Owlet Dream Sock

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

I share this opinion and whenever I post about how my therapist, our NICU doctors, and our paediatrician specifically recommended *not* getting something like the owlet, I get downvoted.

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

Yep our NICU team also warned us not to get the sock. They pointed out that monitors in the NICU would give out false alarms all the time and they are really expensive medical equipment, so of course a product you can just buy for yourself is going to be prone to even more of those errors. I don’t think my nerves could have handled any more beeping after weeks in the NICU and hospital.

Thread: "The Owlet Dream Sock saved my daughters life last night "

Honestly I think the owlet gave me more anxiety than it did to alleviate any, but I still did it for both kids lol

Thread: "Why would a pulse oximeter/apnea monitor NOT prevent SIDS?"

Well if they stop breathing then yes, their SpO2 and subsequently heart rate would drop and the alarm would go off. However the prevailing belief is that true SIDS cannot be prevented even if it is witnessed in real time. So the monitor could alert you to SIDS but doesn’t allow you to prevent it. That being said, the studies that people quote to support the statement that “apnoea monitors don’t reduce SIDS” are mostly old studies (some decades old) and NONE of them studied modern pulse oximetry type monitors, so the honest truth is that we simply don’t know if these specific devices can help to reduce SIDS risk. I did use an Owlet with my daughter, and on one occasion it alerted me to an alarmingly low SpO2 that I had not recognised from her appearance/behaviour alone, and allowed her to receive urgent medical attention before she deteriorated. But that was a chest infection, not SIDS.

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

I’m glad you’re venting! Sometimes that’s all you need. But I wouldn’t stress too much about the Owlet sock… we have the Nanit body wrap to monitor breathing… we haven’t used it since week 1.. Looking around the house… we have so much crap that people said we needed but we haven’t actually used.. what works for one baby/family may not work for another. Keep doing what’s best for you and your baby!

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

I bought it and returned it. It isn't very accurate and causes more anxiety. My OB and pediatrician told me not to get it.

Thread: "The Owlet Dream Sock saved my daughters life last night "

I don't mean to discount what may have happened; hell, I have been right where you were a few times. We religiously used the Owlet with our first child, and that first night it went off and lit up red was one of the worst nights of my life; we were using 3 different O2 monitors for the next 6 hours and got no sleep, completely jacked on adrenaline and fear. But, it turns out, it was a false positive. So was the next one, and the next one. Our children never did have any such problems despite a few alarms. After it happened a handful of times we were entirely fatigued by the device, and the false positives only came more and more often as time went on. I believe the sensor simply gets dirty and in certain conditions is able to read O2 levels but read them incorrectly rather than the usual issue of losing alignment and having no signal at all. The truth is, if your child really was reading 78% O2, they would have likely already been unresponsive and turning colors, and it sounds like that was not the case her. Again, I do not mean to discount what you went through, and I am not telling you to stop using it, as I have been right there with you before, but there's a reason why the Owlet was pulled from the market originally and there's a reason why everyone says not to place all of your trust in this thing. It can be just as likely that the sensor *doesn't* pick up on an actual health emergency. Also, we had the same issue with the lack of push notifications that really really really frustrated me. I tell new parents that show interest in it not to bother.

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

For what it’s worth, we spent a month in the NICU. We had had no intentions of buying it (also not in our price range and kinda felt like a gimmick), but after spending a month on oxygen, we wondered if maybe it’d be worth it. We asked our NICU team and they strongly recommended against it. They said that the false alarms will increase anxiety, and that parents can become overly dependent on the technology instead of just looking at their baby for obvious signs of distress. That was good enough for us to know we didn’t need it.

Thread: "The Owlet Dream Sock saved my daughters life last night "

Hey just wanted to say, check your mattress. With a proper infant mattress and with a tight fitting sheet and nothing else in the crib… i don’t think this should happen.

Thread: "I officially HATE the Owlet Dream Sock."

