Best Movement Monitor of 2021

Wearable: No | Parent Unit: None

The Babysense 7 is a sensor pad monitor that works under the crib mattress. It is easy to use and works well with minimal preparation and set up. This monitor has a straightforward control unit that goes on the crib's front and receives data from the two pads under the crib and sounds the alarm (with red lights) if your infant stops moving after a designated period. The Babysense 7 is one of the most reliable movement options in our tests, with fewer false alarms than the competition. It operates on AA batteries to decrease the potential for accidental strangulation from product cords. Unlike wearable monitors, this option continues to work reasonably well even after your baby is mobile (up to one year old).

Like all mattress sensors we've tested, the Babysense 7 requires that the mattress is housed on a hard surface board to function properly. It is also one of the most expensive options in this review. Because the alarm sounds in the nursery and not on a parent unit, it isn't the right choice if you want a parent device. Overall, this movement choice is easy to use and works well for a longer period than much of the competition, thanks to the two sensor pads. We believe most families will appreciate the simplicity and fewer false alarms with this unit and can always add a video or sound monitor as desired.

Read Review: Babysense 7

Wearable: Yes | Parent Unit: None

The Snuza Hero SE is a clip wearable with a unique vibration feature that gently rouses your baby from sleep, so they move (theoretically breathe) to stop the vibrating alarm before the audible alarm clicks on. This product is the only monitor we reviewed with this rousing feature. We like the simplicity of this wearable and the increased ability to use it away from home as it doesn't require a specialized setup or mattress like the sensor pads.

This clip can be uncomfortable for some little ones, and it doesn't work well if your baby is old enough to roll over or crawl as the sensor can dislodge or lose contact. This unit also has no parent device, so if the vibration doesn't rouse the baby, an audible alarm erupts directly from the clip attached to your child, and you may not hear it if you aren't close enough. If you don't hear the signal, it will continue to alert, which could be unnecessarily upsetting for little ones. Some parents didn't like the shorter battery life, while others experienced false alarms when the clip lost contact with the baby's belly. However, if you travel frequently or want a monitor that stimulates the baby into movement before the alarm goes off (a unique feature in our experience), then the Snuza Hero is an excellent choice.

Read Review: Snuza Hero

Wearable: Yes | Parent Unit: None

The Snuza Go is a budget-friendly wearable that clips to the front of your baby's diaper with a flexible sensor that rests on the infant's abdomen. It is easy to use and travels well. This unit has a simple design that requires no setup or crib modification, giving parents that straight out of the box satisfaction you can't find in the mattress style monitor. This option is similar to the Snuza Hero, but it lacks the stimulation feature for the baby's peaceful rousing.

The Go doesn't have a parent unit, and the loud nursery alarm can cause unnecessary upset for the baby. Some parents also feel that the battery life is too short, and replacements are challenging to locate, but the lower price of the Go can offset this potential problem if you have the budget on your brain. The Go isn't an excellent choice for older babies on the move, as this can result in false alarms, so it has a limited lifespan. Overall, this monitor has a very reasonable price for a straightforward unit that works for younger infants while traveling.

Read Review: Snuza Go

Wearable: Yes | Parent Unit: Smartphone

The Sense-U Baby is an app-enabled wearable great for families who want more information on what is happening with their baby and inside the baby's nursery. This wearable attaches like a button or can clip-on. It is easy to attach and turn on. We like the free app you pair with your device and feel the user-interface is relatively intuitive and friendly, especially if you use apps frequently. This app provides information beyond just movement, including baby position, temperature, and more. It is portable, making it an excellent choice for travel, and it has less EMF than the other button style wearable in this review.

The Sense-U can only be paired with one device at a time, which can be frustrating if the parent with the unit is not home. Its Bluetooth is only good up to about 50ft, so it may not work in larger homes as it must pair with a smartphone. Set up is also more convoluted, and while not hard, it does have more steps than the other clip-style wearables. While the EMF is similar to other products, it isn't as low as most wearable monitors in this review. Overall, we think tech-loving parents will like this monitor and how much information it provides. Many parents will feel the EMF is a worthwhile trade-off for the peace of mind they gain.

