# Monitors

**Do we need a baby monitor, and which kind?**

Whether you use a baby monitor and what kind: none, audio, video, or a wearable device that tracks vital signs.

In short: Parents choose between 4 main approaches: None; Audio; Video; Wearable vital-sign monitor. Evidence: well established. Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it. Best settled: during pregnancy.

- Area: Sleep
- Evidence: Well established
- Best settled: During pregnancy
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/sleep--monitors

## Monitors: what are the options?

1. **None**: You do not use a monitor.
2. **Audio**: A monitor lets you hear the baby from another room.
3. **Video**: A camera lets you see and hear the baby.
4. **Wearable vital-sign monitor**: A device worn by the baby tracks heart rate or oxygen and sends alerts.

## Monitors: what does the evidence say?

**Well established.** Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it. (Settled on sids; otherwise preference)

AAP: home monitors do not reduce SIDS; the FDA-cleared Owlet sock is not intended to prevent it

Sources:

- [HealthyChildren.org](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/a-parents-guide-to-safe-sleep.aspx)
- [AASM](https://aasm.org/fda-clears-owlet-dream-sock-for-infant-pulse-oximetry/)

## What else is worth knowing?

A monitor lets you hear or see the baby from elsewhere in the home. Wearable devices also track vital signs and can raise false alarms. They offer reassurance but are not a substitute for safe-sleep practices.

## Questions to ask each other

- What do we hope a monitor would do for us?
- Are we comfortable with a wearable that sends alerts, and how would we cope with false alarms?
- What would we do if we find ourselves checking all night?

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General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=sleep&topic=sleep--monitors