Monitors and SIDS?

Question

I have the bebesounds angel care monitor which sets off a beep if the baby hasn't moved for 10 seconds, and an alarm at 20. The 10 second beep has gone off twice since my baby has been home (she's 2 weeks old tomorrow), but when I went to her bassinet, she was fine. I'm wondering if this is a problem or if they're just false alarms? I'm also wondering, if the baby does stop moving for 20 seconds, are they able to be helped through rescue breathing and/or CPR? I'm imagining there has to be something that can be done or the alarms wouldn't exist. Thanks for your advice!

Answer 1

I am a nurse at a childrens hospital. i have heard alot of people say that this bebesounds monitor is crap and can go off falsely..I would not worry. while your newborn was in the nursery at the hospital they are monitored for any signs of apnea or breathing problems..and if this is suspected you are usually sent home with a hospital grade monitor. if your baby was not less than 36 weeks gestation and seems to be healthy, her risk of sids or apnea is low. while there is no explanation or cause for sids yet, there are new tests out saying sids is a malformation in the brainstem that can be detected. As for that 10 second beep going off...babies less than 3 mos old often get comfortable and are not moving or have very slight pauses in their breathing..all their systems are immature. it is nothing to worry about. Also...as far as the 20 second alarm..While it is ALWAYS an emergency if a baby truly stops breathing..many premature babies "forget to breathe" often...especially when they are eating..and just some gentle stimulation..tapping their feet or picking them up or rubbing their backs starts the breathing reflex back up. remember that..and if that doesent work..do rescue breathing and call 9-1-1..babies are much stronger than we think and can usually come through a respiratory crisis quite quickly!! hang in there..You're a great mom! and always put the baby on her back to sleep no matter what!

Answer 2

Fear-mongering sells a lot of products. You need to understand a few basics...

1. SIDS is fairly rare. It gets a lot of attention but it only affects about 1 out of every 2,000 babies. Other baby-related dangers are also usually unlikely, and if there was a special risk in your case the hospital USUALLY would have told you.

2. Consumer-grade monitors of any sort have problems of false alarms, failure to alarms in real situations, sensitivity issues, etc. Most parents worry as much about the alarm working right as they do about their child.

If you NEED a monitor, get a hospital-grade one.

3. If your child does not demonstrate any of the risk factors for SIDS, etc., then you are probably over-reacting. Excessive worry and being overprotective is not helpful to you, your family, your husband, or the baby.

4. Knowing Infant and Child CPR is a good thing and can help if the alarm goes off, or more often, if the baby starts to choke, drown, etc. Being prepared is smarter than worrying all the time.

So... bottom line- Do you have a reason to be concerned about the baby? If not, relax. Most kids grow up OK.

If you are going to worry, worry about the junk in the food you give it when it starts to eat.

Answer 3

my child had sleep apnea and was on a medical monitor for a year then when they said he didnt need it anymore we go this monitor and he will still use it under his toddler bed
as the child gets bigger the false alarms go down
i think there are a few false alarms in the beginning when they are real small but its better to be safe than sorry
we dont get any alarms anymore thank god but like i said i would personally rather be safer than sorry
i know my hubbys family thinks i am crazy and my family think i am smart my mom said shed do the same thing
there have been alot of reviews of this machine saving babies lives so just keep using it if u keep getting alot of false alarms change the sensitivity i have it on 3 i think whatever is right in the middle and it works great but like i said my child is older in the beginning i would have had it on the most sensitve
best of luck

i very much dont agree with the person above me i think co sleeping is dangerous
and yes i child should be breathing every 10 secs we do why shouldnt ur baby lol

i dont agree with the person below me cuz either my son wasnt monitored in the hospital or they didnt catch the apnea cuz it wasnt till he was 2 weeks till he was put on a monitor and it was cuz he stopped breathing while my mom was holding him so the person below me is soooo wrong

Answer 4

I have used this monitor with both of my children. Most likely the adjustment (knob switch either on back (older model) possibly on front with newer model) that is preset when bought needs to be adjusted. That would most likely be the most probable reason for the alarm to go off. I had several false alarms with mine as well- until I finally readjusted the sensitvity setting. (Read your manual on how to do so).

Sometimes the sensitivity is too high and picks up every little movement- if its set too low (probably what has happened in your case). It will be fine when your baby is in active wakefullness/ rem sleep- but one she goes into a deep sleep with little movement- it probably is what has set your alarm off! & Trust me I know- when it goes off you go running like a mad women to the crib having an anxiety attack only to be met with the realization that you JUST woke your baby up from a nice little 'normal' peaceful slumber.

Put your infant on her back to sleep. Use tight fitting sheets. Do not overbundle. Do not smoke inside of the home. Do not sleep with her. & it greatly reduces the risk of SIDS.

I know SIDS can be a very unnerving thought for a mother- but I wouldn't worry as much its not as common as they make you believe!

Yes- 20 seconds is a short amount of time in order to preform CPR and have an infant regain normal breathing patterns without damage.

Answer 5

Sounds like a really annoying monitor. At some point you will need to realize that a baby that is sound asleep is not going to move every 10 seconds. My daughter did not. If you are really worried about SIDS, do what I did. Buy a soft bassinet that you are place in your bed to elimate the risks associated with co-sleeping. I had one and it worked well. My daughter is 2 years old now and we still sleep together and are very emotionally close. Co-sleeping is not a problem in our family so it may work for you too. I encourage you to take a look at the link I provided below before dismissing my suggestion. Also never put your baby on his/her stomach. Always on the back.

Answer 6

Yes, if the baby stops breathing, then CPR is the way to go. Make sure you call an ambulance right away if you have to start CPR.

Answer 7

My dad invented a baby monitor that has been purchased by several of the leading baby manufacturers and is the process of being utilized by Riley Hospital for Children - the ER doctors and nurses there told him that most children with SIDS do not respond to efforts at resuscitation - even the hospital loses babies to SIDS, and they monitor them constantly and are specifically trained at saving small lives.

In short, try not to worry so much. Of course you want to check on your child often, but if God decides that your baby's time comes sooner rather than later, it may be out of your hands.

Congrats on the little one!

Answer 8

I agree with the nurse. My aunt is an RN and has been for about 20 years. She has three children of her own, who have all had many problems over the years. Sometimes babies, especially at 2 weeks, 'forget' to breathe. Give them a gentle shake and it starts back up.

My older brother was stillborn, so when I was born, my mom put my crib right next to her bed and slept with her hand on my back (25 years ago, you put babies on their tummy in case they threw up, then they wouldn't choke on it and die). Sometimes I did 'forget' to breathe; she gave me a little shake, and I was fine. I did the same with my first son (he slept on his back, of course); same deal. A gentle shake and he was breathing normally again.

As for the cosleeping argument going on, that's an entirely different discussion.