Read Review: Sense-U Baby

Wearable: No | Parent Unit: Dedicated

The Angelcare AC327 is a wireless sensor pad monitor with all the bells and whistles. This option is one of the few that comes with a dedicated parent device. It has audio and video that will work long after your little one outgrows the movement component. This newer Angelcare option has a wireless sensor pad, so you don't need to worry about accidental strangulation. The pad sensitivity is adjustable, allowing you to filter out ambient vibrations from a fan or white noise machine. We like that this option lets you see and hear your baby and alerts you to possible problems instead of emitting an in-nursery alarm where it can be upsetting, especially if it is a false alarm.

While we like the wireless design of the pad, it emits more EMF than those with wires, which in our opinion, is a bummer. The included parent device is not intuitive, and the sparse button design with unfamiliar icons feel dated. Much like other all-in-one sets, this product does everything okay without being exceptional in any area with subpar video images and so-so sound. Also, the sensor pads require a hard surface under them, and some mattress types are not compatible with the pads, so you'll need to do a little homework. No matter what, it isn't the best for using away from home since you don't know what kind of mattress and surface you'll encounter on your travels. However, despite these blips, if you desire a one-and-done option that gives you video and audio with movement and a parent device, this pack should be a potential contender.

Read Review: Angelcare AC327

Wearable: Yes | Parent Unit: None

The Levana Om Sense is a clip-style wearable that attaches to the waistband of your baby's diaper. It is relatively small, easy to use, and has a straightforward design that is travel friendly. We like that there is no setup required, and anyone can use it without much instruction or special bedding and mattress requirements.

The Levana has no real features and includes a loud alarm that emits directly from the device on your baby. The alarm is in-nursery only and might go unheard depending on where you are compared to the nursery or what else is going on in your home (pairing with a sound monitor is a good idea). It is also likely to be upsetting to a baby, especially if the alarm is wrong. While we like this wearable's simplicity, it is more expensive than similar style wearables, and there is no reason to pay more for virtually the same thing.

Read Review: Levana Om Sense

Wearable: Yes | Parent Unit: Smartphone

The Monbaby Smart Button is a somewhat unique button that attaches to your baby's clothes. The button is small, portable, and more comfortable than the clip-style wearable, with most infants not even noticing it is there. We like the reasonable price (comparatively speaking) and the smartphone capabilities that provide and record a lot of potentially useful information. Plus, this Wi-Fi capable device means you don't need proximity to your baby's location to hear the alarm.

This product requires Wi-Fi access, and some users feel that the app is more challenging than it needs to be. The wearable button itself is useless if you lose it or accidentally run it through the washer and dryer, which is something a sleep-deprived parent could easily do. However, if you make removing the button a habit, and you take time to figure out the app, then the Monbaby is a high-tech choice that can keep you informed without disrupting your infant's sleep.

To provide a complete picture and information, we believe it is crucial to discuss the monitors we don't recommend, especially if we feel there is a potential health concern related to our decision.

Not Recommended Due to High EMF

Owlet Smart Sock 2

Wearable: Yes | Parent Unit: Smartphone

The Owlet Smart Sock 2 functions like a pulse oximeter, making it different from a traditional movement monitor. Your baby wears the "sock" on their foot, and it continuously monitors oxygen saturation and heart rate. This "sock" connects via Bluetooth to a base in the nursery that communicates with an app on your smartphone, providing alerts and various other information. This monitor collects and tracks data and avoids waking the baby with a false alarm inside the nursery. It is critical to understand that the Owlet is not a movement monitor. Itonly tracks oxygen saturation and heart rate, not whether or not your baby is moving in a way indicative of breathing. The Owlet is NOT a medical device and should not be used to treat, monitor, diagnose, or prevent any medical issues (as outlined by the company). However, you can use your HSA or FSA pre-tax health saving accounts to purchase this monitor.

While the concept is cool and the technology intriguing, the Owlet Smart Sock 2 is a product we do not recommend as a result of disappointing Electromagnetic Field (EMF) test results that are far higher (8 V/m) than the competition and everyday products like personal fitness monitors. In our opinion, the EMF levels from the Owlet are too high (for more information on EMF and our testing, please see the EMF section below.) While each parent must weigh the pros and cons to make the best decision for their baby, we believe the unnecessary and uncertain potential health risks related to high EMF exposure is reason enough not to use the Smart Sock. In our opinion, this is a classic instance of implementing the precautionary principle.

