AngelCare

Moms are always busy discussing the latest information about raising their babies. We have to worry about their safety, health, developments and the list goes on. What I don't hear much about is SIDS. I know it's a scary thing to talk about and when Brady was really young, I couldn't even say the words. I read up on it and followed the recommendations. When I see and hear about moms sleeping with their babies, putting them in a bassinet, or some form of a co sleeper, I get anxiety! Babies are safest on their backs, in their own crib, and with nothing else in the bed. SIDS is more likely to occur anywhere else. Here's my 2 cents. Everyone's got their 'thing'. This is mine :)

It's hard for most parents to imagine leaving their baby, especially a newborn, in the other room. But if you have a great monitor, you'll be fine. Do you want them in your room for them or for you? 

When I was pregnant, my aunt told me about the AngelCare Monitor. I immediately knew I had to have it. (Fortunately, she gave it to me at my shower :) This monitor is the KING of all monitors. I believe every parent should invest in one. Eric and I had such peace of mind when that monitor was on with Brady sleeping in his crib, which he has been doing since the day we brought him home from the hospital. In addition to the regular sound monitoring, this monitor detects and monitors the baby's motion, which includes breathing. A sensor pad (that's about 1 square foot in size and very thin) goes under the mattress and a cord runs out to the base. (Obviously you have to run the cord close to the crib and tie it off. It's nowhere that Brady could get to it) The monitor comes with very detailed and easy to follow instructions. It gives step by step set up and tells you how to test out the monitor to make sure it's working properly.

If no motion is detected, it instantly sounds a loud 'BEEP'. That's my warning. If for 20 seconds, there's still no motion, it then follows with an alarm like the dickens! A crazy loud 'BEEP BEEP BEEP' ing that will make your heart race! I always got up and started into his room at the first warning. Most of the time, the monitor 'picked him back up' as I say, and he was fine. No crazy alarm necessary. I would say from the time Brady was born until he was a year old, it alarmed like that two or three times a month on average. NOT counting the times we got him up from the crib and forgot to shut it off! You won't do that too many times though. Usually I went in there to find Brady had wiggled himself into the corner or had his blanket underneath him, making it hard to detect his motion. But a few times, I had no idea why it went off, but I was sure glad I had the monitor to tell me to go in there and rub his back or pick him up to make sure all was ok. I would've gotten up a thousand times to be sure of that. I don't think I would have slept at all had we not had this monitor.

The monitor has SEVERAL other features that make Eric and I wonder how anyone does without this blessing of a piece of technology. It has super powerful batteries that it came with that it automatically switches to if the power goes out. That's happened probably 3 or 4 times in a year while he was napping or at night. It comes with two receivers. We have one in our bedroom and one in the living room. They are wireless, display the temperature in his room, and you can tell just by looking at it if there's any sound or movement (helpful while vacuuming, etc.)

The kicker for me, was after I had recently seen a story on the news of a baby girl being kidnapped right of her crib at night. Brady was nearing a year old and I wondered if we should turn off the motion detecting, and only have the sound on. Which you can do when you're ready. I saw that story and thought, “Thank God for my AngelCare.” I would know before they made it to his changing table that he wasn't in his crib. Then like a truly paranoid mom, I thought, “What if they know how to turn it off?!” It hit me! I had wondered before why the base made a loud static sound when turned off. It sounds over the whole system. Duh. If someone turned it off, I would know. I immediately told Eric if he ever heard that sound at night, grab a weapon and run! Lol. The chances are slim, but let's face it. We live in a world where this happens.

This website has all the info about the monitor.  

http://www.angelcare-monitor.com/United-States/en/products/angelcare-monitor-AC401-deluxe

The truth is, it's all in God's hands. But as parents we should still do everything we can to prevent harm. Some people may think something like this monitor is going overboard, but I think it's a gift. There's nothing better than knowing your baby is safe!