Monitors and cot compatibility

[Inkpaperstars]

Hi, I had out this thread on baby monitors but it’s a bit quiet over there! Wondering if anyone here can help.

I was planning to get the Angelcare sensor mat monitor but then I discovered that it isn’t necessarily compatible with my plans for sleeping space. Either because the cots don’t have an obvious exit for the cord (eg snuzpod) or would need a hard board putting down between the mattress and slatted base, but also because I wanted to have the crib very near the bed and apparently the Angelcare could detect misleading adult movements if not at quite a distance. Also we do get a lot of vibrations in floorboards etc as we are in a flat, which could be an issue apparently.

So, my question is grin -sorry for lengthy intro- if I go for a wearable monitor instead that clips onto nappy or similar, will that solve those issues? Can I then use any type of crib and have it right by the adult bed? Also are these other monitors ok/comparable to Angelcare generally?

Many many thanks to anyone who can help...this is a steep learning curve!

You can adjust the sensitivity so it doesn't pick up adult movement nearby. They are really good. Also we used ours on the slats of the cot and never needed to put a hard board down just had the mattress on top. Once you get it in place and play around with the settings you can reassure yourself it's working well.

You might find from the replies that a lot of MN don't agree with breathing monitors because they feed anxiety and can breed complacency with safe sleep guidelines.

My DSis was given the Angelcate monitor about and never used it for the same reason you're talking about, and then passed it on to me. I didn't use it either, still sitting in the box in DD's chest of drawers!

A pricey option that I have which would work and still be useful as the baby grows is the Nanit camera. You can buy special sleeping bags with a black and white pattern around the rib cage, and the camera uses that to monitor their chest rising and falling. We don't use that feature (I have one of the breathing bands but have used it precisely once when DD had a bad cold) but the camera itself is amazing and will be in use for a long time to come.

I honestly don't think I'd have slept for the first six months without mine. We used them in the children's ward for little s when I was a medic so I was comfortable with using them.

We cut a hole in the base of the snuz pod although I’m not sure if that’s recommended 🤷🏻‍♀️ Also have a slotted base on the cot bed which he is in now so have just put it on a cut out base of a drawer. We have it on the lowest sensitivity as had a few false alarms but otherwise I love the reassurance it gives as we had a cot death in the family. I know this isn’t what you were asking but hope this helps.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Carbis I am so so sorry to hear of the loss in your family.

I guess a hole in the snuzpod could work for us...did you still find it ok with the monitor having the snuzpod attached to the bed?

I agree Anna I definitely will not do well without the breathing monitor!

I do worry about vibrations from other flats though...it is quite a rickety old building and when people even just walk about the windows and boards rattle.

Do you think the clip on ones work as well if I do end up having to use one of them?

DP has sleep apnoea and in a way I feel like I am a human monitor as I am always prodding him to wake him up enough to take a deep breath. He has a device but is on the list to be assessed again re cpap!

I have a snuza hero that clips to my son's nappy, it's great. My first daughter was stillborn so I knew I would need a breathing monitor, we are supported by the care of next infant programme by the lullaby trust and the snuza is one of the monitors they provide. You can set it to beep with every breath and I find that so reassuring to listen to as I go to sleep (although we're in the 4 month sleep regression and sleep feels like a distant memory at the moment!)

Thank you Poppy, I guess an endorsement from the Lullaby trust is really reassuring. I am so so very sorry to hear of your loss. I have also had a late loss which is one reason why these fears are so real to me.

So sorry for your loss as well. The other thing I like about the snuza is that it vibrates to rouse baby after 15 seconds of no breathing, pauses in breathing are normal for little babies (I found my son's breathing pattern terrifying when he was a small baby) but it's good to know the monitor is there to remind them if the pauses go on a little too long!

Thank you Poppy, that does sound useful. I didn’t really know about the pauses in breathing so appreciate the warning too!