Comments on: Night Knight: The Worry Alarm for New Parents

By: Marianne O.

Marianne O. — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:23:40 +0000

Amanda raises a good point...

"There is considerable evidence suggesting that by the time a baby stops breathing, the sequence of events leading to SIDS is so far advanced that it's too late."
http://sids-network.org/experts/apneadiff.htm

I guess this would sound really scary to some people. To me it's reassuring. My family lives free of monitors and alarms because, after following all the SIDS-prevention guidelines, we can let the baby sleep knowing that we've done all we can.

This is coming from someone with diagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder, so I do understand why parents worry. However I feel strongly that we need to make an active effort to resist the Western culture of fear.

By: gertie

gertie — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:59:50 +0000

I consider myself a very laid-back parent, and normally I would say that a product like this is just silly–maybe even dangerous (false sense of security, etc.) In this case, however, I can understand a parent buying this product, and I wouldn’t think any less of them. Keeping your newborn alive is the most sudden, intense, important responsibility that a person will probably ever have to endure. It is a scary time. If this product brings a parent the little bit of reassurance that helps them cope, then it’s worth the $70.

By: Mama Peach

Mama Peach — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:51:08 +0000

I’ve been thinking about this on and off all weekend. I guess, in the end, if this type of device makes some parents feel better/safer/more secure, it is worth the 70 bucks. It’s all about doing what we feel is right as parents. I still stand by my previous comments, however I can see how there would be a market for such a product.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:30:16 +0000

We used the angelcare monitor with our youngest who was a dedicated tummy sleeper. It made me feel better, but still, I feared that she could move off of it. This seems to solve that issue, but I've since read that once a baby truly stops breathing (SIDS-style) that it's not as though you can just start them up again. Scary thought!
Amanda
librarycollective.blogspot.com

By: JS

JS — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:39:35 +0000

I have OCD, and in the back of my mind I think I can somehow control things that are really out of my hands. I have no doubt that I will constantly be checking my baby, forced to by that nagging feeling that if I don't, something will happen.

I would gladly pay 70 dollars for a little bit of relief from those thoughts. And I think, more than anything, thats what these products are aimed at. I don't see any of their advertisements trying to scare people into thinking they need this. Just that it is available, and fills a need, for people who are worried.

Since I will be a first time mom, I'm sure I will still be checking occasionally, but something like this would definitely cut down on those checks that are driven by my compulsion, rather than actual fear.

By: Mama Peach

Mama Peach — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:12:36 +0000

I wouldn't use it. We have followed all of the APA's recommendations for prevention of SIDS. My daughter slept in a bassinette next to me for the first 7 weeks of her life (recovery from my c-section was horrendous and it was easier to have her near).

Honestly you could have your child in your bed or at an arms reach and they could still die from SIDS. Some children succomb to SIDS closer or past the 2-year age mark. Is a 2-year old really going to go for an electronic toy strapped on?

My best friend recently came home with her 32-week preemie. He is on an apnea monitor that has all kinds of alarms for various things. Totally necessary in his case. But SIDS is SIDS because they really don't know the cause, and I do feel products like this are playing on every parents worst fear.

Similarly, I would hate for a parent to have a false sense of security when using a product like this, and not adhere to the recommendations for the prevention of SIDS. Would this prevent SIDS? Highly unlikely. Like a previous commenter, I think this thing would be going off all the time, waking baby and parents, making sure nobody in the family got a truly good night's sleep.

The whole product feels like a false sense of security to me. And I haven't really been a 'checker' ...mostly because my daughter would wake up at the door opening. Of course if I heard anything unusual on my monitor, which can be set to extremely sensitive (the Phillips LCD, thanks A.J.!) I was in there like a flash.

Me checking on her isn't going to help prevent SIDS, common sense and motherly intuition will help prevent SIDS.

By: Cindi

Cindi — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:41:56 +0000

My two sons both slept in bassinets right by my side of the bed! Yes, I checked them quite often. Either the nose way or checking for the chest breathing. I kept them (one at a time), so long in our bedroom, the doctor kept telling me to get that baby in his own room!!!!! I was afraid of my baby suffocating on his spit up, so they slept on their sides. Go figure…..Cindi

By: The Opinionated Parent

The Opinionated Parent — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:42:39 +0000

I think this one looks a little silly if not dangerous, but we love our Angelcare monitor. We co-slept for 2 months but after that it was fantastic to have the reassurance of the constant ticking (if we had it set that way.) Even until he was 22 months and moved to his big bed, we loved it because it told us if he was crammed in a corner or had climbed out and was in danger. I did hate when I forgot to turn it off, though.

We have now moved it to my three month old daughter's room, but she still sleeps in our room so hasn't ever used it. I'm sure when we move her in there we'll love it just as much. Just one less thing to worry about!

By: Sara

Sara — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:50:27 +0000

For the first few weeks of his life, I checked on my son all the time, as though through the act of my will he would be breathing and healthy. I think every parent does that, healthy baby or no. Once he started sleeping somewhat predictably, waking up on a semi-regular routine to nurse, I actually moved him out of our bedroom. I found I could not sleep well with him right next to me. Every little deep breath, sigh, cough and sniffle would wake me up. When we moved him to his own room across the hall around 8 weeks, I slept much better. I was over my initial breathing fears for him, and of course the baby monitor was plenty to wake me up for his midnight snacks.

By: lindsey

lindsey — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:18:06 +0000

I'm on the fence with this one. My husband and I both didn't sleep well when my son was an infant because we were constantly getting up to check the bedside bassinet.

I know most things like this are marketed towards scared parents, but I can't discount them completely. We would have gotten many more hours of sleep had we had one of these.