Portable Breathing Effort Monitors

Traditionally, Angelcare and Nircom BabySense have been the main two types of Breathing Effort Monitors, but the problem with these has always been with the lack of portability, as they have always relied upon the baby being on a mat or sensor pad.

The Respisense Breathing Effort Monitor has been in the UK for a short while now, and recently the Snuza has appeared too, showing that the UK is following other parts of the world which have been selling Respisense for some time now.

This type of monitor doesn't rely upon sensor mats / pads - the sensor which monitors breathing effort is contained within the monitor.

So, these monitors can be used for:

• Moses Baskets
• Twins
• Prams
• anywhere baby might sleep

Respisense vs Snuza 

SID Says: At the current time, I would recommend the Respisense Monitor.  Not only do I think the sensor is in a better position, I also think the support is worth having.  If you are after performance, price and peace of mind, go for Respisense.  If you are looking for the prettier and better packaged monitor, go for Snuza.

(Carried out 30 April 2009)

1.  Sensor location

The Respisense has the sensor within the clip, whereas on the Snuza, the sensor is within the nozzle.  In our opinion, Respisense should give fewer false alarms, as the sensor is less likely to come out of contact than on the Snuza.

2.  Design

Although as mentioned in point 1, the sensor location seems far more logical on the Respisense, the Snuza is much nicer to look at.  The Respisense Monitor is chunkier, whereas the Snuza is more sleek in its design.

3.  Cost

They are fairly comparable in cost, with £10 difference in the cost, but the Respisense monitor comes out cheapest.

4.  Support

When things go wrong, which with any monitor can happen, Respisense have an office within the UK which always seem willing to help.  They can also provide a battery replacement service and a part exchange service.  Snuza, as a new product in the UK, currently don't have a UK office, and as such it can be expensive trying to sort out any problems, as you may end up having to call the manufacturers, based in South Africa.

5.  Packaging

The Snuza monitor comes in a nicely designed box, and also has a plastic carrying unit to keep the monitor safe while it's not clipped onto baby's nappy.  Respisense's packaging is not as nicely designed, but its very sturdy for shipping.  However, the Respisense offering for keeping the monitor safe is a little fabric drawstring pouch, which certainly is not as sturdy as the Snuza plastic unit.