of nights) at home with a newborn. I found myself getting up constantly to make sure my munchkin was breathing; honestly, to this day, I still do the same thing. Add in a large dose of postpartum depression and an overall anxious outlook on life and you’ll find a recipe for constant worry. Although no gadget can completely cure the worry you might feel while your baby sleeps, technology has made huge improvements to lessen the stress of caring for a new baby. The market is saturated with devices to record every available biological aspect of being a human, but unfortunately what’s available for infants and babies is less so.
Special note: as with many products today, these monitors use Wi-Fi to connect between the device and phone (or whatever medium you’re using the app on). When Wi-Fi disconnects or has troubling connecting, the alarms on the sensors will go off. Please read all instructions carefully and ensure your phone, tablet, etc., as well as home router, meet the designated specifications before use. For more information or help troubleshooting issues, contact the respective customer service department.
Sproutling ($250)
Currently not available on Amazon. Can be found at Fisher Price’s website: http://fisher-price.mattel.com
The Sproutling (similar to a Fit Bit) is the first wearable activity monitor designed for babies. It senses, learns, and is able to predict baby’s sleep patterns based on heart rate and motion monitoring. Sproutling tracks how much and when baby sleeps and provides a sleep report after each nap or night. It also alerts you if baby rolls over or moves while sleeping. The washable sensor is easily placed around baby’s ankle; a single charge lasts 3 days and the sensor can be worn on babies from birth until almost two years of age. The Sproutling includes a wearable sensor, a smart charger, two bands (small and medium), and a power cord and plug. Interestingly, the smart charger (which works by placing the wearable on top of the charger to charge, i.e. no plugging it in) also can be used a night light with seven different colors or sound machine with 23 sounds, lullabies, and white noise.
Mimo Smart Baby Breathing & Activity Monitor, 0-3 months ($102), 3-6 months ($100), 6-12 months ($177)https://www.amazon.com/Mimo-Breathing-Activity-Monitor-months
The Mimo picks up baby’s breathing using a device attached to the special onesie (hence the size and pricing differences above). Parents are able to see on their phone how a child breathes, their body position, temperature, and even receive wake or sleep alerts. Easily track baby’s activity and sleep history with the customizable application. There’s even an option to stream audio so new parents will know exactly if baby makes any noise throughout the night or day. The single sensor attached to the Mimo onesie never make contact with your precious little one, instead the sensor (called a lilypad) attaches to the “turtle” located on the outside of the onesie. Setup is super easy, as well. Included with the Mimo package are three washable cotton Mimo kimonos (Mimo’s term for the onesie), one water-resistant Turtle, a Lilypad base station, a USB cable, and a power adaptor.
Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor ($299)
https://www.amazon.com/Owlet-Smart-Sock-Baby-Monitor
Just as the name implies, the Owlet is an actual cotton fabric sock baby wears to monitor heart rate and oxygen levels. Pulse oximetry, along with Owlet’s custom app, provide peace of mind while baby sleeps. The rechargeable sock last up to 18 hours and fits both boys and girls up to 18 months old. Owlet includes a base station and three cotton socks. Unlike other wearable monitors, the sock doesn’t behave well if baby is moving around; it is designed for use only when baby is sleeping and is, more or less, still. If you’re looking for a simple device to monitor your sleeping baby’s breathing and oxygen, the Owlet might be just right!
Snuza Hero Baby Movement Monitor ($110)
https://www.amazon.com/Snuza-Hero-Baby-Movement-Monitor
Contrasting to the above monitors which are mainly designed for breathing monitors, the Snuza Hero clips onto baby’s diaper and monitors abdominal movement. If no detection of movement for 15 seconds or less than eight movements per minute, the Snuza Hero will vibrate to rouse baby. If after three vibration/rousing incidents, a warning will alert the parent. After an additional five seconds of no movement an audible alarm will sound. It is worthwhile to note that the Snuza Hero is not recommended for use while baby is in motion, like when using a car seat or stroller. The Snuza Hero is rechargeable-battery operated.
Baby Monitor for Breathing and Movement (Blue) ($199)
https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Monitor-Breathing-Movement-Blue
Designed for use with any clothing, this monitor send alerts related to stomach sleeping, changes in breathing movement, and other unusual activity. The monitor attaches to clothing articles with a secure snap as opposed to clips. Another feature is the alarm silencing mode, which includes a one minute snooze to give the parent time to get to baby. The smart button itself produces no light, sound, or vibration, all optimal ways to ensure baby is not woken up throughout the night. Included are an extra battery and a mini screwdriver.
