Editor’s Note
While the Owlet Baby Monitor is discontinued, Owlet has come out with a newer model in the Owlet Dream Duo. This updated version gives you an HD camera with a 130-degree angle view with a 4x zoom, including night vision that you can watch from your cell phone.
You will also get access to the Owlet Dream App where you can watch and track your baby right on your SmartPhone or other devices. This allows you to monitor their wakings, heart rates, sleep quality, hours slept, and sleep patterns. The Dream App will give you a breakdown of their sleep sessions plus give you expert tips about sleep and other parenting advice. This device is HSA/FSA approved, which allows you to use those funds to purchase this pricey monitor.
Although the monitor may be expensive, the Owlet Dream Duo will give you peace of mind as well as better sleep for you and your infant. The cons of using the Owlet Sock is that if your baby moves a lot in their sleep, alerts can wake you which may give you anxiety if you are woken up. It is recommended to use this sock until 18 months of age when they begin to develop a more regulated sleep schedule.
If you do not want the video camera option, you can also purchase the less expensive Owlet Dream Sock to monitor baby from your SmartPhone plus you will get access to the Dream App.
The Snuza is still available, however, there is an updated model called the Snuza Hero SE. These monitors are the same except that the newer model, the Hero SE, has a vibration alert added.
The Hero SE detects slight movements and will alert you if abdominal movement is weak or less than eight movements per minute. If the Snuza Hero detects no abdominal movement for 15 seconds it will vibrate to rouse your baby. Often the vibration will rouse your baby, but if it happens 3 times, you will get an alert that movement has stopped for 15 seconds on 3 occasions. If the baby is not roused for an additional 5 seconds, it will send out a very loud alarm to let you know that you need to check on your baby immediately.
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The Owlet Smart Sock 2 and Snuza Go! are two baby monitors that monitor different things, but they serve the same purpose–safety. In my opinion, the Snuza Go! is the better choice. Here’s more about why you should use these monitors and what important features and possible issues impacted my recommendation.
The Owlet Smart Sock 2
Here at ExperiencedMommy.com, we already reviewed the Owlet Smart Sock 2. We also compared it to the Baby Vida oxygen monitor. Just in case you’re not already familiar with the Owlet Smart Sock, here are the basics on what it has to offer and any potential issues you might face.
Important Features
How It Works
The Owlet Smart Sock 2 monitors your baby’s heart and oxygen levels by using pulse oximetry (which is clinically proven). Place one of three smart socks on your baby’s foot. The smart sock takes the readings and sends them to the base station via Bluetooth technology. This communication works with or without WiFi, but the sock and base must be within 100 feet of each other.
When everything is fine, the base will glow green. If there are issues, the base will notify you with lights.
To get a more thorough reading about how your baby is doing, download the Owlet app for your phone. This free app, which is available for IOS and Android only right now, lets you track the heart rate and oxygen levels. It even lets you set an alert for if the oxygen level drops below a certain point.
There is an additional app available called Connected Care. This app costs money (either a monthly or yearly membership fee), and it’s currently only available for IOS users. With this app, you can track sleep patterns and see the history of alerts.
Maintenance
You have to charge your sock in order for it to work. To charge it, plug your sock iintothe base station. The base station plugs into a standard electrical outlet. Typically, the charging process takes about 3 hours.
Ratings
Here’s what other people think about the Owlet Smart Sock 2:
- Babies R Us: 4.5 out of 5 stars
- Buy Buy Baby: 4.5 out of 5 stars
- Target: 4.5 out of 5 stars
You can also check out more baby monitor reviews in our Best Baby Monitor article.
Possible Issues
As with all things, there are some possible issues with the Owlet Smart Sock 2. Here are a few issues that I noticed with this monitor.
Connectivity
The sock collects information and transmits it to the base. Once the base has that information, it can transfer it to the app on your phone. Therefore, you’re relying on a good connection between both the sock and the base and between the base and your app.
This has been a problem for some people. The less troubling problem is a bad connection between the base and your app. Sure, it’s annoying that you can’t get the exact vitals of your child, but at least you can look at your base and know that your little one is in the safe zone.
Connection issues between the sock and base are more troubling, though. If the sock is reading the information on your baby and the base is the means of communication to let you know if there’s a problem, it is crucial for these two to connect.
Another reported issue is that the Owlet will not work if your child is in a swing. When your child is swinging, the Owlet ready that they are “wiggling.” At this point, it doesn’t read your child’s vitals. For those who might be using a swing to help their baby get to sleep, this is a real issue. The Owlet will not notify you if your child stops breathing while in a swing.
