As a new parent, the safety of your baby is always at the forefront of your mind, whether it be the toys you choose for them to play with, the animals you think they’ll like to snuggle with, or even the products you use to bathe or wipe them with. You want to know if everything you are buying or putting on your baby is safe.
Although baby monitors don’t appear to be dangerous, some types of monitors can unexpectedly lead to babies injuring themselves.
We take a look at baby monitors with sensor pads. Are they safe to use around your baby? And do you need one?
Read on to find out more about these sensors, how they work and what you should consider when buying one.
Baby Monitors With Sensor Pads – What You Need To Know
There are all kinds of baby monitors on the market. From the most popular audio devices to the type of baby monitors that allow you to check on your baby’s heart rate.
A baby monitor that comes with a sensor pad is essentially a device that tracks your child’s movement and breathing.
Although we have seen an evolution in the design and variety of baby monitors, they have been around since the 1980s.
Several decades ago, there was a lot of media coverage of crib deaths, and this increase in public awareness led to the creation and iteration of these portable devices.
The first monitoring device of this kind for babies would sound an alarm when it noticed dangerous changes in the baby’s pulse, temperature, and breathing. Nowadays, technology has improved vastly, and products such as Babysense breathing monitors are totally contactless, with any connecting wires hidden out of sight.
Further developments of similar products followed, all with the good intention of reducing baby deaths and sudden infant death syndrome.
However, studies in the 1990s and 2000s showed that these devices had no impact on the number of sudden infant death syndrome cases – this hasn’t stopped parents from buying these monitoring devices
Let’s take a look at why parents may think that baby sensor pads are useful.
Why Use Baby Sensor Pads?
Just like any baby monitor, these monitoring products with sensor pads can be used to check if your baby is safe when you are not in the room.
They provide peace of mind knowing that your baby is sleeping safely and well and not making any strange breathing noises.
You can also use them to track your baby’s sleep patterns and wake times so you know how long your baby has been sleeping for.
If you are concerned about your baby being awake during the night, then using a baby monitor with a sensor pad will help you keep tabs on your baby while you sleep.
Another reason why some parents choose to buy a baby monitor with sensor pads is that they want to know what their baby is doing when they are out of sight.
Particularly for parents with a baby with health conditions, baby monitors that indicate the heart rate and other breathing and temperature-related measurements are ideal for peace of mind or in case of emergencies.
Can Baby Sensor Pads Harm Your Baby?
Are these devices baby safe?
To answer this question, it is important to bear in mind that baby monitors aren’t classed as medical devices.
This means that they are not regulated, and there are no rules or laws on the safety of these baby monitors in relation to how they can pick up on any possible health issues with your baby.
Despite being regarded as extremely safe, there have been reports that some baby monitoring devices have caused death, mainly due to strangulation from the cord.
One of the biggest baby monitor manufacturers, Angelcare had to recall some of its devices in 2013 because two babies had strangled themselves with the sensor pad cord in their sleep.
As the sensor pads are attached to the baby’s chest, the strangulation risk while the baby moves used to be considered quite high.
Another major issue with these types of devices is that they give parents a false sense of security.
A baby monitoring device can only indicate whether something is wrong, and technology can sometimes fail to indicate this.
These wearable monitors will only be able to send out an alert but they will not help your baby when it struggles to breathe.
There is a huge wave of misinformation out there when it comes to a child’s health. It is always a good idea to check with a healthcare professional or doctor to ensure your baby is cared for the right way.
How Do Monitors With Baby Sensors Work?
These devices consist of two parts. The main sensor pads are placed on the baby’s chest. It measures the baby’s heartbeat, respiration, temperature, and other vital signs. The Babysense 7 breathing monitor mitigates the issue of connecting pads to your baby with its contactless features and wires that are hidden out of sight and out of reach of your baby.
The other part of the pads is the infrared transmitter that sends signals to a receiver. This receiver then transmits the information to the monitor.
The pad has a built-in accelerometer that detects movements. If there is a change in the movement pattern of your baby, the system will send out an alert.
If your baby stops moving, the system will send an alert, and some systems also send alerts when a baby starts crying.
What Do Baby Monitors With Pads Measure?
Some baby monitors measure the baby’s heartbeat, breathing, body temperature, oxygen saturation levels, and even skin conductance.
Other monitors may include a video camera so you can see what your baby is up to. Some monitors will even tell you if your baby is awake or asleep.
It’s important to note that all of these features come at a price. Some of the ones that come with a breathing monitor and no other features, such as video, can still be quite affordable, but once you start adding video cameras and other features, the prices do increase quite considerably.
Most people find that the benefits outweigh the costs, but if you’re looking for an affordable option, consider buying one of our top-rated baby monitors instead.
Which Features Are Important To Look For In A Monitor?
Most parents want to know how well the baby monitor works. How many channels does it have? What kind of battery life do you get? Is the screen bright enough? Is the sound loud enough?
Cordless
As we have highlighted, it is essential to check that a baby monitor doesn’t come with any cords or rigid cord covers that could harm the baby or lead to possible strangulation.
Number Of Channels
The number of channels is usually between 2 and 5. You’ll need to decide how much you want to pay for this feature.
The higher the number of channels, the better quality pictures you’ll get and less possible interference with other wireless devices in the house.
Screen Brightness
The brightness of the screen should be adjustable. Most monitors allow you to set the brightness to either low, medium, or high.
You may want to look for a monitor that also offers night vision. This means that the camera that comes with the baby monitor kit produces light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that create light or “glow” so you can still see your baby in the middle of the night.
Battery Life
This is another area where some manufacturers fall short. They tend to put cheap batteries inside the monitor.
You should always buy a monitor that has long battery life. Ideally, you should be able to use the monitor for at least two months before needing to recharge or replace batteries, but you can get ones that last for 3-6 months. Some components of a baby monitoring system are always plugged in, while the receivers are often battery operated for mobility.
Sound Quality
When choosing a sound quality, remember that you don’t necessarily need a microphone on the receiver end of it. Many parents prefer a monitor without a microphone because they feel that it makes the device more discreet.
However, if you plan on having two-way communication with your baby, you might want to go for a model with a microphone feature on the receiver.
Final Thoughts
It is commonly recommended that healthy babies do not need a baby monitor checking on their heart rate or other body-related functions. Those that choose these types of monitors may be doing so due to health issues, or simply because they need complete peace of mind.
If you notice your child struggles to breathe, then call an ambulance immediately. Doctors and healthcare professionals will be able to give much clearer advice than a baby monitoring device.