As a parent, it’s only natural to be concerned about the health and well-being of your baby, especially when it comes to breathing patterns. While it’s true that some newborns may exhibit slightly unpredictable breathing patterns during sleep, it’s important to have a way to monitor their breathing just in case.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) explains that most newborns experience periodic breathing, which means that they may have breathing pauses lasting between 5 and 10 seconds (1). However, some babies may have a more serious problem, and this is where a baby breathing monitor comes in handy.
In this guide, we will explore the best baby breathing monitors and explain some of the benefits and drawbacks of each one and hopefully by the end, help you choose the best option for your little one.
Our Top Picks
- Best Baby Breathing Monitor Overall: Snuza Hero SE
- Best Budget-Friendly Baby Breathing Monitor: Levana Oma Sense
- Best Wearable Baby Breathing Monitor: Nanit Pro Complete Monitoring System
- Best Clip-On Baby Breathing Monitor: Sense-U Baby Breathing Monitor
- Best Baby Breathing Monitor With Camera: Babysense Video & Baby Movement Monitor
- Best No-Contact Baby Breathing Monitor: Miku Pro Contact-Free Breathing & Sleep Tracking Monitor
- Best Baby Breathing Monitor Sock: Owlet Dream Duo Smart Baby Monitor
In This Article
HappyBabyHub’s Best Baby Breathing Monitors Picks
Snuza Hero SE – Best Baby Breathing Monitor Overall
- You have a continual signal that the baby is breathing
- Clips into diaper
- The battery life is great
- Quality materials
- A bit bulky
The Snuza Hero can be easily attached to your baby’s diaper, making it suitable for use even on hot summer days when your baby is not wearing pajamas or a sleep sack.
Thanks to its compact size, you can carry it with you wherever you go. One unique feature of this device is that it vibrates to stimulate your baby if there is no stomach movement for 15 seconds, and then alerts you at the 20-second mark.
The Snuza Hero is designed with your baby’s safety in mind, and as such, it has no cables or wires that could pose any danger. Additionally, the device is made of medical-grade plastic to prevent skin sensitivities, making it an excellent choice for infants with allergies or sensitive skin.
Levana Oma Sense – Best Budget-Friendly Baby Breathing Monitor
- Clips on well and doesn’t move
- Loud alarm and flashing light
- Very portable
- A lot of features
- The light that indicates that it’s working flashes every 30 seconds
The Oma Sense wearable baby monitor comes with its exclusive Wakeup Technology, which continuously monitors your baby’s abdominal movement and notifies you if no movement is detected.
If the Oma Sense baby monitor detects a lack of abdominal movement for 15 seconds, it gently prompts your baby to resume normal abdominal movement through a series of random vibrations. If abdominal movement is not resumed within 5 seconds of the initial alert, the device will emit an audible emergency alarm.
Constructed of medical-grade materials, this baby monitor was designed and manufactured in Canada. It can be comfortably worn over a baby’s diaper, pants, or onesie without requiring any skin contact. The infant safety monitor unit’s flashing blue light provides additional reassurance that everything is functioning correctly.
Nanit Pro Complete Monitoring System – Best Wearable Baby Breathing Monitor
- Accurate alert
- The data tracking system is quite cool
- The white noise sounds included are great
- The night light provides just enough light on the highest setting
- You need to pay per year to use some of the features of the app
The Nanit Pro Complete newborn monitoring device is a top-of-the-line baby monitor that offers high-definition video and night vision, as well as breath monitoring. It comes with a free mobile app that provides you with real-time updates on your baby’s breathing and activity patterns.
One of the best features of the app is its ability to notify you when your baby’s crying reaches a certain threshold. You can also adjust the app’s settings to suit your preferences. However, what we love most about the Nanit Pro is its breathing band, which measures the number of breaths your baby takes each minute.
The safe HD video camera tracks the movement of geometric figures on the sensor-free soft fabric band as you wrap it around your baby’s chest. This helps you verify that your baby is breathing normally while they sleep.