Customer Service
The number of complaints about this company is overwhelming! People are complaining about outdated instructional material riddled with errors, Owlet “server issues,” connectivity issues, and customer service. It’s okay to have issues with your product, but it’s not okay to ignore consumer questions and complaints.
The lack of customer service makes this product feel a little bit more like a scam than a necessity.
Can You Monitor Multiple Children?
In order to monitor multiple children, you must have multiple setups. Each child will require his or her own sock, base, and account in your app for your phone. This means that if you have two children who are using Owlets and you want to monitor their vitals on your phone, you will either need to have two phones or you will need to log out of one and in to the other to check the other child’s vitals.
I’ve never had twins or two children who need monitoring at the same time, but this seems very inconvenient. I’m especially disappointed because I would think that a large percentage of the users of heart/oxygen monitors might be premature twins.
It’s Expensive!
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but the Owlet Smart Sock 2 is quite a bit more expensive than the Snuza Go! Now that we know what the Owlet has to offer, let’s take a look at the Snuza Go! to see how they compare.
The Snuza Go!
Truly, the Owlet Smart Sock 2 and the Snuza Go! are measuring two different things. The Owlet measures heart and oxygen rates, and the Snuza measures movements. Even though these products are measuring different items, they’re still comparable.
As our heart rates drop or oxygen levels decrease, our movements will become weaker or reduced. Therefore, both monitors can be equally beneficial at preventing SIDS. Obviously, though, if a doctor tells you that you need to track heart rates and oxygen levels, the Snuza won’t work for you.
Important Features
Easy to Use
The Snuza Go! clips onto your baby’s diaper and monitors your baby’s movements. If your baby’s movements are weak or infrequent, an alarm will sound from the Snuza Go! after 15, 18, or 20 seconds.
There are no bases or apps. All you have is the battery operated Snuza Go! unit.
Because this is a movement monitor, it shouldn’t be used if you’re co-sleeping or bed sharing. The monitor won’t provide accurate information when it senses the movements of other people in addition to your baby. Also, this monitor is not beneficial if your baby is in something moving like a car seat or stroller.
Affordable
Another benefit to the Snuza Go! is that it’s extremely affordable. It’s not just that the Snuza Go! is less expensive than the Owlet, it’s also less expensive than some other models of monitors made by Snuza like the Snuza Hero.
Limited Technology
Because of its simplicity, you don’t have very many technical issues. All you need to do is turn your Snuza on, place it in the correct position, and let it work.
Ratings
Here’s what other people think about the Snuza Go!:
- Buy Buy Baby: 5 out of 5 stars
- Target: 4.25 out of 5 stars
- Walmart: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Possible Issues
As far as I can tell, there are two main issues that you may have with the Snuza Go! First, your battery may die. This doesn’t seem to be an issue for most people, but it does happen. For that reason, I’d recommend ordering a spare battery to go with your Snuza.
Second, your inability to correctly place the Snuza could result in frequent alerts. Make sure that you read the instructions on how to correctly position your Snuza so you can ensure the safety of your child.
Why Use These Monitors?
If you’re interested in how the Owlet Smart Sock 2 and Snuza Go! compare to each other, it means that you’re shopping for a monitor to help prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). According to the National Institute of Health, SIDS impacts children aged 1 month to 1 year. Ninety percent of SIDS deaths occur in children aged 1-4 months.
I don’t scare easily, but SIDS scares the heck out of me. When my first child was born (back in 2011), our regular baby monitor didn’t have video. I had such anxiety leaving him in his room at night that I was not sleeping. To fix that situation, I got a baby monitor that clipped to his diaper and monitored his breathing.
At that point in time, the monitor would make a loud noise (while clipped to my baby) to alert us of any issues. After several nights of operator error alerts that woke the baby, we decided that we were okay without the monitor.
Oh, how the times have changed! Now, we have two great choices to help you monitor your baby’s breathing.
My Pick
The Snuza Go! is my top choice because I love how easy it is to use and that there isn’t a WiFi or Bluetooth device so near to my child for an extended period of time.
Sometimes, less is more. The Snuza doesn’t have all of the extra technology and information that the Owlet has, and I think that’s good. It seems that right now, the Owlet has lots of technical difficulties. Maybe a future model or improved app won’t have all of these issues, but for now, it does.
If I’m already so worried about whether or not my baby is breathing that I buy a monitor for it, the last thing I need is technical issues. It’s those technical issues plus the numerous and varied consumer complaints that really swayed my opinion to choose the Snuza Go!
After all, the monitor has to work correctly in order to alert you of any problems. Of these two monitors, I think the Snuza Go! will do the best job.
