Owlet Smart Sock 2
I did tons of research on this baby monitor before deciding to take the plunge and put it on my registry. I (and by I, I mean my husband) was worried that it was going to make me a nervous wreck. He pictured me just staring at the app all night while the baby was sleeping. And to be honest, I did for the first week of his life. (I'm a first time mommy.) I'm six months in now, and here is my honest opinion of this sock.
I am one of those moms who researches all the bad things that could possibly happen and tries to prevent them. SIDS is real and I was and am terrified of it. For this reason, the Owlet seemed like a no-brainer. The app is extremely easy to set up (if you're at all technologically savvy). The base station goes in the same room that the baby is sleeping in (which in my case is our room...you know, the SIDS research and all.) The sock is worn on the left foot.There are three different sock sizes. The sock has a blue tooth connection to the base station, meaning that no matter if you lose internet connection, the station will alert you with an alarm if something is awry. The app then connects through wifi to the base station, showing you a real time reading of the baby's oxygen level and heart rate. It also shows if the baby is wiggling, as to not scare you if there is not a current reading. There are three alarms: Blue (out of range... this only happens to us if I forget to take the sock off of him during the day and I walk outside) Yellow (sock is misplaced... this usually only happens to us if his foot is too cold or if he kicked the sock off.) and Red (levels are too high/low). The Blue and Yellow alarms play twinkle twinkle little star and the red alarm is what I can only relate to the sound of a tornado siren. ALARMING, as it should be. Below you will find the pros and cons.
Pros: PEACE. OF. MIND. I am so reassured each night when I put him in the crib. I know that if something was to happen (even the beginnings of a SIDS episode, God-forbid, that I would be alerted to the fact that it was happening). There doesn't seem to be a lag. When the app shows him wiggling, he is wiggling. There is an option for an extra monthly payment for an upgraded app that allows you to store the sleep, oxygen, and heart rate data. (This could be a considered a con, as well. See below). The sock seems to be comfortable. He never screams when we put it on, it never leaves marks on his skin, and the only time he kicks it off is when he's pitching a fit because he's hungry, in which case he always kicks his feet together with a ridiculous amount of aggression (he gets his hanger from his momma). There are payment plans. You can also now pay for the Owlet with your Health Savings Account.
Cons: The sock does have a learning curve. The first week we used the sock, we had red alerts for a whole night. I cried like a baby, stayed up all night watching him breathe, and called the Pediatrician the next day. He told me to throw it in the trash, that the baby was fine. He was right, the baby was fine. But I kept trying to figure out the problem. I chatted with a customer service representative and she told me to try the next size up. Turns out, my baby boy has some big feet and the small sock wasn't getting a reading. Ever since we switched sizes, we have not had a red reading (thank god). The app could use some work. It isn't super surprising when the app gives you a notification that it is not connecting with the base station. I have received at least 3 emails that I can remember (could have been more) from Owlet saying their servers were down and that they would be solving the problem. The station still works during this time (the sock will alert the station) but you cannot see the readings on the app. For a steep $299 price tag, it seems that this problem shouldn't be happening more than once. Speaking of price, some are not too enthused with the new option to upgrade to the app that keeps record of readings. Not that they aren't enthused with the app, but that it requires you to pay a monthly fee after already dishing out $299 for the product itself. I personally don't find the upgrade necessary. I don't see a reason to keep track of his breathing and heart rate (it seems like overkill, even for this paranoid momma.) Although, I will say that if I had a preemie or a baby with a heart condition, breathing issues, etc. where the information would be beneficial to a specialist, I would definitely splurge.
Overall, I will recommend this product to every single mother and father out there. It has saved me so much sleep, anxiety, and has given me back my alone time with my hubby. I can put the baby in his crib at his bed time, turn on the Owlet, and KNOW that I don't have to stare at him or feel his chest the whole time he's sleeping.
Buy the Owlet HERE
I am one of those moms who researches all the bad things that could possibly happen and tries to prevent them. SIDS is real and I was and am terrified of it. For this reason, the Owlet seemed like a no-brainer. The app is extremely easy to set up (if you're at all technologically savvy). The base station goes in the same room that the baby is sleeping in (which in my case is our room...you know, the SIDS research and all.) The sock is worn on the left foot.There are three different sock sizes. The sock has a blue tooth connection to the base station, meaning that no matter if you lose internet connection, the station will alert you with an alarm if something is awry. The app then connects through wifi to the base station, showing you a real time reading of the baby's oxygen level and heart rate. It also shows if the baby is wiggling, as to not scare you if there is not a current reading. There are three alarms: Blue (out of range... this only happens to us if I forget to take the sock off of him during the day and I walk outside) Yellow (sock is misplaced... this usually only happens to us if his foot is too cold or if he kicked the sock off.) and Red (levels are too high/low). The Blue and Yellow alarms play twinkle twinkle little star and the red alarm is what I can only relate to the sound of a tornado siren. ALARMING, as it should be. Below you will find the pros and cons.
Pros: PEACE. OF. MIND. I am so reassured each night when I put him in the crib. I know that if something was to happen (even the beginnings of a SIDS episode, God-forbid, that I would be alerted to the fact that it was happening). There doesn't seem to be a lag. When the app shows him wiggling, he is wiggling. There is an option for an extra monthly payment for an upgraded app that allows you to store the sleep, oxygen, and heart rate data. (This could be a considered a con, as well. See below). The sock seems to be comfortable. He never screams when we put it on, it never leaves marks on his skin, and the only time he kicks it off is when he's pitching a fit because he's hungry, in which case he always kicks his feet together with a ridiculous amount of aggression (he gets his hanger from his momma). There are payment plans. You can also now pay for the Owlet with your Health Savings Account.
Cons: The sock does have a learning curve. The first week we used the sock, we had red alerts for a whole night. I cried like a baby, stayed up all night watching him breathe, and called the Pediatrician the next day. He told me to throw it in the trash, that the baby was fine. He was right, the baby was fine. But I kept trying to figure out the problem. I chatted with a customer service representative and she told me to try the next size up. Turns out, my baby boy has some big feet and the small sock wasn't getting a reading. Ever since we switched sizes, we have not had a red reading (thank god). The app could use some work. It isn't super surprising when the app gives you a notification that it is not connecting with the base station. I have received at least 3 emails that I can remember (could have been more) from Owlet saying their servers were down and that they would be solving the problem. The station still works during this time (the sock will alert the station) but you cannot see the readings on the app. For a steep $299 price tag, it seems that this problem shouldn't be happening more than once. Speaking of price, some are not too enthused with the new option to upgrade to the app that keeps record of readings. Not that they aren't enthused with the app, but that it requires you to pay a monthly fee after already dishing out $299 for the product itself. I personally don't find the upgrade necessary. I don't see a reason to keep track of his breathing and heart rate (it seems like overkill, even for this paranoid momma.) Although, I will say that if I had a preemie or a baby with a heart condition, breathing issues, etc. where the information would be beneficial to a specialist, I would definitely splurge.
Overall, I will recommend this product to every single mother and father out there. It has saved me so much sleep, anxiety, and has given me back my alone time with my hubby. I can put the baby in his crib at his bed time, turn on the Owlet, and KNOW that I don't have to stare at him or feel his chest the whole time he's sleeping.
Buy the Owlet HERE