When I was eight months pregnant with my second son, I learned about the Owlet Baby Monitor. I was looking for something to help me sleep more soundly and hopefully reduce the risk of SIDS. When my first son was a newborn, we checked constantly to make sure he was still breathing. Whether parent's admit it or not, I am sure the majority of parents do this too. We would check him throughout the day to make sure he wasn't suffocating by a blanket. And during the night, we would touch his chest to make sure it was rising.
I liked the idea of having a device that would make me aware if the baby's oxygen levels or heart rate dropped. I did have sticker shock at the $250 price. I am very frugal and buy all my kid's clothes and associated equipment second hand, when possible. I reviewed products similar to the Owlet and they were all priced under $150, see Baby Monitors for Movement.
However, the Owlet touted much more accurate results. After contemplating for a month, I decided to "splurge" for peace of mind and the potential of better sleep.
I had to wait two months before I got the opportunity to actually use the Owlet. I tried the Owlet for the first time on the baby's second night home. I had read the directions and had everything set up, but under exhaustion of a new baby, it was a little tricky to understand its alarms and how to operate it (turning it off and on, dimming it, etc). After a little experimentation, I figured it out. I must say I sleep better knowing it is on my son. We still check him and do everything we can to prevent SIDS, but this just makes me feel like we have an extra layer of prevention. And now after a month of use, I would recommend the Owlet to other parents.
The Cons:
It doesn't have the best range from one room to the next. I take my son downstairs to feed at night, so that I don't wake my husband and other son. Sometimes it works fine when I am downstairs, and sometimes it gives me the warning that it is unable to get a signal. If I forget to turn it off before going downstairs, it can go off waking the family. I wish it had the option for multiple bases so that I could put one upstairs and downstairs or in two different rooms, so that it could be on all the time - day and night. I could buy a second base and have one downstairs, but the price is a little steep for me to buy an additional monitor.
It doesn't have the best range from one room to the next. I take my son downstairs to feed at night, so that I don't wake my husband and other son. Sometimes it works fine when I am downstairs, and sometimes it gives me the warning that it is unable to get a signal. If I forget to turn it off before going downstairs, it can go off waking the family. I wish it had the option for multiple bases so that I could put one upstairs and downstairs or in two different rooms, so that it could be on all the time - day and night. I could buy a second base and have one downstairs, but the price is a little steep for me to buy an additional monitor.
The Pros:
It gives us better sleep, and confidence that he is okay while he sleeps. The sock fits great and works just fine. It does its job well and provides oxygen and heart rate info on a nifty app. The app is friendly and easy to use and understand. The alarm accurately goes off on any device the app is installed on.
