Why does my monitor not alarm when I take baby out of the cot

This series of articles is here to help our users understand a little bit about what goes into our Movement Sensor Pad and how it works. 

We're looking at what we call "false movements" this time and how they affect the performance of the Sensor Pad.

How the Sensor Pad works:

Our Movement Sensor Pad technology is centred around the detection of movement of movement on the surface of baby's mattress, whether baby is awake or asleep. When in their cot, each movement of your baby is being detected by the Sensor Pad.

We would like to add that Angelcare Movement Monitors do not monitor your baby’s breathing, they monitor your baby’s movements on the surface of their mattress.

This ranges from wiggles and giggles to the soft raise and fall of baby's chest. Each of these movements transfer through the mattress and are detected by the Sensor Pad, which is constantly talking to the Nursery/Camera Unit and saying "don't worry, baby is doing their thing, no need to alarm".

Like adults, when babies go into a deep sleep they become incredibly still. Unlike adults, babies can go so still that they could all be world champions at musical statues.

Now the Sensor Pad at this point waits approx 15 seconds, if no movement is detected, the Nursery/Camera Unit (only) emits a single low beep. This is enough to rouse baby without waking them and encourages some movement from them. The Sensor Pad detects these movements and gives the "okay" to Nursery/Camera Unit to go back to sleep.

We call this the "rouse alarm". Many parents only hear this single beep and no alarm as, the monitor has done what it was designed to do and your baby's movements are now being detected.

If movement is still not detected after approx. a further 5 seconds: the Sensor Pad alerts the Nursery/Camera Unit, which sounds a series of loud beeps from the Parent & Nursery/Camera Units to alert you - we call this the "main alarm".

It's a pretty simple process, however "false movements", would prevent the alarm from sounding if needed.

"False movements" can/are caused by movement that is outside of the cot/mattress area. For example:

• A large load driving past causing vibration.
  • trains, planes, cars etc
• Movement from inside the nursery/sleeping/mattress area.
  • fans during hot weather, mobile above and / or attached to baby's cot.
  • Under floor and central heating.
  • Wind up or battery-operated toys that play music etc. in or attached to the cot including white noise toys
• People walking past/through where the monitor/Sensor Pad is setup.
  • even more so in homes with wooden floors
• Sleeping next to / touching the Moses Basket/Travel Cot/bedside crib.
  • movement from adult in bed can be registered by the Sensor Pad, even when asleep if there is any contact with the basket / cot however small

NOTE: The Sensor Pad cannot differentiate between the movements of baby, you, other vibrations and may not alarm.