You only come to know about most of the products you will end up relying on after you end up with kids, and a baby movement monitor is one of those handy products that you should consider having as well. Well, you are forgiven for thinking of it or comparing it to the baby monitor that is used to watch your little bundle of joy when he or she sleeps. This is actually an entirely different thing, though. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

First things first you probably wonder why you need such a gadget if you can see your little one moving!

It is a thought worthy of its merits, but you only need to know what this specific device is for in order for you to have a whole new perspective on its use and benefits, and on which one is the best for you. For starters, this device can help you save your child’s life as well as drastically reduce the risk of SIDS considerably.

Is This Really That Useful?

People who doubt or underplay the usefulness of this gadget are certainly out there, and thus it is important to highlight why a baby movement monitor is such a useful device for every single parent out there.

Just as the name suggests; this is a device that senses whenever a little one is moving. It is an electric gadget that you clip to the baby’s diaper, and it reads even the tiniest of motions the child makes, such as breathing. It collects a motion reading every 15-20 seconds. For instance, when the device does not sense anything moving it will alert you of the issue at hand if your child stops breathing.

Many parents that have bought this monitoring device for their kids have said that it is a gadget that gives them some much-needed peace of mind as they do their best to care for their baby, as do we all.

It is common for new parents to be antsy when their little bundle of joy sleeps; they stand over them looking done on him or her while wondering if he or she is still breathing. Some get so worried to a point where they wake up the baby just to be sure that he or she is alive (I know I’ve done it more times than I can count!).

Their worry is often irrational, but then again, we cannot assume that SIDS is not an issue not worth worrying about.

As such, parents should consider investing in one of these. The device will give you an alert every time it senses motion, even if it is the rise and fall of the baby’s stomach when breathing. Most flash a little light to indicate all is well with your child.

But what about when you leave the child all wrapped warmly in the crib, and you have to jump to your bed and catch some much-needed rest too? Most cases of SIDS happened when the parents were sleeping and were not able to watch over their baby.

By using this device, parents and the entire family can rest easy with the knowledge that they will be alerted if the baby stops breathing. It is a gadget that is ideal for couples that love co-sleeping in the same bed, as well.

The long and short of the resourcefulness of using this type of device is that the gadget:

Helps parents get some peace of mind and allows them to sleep comfortably with the knowledge that their baby is sound asleep.

Reduces the risk of SIDS since it alerts the parents if it does not sense any motion.

Which Baby Movement Monitor System Works Better than the Others?

The market has plenty of different types and brands available for parents to choose from. We have mentioned above one type that is small and is clipped to the child’s diapers to sense them moving on their stomach.

Another type is designed as a sensor pad that you place under the mattress of your little one. You will know more about this particular monitor later on as you continue reading. Please note that this isn’t ideal for long range. For that you’ll want a different device, but this is great for when you’re inside the house. Overall there are 3 total that we recommend. Let’s take a look.

This is arguably the best device for monitoring your infant this year and beyond.

We bought the Snuza Go to compare to the Pico, and were very impressed with this small, lightweight device. It weighs 1 oz. and is clipped in the front of the baby’s diaper.

The sensor can be set to pick up your child moving every 15-20 seconds. The little one will not have any issue with the gadget clipped to the diaper, he or she may not even know if the device is attached. So, you will not have to worry about the baby removing the monitoring device, and your mind can rest easy.

The Snuza Go is a top choice since it can be used anywhere unlike the other type that goes under the mattress.

The device is ideal if you have your baby sleeping in a rock’ n play. Some parents do not consider rock’ n plays safe for kids to sleep in, but these are okay for newborns since they are immobile at that stage of their growth. Placing the Snuza on the child when he or she is in the rock’ n play will lessen your worries since it will alert you if it fails to sense the baby moving at all.

Other Monitoring Devices to Detect When Your Baby Moves

In as much as we shower Snuza Go! with praises of being the top in its field, other varieties are out there that are also worth mentioning, and include another type of Snuza. Let’s take a look at these below.

Keeping up with sensor pads we have the Babysense 7, which you place directly beneath the mattress of your little one’s bed. This is very simple to get the hang of, and with just a little bit of time is ready to go. There is a very easy to use control unit that you’ll want to put at the front of your baby’s crib, and this gets the data from the pads placed beneath the crib. This will sound off any alarm with flashing red lights if the baby isn’t making any movements after a certain amount of time.

With a very small amount of false alarms compared to other monitors that track movement, this is powered by a AA batteries to eliminate any potential cord issues. It also keeps working pretty well once your kid is able to run around (advertised as up to a year), which is different than the devices that are worn and will begin to have more an more false alarms as your little one is moving more and more.

Similar to other systems that are placed underneath the mattress, the Babysense 7 needs a surface that is hard beneath the mattress for it to function properly. Also, if you hate alarms that can go off near your baby, this isn’t the device for you. Keep in mind, though, that it is easier to use than most others, and works longer than most others, too. The majority of people will certainly enjoy this device, but for those that don’t there are others on our list that are sure to be a better fit. Which leads me to…

It is distinctively different from the Snuza Go! in two elements:

1. Vibrates your baby 5 seconds before setting the alert off

2. Priced higher than the Snuza Go!

The vibrating feature, though somewhat unnecessary, is an interesting thing about the Snuza Hero. When alerted that the baby stopped breathing, the first thing a parent will do is pick up the child and check for a response. As such, the vibration features will not make a significant impact if there is something wrong with the baby.

Not to overly downplay the role of the feature, the vibration may be an effective addition in the event the child is left unattended for a while, and you depend on the vibration to startle the baby and cause him or her to breathe. But, we are hopeful that parents do not leave their kids unattended for an extended period and are close enough to hear the baby or the alarm when it goes off.

If you are impressed by the vibration feature, then it might be a good idea to spend the extra money on the Snuza Hero.

This is a different type of device that you place under the baby’s mattress; it has several bells and whistles, including features that the Snuza does not have. However, it also has some flaws, of course.

It only works if placed under the mattress in the baby’s crib, meaning it will not move with the child in case he or she changes position. So, it will not be a good option if you have your baby sleeping in a rock’ n play. The Snuza can stay on the baby the entire day even when traveling with your little bundle of joy in the car seat, which is something you cannot do with AngelCare’s device.

The other flaw is it depends on another unit that you should keep at hand and always turned on; the Snuza does not need all that since it emits a small little sound to alert you of the baby’s state.

The AngelCare does offer a few benefits that you will not get with the Snuza device:

The handheld unit displays the room’s temperature.

The handheld unit doubles-up as an audio baby monitor (which makes it ideal if the baby likes sleeping on his or her stomach). Which means you will have fewer false alarms that you would when using the Snuza.

It is an appealing option if you don’t have a separate baby monitor. (But most parents prefer having the baby monitors that come with a video option; they also give room temperature readings and are not that pricey).

Even with the extra nifty features, AngelCare did not meet the cut according to the standards and expectation we had. However, it still is a solid device you should consider even though it is not the cream of the crop.

More Than A Lifesaving Product

Snuza will most likely be the product on the mouths of every parent that gives it a try. It is one of the smallest things that a new parent may not be aware of that they need to put in their baby care arsenal.

The peace of mind that you will enjoy after getting a monitor that detects you child’s movement will make you wonder how you would ever manage without it. It is high time you thought about getting one of these great devices for your dear baby. Of course, if you have twins, you’ll need to get 2 (one for each), so keep that in mind!

Are you aware of this monitor already, and is there one you prefer over any others? Let us know by leaving your comments and opinions below!