Monbaby Smart Button v3 Review

Monbaby is a health and wellness technology company. Run by parents, they understand the apprehension and fears parents often feel during a baby's first year. Their mission is to provide peace of mind and improve sleep for the family.

Performance Comparison

Expected Reliability

The Monbaby's expected reliability is one of the lowest in the group. We didn't experience any issues with false alarms or the monitor not alerting when it should during testing or our research.

Our battery died after a few days of testing; we suspect this will be a worse problem when used overnight every night. This battery life could be a potential reliability issue as time goes on. We also experienced some connectivity problems after battery changes, and it didn't always appear as an option in our smart device for Bluetooth connection. These issues hurt its expected reliability score as it could fail to perform when parents sleep, and they won't know there is an issue.

Set Up

The setup for the MOnbaby is minimal. Other than downloading an app and setting up an account, you only need to install a battery and clip it to clothing before being able to monitor.

It comes with two batteries, and you need to calibrate the button before use.

Ease of Use

The simplicity of the Monbaby makes it one of the more accessible options in the review. It is a straightforward choice with no bells, whistles, or other monitoring functionality like sound or video.

This monitor clips onto the baby's clothing and pairs with the smartphone via Bluetooth. As long as it is set up correctly, you are good to go. The app interface is easy to understand, and the cartoon baby image gives you positional information and breathing reports. The circle around the baby indicates the activity level, and the bottom half of the screen has analytic graphs, night or day mode control, alarm sensitivity, and settings. The top right corner has a bell for alarm settings that includes a timer for various intervals and a snooze option.

This monitor is a good travel option for grandma's house or more fantastic adventures with no need for WiFi or extensive setup required. Everything you need can fit in your pocket.

Monitoring Cababilities

The Monbaby does not offer sound or video monitoring, but it has a few more capabilities outside of the motion that indicates breathing. It also includes monitoring your little one's position and whether or not they are on their stomach or being active.

It also includes room temperature sensing that is adjustable for a range outside of which you'd like an alert.

Alerts

The Monbaby only alerts on the app. There is no external unit or nursery alarm. This can be good to avoid trauma and sleep disruption of the baby with a false alarm, but it means it relies on the parent to hear the alarm or alert when sleeping.

This monitor alerts on the smartphone with a pop-up notification for things like position changes, a fall, and temperatures outside of the set range. If the volume is off, it will vibrate the phone. You can turn alerts on or off for rolling over, temperature, sensor connection, falls of 3 or more feet, battery life, chest movement, and positions. None of these pop-up alerts are likely to wake a deep sleeper. When the alarm goes off for breathing, it alternates between a high-pitched beeping and a lower-pitched blaring sound, no matter what volume setting the phone is on. This alternating annoying sound will likely wake up most parents.

Electro Magnetic Field (EMF)

TheMonbaby has EMF on par with fitness trackers we've tested in the past. It has one of the higher readings in our tests for EMF wearables in this group.

While the jury might still be out on the health implications of EMF on developing systems, we think it is best to use caution and limit exposure to EMF when possible. How much is too much is a personal decision for each parent or caregiver.

Should You Buy the Monbaby?

The Monbaby is a good choice for parents on a budget or those who only plan to monitor for movement occasionally. It is easy to set up and use with Bluetooth connectivity; you can be up and monitoring in short order. We like the simple design and think parents will appreciate the positional alerts that give more information than breathing alone.

What Other Movement Monitor Should You Consider?

If your budget allows, you might want to consider the similar Sense-U Baby v3. This button monitor comes with a base station and longer battery life. It has similar functionality and a higher performance score, but it will cost more for the initial purchase. Alternatively, if you aren't tech-savvy or want the most basic, dummy-proof option possible, the Snuza Hero SE is a great wearable with an in-nursery alarm and pre-alarm vibration to rouse a baby before the alarm sounds. This monitor is inexpensive, doesn't require any other device, and is great for travel.

Manufacturer Video