The device also comes equipped with additional monitoring equipment, including a Smart Sheet with a koala print that is used as a fitted crib sheet. Plus, the camera measures your baby’s length by tracking the pattern of the sheet while they sleep.
Sense-U Baby Breathing Monitor – Best Clip-On Baby Breathing Monitor
- Easy to connect to your phone
- Can track breathing, ambient temp, position
- Provides peace of mind
- Easy to put on baby
- Diaper changes can set off alarms if you forget to turn the sensor off depending on what the baby is wearing
The Sense-U Baby v3 is a great wearable baby monitor that utilizes a button design. This device is renowned for its vast range and uses WiFi to connect with a base station that comes with an alarm, giving you two options for receiving alerts: either on your smartphone or on the base station itself.
The compact clip-on gadget can be attached to onesies, pajamas, or even a sleeping bag, making it easy to monitor your baby’s statistics from the cloud. This feature allows you to easily go through them with your doctor or pediatrician.
Plus, the device also monitors your baby’s rolling, breathing, and the temperature and humidity of the room.
Babysense Video & Baby Movement Monitor – Best Baby Breathing Monitor With Camera
- Great for preventing SIDS
- This does not need to be attached to the baby and will not slip off or fall off as the baby moves around
- Very simple design
- Sensitive
- This device isn’t very portable
The Babysense 7 is a highly sensitive, touch-free device that emits an alert if there is no movement for 20 seconds or if the device detects less than 10 micro-movements per minute while the baby is sleeping. The device tracks the baby’s minute movements through the mattress, with two sensor pads included to cover the entire crib area.
It is radiation-free and suitable for use from birth, with a single-button operation, and requires 4 AA batteries. With this monitor, you can be in constant and intimate contact with your baby. You can hear your baby with high-quality audio and watch them play or sleep on the high-quality LCD screen at any time of day or night.
The infrared night vision will automatically detect low light, providing quality video even in pitch-black spaces. The Babysense Video Monitor also comes with pre-programmed lullabies to help soothe your baby to sleep, and you can set up scheduled alarms for feeding, medicine, and diaper changes.
Miku Pro Contact-Free Breathing & Sleep Tracking Monitor – Best No-Contact Baby Breathing Monitor
- The app is great because it allows for access on more than one phone
- The monitor saves videos of each time movement is detected which allows you to go back and look at the videos
- Useful analytics provided every day regarding your baby’s sleep
- Visual feedback that baby is asleep without zooming in or staring at baby’s movement
- It is very expensive
The Miku Pro video baby monitor provides real-time RPM (respirations per minute) information to help you stay connected with your child. This versatile monitor records breathing and sleep patterns without the need for cables, wearables, batteries, or special clothing.
Instead, everything is tracked directly through the monitor’s display, thanks to the exclusive SensorFusion technology. The Miku Pro also offers digital zoom, enhanced audio, and twin Ole Wolff speakers for playing music or lullabies, as well as a two-way communication feature for easy interaction with your baby.
Additionally, the monitor includes sensors for temperature, humidity, sound, and light, to keep track of the nursery environment. With a tamper-resistant Crypto Chip, advanced encryption, and two-step authentication, you have complete control over your data.
Owlet Dream Duo Smart Baby Monitor – Best Baby Breathing Monitor Sock
- Sock records sleep patterns to help establish early good habits for an infant
- Sock records heartbeats and provides the average heartbeat for an infant
- The camera has clear HD vision during the day and provides night vision at night
- The camera also records room temperature, humidity level, and sound level
- The sock can only record sleep patterns and average heartbeat but doesn’t record any body temperature and oxygen level
The Owlet monitor provides various features to help you keep a watchful eye on your child. With the Owlet app, you can monitor your baby’s oxygen levels and heart rate, view the nursery through an encrypted HD video stream, and use two-way audio to communicate with your child.
