This category includes all the various tech products you’ll need for your little one. Monitors are in this category and have the widest spectrum of options. The rest of the items don’t get too complicated.
MONITORS
Shopping for monitors can get overwhelming pretty quickly. But have no fear, I’m here to help! It looks like you’re interested in an audio and video monitor that also tracks vitals. The good news is this narrows down your options. I’ve given you all-in-one solutions to look at since you’re willing to splurge on this category and these are the best “tech” options available. If you want to spend less, I can also send you less expensive monitor and vitals tracking options, but those will be on different devices or apps.
If you want the most robust vitals tracker, opt for the Owlet. If you want more advanced sleep analytics tracking, opt for the Nanit. This video by Fathercraft sums up the differences really well and he also has more detailed reviews of each product. You can also check out our cheat sheets for complete specs on each product.
Owlet Smart Baby Monitor Duo with HD Video, Oxygen & Heart Rate ($399): The Owlet Duo is the bundle pack for the Owlet Sock 2 and the Owlet Camera. I recommended the Owlet Duo because it's the only system that offers both breathing and heart beat monitoring. I do want to call out however, that the Owlet camera does not have the best reviews in terms of picture quality.
Nanit Complete Monitoring System ($379.99): This bundle comes with the camera and breathing wear swaddle and band. Nanit has some of the best reviews and the swaddle and band are a great solution if you don't want electronics connected to your baby (like the Owlet sock). The Nanit tracks breathing but it doesn't have heart rate monitoring.
Miku Smart Baby Monitor ($299.99): This is the first baby monitor that tracks breathing without requiring your little one to wear any device or band. If you're really into high tech features, this might be the monitor for you. However, similar to the Nanit, the Miku does not track heart rates either.
COOL MIST HUMIDIFIER
Cool Mist Humidifiers are great when your little one has mucus build up around their eyes (which is common in the early months) or congestion when they’re sick. Cool mist is an important safety feature, so your LO won’t accidentally burn themselves when getting too close. Since this is a pretty staple product, you can find great options around ~$40. If you want more advanced kinds that also serve as air purifiers, then you’re looking closer to ~$100+. My biggest recommendation is to go with one that has a large water capacity (1 gallon or more) so you don’t have to refill it frequently and is easy to clean.
Crane 4-in-1 Drop Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier ($54.99): This humidifier has the basics you need - 1 gallon tank, easy to clean, super quiet, and a spout that can rotate so you can direct the cool mist to any part of the room. It's filterless, meaning you don't need to buy replacement filters every month. It also comes in a variety of colors to match with any nursery decor. You might come across a couple of different versions of this humidifier, we chose this option because it has a top fill water tank (super convenient).
LEVOIT Humidifier 6L ($89.99): I added this option because you mentioned your home is larger and this humidifier is made for large spaces (up to 700 sqft vs. 500 with the Crane). While it is on the pricier side, there are a few features that make it pretty enticing - automatic shut off when it runs out of water and auto adjusts mist level depending on the humidity level in the room. The biggest downside is that it does have a filter you need to replace every few months.
WHITE NOISE MACHINE (optional)
Some parents swear by white noise machines. Others worry about building a sleep dependency. This Healthline article sums up the pros and cons really well. The biggest thing to be aware of when you do use a white noise machine is the decibel level. Most white noise machines can go above the recommended level for infants, so I’d recommend downloading a decibel measuring app on your phone and checking it when you set the level.
If you do choose to use a white noise machine, the go-to is the Hatch. If you’re not sure and don’t want to spend too much, the Crane top fill humidifier I recommended and the other monitors also offer sound / white noise features as well.
Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine ($59.99): The Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine is favored because it can be controlled by an app on your phone, so you don't have to stumble into a dark room to turn it off and offers a time-to-rise feature for older kids (a setting that notifies kids when it's time to get out of bed).
Alright, that's it for Part II. Text me if you have any questions! 833-898-2388
XOXO,
Betty