Did you know that SIDS is the third leading cause of infant mortality? There are approximately 2,500 infants who die from SIDS in the United States, yearly.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome can occur between one month to one year of age, but most deaths occur between two to four months of age. Scientists and medical professionals haven’t discovered the exact cause of SIDS but they have some ways that us parents may be able to prevent it. How terrifying is that? Not knowing is one of my biggest fears as a parent.
After the birth of my first daughter, Anaís, who is now 2-years-old, I remember checking in on her every few minutes to make sure she was still breathing. It didn’t matter what time of day or what I was doing, I would drop everything and run into the room to make sure she was alright and breathing. I had a constant fear that she was going to pass away from SIDS. My husband and I set up baby monitors all throughout our apartment but none of them gave me a sense of security. I was filled with anxiety and it was ruining my day-to-day life.
This pattern continued until she was 18-months-old. It even led to co-sleeping with Anaís, that way I always knew she was safe, right beside me. Her risk of SIDS declined dramatically as she reached the age of 2, only then did I feel secure enough to put her in her own toddler bed. She’s been sleeping safe and sound in her own bed now, right besides ours of course.
Fast forward to today, I am now the mother of another beautiful little girl and she is two months old. The same night I gave birth to Katya, my anxiety kicked in and all of those fears I had with Anaís, came flooding back. We were in a hospital, I should have felt safe, but I still checked on her every few minutes.
Katya was receiving phototherapy because she had a severe case of Jaundice. We weren’t allowed to hold her and she needed to be on the blue-light-filled bed, 24/7. This caused me to run and check on her even more. She had on a blindfold to protect her eyes, she couldn’t be swaddled, and a blanket was thrown over her. My eyes were swollen and dry from the amount of tears. Was this safe? Is she still breathing? “She isn’t making any sounds, maybe I should check on her again? She’s not reacting to my voice, is she still breathing!?” All of these thoughts were flooding my mind. I couldn’t think clearly.
We stayed in the hospital for a few extra days until I begged them to let me take her home. I wasn’t sleeping and neither was she, I felt that we would both be happier and feel safer at home. I wanted them to stop torturing her. I wanted to swaddle Katya and place her in her comfy bassinet where I can safely observe her and cuddle her if she needed me. After much discussion about treatments, they let us go.
I barely sleep that night, or much the night after, and so on. My husband was only allowed to commute for that first week, his absence at night worsened my anxiety. I kept checking on her breathing, watching her chest rise and fall, rubbing her cheeks to make sure they were still warm, and tickling her feet for a reaction. I was an anxious mess.
I did everything by the books to ensure Katyas safety at all hours of the day. She was always swaddled, but not too snug or too loose. We invested in a bassinet that could tell us the temperature so I ensured she was sleeping comfortably and wouldn’t overheat or be cold, and I breastfed her. There were never any objects in her bassinet, no blankets, pillows, toys, etc. Her safety is my priority because the number of deaths from SIDS yearly is imprinted on my brain.
Smart Beat contacted me shortly after Katya reached one month and offered their product in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I researched as much as I could about their baby monitor and happily agreed. I thought to myself, this could be exactly what I need to get rid of my anxiety and sleep better through the night, as well as live a normal day-to-day life.
The creator of Smart Beat invented this product because his own child was in the NICU. He wanted to make sure his infant was always safe, breathing, and healthy. Nates story alone gave me security.
What Is Smart Beat?
It is a baby monitor that works with an app, the monitor tracks baby’s movements and breathing. The app alerts you if something is abnormal with your babies breathing habits or movement, it also alerts you if your baby has fallen asleep or is awake.
How Does Smart Beat Work?
Smart Beat works by tracking movement. The monitor tracks movement by checking the color of its 2 million pixels 20 times every second.
That is 2.4 billion data points per minute!
Basically, whenever there is movement the pixels change color. Smart Beat analyzes those pixels with its specialized algorithms to determine the actual breathing rate.
Does Smart Beat Alert Me If My Baby Stops Breathings?
YES! Smart Beat sends an alarm to your phone when baby’s breathing stops for 20 seconds.
You will also get a notification if your baby’s breaths per minute is too high or too low and when your baby has fallen asleep and woken up, even if they aren’t crying.
Does The APP Need To Be Running?
Nope! That’s one of the many pluses to this amazing device. The app is constantly working in the background, so even if you’re scrolling through social media, it will alert you if something is wrong.
Does Smart Beat Only Work On Infants?
No. You can use this device with anyone of any size. Because it isn’t something you need to wear, like a sock or a clip, your child will never outgrow Smart Beat.
What Other Features Does the Smart Beat Have?
- HD Video
- Digital Zoom
- Night Vision
- 355 degree pan & tilt
- Two-Way Audio (You can talk to baby and you can hear them!)
- Breathing Rate Chart
- Data Encryption
- iOS & Android Compatible APPS
- Remote Viewing
- Movement & Breath Detection
- Real-Time Breathing Chart
- Night Stand Mode
We have been using the Smart Beat for a little over a month and I am extremely pleased with this monitor. Being able to see Katya in HD video, zoom in on her, check her breathing rate and track her breathing, talk to her when she’s upset, and check up on her when I’m not home, have all been amazing for my mental health. I am no longer an anxious mess and my fear of SIDS isn’t taking over my life. I sleep much better at night, even Katya is happier because I’m sure she’s noticed mommies stress hormones have decreased dramatically and I’m not constantly fretting over her. Look at this happy little girl! I love that Smart Beat also captures photos of your little one and automatically saves it to your albums as well.
If you are a parent, I recommend purchasing the Smart Beat. We all have so much on our plates, this baby monitor helps make life with a newborn, or a child of any age, easier. It’s convenient, easy to use, and you can never be too safe or too cautious. As long as you have WiFi in your home, you and anyone else you allow can have access to the app and ensure the safety of your child. This would also be an amazing gift for first-time parents, help ease them into the world of parenting.
Check out their website at My Smart Beat to learn more about Nate, his wife Sarah and the genius behind this amazing product!
Love,
A Happy Mama and Safe Baby!
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