Owlet Smart Monitor: What Parents Need to Know About Baby Monitoring

When it comes to keeping a close eye on your newborn, the Owlet, a smart sock-based monitor that tracks a baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels while they sleep. Also known as a smart baby monitor, it’s designed to give parents peace of mind during those quiet nighttime hours. Unlike traditional audio or video monitors, Owlet uses a soft, stretchy sock with sensors that connect to a base station and your phone. It doesn’t replace safe sleep practices—it supports them.

Parents who use Owlet often do so because they’re worried about SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome, the leading cause of death for babies between 1 month and 1 year old. Also known as crib death, it happens without warning, and while no device can prevent it, many find comfort in real-time alerts. The monitor tracks two key things: heart rate and oxygen saturation. If either drops outside safe limits, you get an alert. It’s not a medical device, and it won’t diagnose anything—but for anxious parents, that extra layer of data can make all the difference.

Some families choose Owlet because they’ve had a previous loss, others because they’re first-time parents overwhelmed by advice. It’s not for everyone. Some pediatricians say there’s no proof it reduces SIDS risk, and others point out that false alarms can cause more stress than calm. But what’s clear is that infant sleep safety, the practice of creating a risk-free sleep environment for babies. Also known as safe sleep, it includes placing babies on their backs, avoiding loose bedding, and keeping the crib empty remains the most effective way to protect your child. Owlet fits into that picture as a tool—not a solution.

What you’ll find in the posts below are real questions from parents who’ve used Owlet, compared it to other monitors, or wondered if it’s worth the cost. You’ll see how it stacks up against basic audio monitors, whether it works for twins, and what to do when the alarm goes off at 3 a.m. There’s also advice on how to tell if your baby’s readings are normal, how to avoid skin irritation from the sock, and why some parents stop using it after a few months. This isn’t a sales page. It’s a collection of honest experiences from people just like you—trying to do right by their babies, one night at a time.