The package comes with a pair of washable socks that fit over your child’s feet and use Bluetooth to connect to the base station, which sends real-time measurements to your phone. The app also includes a 130° wide-angle view, 4X pinch-to-zoom, and a room temperature sensor for a comprehensive view of your baby’s crib and its surroundings.
Additionally, the app offers personalized sleep plans, analysis of your baby’s sleep sessions, and weekly parenting advice from professionals.
How To Choose A Baby Breathing Monitor?
- Type: The most common types include audio, video, and sensor-based monitors. Audio monitors alert you when the baby makes a noise, while video monitors allow you to see and hear the baby. Sensor-based monitors track the baby’s breathing and movement patterns, alerting you if there is a problem.
- Range: Consider the range of the monitor, especially if you live in a large house or plan to use it outside. Some monitors have a limited range, while others can transmit signals over long distances.
- Reliability: It’s important to keep in mind that false alarms can occur when researching different baby breathing monitors. Reading reviews from other parents can be a helpful way to gauge how often false alarms are reported with a particular model.
- Cost: Breathing monitors range in price, with some being more expensive than others. Consider your budget and compare prices across different brands to find one that fits your needs and budget. The more expensive ones will usually have more extra features like detecting the humidity levels of the room.
What Does A Baby Breathing Monitor Do?
A baby breathing monitor is designed to track a baby’s breathing patterns while they sleep. It is usually composed of a sensor that is placed under the baby’s mattress or on their body and a base station that records and analyzes the data received from the sensor. The sensor monitors the baby’s movements, and if there is a lack of movement for a specified amount of time or if the breathing patterns become irregular, the monitor will sound an alarm to alert the parents or caregivers.
The primary goal of a baby breathing monitor is to give parents and caregivers peace of mind, particularly during the night when the baby is sleeping. Breathing monitors can detect signs of sleep apnea, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), or other respiratory issues that could harm the baby’s health.
However, it’s important to remember that no monitor can prevent SIDS or other breathing-related issues (2). A baby breathing monitor is just one tool that can be used in conjunction with other safe sleep practices, such as placing the baby on their back to sleep, avoiding loose bedding, and keeping the sleeping area free of potential hazards (3).
Is It Worth Getting A Baby Breathing Monitor?
Breathing monitors can provide parents with a sense of security and peace of mind, knowing that they will be alerted if their baby experiences breathing difficulties during sleep. However, it’s important to note that these monitors are not foolproof and may sometimes produce false alarms, which can be stressful for parents. It is important to remember that these consumer devices aren’t held to the same regulatory standard as medical care devices (4).
How Long Should You Use A Baby Breathing Monitor?
In general, a breathing monitor may be used for the first few months of a newborn’s life, especially if they have a history of respiratory issues or other health concerns. However, once the child is older and their breathing has become more regular and stable, the monitor may no longer be necessary (5).
Do Baby Breathing Monitors Emit Radiation?
Most baby breathing monitors use non-ionizing radiation, such as radio waves or Bluetooth, to transmit information between the device and the parent’s smartphone or base station. This type of radiation is considered safe and has not been shown to cause harm to humans in the low levels used by baby monitors.
When To Seek Help For Irregular Breathing?
It is common for newborns to have irregular breathing patterns, such as pauses in breathing or fast breathing. However, in some cases, irregular breathing may be a sign of a more serious problem. Here are some signs (6):
- If your baby’s skin appears blue or pale, it may be a sign that they are not getting enough oxygen.
- If your baby is breathing faster than usual or seems to be struggling to catch their breath, it could be a sign of a respiratory issue.
- If your baby is making grunting sounds while breathing, it could be a sign that they are having difficulty breathing.
- If your baby’s nostrils are flaring while breathing, it could be a sign that they are working harder than normal to breathe.
- If you notice your baby’s chest sinking in while breathing, it could be a sign of respiratory distress.
If you are concerned about your baby’s breathing or any other symptoms, it is always better to err on the side of caution and seek medical attention. A doctor can assess your baby’s breathing and provide any necessary treatment.
