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Continue ShoppingA breathing monitor is a device that allows you to track your baby’s sleeping habits. It alerts you if your little one hasn’t moved in his/her crib for over 20 seconds. More advanced units will monitor the actual breaks in your baby’s respiration and send you an alert if your little one’s breathing has slowed down or stopped. These types of monitors are sensitive enough to be able to determine the difference between the baby's breathing and other environmental movements.
The purchase of a breathing monitor offers parents the peace of mind they need so that they can sleep sound at night, similar to purchasing different types of insurance (i.e.: homeowner insurance, car insurance, travel insurance, etc.).
The breathing monitor is placed near your baby and tracks their breathing while they are asleep. It alerts you if your little one’s breathing is irregular for any reason. This is usually an indication of sleep apnea. With so many things to agonize about, being a parent is stressful enough! A breathing monitor helps you have one thing less to worry about.
With the onset of technology, the market for breathing monitors has so many different makes and models offering a slew of features. Different technologies are applied to track the baby’s breathing in a variety of ways. While many features may seem like “must-have” things, the breathing monitor has one single necessary function. The most important thing to look for are not all the fancy bells and whistles, rather making sure the monitor is medically certified and will be long-lasting.
Types of monitors:
There are many types of breathing monitors on the market. One of the main differences between them is how they function. Below are a few different variations:
Under the mattress: This is a unit which you place under the mattress in your baby's crib. This monitor measures the gentle movement of your baby’s breath. Any unnatural pause in the movement will set off the alarm. These units are usually fairly sensitive, and therefore pretty accurate. They are designed to detect the slightest movements through the mattress and monitor for a certain number of movements or micro-movements within a certain time frame. These sensor pads need to be placed underneath the mattress. It usually requires the crib to have a firm foundation under the mattress and is not compatible with every type of bed. This type is usually more appropriate for use at your own home as opposed to the ones you can take with you when you travel.
Wearable: This type of baby monitor is built into various articles of clothing. Depending on the company, you can find them sold in items such as socks, diapers, etc. You dress your baby with it when they go to sleep. While there is definitely the advantage of it being an article of clothing you place directly on the skin, it might end up being uncomfortable for the baby at times. Another drawback of this type of monitor is that if the baby removes the sock intentionally or just kicks it off while rolling around, this will cause a false alarm to be set off. This is more likely with older babies (4 months and up) who can roll around. These monitors are usually very small and can easily fit in with the rest of the baby's clothing. The size combined with the fact that no special circumstances need to be met, make it ideal for travel. Some of the wearable monitors may only measure blood oxygen levels and/or heart rate.
Camera: This model relies solely on visual input. You put the camera in a place where it focuses on the baby’s body. It monitors the gentle up and down movement of your little one’s chest. Any disruption to this rhythm will set it off. The appeal of these monitors is that it can be placed out of reach so there are no wires anywhere near the crib. The main disadvantage is that since they rely on actually seeing the baby, something as simple as rolling over or moving the blanket around can get in the way and end up triggering a false alarm.
While there may be a large variety of breathing monitor designs, each using different technology to track breathing patterns and different form factors, there are also a number of features that apply to them all and should be considered and taken into account when making a decision.
Babysense Breathing Monitor |
NANNY Baby Movement |
Snuza Hero |
|
Type of Sensor |
Under the mattress pad |
Under the mattress pad |
Wearable |
Number of Pads |
2 |
1 |
N/A |
Sensing Technology |
Breathing |
Movement |
Movement |
Medically Certified |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Clinically Proven |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Hack Proof |
✅ |
||
Battery Life |
6 months |
Rechargeable |
6 months |