Owlet Dream Sock: a reliable aid for parents

The Owlet Dream Sock is a small sock that goes around your baby's foot and continuously measures heart rate and oxygen level during sleep, sending that data live to your smartphone. Research shows that continuous monitoring can reveal breathing problems in newborns earlier and that parents with such data experience less stress. The sock is no substitute for medical advice or care, but it can be a valuable addition, especially after a difficult start like that of James, the son of Andrea van der Meer.

Why do parents choose a baby monitor?

As a parent, nothing matters more than your baby's health and safety. From birth onwards you are constantly alert, especially in those first months when everything is new and sometimes overwhelming. Parental instincts are powerful, but technology and science can help you care for your little one even better.

One of the innovations that parents around the world are embracing is the Owlet Dream Sock: a smart aid that monitors your baby's vital signs while he or she sleeps.

Andrea's story: James's difficult start

Andrea van der Meer talks about her son James's first days:

“As some of you may know, James had a difficult start at birth. He was only a day and a half old when, in the middle of the night, he was urgently transferred by ambulance from our local hospital to the NICU in Leiden.

James was in a very bad way at that point. He had a hole in his lung, a collapsed lung with complications and infection levels that were too high. At the lowest point he needed support with everything to stay alive: he was kept asleep, he was on morphine, he had a feeding tube, a catheter and was on the heaviest form of ventilation. He was covered in wires and tubes. For days we sat beside his hospital cot and did nothing but stare at all the little screens, day and night. Fortunately he pulled through and was eventually allowed to come home with us.

Once home, the worries had not completely gone, because after everything we had been through the fear had really set in. In hospital he often had breathing pauses and huge drops in saturation, every time he was taken off the ventilator. Several times he turned blue and I had to press the emergency button. That is why I always kept a very close eye on his saturation levels (the oxygen level in the blood) on the little screens.

At home that was no longer possible and I had to trust that he could do it himself and was getting enough oxygen without the ventilation equipment. That made me so unsure at times. Then I would message @huisje.in.het.dorp (a NICU nurse) in the middle of the night with videos of James. ‘Do you think he looks short of breath?’ ‘Is he flaring his nostrils?’ Or: ‘Do you think he is pulling in his chest?’ Fortunately she was always able to reassure me.

If only I had known then that this product existed: @owletcare! What (mental) peace that could have given me back then. Owlet Care is a medically certified baby monitor in the form of a sock that measures your baby's heart rate and oxygen level.

By now my confidence in his health has long since returned and thankfully I no longer lose any sleep over it.”

For more updates on how James is doing and to follow Andrea's continuing journey, you can follow her on Instagram at andrea.vd.meer.

What is the Owlet Dream Sock?

The Owlet Dream Sock is a small, wearable device in the form of a sock that goes around your baby's foot. It continuously measures your baby's heart rate and oxygen level while he or she sleeps. That data goes to your smartphone in real time, so you can always see how your baby is doing, even when you are not in the same room.

You will find the products mentioned at the bottom of this article.

What does research say about monitoring newborns?

Scientific studies support the value of continuous monitoring of vital signs in newborns, especially in babies with a medical history. Research published in The Journal of Perinatology suggests that continuous measurement of oxygen levels and heart rate helps detect breathing problems in newborns early. Parents and healthcare professionals can then intervene more quickly when something seems to be going wrong.

A study published by The American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that monitoring oxygen saturation in newborns can help reduce incidents of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Monitoring does not offer complete prevention, but it can contribute to greater alertness and timely intervention when readings are abnormal.

What does monitoring do for parents' stress?

There is growing attention for the psychological impact of worrying about a child's health. Constant worrying and the fear that something will go wrong can lead to stress, lack of sleep and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Owlet Dream Sock can play a supporting role here by reassuring parents with real-time data about their baby's health.

A study in The Journal of Pediatric Psychology found that parents who had access to monitoring of their baby's vital signs experienced significantly less stress than parents without that access. So technology can play a part in supporting both the physical and the mental health of parents and their children.

“If only I had known then that this product existed: @owletcare! What (mental) peace that could have given me back then.”

Andrea van der Meer

Is a baby monitor a substitute for medical care?

No. Andrea's experience underlines the value of reliable monitoring when caring for a baby, especially after a difficult start. Aids such as the Owlet Dream Sock help track vital data and give parents peace of mind.

But they are no substitute for professional medical advice or care. They are an addition: they let you follow your baby's important health signals and respond quickly when needed. Aids like these can reduce worry, so that you can fulfil your role as a parent with more confidence.

Share your experience

Have you had a similar experience, or are you worried about your child's health? Share your story in the comments below. By sharing experiences we can support each other and exchange information about how we deal with situations like these. If you have any questions after reading this blog, email webwinkel@kideo.nl. We are happy to help wherever we can.

Want to see the Owlet Dream Sock in action? Watch the video about the Owlet Dream Sock on YouTube.

Summary

• The Owlet Dream Sock is a sock that measures your sleeping baby's heart rate and oxygen level and sends the readings live to your smartphone.
• Research (The Journal of Perinatology, The American Academy of Pediatrics) indicates that continuous monitoring detects breathing problems earlier and can help reduce incidents of SIDS, although it is not complete prevention.
• Parents with access to monitoring experience significantly less stress (The Journal of Pediatric Psychology).
• Andrea van der Meer would have loved to have had the sock after her son James's difficult start in the NICU.
• A baby monitor does not replace medical care, but it is an addition that gives peace of mind.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Owlet Dream Sock measure?

Your baby's heart rate and oxygen level, continuously during sleep. The readings appear on your smartphone in real time.

Does the Owlet Dream Sock prevent SIDS?

No, monitoring does not offer complete prevention. Research does suggest that measuring oxygen saturation can help reduce incidents, through greater alertness and timely intervention when readings are abnormal.

Is the Owlet a substitute for the doctor?

No. The sock is an addition to professional medical advice and care, not a replacement.