A\u00a0pulse oximeter\u00a0is a small, wearable device that measures how much oxygen is in the blood and how fast the heart is beating. Wearable devices for newborns notify parents and caregivers if babies’ heart rates or oxygen levels are out of the normal range. Parents of NICU babies might use a pulse oximeter at home <\/a>because\u00a0a premature baby\u2019s lungs are often underdeveloped in the early weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These devices are especially relevant for monitoring: premature infants, babies with respiratory issues, or infants recovering from illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FDA-cleared, non-prescription devices<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Owlet’s Dream Sock is currently the only device in this category cleared to display real-time oxygen and heart rate readings for healthy infants, without a prescription.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prescription, medical-grade devices<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Owlet’s BabySat is FDA-cleared specifically for babies a physician determines could benefit from at-home monitoring due to an underlying condition, such as apnea of prematurity or a respiratory or cardiac concern. A physician sets the normal range, and an alert sounds if a reading falls outside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Older or non-cleared products<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 some devices still on the market predate current FDA clearance standards. If you’re comparing options, checking a device’s current FDA status is worth the extra few minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What FDA Clearance Means<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n FDA clearance addresses the\u00a0accuracy<\/em>\u00a0of a device’s readings, not whether using one reduces SIDS risk. The AAP’s position on that second question hasn’t moved. In its 2022 safe sleep guidelines, the AAP specifically recommends against commercial devices that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS or other sleep-related deaths, noting that products marketed this way may create a false sense of security and lead to complacency around actual safe sleep practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Owlet itself draws the same line clearly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The AAP recommends avoiding the use of commercial devices that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS or other sleep-related deaths. BabySat is a prescription-only, medical pulse-oximeter device that is intended for babies that a healthcare provider determines could benefit from at-home monitoring while under the supervision of a physician. It is not intended to reduce the risk of SIDS or other sleep-related deaths, but will notify parents in real-time if their baby needs assistance and their pulse rate or oxygen saturation level falls too low or too high based on ranges set by their physician.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n In short: a pulse oximeter, even an FDA-cleared one, is a monitoring tool for a specific medical situation, not a substitute for safe sleep practices, and not something the AAP endorses as SIDS prevention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A pulse oximeter for a newborn is usually a wearable “sock” style device that wraps around baby’s foot and remains on while baby is asleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pulse oximeters are essential for tracking your baby\u2019s oxygen levels, but using them on a restless infant can be tricky and exhausting. Challenges like keeping the sensor in place and avoiding false alarms are common, especially when sleep-deprived. Safe, accurate pulse oximeter readings are just as important as the devices themselves and it’s important to know how to place them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As always, decisions about your infant’s health should be made by you and your child’s primary care doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Parents as well as postpartum doulas, night nannies and nurses want facts when it comes to safe sleep. So you should know that any product intended or marketed for infant sleep must meet a federal safety standard. While some have this standard, it’s important to note that rockers, pillows, nappers and inclined sleepers have not. These items have been banned for sale and recalled<\/a>. This is because the product\u2019s incline enables infants’ heads to slump forward. This compresses the trachea and blocks airflow. This leads to lack of oxygen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let Mommy Sleep’s overnight caregivers are trained in safe sleep and familiar with monitoring equipment. If your baby requires home monitoring, our team works alongside your medical care plan. Find your local team here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether parents choose to use monitors or not, the safest way for your baby to sleep is alone, on a firm flat mattress without anything else in the crib. If you are hiring a postpartum doula, night nurse or newborn care specialist, ensure that they understand safe sleep practices. And if you have questions about apnea or newborn breathing in general, visit Newborn Breathing Patterns: What\u2019s Normal?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Three Tiers, as of Today<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Remember to Use These Items Correctly <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Infant Pulse Oximetry- But What<\/strong> About Other Sleep Items?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n