Snuza Hero MD vs Owlet Smart Sock 2 ~

Buying everything you need, or think you will need, for your squishy little human can seem like a mammoth, expensive, overwhelming experience. 

'How will we afford to buy all of this stuff?' 

'How can someone so small require so many things?' 

'Will there be any room for the actual baby after we have bought all this stuff?'

'Will we have to move house to accommodate all of the baby's stuff?' 

'Do they do 'baby-stuff-mortgages'?'

Yes, the list can seem endless and it's really difficult to decipher what you really need and what will inevitably just sit in it's box and get in the way until you eventually sell it, donate it, save it for when you have your next baby when, inevitably, it still won't get taken out of it's box. 

I want to try and help you make some educated choices, save a bit of money and learn from my mistakes, late night panic buying, decisions! 

One of the first things on my shopping list was some kind of safety monitor for when my son was asleep. Some may argue this isn't 'essential', and that's a valid point, but for me I knew it would bring me some level of comfort because it feels like back-up for those times when you can't watch your little one sleeping yourself, because you know, mama needs some sleep!

There are a lot of options out there, and after lots of research I decided that I wanted something that monitors breathing or oxygen levels, instead of a movement detector like the Angel Care monitor. Essentially, I decided I wanted the Owlet Smart Sock 2 but our budget wouldn't allow it, so I settled for the Snuza Hero MD. There's a significant price difference between them and they also monitor different things, have their own pros and cons etc, so here are my opinions on each if you are considering buying one over the other. 

- Full disclosure, I bought a brand new Snuza Hero MD and paid full price, but I purchased my Owlet Smart Sock 2 second hand for half the price it sells for brand new. - 

Snuza Hero MD - Argos - Snuza Hero MD  (£79.99 at Argos)

• Monitors breathing by being clipped on to baby's nappy and in direct contact with their tummy. 
• Lightweight and portable. 
• Has a little green light or an audible 'tick', so you can see or hear when baby is breathing. 
• Vibrates after 15 seconds of no breathing detected to try and rouse baby. 
• Alarms after 20 seconds of no breathing detected.

PROS

• Super easy to use and there isn't really any set up involved. 
• You can choose whether you want an audible 'tick' to hear when baby is breathing, or simply leave the light flashing. 
• Clips easily to baby's nappy. 
• Attempts to rouse baby if no breathing is detected after 15 seconds by vibrating.
• Affordable. 

CONS

• Once baby starts to flip over, it can fall off and falsely alarm. (Unnecessary panic!)
• When it's hot and baby isn't wearing much or anything but a nappy, it can easily be pulled off. 
• Doesn't attach easily or very securely to cloth nappies which can cause false alarms. 
• Has to be snug against baby's tummy to monitor breathing; if it wiggles to the side or baby lays to the side it will alarm when it loses contact. 
• If baby is wearing more than one thin layer of clothing, you cannot see the light flashing. 

Owlet Smart Sock 2 - Owlet Smart Sock (£269 at Owlet Baby Care)

• Monitors heart rate and oxygen levels via 'proven pulse oximetry'. 
• Monitor attaches to baby's foot by a soft wrap/'sock'. 
• Base station glows green to let you know all is well, and figures can also be checked live via the app. 
• Base station will change light colour and play an audible alarm if levels fall outside preset safety zones, or if your attention is needed. (If the sock falls off for example)
• Alerts will also be sent to your phone for additional peace of mind. 

PROS

• Super easy to use and monitors both heart rate and oxygen levels, which gave me added peace of mind.  
• So far, we haven't had any false readings or alarms, it hasn't come loose or fallen off and Odin hasn't worked out how to take it off. 
• I feel like it's more comfortable for Odin to wear and he doesn't seem to know it's there, unlike the Snuza which he became obsessed with playing with!
• The base station glows green so I am able to see quickly and clearly in the night that all is well. 

CONS

• The set up took a bit of time and could be quite complicated if you aren't confident with techy things! 
• I do find it quite fiddly to put on a wiggly kung-fu baby foot. 
• It is expensive. 

Overall, I really liked the Snuza Hero MD as an affordable option for when baby is small, not flipping or wiggling around and not able to grab it and pull it off. It gave me peace of mind and enabled me to get some sleep when I thought I would never sleep again!

I do however use the Owlet every day for sleep and naps and honestly, if it stopped working right now, I would go straight online and order another one at full price. It's expensive and not within everyone's budget, but in my opinion it has been so worth it for the comfort it has brought me. 

✻