Owlet Smart Sock 2 Review

Monitoring baby's heart rate and real-time oxygen saturation levels using pulse oximetry, the Owlet Smart Sock 2 is tremendously worthwhile for parents of sick or premature infants. The sock fits onto baby's foot, and a separate parent unit and smartphone app alert you if ever there's a problem. On the downside, although Owlet's marketing might lead you to believe otherwise, this monitor is definitely not necessary for infant survival. Many new parents buy the Owlet, only to realize they are perfectly capable of hearing their squeaky infants breathe just fine without a $300 sock to supply them with moment-by-moment data. If the Owlet will help you sleep better at night (preemie/sick baby or not), it could be worth it. Otherwise, skip it and opt for a video or audio monitor instead.

Things We Love

Monitors Baby's Vitals Using Hospital Technology: The Owlet sock monitors baby’s real-time heart rate and real-time oxygen saturation levels using pulse oximetry, the same technology used in hospitals. This type of data is likely excessive for healthy babies with low-anxiety parents, but it can come in handy as a safety precaution for parents of sick or premature infants– or even for high-anxiety parents who are especially worried about and would otherwise lose sleep over SIDS.
Separate Parent Unit & Smartphone Compatible: A separate base station serves as your primary alert tool, glowing green when all is well and notifying you with lights and sounds if something appears to be wrong. You can also use the Owlet app on your smartphone to stream real-time heart rate and oxygen levels, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Great Aesthetics: Owlet nailed it in the design department. The sock itself comes in a variety of nice colors, and the base station will fit in well just about anywhere.
Bluetooth & WiFi Connection: Owlet connects to the base station using Bluetooth technology, and has a range of about 100 feet. It communicates with your smartphone using WiFi.

Things We Don't Love As Much

No Audio; No Video: This monitor does not have audio or video capabilities.
Not Necessary for Healthy Babies: Owlet's marketing might lead you to believe otherwise, but this monitor is not necessary for infant survival. Many new parents buy the Owlet, only to realize they are perfectly capable of hearing their squeaky infants breathe just fine without a $300 sock to supply them with moment-by-moment data. If the Owlet will help you sleep better at night (preemie/sick baby or not), it could be worth it. Otherwise, skip it and opt for a video or audio monitor instead.