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Parenting

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Original poster

Please come and tell me what you think about sensor mats...from a stressed mummy!

33 replies

allchik · 13/06/2013 21:00

Hi, we were given a tommee tippie sensor mat/monitor and we have started using the sensor mat since our dd wnt into her cot.
It will go days and work fine but then some nights the alarm will go off. Everytime this happens I will go n check on her and shes fine,ive even been in her room collecting sumit when its gone off when shes clearly breathing :/
Last wk we left it off but I started getting panicky thinking 'what if?' almost wish id never used it as think its making me paranoid,have that niggle that what if some of the time the alarm went off was because she stopped breathing.
What are peoples thoughts on these? Thanky
ou x

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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ilovepowerhoop · 13/06/2013 21:04

never used one as they give a false sense of security and havent been shown to reduce incidences of SIDS

Original poster

allchik · 13/06/2013 21:19

Thanku,think I needed to hear that! All the medical websites say the same...annoyed with myself that I cnt be more rational,shes in a sleeping bag,on her bk,perfect temp,was healthy weight at birth,never been around smoke n is just shy of 6 months...so why im needing this crutch is beyond me :(

OP posts:

DorisShutt · 13/06/2013 21:26

I used an Angelcare mat until DS was about 18months.

I knew all the info about it not being medically proven etc, but it let me sleep at night and I gladly took the occasional false alarm for my sanity.

If it makes you feel better use it - it doesn't harm the DC so why not?

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flatmum · 13/06/2013 21:26

Get one with 2 pads less false alarms (in fact weve had none except forgetting to turn it off when taking them out) Conversely I have had one with all 3 of mine from birth til they went into a bed! We use it every night and I found it remarkable reassuring and in the early days it allowed me to relx and sleep. We only use it now through habit but I found it very reassuring. My dc1 almost died at birth and I was making myself ill the fort few weeks not sleeping and constantly waking up to check him.

mrsyattering · 13/06/2013 21:31

we used one for both dc's only went off when she rolled against the bars so was off the sensor, gave us heart failure, only really used the actual listening part after too many false alarms, btw doesn't make you check on them any less imo

stargirl1701 · 13/06/2013 21:38

Never used one. I did not think it would be good for my mental health.

LittleBearPad · 13/06/2013 21:51

"Never used one. I did not think it would be good for my mental health."

This ^^

Original poster

allchik · 13/06/2013 22:29

Well it just went off AGAIN so sent dh to turn it off...think rather than giving peace of mind it was turning me into a bit of a paranoid mess...im not norm a worrier but recentley have been obsessing bout 'what could happen' think I need to nip it in the bud x

OP posts:

Cuddlydragon · 13/06/2013 23:00

I love the angelcare sensor mat - I can honestly say the only false alarm we have had is when he's wriggles all the way to the top or bottom of the cot bed.

I do think there is a vast difference in the accuracy of different brands. I did loads of research befroe buying mine, and I can't recommend it highly enough. My friend had her baby at the same time as me and, sadly, lost baby to SIDS at 4 months. Her support worker from the cot death charity has arranged a sensor mat and monitor for her for her next baby, so I'm really surprised at those who say it isn't medically proven.

Original poster

allchik · 14/06/2013 06:07

Thanks cuddly,I was suprised too but NHS plus many others have said it. Think if ur baby is v high risk the hospital can give u a device that act straps to ur baby.
We were given our monitor for free (sil works in a nursery dpt) wdnt of prob bought a sensor mat but once I started using it became scared not to even though some nights it would go off 4 or 5 times!x

OP posts:

DoodleAlley · 14/06/2013 06:16

You can buy monitors that attach to their nappies and give them a buzz if they don't breathe for 15 seconds.

The thing with SIDS as I understand it is that once they stop breathing it may already be too late.

That said, we have one. DD has reflux and can gulp down food in the night and occasionally choke on it. When she chokes i tend to hear but DH doesn't so it feels like another
Layer of protection in case she didn't sort it out herself or I am too tired to hear.

It's not just SIDS that causes babies to stop breathing.

JaquelineHyde · 14/06/2013 06:36

I worked for several years at Tommee Tippee and can honestly say I would never, ever recommend anyone using a sensor mat. Not just the TT mats but any of them.

There is no medical evidence for using them, they are not accurate and they breed paranoia in many more people than they help/make feel better.

I formed this opinion whilst working with the mats, medical professionals and hundreds of parents I dealt with regarding them.

