ZDNET's key takeaways The Owlet Dream Sock is an FDA-cleared baby sleep tracker that costs $299 and is FSA/HSA-eligible, though it is currently discounted for a limited time.
It goes beyond your standard baby monitor by tracking your child's heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep patterns with three alarms: a yellow incorrect fit alarm, a purple abnormal reading alarm, and a blue alarm when the sock is out of range or low battery.
While false low oxygen and abnormal heart rate alarms are exceedingly rare (I've only had a handful in our 8+ years using Owlet products), I wish there were a separate low battery alarm instead of the same out-of-range alarm. $207.35 at Amazon
Is it safe to say that all new parents need more sleep? This is partly why baby monitors were invented in the first place. I still remember when video monitors for babies became mainstream, which meant I no longer needed to haul a walkie-talkie-looking device around my house and now carry a screen instead.
Now, trackers like the Owlet Dream Sock have become so sophisticated that they can measure your baby's blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and sleep cycles -- and alert you if anything reads unusually.
Such wearables have been a household essential for me, particularly because my family has a history of febrile seizures, which can cause a sense of unease when my children are sleeping. In hopes of helping other new parents who may experience similar discomfort, let me share why a sleep-tracking baby sock is highly recommended.
How the Owlet tracks sleep and other measures
Like an Apple Watch or Fitbit, the Dream Sock is a wearable; in this case, it's worn by your baby while they sleep. It tracks their heart rate and oxygen levels to map their sleep stages. It also alerts your smartphone if your baby is awake or shows any signs of irregularity.
The box has the sensor, a base station, and four fabric socks in two sizes to fit babies from birth through 18 months. For the years after, Owlet offers a Plus option that includes two additional toddler-sized socks to fit kids from 30 to 55 lbs.
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