The pediatrician at the hospital asked us not to get one. He said in his experience with new parents, it causes WAY more stress and anxiety compared to any benefit. He said if they actually did anything to prevent or lessen rates of SIDS, he would recommend one for every child before they leave the hospital but they don't, so he doesn't

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

I’m an incredibly anxious person, so I bought an Owlet when I was pregnant because I was certain it would help. Then my baby was in the NICU for the first few days and I found that I would just sit and stare at the beeping monitors the entire time I was sitting with her. It was like I was hypnotized, I couldn’t look away. She was in the safest place she could possibly be, but my anxiety was through the *roof* looking at those monitors and hearing all of the false alarms. It was horrendous. Anyways, I never took the Owlet sock out of the box, I only used the camera because we already had it set up. I think the sock could potentially help certain people with their anxiety, but I’m glad that I found out from the NICU that being able to monitor her every heartbeat and every breath so closely just made my anxiety hyperfocus. I would’ve lost it if we got a false alarm at home.

Thread: "Owlet products fail more than they actually work"

I'm half wondering if maybe you guys had faulty ones? I've had one for a year (no camera just the sock) and we've had no issues. I'm sorry you guys had an awful experience though. These devices are supposed to take a weight off your shoulders, not put one on them.

Thread: "I officially HATE the Owlet Dream Sock."

I hated that effing sock. It has a home and a real purpose for some families. Its purpose was being burned at the stake in mine.

Thread: "The Owlet Dream Sock saved my daughters life last night "

Oh man, one of my kids would somehow kick his sock off once every two weeks or so, no matter how we positioned it or how tight it was. He just has a little ninja foot, I guess. It's a good thing he was a good sleeper, because I needed the extra rest after being jump-scared awake every so often.

Thread: "Owlet Dream Sock"

I used the owlet for the same reason and it absolutely helped me. It’s always so controversial, there are always people who warn you that it can just make anxiety worse and maybe that’s true for some people, but for me it definitely gave me peace of mind and a time when my anxiety was absolutely through the roof. Being a new parent is terrifying. My baby wasn’t NICU but She was super tiny and her tiny size was so scary, I felt like she was going to break! I didn’t expect it to prevent anything unpreventable, but what it did to is allow me to check on her from my phone instead of getting up and hovering over her bassinet, risking waking her up and waking myself up more than just checking my phone. For me, it was absolutely worth it and a game changer.

Thread: "Owlet Dream Sock, thumbs up or thumbs down?"

I love it, never had any false alarms. Still using at 7 months

Thread: "Anybody use the owlet dream sock?"

The owlet sock violates the “Alone” part of ABCs of infant sleep. Research shows the Owlet actually increases caregiver anxiety. The readings are very inaccurate and this failed the application for FDA approval for a medical device. The scary thing is how inaccurate it is. The heart rate is also set to go off at 60 which in a hospital setting would be resuscitation level and NICU admission. Also, SIDS while scary, is a one time event. Not one infant has come back after an episode. It is irreversible, unstoppable and fatal. True SIDS is rare. Suffocation, positional asphyxiation etc can be prevented by following safe sleep guidelines and general infant safety.

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

Not an unpopular opinion! This is one of the main criticisms about these things.

Thread: "Owlet sock - Not a gimmick - Saved babies life"

This is actually all really good advice and accurate. In her case she wasn't showing retraction until that night it just all went south so fast. On that note though... Everyone should buy a powered nasal aspirator. They're amazing. Way better then the one you suck on.

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

So much crap like wipe warmers? This was recommended to us by another parent 🙃 But maybe we'll use it this winter if it gets too cold. Maybe 🤣

Thread: "Anybody use the owlet dream sock?"

They are not recommended by the AAP and violate safe sleep guidelines. Babies have also been burned by the sock. Just some food for thought. If you’re following safe sleep, there’s no reason to monitor baby’s oxygen. If your baby has a medical condition which requires monitoring, a healthcare professional will send you home with a hospital grade monitor.

Thread: "I officially HATE the Owlet Dream Sock."

Ours has been brilliant, one false alarm in about 7 months, which was because we hadn't put it on properly.