My opinion was re-enforced after DS1 was seriously ill at 6 weeks old. I found him in his crib and he had stopped breathing, I thought we had lost him forever. The ambulance men resuscitated him and he was admitted to hospital where over a period of a week he constantly stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated. It was terrifying!

When it came to taking DS home I was a nervous wreck and as paranoid as anyone could be. I asked the Drs if I could have a sensor mat to take home and was advised that they don't keep them and would never recommend anyone using them as they are so unreliable and tend to make parents paranoid and anxious and/or completely reliant on them.

Honestly you don't need it, no one does. I would say do yourself a favour and throw it away.

Swallowingmywords · 14/06/2013 06:48

I don't think those babies who are risk are monitored by an "Angelcare" mat. I would like to think that medical intervention is a little more advanced than that. These mats are designed to prey on paranoid parents.... And don't they do just that..

JaquelineHyde · 14/06/2013 07:05

Exactly swallowing.

Wishfulmakeupping · 14/06/2013 07:08

OP you probably have but did you use the right thickness wood panel underneath pad if its an angel care one my sister didn't and my dn was always going off

silverangel · 14/06/2013 08:40

When DTs were in SCBU the nursed reccommended we didn't get one. False alarms = heart attack for the parents and no evidence they they reduce or have any effect on SIDS. If you had a baby with apneoa you can get ones with a nappy clip instead of a mat but no need for a baby with no problems.

suzexxx · 14/06/2013 11:06

I recieved one a Tommee Tippee mat from my in laws as a gift. It was great for the first few nights, but then started going off every night. One night my partner sat in the room with our son and literally watched him all night until it went off just so he could see he was still breathing when the alarm went off. I took it back to Mothercare as i thought it was faulty and they gave me a new one to try. They also said it may be the type of mattress that was affecting the sensor and if the alarm continued going off this would be the problem. I've had the new mat about 4 weeks now and its gone off once or twice, but my son is rolling now and these are times when its gone off so i'm sticking with it for now x

AmyFarrahFowlerCooper · 14/06/2013 19:16

I've used the angelcare one since dd was born and ill be using it a long time yet. I've had a few false alarms when dd has crawled to the top of the cot and laid horizontally across but that moment of panic and running up the stairs could happen a million times and it would be worth it if there ever was a time where it wasn't a false alarm and it was something that she could be saved from.

podgymumma · 14/06/2013 20:07

I had a Tommee Tippee one and it was a godsend. Our DS had sleep apnoea which we knew nothing about till the alarm started going off.

MsPickle · 14/06/2013 20:18

We now have the Angelcare one with video etc after just having the mat one with ds. Both my children are very very still sleepers and they helped me relax a bit. like others have said they aren't to be totally relied on but then neither is any piece of equipment, there's no substitute for humans! When in hospital with dd they had her on one there (sorry about all the alarms when I picked her up without turning it off nurses!) and our consultant thought it wasn't a bad idea if it helped us relax. I was very dismissive about the video element until we had it, now I think that's the dog's whatnots.

On the Angelcare you can adjust the sensitivity, don't know about other brands.

WestieMamma · 14/06/2013 20:32

We have the Angelcare one and I love it. For me the problem is that I cannot fit his crib next to my bed. It's at the end so I can't easily see into it when I'm in bed. I can however see the little light flashing as he breathes as the Angel is up on a high shelf.

suzexxx · 15/06/2013 06:41

:( spoke to soon saying it hadn't gone off in a while. Went of 3 times during the night and now i feel like a zombie. All 3 times were a false alarm too.

Original poster

allchik · 15/06/2013 20:51

Thanks everyone,so good to hear ur views. Its now been 48 hrs without the mat and my paranoia is going (slowly) do pop in and check her n do feel a little anxious if i wake up n shes not yet making a noise but think ive made the right choice for me :)

OP posts:

Cuddlydragon · 15/06/2013 21:58

Ouch swallowing, did you mean to be so rude?

littleginger · 15/06/2013 23:13

Friend lent me angelcare sensor mat when dd was born. Didn't use it until dd moved to cot in her own room at 4 months because until then she slept on me during the day and in carrycot next to my bed at night.

It was great for that transitioning from dd being on/next to me to being on whole different floor/ room but i stopped using it after about 6 weeks. I never had problems with false alarms but just found it a faff switching off monitor everytime i wanted to comfort dd by picking her up and cuddling.

I first went without when staying with folks and dd was in travel cot so sensor mat was unsuitable. Never plugged the mat back in when i returned home

It served its purpose for me however i agree that it can breed paranoia in those with 'low risk' babies.

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