Learn the Benefits of Baby Breathing Monitors

Every parent is concerned about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) when their infant kid is asleep. These concerns are common, but parents do not always need to feel this way in the evening. Rest confident that the danger of sudden infant death syndrome is quite minimal. Moreover, there are numerous methods for preventing it. One of them uses a baby respiration monitor.

These baby breathing monitors measure the child’s movements, heart rate, and breathing, and an alarm sounds if anything abnormal is detected. Let’s find out more about baby breathing monitors. 

What is a baby breathing monitor?

baby monitor

The alert on infant breathing monitors sounds if your child stops breathing. If your baby was delivered prematurely or has breathing issues, your doctor may recommend a baby breathing monitor. If your doctor has prescribed the monitor, use it according to his or her recommendations. Keep information regarding the monitor in an easily accessible location, and provide this information to anybody who cares for your kid.

Even if it is not prescribed by a physician, you may decide to purchase a breathing monitor for your infant. In this situation, it is important to note that infants do not breathe with the same regularity as older children and adults. Sometimes infants experience breathing pauses. These pauses are normal, but they might cause alarms to sound on newborn breathing monitors.

If you believe your infant has stopped breathing, these false alarms can be incredibly frightening. When false alarms occur at night, it can sometimes be difficult to sleep.

If you have a newborn, you may be tempted to purchase a new type of baby monitor meant to monitor the child’s vital signs as he or she sleeps. Some of these devices are worn on the infant’s foot or ankle and include a pulse oximeter that monitors the infant’s heart rate and oxygen level, transmitting the data to the parent’s smartphone. If readings are abnormal, an alert will ring.

Considerations Before Buying a Baby Breathing Monitor

Baby monitor philips

You will find a range of respiration monitors, each with its own set of functions and extras. Several things to remember:

  1. Budget. Prices for breathing monitors range from approximately $50 to $400, depending on the included features and technology.
  2. Reliability. False alarms occur, so keep this in mind when researching which models to purchase. The reviews are a great location to determine how frequently parents have false alerts.
  3. Camera quality. In addition to breathing monitoring, if you want a clear view of your infant, consider a camera that records in HD and has a nighttime viewing mode.
  4. Apps. Connectivity to your smartphone is an additional feature seen on many displays. Nonetheless, some monitors just transmit data to your smartphone. If you do not want to use your phone to monitor your child throughout the night, you may want to look for a device with a more conventional parent receiver. Be mindful of accessibility difficulties, as some units restrict you to performing specific operations via your phone or the room’s display.
  5. Additional characteristics. These include vibration to rouse your baby when no motion is detected, enhanced reports that you can share with doctors, sleep pattern tracking for insights on baby’s overall rhythm, and photo/video collection for sharing pictures with loved ones.

Types of Baby Monitors 

Modern baby phone

Audio monitor

This monitor, which functions similarly to a walkie-talkie, allows you to hear your baby’s sounds when you are not in the room. Remember that it is safest for the infant to sleep in your room for the first six to twelve months.

Video monitor

This transmits a video captured by a camera in your infant’s room. You see the video on a tablet-like device. Occasionally, the monitor uses your home Wi-Fi to transmit the video feed to a mobile application on your smartphone or tablet.

App monitor

There are numerous programs that allow you to transform two smartphones or tablets into a monitor. These are typically less sensitive and of lower quality than other baby monitors.

Movement monitor

This monitor is positioned beneath your infant’s bedding. It sends an alarm if your baby does not move for a predetermined amount of time. There are no authorized standards for commercially available movement trackers in Australia.

Heart and respiratory monitoring

These monitors employ electrode dots placed to the infant’s chest to track chest movement and heart electrical activity. If the baby’s heart rate falls below a predetermined threshold or if there is a prolonged halt in breathing, an alert will sound. Occasionally, these monitors take the shape of wearable devices. Some of them are linked to a computer that evaluates the severity of the problem.

Oxygen monitoring devices and oximeters

These are typically utilized in hospitals but not at home. They emit an alert when the oxygen level measured in the skin falls below a certain threshold. They may occasionally send false alarms.

Monitors for parents with hearing loss

These monitors utilize lights or vibrations to alert deaf parents that their infant is awake and requires their attention.

Why should you use a baby monitor?

A baby monitor allows you to remotely monitor or listen to your child. For instance, if you are downstairs or in a different room where you cannot easily hear your baby’s cries, you may decide to utilize a baby monitor.

If your infant was delivered preterm or has breathing issues, your physician may recommend a heart or breathing monitor. They may also recommend a monitor if your infant:

  • has required resuscitation (for example if they were found not breathing, blue, white or floppy)
  • experiences frequent episodes of extended pauses in breathing or a sluggish heart rate
  • suffers from a respiratory problem that disrupts their sleep
  • has a rare medical condition or requires constant oxygen
  • Some manufacturers assert that the use of a baby monitor reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). However, there is no scientific proof that the use of a monitor will prevent an infant’s abrupt unexpected death.

Benefits of Using a Baby Breathing Monitor

Benefits of Using a Baby Breathing Monitor

Depending on the model you select, baby breathing monitors track your child’s respirations via movement or oxygen levels. They can be combined with audio and video capabilities so that you can see and hear what is happening on your smartphone or monitor base.

Some are wearable devices that clip onto diapers or clothing and activate after a predetermined amount of time if they do not detect movement (respiration). Others collect data on the baby’s oxygen levels and heart rate by placing their fingers around the baby’s foot. And some just track movements through a video monitor without making any physical touch with your infant.

In every circumstance, a growing number of parents are seeking out this form of monitoring for more peace of mind. Some report feeling better at ease after learning this knowledge.

In conclusion

A baby monitor just serves as an alarm. It will not save the life of your child. You must still be able to respond to the warning and know what to do as the baby’s caregiver. There is no doubt that these monitors have no adverse effect on your children. And the best part is that these monitors serve as replacements for the heavy-duty devices used in hospitals. For your children’s protection, they are an excellent investment.