Thread: "Does anyone know which Owlet Dream sock is the best to get?"

In my experience, it caused more problems than it solved. It would constantly get out of position, sounding the alarm and waking everyone up when the baby was actually fine. Our pediatrician confirmed that they aren’t all they’re cracked out to be, but to each their own

Thread: "Owlet sock worth it?"

The only reason I sleep at all

Thread: "Owlet sock - Not a gimmick - Saved babies life"

Very glad she's ok! Just to be sure, isn't an SpO2 level below 89% already alarming? I don't know what the sock's reading accuracy is, or what they provide regarding documentation.

Thread: "The Owlet Dream Sock saved my daughters life last night "

Both kids were born early, 31 and 33 weeks, and spent a month at the NICU each. We got so used to the all the monitors there that when we got home we had a lot of anxiety at night. The owlet helped us feel like we had “extra eyes” on the kids while they slept.

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

I feel like a lot of people are speaking from privilege in the comments. “We prioritized it” come on guys some ppl simply cannot find an extra 300 dollars in the budget- that is not an insignificant amount of money for many many many people, especially in light of all the baby essentials that you need and are a huge added household expense. Your rant is well taken OP! I think it also can feel like your meaningful problem (I’m a new mom and anxious about My baby and it feels existential) can feel minimized when someone says to just get a gadget to solve it.

Thread: "Anybody use the owlet dream sock?"

I used it twice, it kept going off with false alarms and it is actually now cautioned against by the AAP. I got rid of mine and don't regret it at all. It just made me more anxious because it was one more thing to worry about.

Thread: "Owlet sock - Not a gimmick - Saved babies life"

SpO2 dipping below 90% should absolutely be cause for alarm

Thread: "The Owlet Dream Sock saved my daughters life last night "

We threw a sock over it to keep it in place

Thread: "Is the owlet sock useful?"

We have used one for our LO since he was born and he’s now 10 months. A lot of peace of mind, I would absolutely recommend it. I can’t imagine not having it but the key is to remember putting it on every night - not always worth waking them up to put it on

Thread: "Owlet Dream Sock"

I bought a used owlet and was able to register it without any issues! It was a blessing and never had any false alarms in 14 months. It worked great but the sensor didn’t charge as long as it should so look into that before you buy it!

Thread: "I officially HATE the Owlet Dream Sock."

Ours has been great, the only time it gave "false alarms" was when she was itty bitty but it's not suggested you use it until theyre a month old because it might not give accurate readings. You might have a faulty one though of it's saying it's too far away? You can also turn off the alarm by pushing the top or you can silence it for 15?ish minutes by holding it down. I know it's a pain when it goes off, we definitely had our moments where we wanted to lose our shit on it. But overall Im glad we have it. We havent had as many issues as she's gotten older, not sure if that's because the sock fits better or what.

Thread: "Owlet Dream Sock, thumbs up or thumbs down?"

I’m a nurse and first time mom, I was absolutely set that we needed it. Then I found out there were occasional defects, like misreading vital signs or the socks burning infant’s skin. In the end, we didn’t get it because it would just cause more anxiety.

Thread: "Owlet Dream Sock, thumbs up or thumbs down?"

It's great for giving false alerts and stressing out parents. Beyond that, I have no idea why this product exists

Thread: "I officially HATE the Owlet Dream Sock."

It’s going on marketplace or the trash. TODAY.

Thread: "I officially HATE the Owlet Dream Sock."

I thought about one of those socks, and sure they exist to cover a very unlikely edge case of your baby dying, but it just seemed paranoid to me. I wouldn’t begrudge anyone for thinking that they need one, but I also have to think that monitoring your kid like that is just too much. Just practice safe sleep like the experts say and the sock is almost redundant.

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

Why would anyone get that if their baby didn’t really need that…? If your baby has no complications I don’t see the need. I don’t know why people are pushing this on you.

Thread: "Did you choose the owlet baby monitor or something else, and why?"

