Breathing monitor went off but baby seems fine

[uptheapples]

My 7 month old DD's Snuza breathing monitor went off tonight. She sleeps with white noise on and it's made me realise that the alarm is only just audible over that on the monitor. So it could have been going off for up to two hours (the last time I checked her). Obviously I rushed in as soon as I heard it, and she was happily laying on her back looking at her hands. She smiled at me, was a great colour, nail beds nice and pink etc. There's no evidence that she's been struggling to breathe at all. But the alarm was still securely attached to the nappy and she didn't appear to have rolled at all. Should I call the GP/111 or will they be annoyed with me wasting their time?

Anyone?

If she's happy, I really wouldn't worry! I think some of these new monitors just give you so much more to worry about!

I think they’ll likely blame the machinery if she has no concerning symptoms.

Each to their own, but imo it’s a bit extreme to have a breathing monitor on a 7 month old. Perhaps when they are tiny newborns but by now isn’t she rolling around and semi mobile? If your crib/cot is clear of anything risky then there is hardly any chance that she will just “stop breathing” in bed. Perhaps for your own sanity it’s time to leave her without the monitor?
FWIW when DD was in NICU her breathing alarms used to beep all the time when she went into a very deep sleep and had very shallow breaths. It’s completely normal, we all do it. If she looks well then she probably is fine. Unless you have any extra cause for concern over her breathing, I would just relax a bit!

Monitors are very easily triggered. Ours is set off constantly by helicopters - planes never affect it.

We had one of these and it used to make me super paranoid, checking to see if the light was flashing all night (the light flashes when they're breathing).

We had a couple of false alarms with it and got rid in the end as I couldn't hear it over the baby monitor. This was when DS was about 6 months and moving into his own room.

We only had a very basic monitor with sound - no video, breathing stuff, mats etc. Rarely used it with DC1 - only when I was in the garden in the summer. Didn't bother at all with DC2!
We're in a bungalow, so could easily hear if they cried. When the risk is high, you're likely checking on them anyway or feeding them during the night so they are pretty pointless IMO.

If she is ok I wouldn't worry. I like the peace of mind a monitor gives, but they do sometimes go off randomly. One of my DC stopped breathing completely at 4ms so I may be over cautious.

They're not recommended by health professionals at all due to the panic and anxiety they cause parents. I did consider getting one after my premature boy came off home oxygen as I was anxious. I decided against it in the end. I'd slept next to him with a monitor provided by the hospital and it's not fun waking up to it going off because it's fallen off, or as PP mentioned the shallow breathing which was very occasional. I can't imagine having to listen out for a shop bought one going off randomly especially with a wriggly 7 month old, it makes you really on edge. I'd do yourself a favour and stop using it.