Also, the Owlet is expensive, with a price that is more than three times some of the competition. Although they offer to finance, it is still expensive for a product with inherent problems (i.e., false alarms if the sock falls off and a sock-based system that is unusable once the baby outgrows the sock). Nonetheless, the Owlet's tech gadgetry will intrigue and potentially addict some parents, and we worry parents will consider it a medical device when even the company says it isn't. Plus, it shouldn't replace safe sleep practices. While we think this kind of technology is cool for the unique information it provides, until EMF levels are lower, it isn't a product we feel comfortable recommending based on our EMF test results.

Why You Should Trust Us

Consideration for inclusion in our movement monitor review begins with our founder, board-certified pediatrician, Dr. Juliet Spurrier. Dr. Spurrier chooses products with safety and efficacy in mind. The in-house test team is led by Bob Wofford, father of 7, and our Senior Review Analyst. Wendy Schmitz, a Senior Review Editor, helps with the test result analysis and ranking of products to determine award winners. Over time we have tested 14 different monitors designed for movement. Our vast experience over the last seven years helps us provide the details you need to find the right monitor for your baby.

We purchase and test most of the products in our reviews, including this review for movement style monitors. The products are tested side-by-side for ease of use, EMF, false alarms, and features. We used two different brand EMF meters during testing to ensure accurate readings for each product and across models.

Movement Monitor Buying Advice

Movement monitors are considered an essential tool by many parents hoping to protect their infant from the dangers of sleep-related death. Most parents have a fear of SIDS, and we understand this. Even though movement detecting monitors are not approved or endorsed by the FDA or the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to aid in preventing SIDs, many parents consider purchasing one if there's even a tiny chance that it can potentially prevent a sleep-related death. While these products are not medical equipment, nor is there proof that they save lives, they could provide peace of mind for some parents. Video monitors let you see your little one, and you can hear them on a sound monitor, but how can you confirm that they are still breathing? Many parents have spent significant time staring at a video monitor, looking for signs of movement to ease a worried mind. You could go to their room to check, but no one wants to unnecessarily wake a sleeping baby or bother crossing the house in the middle of the night if they don't have to.

Types of Movement Monitors

There are two basic types of movement monitors with similar principles of monitoring the movement of sleeping babies. One style is a sensor pad under the baby's mattress (above left), while the other style is something a baby wears (above right). There are pros and cons to both, and choosing the right option will depend on your overall goals.

Sensor Pads

The most reliable products utilize sensors pads under the crib mattress. These units can sense even the slightest movement, like breathing. If the movement stops for longer than a pre-determined time, an alarm sounds on the nursery unit or parent device, depending on the model. This kind of movement device is best for at-home use as it requires a hard surface under the mattress to function correctly and has limitations on which mattress types you can use. These sensor pads aren't compatible with memory foam mattresses and most travel or hotel cribs. This type of product also continues to be useful after little ones can roll or crawl (unlike wearable monitors). The Babysense 7 and the Anglecare AC327 are both sensor pad monitors.

Wearables

Wearables clip onto the baby's diaper, attach to clothing, or slip over the foot. Depending on the model, they are as small as a button or as large as an 80s style beeper. Wearables typically have more false alarms than sensor pads because the device can easily lose contact with the baby. However, wearables can be ideal for traveling. These monitors are small and don't require special crib considerations, but they can fail or have false alarms. They can also be challenging to attach to clothing if your baby is already sleeping, and they can dislodge if the baby is awake.

The Snuza monitors, Owlet Smart Sock 2 (above left), and the Monbaby Smart Button (above right) are variations of wearable monitors.

Parent Unit

Having a parent unit means you can move further from the baby and still hear the alarm or receive the alert. Some monitors are compatible with smartphones and send an alert to your phone via an app. However, many monitor alarms are on the sensor itself or the nursery unit. Purchasing a product without a parent unit means you need to stay within hearing distance of the alarm, or you may miss it. Some parent devices can be programmed to only alert the parents instead of sounding in the nursery. This feature can be useful if your device is prone to false alarms. That way, the baby can continue to sleep peacefully, unaware. Combining the movement monitor with a sound monitor can mitigate some of these problems, and choosing two monitors is a popular solution for many parents. Still, it can be more expensive to buy and maintain two monitors.