I was extra paranoid about bringing my NICU baby home, and considered getting an Owlet. But every single doctor and nurse I spoke to on my daughter’s team advised against it. If a baby needs a monitor/pulse ox then they’ll be prescribed one… if not, it’s just an unnecessary expense marketed to anxious parents.

Thread: "The Owlet Dream Sock saved my daughters life last night "

That situation is why we splurged on the Newton mattress. I’m still waiting for the adult version, that shit looked comfy.

Thread: "Why do they say an Owlet can’t prevent SIDS when it’s whole purpose is to alert when O2 drops?"

If something happens and it catches it then good, but it’s not a medical device, it can malfunction or fall off so they don’t make any advertising claims because of liability.

Thread: "Owlet sock - Not a gimmick - Saved babies life"

For the future, sats in the 80s for a normal baby is absolutely alarming.

Thread: "Do not buy an owlet sock"

I guess I’m in the minority of those who love the sock. I never had a false reading in the two years we used it on my first - in fact it saved us from bad situations multiple times. One paramedic even asked for the information to get one for their pregnant family member. I’ll be using again for my second. I’m sorry it didn’t work for you :(

Thread: "The Owlet Dream Sock saved my daughters life last night "

Wondering the same. My daughter slept in your tummy as soon as she rolled around 3.5 months so wondering why going to tummy would cause the oxygen to drop? Infant mattress should be fairly firm.

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

I have money for the sock and I still didn’t get one because I think it would have fueled my anxiety. Not helped. For thousands of years people got by without all the fancy stuff. Plus, I feel like whatever the sock technology is - is it safe to have strapped on a baby’s skin all night? Has it truly been studied long term? (I think not.)

Thread: "Why would a pulse oximeter/apnea monitor NOT prevent SIDS?"

This is what I was wondering also about devices like an Owlet. Do they just give you a number? Or are you able to see a pleth also? I’m not familiar with home devices, but in the hospital heart rate and spO2 monitors are SO sensitive to motion. If the person wearing it is kicking or moving or it comes loose or any number of things, like you said, it will alarm. Typically you can correlate if the waveform is good to see if it’s a true desaturation or if it’s just from movement

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

Echo this as a clinical psychologist working in perinatal health . For my really anxious patients it typically just promotes checking and hyper-vigilance, or acts as a safety net that makes it difficult for moms to let go of once their babies become toddlers or difficult to let their babies sleep without, if it isn’t available. And when it sends off false alarms it can be really distressing. Unfortunately for many of these patients, they are convinced it’s helping until I work with them to stop using it - it’s hard for them to see how it can act to feed into the anxiety. So OP, save your money and don’t feel badly about it! Just use safe sleep techniques and know that babies make all sorts of strange sounds in the night. Edit to add: we got a similar type sock when someone gifted us the Nannit camera. The sock stayed in the box unused - we’ll likely sell when we sell the camera once done using it. We don’t even check the camera all the time - we got a $30 audio only speaker and use this as our primary source of deciding whether we need to keep an eye on her with the camera. She’s one now and this system has worked great for us!

Thread: "Not everyone can fork out 300 for a Owlet sock "

I’m in Europe and got one when they started selling them this summer before my baby (first one) was born. Been using it daily and I’ve heard how it might be anxiety inducing but honestly it’s been the total opposite for me. It measures pulse and O2. It’s been useful to know when to step in if she’s restless - if baby’s heart rate is normal but wriggling I can gather it’s active sleep, but there are times when it’s shot up and I can tell baby is starting to stress out so I’ll know to go in.

Thread: "Owlet Dream Sock, thumbs up or thumbs down?"

Idk if I got really lucky or it’s user error but in the year we used ours there never once was a false alarm. There is a noise it makes if it can’t get a good reading but it’s very different than the alarm for a baby with a low heart rate or oxygen reading.

Thread: "The Owlet Dream Sock saved my daughters life last night "

I’ve heard great things but also bad things, false readings and false alarms and whatnot… my son is 8mo and while I want to get one, I also worry it’d fuel my anxiety and I’d be stuck watching the levels. Ugh.