Baby Monitor Review: When being a helicopter parent just isn’t enough…

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There are helicopter parents, and then there are helicopter parents. As a teacher and a mom, I like to refer to the hyperactive helicopter parents as “landing pad parents.” These are the ones that aren’t just hovering over their children and their activities, they are actively on the landing pad, involved with anything and everything their precious little angels do.

I swore to myself that I’d never be one, no matter what happened, but then my second child was born. We had some health scares with blood pressure and his ability to get enough oxygen. There were several hospital stays and many trips to different specialists. He had test after test until I was certain he’d been drained of at least half of his blood supply. His little hands and arms had bruises from all of the needle sticks, and I was just as emotionally and physically exhausted as he was from the whole ordeal.

So I took a precarious step onto the landing pad of Clark’s life and started to understand the elusive landing pad parents I had come to dread in my professional life. Sometimes, I discovered, you have to do more than just hover. You have to actively participate in what’s going on with your child because, if you don’t, you have no idea if they’ll be okay.

With that in mind, I’d like to present a baby monitor that is much more involved than your traditional video or sound monitor. The Owlet monitor has offered me peace of mind and a sense of security when everything else seemed to be so scarily unsure.

The Owlet Smart Sock  

Features:

-Monitors pulse rate

-Monitors oxygen levels

-Adjustable, wireless sock that contains the pulse/ox monitor

-Relays the information via wireless connection to Apple product using the Owlet app

-Charging/docking station for recharging the sock

-Available online for $249.99

Pros:

This is a pulse and oxygenation monitor similar to the ones used in the hospital. It’s the first of its kind that is readily available to parents to buy and use. In my opinion, it’s actually better than the medical grade devices because it’s wireless and stays in place with ease. The monitor itself is enclosed in a sock that Velcro’s on to your child’s left foot.

I’ve been using this with Clark since the product launched earlier this year and have nothing but good things to say about it. I can’t imagine having a child with health concerns without one. It has afforded me with a level of security that has allowed me to get some sleep knowing I will be alerted of pulse rate and breathing concerns as soon as they occur. I’ve been notified several times that his heart rate had dropped and was able to help him as soon as the problem presented itself. I now sleep with my Ipad open to the Owlet app on my bedside table, so if I wake up concerned or worried I can glance over and check on his vital signs.

While I am aware that my son’s safety is my responsibility and this monitor doesn’t guarantee his well-being, I can’t imagine caring for a baby with health concerns without it!

Cons:

At the moment, the Owlet app is only available for Apple products, so Android users are out of luck.

For more information or to order the Owlet device, check out their official website: https://www.owletcare.com/

For all of you that don’t have access to an Apple device, I’d highly recommend the Angel Care breathing monitor, which I will be reviewing here at Colorado Springs Moms Blog later this month!

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Lindsey
Lindsey F lives in northern Colorado Springs with her two kids and cattle dog. Her children are still little, so one of her fondest hopes and dreams is to be able to sleep through the night again. When she’s not busy writing lesson plans and grading papers, she likes to spend her time playing with her kids, going on walks, and having movie nights.