Reliability

False alarms can be a frightening experience (for parents and babies), and they often result in more questions than answers. Their occurrence makes reliability a critical consideration, and the one thing complaint of most parents. In our experience, the sensor pads are the most reliable because there is no risk that the sensor will move or become dislodged. Products like the Angelcare AC327 and the Babysense 7 had fewer false alarms than the wearable products. The primary cause of false alarms seems to happen when wearable monitors lose contact with the baby's body and are no longer able to sense movement. Contact loss can occur if the sock with Owlet Smart Sock 2 falls off, the button on the Monbaby Smart Button loses contact with the baby, or the Snuza products shift away from the baby's belly. As your baby becomes mobile, there is a chance of a wearable product losing contact with the baby. For this reason, the sensor pads result in fewer false alarms as they encompass a wide area of the mattress and are not dependant on a calm and stationary baby. Also, the Angelcare AC327 has a sensitivity adjustment on the nursery unit that can be altered to suit your nursery and child's specific needs, thereby decreasing potential false alarms.

Ease of Use

Parents should consider how challenging a monitor is to use, including the setup, buttons, settings, smartphone interface, and battery changes. The Babysense 7 and the Angelcare AC327 are straightforward to turn on, but they have some adjustment settings to manage at least once, and the parent unit on the AC327 is neither user friendly nor intuitive. Alternatively, the Snuza Go, Snuza Hero, and Levana Om Sense require less initial preparation but can be frustrating to attach to a squirmy or sleeping baby resulting in false alarms or sleep disruption. Parents also complain that the battery compartment is hard to open on the Snuzas, making battery changes a dreaded chore.

The Monbaby Smart Button, Sense-U Baby, and the Owlet Smart Sock 2 can also be challenging to attach. Their sensor and smartphone can fail to connect, resulting in an expensive, useless accessory. Plus, each has an app you need to use, and while they are reasonably intuitive, it will help if you are familiar with other tech gadgets and apps.

Alarm Volume

Most monitors in our review alert inside the baby's nursery, so they need to be loud enough to wake you from a dead sleep in a different room. This nursery alarm should wake a baby from a deep sleep, who is theoretically not breathing, without the potential delay from a slow waking parent running to the nursery. However, this loud in-nursery alarm also means potentially scaring your little one, which will lead to crying instead of gentle stimulation to facilitate movement or breathing. Depending on your house size, where the nursery is, and if the monitor is covered, the alarm could be hard to hear. Because of this, we highly recommend that monitors without parent units be combined with a sound monitor. The Angelcare AC327 has a dedicated parent unit with video and audio capability, so you are sure to hear the alarm and can then peek in to see if your little one is breathing.

Adjustable Sensitivity

The Angelcare AC327 sensor pad offers an adjustable sensitivity feature. The highly sensitive sensor pads can pick up ambient noise and vibration from heating vents, fans, or household appliances. If the pads pick up ambient interference, the monitor will not work if the infant stops moving because the sensor will think the interference is the baby moving. You must test your monitor while using everyday appliances in proximity to the baby's room (specifically fans, air filters, white noise makers, and heaters in baby's room). If the alarm does not function, then the sensor on the AC327 can be adjusted to ignore interference. The wearable monitors are not affected by low-level ambient vibration and do not have an adjustable sensor, but don't mistake this to mean they are suitable for strollers or car seats; they are not. None of the movement monitors will work when used in a device designed to move as the monitor cannot tell the difference between a baby's movement and the movement of the stroller or car seat. If you choose the BabySense 7, you'll need to remove ambient interference from the room or away from the baby's crib, as it doesn't have an adjustment feature.

Electromagnetic Fields (EMF)

The jury is still out on the effects of EMF on the human body and the sensitive developing systems of babies. Nevertheless, we believe there is enough evidence to indicate potential harm, so we think parents should consider the EMF (Volts/meter) emitted by all products in use near their little ones. We believe that a "better safe than sorry" approach is smart and that parents should make thoughtful and informed choices when selecting products that emit EMF. Every home has an ambient level of EMF, and each new product brought into the home can increase the EMF emissions. However, putting an EMF emitting device directly on your baby is entirely different in our minds, and we think parents should weigh the pros and cons before choosing to do so. This concern is why we test each product to determine how much EMF it generates.

The Owlet Smart Sock 2 has a significantly higher level of EMF than all of the movement competition and more than any of the video monitors we've tested. Our two EMF meters registered an average of 8 V/m when placed next to the Owlet Smart Sock v2. We are not comfortable with this level of EMF right on a baby. This result is 73% of the EMF emitted from an iPhone while making a phone call, 3x higher than a Fitbit fitness monitor (more on this below), and 12x more than the ambient EMF in our testing area!

In comparison, both Snuza models emitted no EMF over the ambient room reading (0.4 V/m). The Owlet emits almost twice as much EMF than the Monbaby Smart Button (which is also high in our opinion). The Sense-U Baby has significantly lower EMF than the similar Monbaby with a reading of 1.3 V/m, which is one reason why it ranked higher overall. The mattress sensor pads from the BabySense 7 emit no EMF over the ambient room in our tests, and the Angelcare AC327 is middle of the road with 1.2 V/m as a result of the wireless design. In our opinion, this means any of the movement monitors are potentially better for your baby than the Owlet Smart Sock v2.

For some perspective, we also tested the EMF on a smartphone in various configurations of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and calling active and not active, and some wearable fitness monitors. This testing provides comparable information on how the wearable monitors' EMF compare to everyday items that you use or wear. We believe parents can relate to this data given the rising concerns about radiation from cell phones and cancer.

A smartphone with the Wi-Fi on and making a call measured 17 V/m at a one-inch distance, while the Owlet emitted 8 V/m at one-inch - that is 73% of the EMF emitted by the cell phone. At 1 inch away from the meter, the Fitbit has an average reading of 3 V/m, which is significantly less than the Owlet Smart Sock v2 with an 8 V/m reading and the Monbaby Smart Button with a 5 V/m.

Even though conclusive data about how much EMF is dangerous is lacking, we don't recommend high EMF emitting products for the first six months (when this kind of product is useful); especially, since there are good alternatives that do not have this issue. Babies are more susceptible to EMF than adults because they are still developing and have thinner skulls. Given this information, we are disturbed that some baby monitoring products have significantly higher EMF than the adult products we hear about so much. We feel there is no real engineering reason why the Owlet Sock should have such high EMF readings when the FitBit is less than half that of the Owlet but uses similar technology transmitting similar information to your smartphone. We consider this to be a product design flaw on Owlet's part, and the EMF level is just too high for our comfort.

Curious, we also measured the EMF level in an older Owlet Smart Sock v1. The EMF reading at 1-inch from the sock for the v1 is significantly lower with a reading of 1.4 V/m, while the v2 sock has a reading of 8 V/m. The v1 reading is much closer to the ambient EMF levels of 0.7 V/m, which we feel is a more acceptable EMF level. Our EMF measurements of the Owlet Smart Sock v2 show higher EMF transmissions at the baby by a startling 5.7x more. At such a high level, we cannot in good conscience recommend the Owlet Smart Sock 2. We can't say why the company decided to increase the EMF level of the Bluetooth radio transmitter in the baby's sock so dramatically. Still, in our opinion, putting such a high EMF source on infants is a disturbing (and unnecessary) engineering oversight by Owlet in the v2 design.

Conclusion

Movement monitors are not a medical device, and you shouldn't rely on them to prevent SIDS or monitor any medical condition or issue. However, this monitor style could offer peace of mind for some parents. If it can help increase your odds of achieving a good night's sleep, then you might want to consider adding it to your lineup. We believe everyone can find something to meet their needs in our roundup of top options and award winners. No matter what kind of monitoring decisions you make, nothing replaces safe and smart sleeping practices to reduce the risk of SIDs. Babies must always sleep on their back, in their own space, on a firm surface, using only a tight-fitting sheet for bedding (no blankets, lovies, pillows, bumpers, etc.). Providing a safe and comfortable sleep space for your little one is more crucial than choosing a monitoring device. This safe space should have good airflow with a fan or air filter nearby to increase circulation. There should be no smoking, and the room should be a comfortable temperature for an adult in lightweight clothing (no overheating the space or keeping it too cool).